Hammers

A poor quality hammer will produce poor tonal quality even  from the finest musical instrument.

A superior hammer will not make an inferior piano sound good.

The hammer maker cuts the felt in the shape of a pyramid (see diagram). The pointed top of the pyramid goes against the leading edge of the moulding. When placed into the cull of the press, the sides, when glued to the moulding, produce tremendous tension on the striking edge of the hammer. Each hammer will then be stapled top and bottom. Glue holds the felt to the moulding. The staple keeps the hammer from ballooning during the thousands of times the hammer strikes the string.

Hammer felt, like the hammer moulding, will be cut in a tapered sheet about one-yard square. That square piece of felt may weigh from ten to sixteen pounds. Rawlins & Co. pianos use sixteen pound felt. Ten sets of hammers will be cut from each piece of felt.

Under felt will be attached to the moulding (see diagram) and placed in a hydraulic press, under extreme pressure until the glue has cured. Most piano builders prefer a hammer with under felt. This felt will be somewhat softer than the hammer felt. This takes some of the woody-ness out of the tone. A piano, after all, has always been a percussion instrument.

Each set of hammers starts with a German Maple moulding just over a yard long. The moulding has been tapered for thicker (bass hammers) and thinner (treble hammers).

All Rawlins & Co. hammers are named German Tech. These hammers come from an independent hammer producer in Germany.

Hammers provide the percussive element to a piano. Tonal vibration begins once the hammers strike the strings.

German Crafted Hammers with 16 pound felt...