[pianotech] Wurzen/Weickert felt

[David Love]

The Abel "natural" felt that Pianotek is offering is different than the one
that Brooks is offering both in appearance and tone.  The Pianotek hammer is
a bit softer.  As far as the processes in manufacture are concerned, I can't
comment.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David C. Stanwood
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 4:31 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Wurzen/Weickert felt

Hi Dale,

I understand from Bob Marinelli that Pianotek is 
selling a special cold or maybe warm pressed 
hammer made by Abel which uses a special 
"natural" felt.  The felt sheets are made as a 
special project with funding from the European 
Union.  Abel is tight lipped about it (even 
though public money was spent on the project.) 
I'm guessing that it is made with less harsh 
chemicals than felts are made with these days... 
possible mild soap fulling instead of acid as is 
the norm.  I'm all for that... wool fibers are 
complex in structure and chemically delicate in 
some respects.   The less you do to them the 
freer they are do do what they do best which is 
to keep bouncing back for many many many many 
decades.

As an example... I've seen original flat damper 
felts on a 110 year old Pleyel upright  that were 
still flexing and working with out an "Oink" in 
the bunch.  I'm sure this felt was treated gently 
when it was made back then... it's a remarkable 
and magical material and plays a big role in the 
"Magic" of piano.

If anyone has more information on the natural felt project please come
forth!

So if Pianotek  as well as Wally Brooks, are 
stocking this hammer as a regular item it would 
be the first time a major European hammer maker 
has made stock cold pressed hammers at least 
since I've been in the business.... (30years)

It's an encouraging trend!

Best,

David

>    Hi JD./Andre/David S.
>  Can I clear up a few thoughts here?
>
>At 16:22 +0100 15/2/09, andré oorebeek wrote: 
>
>>On Feb 14, 2009, at 8:16 PM, David C. Stanwood wrote: 
>>
>  >>I know that at least one big European hammer 
>maker, namely Abel, is >>now providing cold 
>pressed hammers as a stock item - with 
>their >>Natural Felt.
>   I haven't heard this confirmed