Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Sluggish Hammers on My Project Piano

Hi Everyone,
I'd like to start out by saying that I really enjoy this forum, and read the new posts daily. I have been working of refurbishing/refinishing/redoing a 1902 Kurzmann Upright Grand. I have stripped green paint off of it, replaced the bridle straps, cleaned everything several times, done numerous other action repairs, etc... I still have one problem though, the hammers in the middle two octaves are painfully sluggish, they get stuck up by the strings after only one or two hits. I've read this could be caused by bad bridles, but I just replaced those, and the little springs seem to be in okay shape as well. I would appreciate any tips on how I should go about fixing this problem!

Thanks so Much,
Josh Baker (16yr. old technician in training)

Joshua, could be a lot of things. Maybe there's a technician in your area that would coach you.

Try moving the hammers by hand toward the strings. If they fail to return quickley it is most likely tight centres on the butt flange. You can try dabbing proteck on the flange bushings, reaming the flange holes, repinning. If that doesnt make sense, search the web for a diagram of an action.

Thanks Richard, I'm heading out to the shop to try that right now. Steven, I do have a local technician that has helped me with questions before, and he's seen and encouraged my with my piano work, I'm nearing the end of this project, so I'm going to have him come tune it, but I'd like the action workable when he comes. I have torn the action apart before, so what richard said makes sense to me, and I can decipher it with the diagrams and reblitz book I have.

Thanks,
Josh

Okay, I think I've narrowed down the problem to the hammers getting caught on the top of the dampers. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can fix It? Should I file down the bottom of the hammers to give them more clearance?

Thanks,
Josh

I would check again. It might be a problem between the hammers and the dampers, but I would check again to make sure. You dont want to take off much felt if you go sanding on the hammers.

Have the dampers been replaced? Have the hammers been changed. If hammers are getting caught on the damper felt....something has been changed to cause this.

That is unusual. But you could double check by loosening the set screw on the damper head, and lowering the head a smidgeon. If that solves the sticking hammer problem, but does not affect damping. Thats your answer. If not ...try try again.

Thanks, I'll do some experimenting after I get done with school today.

Reminds me of a Ludwig upright I owned. I took the action to the biggest shop around to have the hammers replaced. When I got it back, I had to put a goosneck in the shanks to get the hammers to miss the dampers and hit the strings. I think they used cold hide glue and the hammer line sank. I eventually replaced the hammers and shanks myself and sold it as a "project piano".