Flexible Dulcimer Hammers from Firewood Treasures

Flexible Dulcimer Hammers

Custom-made Flexible Dulcimer Hammers

Your dulcimer is a work of art. Shouldn't your hammers also be objects of artistic beauty?

Firewood Treasures makes carefully crafted, flexible shaft dulcimer hammers. Because of their light weight and responsiveness, "Flexibles†" are the choice of many professionals. Our hammers are custom-built and are available in a variety of styles (single- and double-headed) and sizes (large and small). The small are ideal for standard spinet hammered dulcimers. The large are designed for concert grand hammered dulcimers.

Handles come in a several woods: spalted English walnut (our favorite), black cherry*, and hickory. Hickory provides a stiffer feel, cherry medium, and English walnut light (but still predictably responsive). Other woods can be requested. Handle length is 9 1/2".

The wood in the head varies with style. Single headed hammers have spalted dogwood** heads (very slightly heavier than hard maple). Double headed hammers use lighter weight wood, selected to be virtually the same overall weight as their single-headed dogwood cousins! We can also make a set from paulonia (Japanese princess tree) for those who want a really light-weight hammer. Paulonia is only slightly heavier than balsa, but much more durable.

Highly figured woods, like spalted English walnut and dogwood, lend a special uniqueness and beauty to these flexible dulcimer hammers.

Heads are either bare wood or covered in leather. Leathers can be chosen from thin and hard, to thick and soft. And the soft leather can be mounted with either the smooth (soft) or rough side (very soft) exposed. Dependent upon availability, color of leather may vary from that shown (generally earth tones, occasionally black or off-white).

All of our dulcimer hammers are matte finished with 3 coats of traditional, hand-rubbed tung oil varnish. This finish soaks in, so you get the feel of the natural wood, not that of plastic. Oil varnish finishes are highly durable, and easily restored if scratched. A light coat of hard paste wax can be added by the user, if extra sheen is desired. We can also recover your old hammers - see below.

Most commomly selected syles are in stock; however, a set can be custom-made*** to your specifications. Click on the appropriate "Add to Cart" button below for the general style. After you complete your payment, send us an email specifying the woods and leather you want.

Check criteria at bottom of this page to aid in selecting the head size appropriate for your dulcimer.

Small single head (DH-S1)    $26   

       ° Use this button for second or more items, any style->

Small double head (DH-S2)    $39   

       ° Use this button for second or more items, any style->

Large single head (DH-L1)    $28   

       ° Use this button for second or more items, any style->

Large double head (DH-L2)    $41   

       ° Use this button for second or more items, any style->

[Insured, USPS Priority Mail shipping costs will be added. For the first item in your order, use the lefthand button. For all additional items in the same order, regardless of style, use the righthand button.]

Hammer Design Options (specify handle, head and leather in email)

Handle: spalted English walnut (EW), black cherry (BC), hickory (HI)

Head: dogwood (D), lightweight wood (L), paulownia (P)

Leather: none (N); hard (H); soft, smooth (hide) side out (SS); soft, rough (suede) side out (SR)

For example: For a small double-headed hammer with English walnut handle, lightweight wood head, one side covered in hard leather, the other in soft leather with smooth side out.
Include in the email: DH-S2: EW, L, H + SS

For those who play a lot and really bang away at the strings, we can substitue more durable rawhide for our softer leather. If this suits your playing better, include "rawhide" with your SS or SR leather mounting preference.

 

Recovering/Repairing Hammers

Eventually the leather on your hammers will wear out. We can professionally recover your hammers using the same leathers we use on our own hammers. Just click on the appropriate link below, send us an email describing what repairs you desire, and then mail them off to us (insurance would be prudent). Aside from shipping time, we can generally complete the repair in 1-2 days.

Single head (Rep-S1)    $8   

       ° Use this button for second or more items->

Double head (Rep-S2)    $12   

       ° Use this button for second or more items->

Shipping address:
Rick Smith, Firewood Treasures
604 Scarlet Oak Court
Woodsboro, MD 21798

The price for recovering large and small headed hammers is the same.

 

English Walnut Handles (click to enlarge)

Maryland Wye Oak Hammers (click to enlarge) [exhibit, not for sale]

 

EXAMPLES

 

Large single, English walnut/dogwood - bare (DH-L1: EW, D, N)

Large double, English walnut/light wood- hard/soft (rough out) (DH-L2: EW, L, H + SR)

Small single, cherry/dogwood - bare (DH-S1: CH, D, N)

Small single, hickory/dogwood - hard (DH-S1: HI, D, H)

Small double, English walnut/light wood- hard/soft (smooth out) (DH-S2: EW, L, H + SS)

 

 

† Master dulcimer maker David Fletcher calls these "contra hammers."

* Firewood Treasures never stains its woods. So, our black cherry heartwood hammers start out light in color, and will develop the rich deep patina characteristic of cherry over time.

** Our spalted dogwood has a very unique streaked/spotted pattern.

*** If your design happens to be out of stock, allow 1 week for assembly and delivery of custom-designed hammers. For a small surcharge, we can also build a set to your specifications of wood, size, weight, and flexibility. Use our Contact Us link to discuss your needs.

° These "second item" buttons are included so that you don't get charged twice for shipping. So, for orders for more than one set of hammers of any type, use the appropriate "second item" buttons for all items (or repairs) beyond the first.

 

              Select the Right Head Size for your Dulcimer

       Select Large head for -

Concert Grand Dulcimers (16/15) :
3 strings per course/note
1 3/8 - 1 1/2” between courses (top string to top string of adjacent notes/courses)
overall dimension: 52" by 22" by 4” e.g., www.davidsdulcimers.com/grand.html

       Select Small head for -

Spinet Dulcimers (16/15) :
2 strings per course/note
1 - 1 1/8” between courses (top string to top string of adjacent notes/courses)
overall dimension: 41" by 22" by 3" e.g., www.davidsdulcimers.com/spinet.html