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Hand-hammering and re-creating cymbals

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Sujet de la discussion Hand-hammering and re-creating cymbals
Hello !

Sorry for writing in English but my French is terrible. I understand it a bit but I can't write it.

I am a Belgian drummer from Bruges who also hammers cymbals.

I once started hammering cymbals because (to me) no modern factory made cymbal has the "old Turkish K Zildjian" kind of darkness and complexity anymore.

I hammer pro- and also some non-pro-level factory cymbals into much richer sounding cymbals.
Besides creating light complex jazz cymbals, I also hammer heavier rock-oriented cymbals to dramatically enrich the sound.

The cymbals I've hammered can be seen and heard on this INDEX PAGE. Mind you, I have hammered most of these cymbals to suit my personal taste (dark and trashy) but I can also brighten the sound of cymbals with a different hammering method.

Some "before and after modification" files can be heard HERE.

Some student cymbals I hammered into professional cymbals can be listened to HERE.

Here are some pictures (the soundfiles can be found on the site).

This was a Paiste Signature Power ride, hammered to sound like the old 60's Tony Williams ride, but a little heavier:




This was a Zildjian ZBT 20" ride, now a very complex thin professional jazz ride.


This was once a Paiste 2002 22" ride:



Here's a "before and after" pic of a cheap 16" Headliner crash cymbal, now a professional dark thin crash:
See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals
Afficher le sujet de la discussion
41
At least a week because I divide the hammering into several steps to let the metal recristallize in between.
See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals
42

Citation : At least a week because I divide the hammering into several steps to let the metal recristallize in between.



"recristalize" ??
johan, could you please explain that a bit more in details?

(I have a old ufip 12" splash cymbal, a crappy one. I'd like to try to hammer it... I found a round hammer, and i think I will test it. If I break the cymbale it's no big deal but I'd like to avoid it if possible ;) )
43
I've nothing to say at this moment, unless nice job Johan :bravo:
44

Citation : "recristalize" ??
johan, could you please explain that a bit more in details?


Hammering causes a temporary dis-organisation of molecules. When the metal rests, the molecules organise themselves again into a solid structure.

That's the reason why the factories never sell brand new cymbals the day they are made. They keep them in stock for a while until the molecules have settled.
See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals
45
Nice to know it, thanks.
How many day do we have to wait - in average - before replaying the cymbal ?

do you have any tips for hammering ?
from bell to edge ? other ?

any advice is welcome :bise:
46
It's different for each cymbal. There are no general rules or theories. My tip is that you'd better experiment with very cheap brass cymbals first to learn the skill before you hammer a good cymbal like a Ufip.
See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals
47
This is the only "not as good as the others" I have...
(ok, it does not sound like crap)

maybe I should buy a really cheap one and try on it :??:
48

Citation : This is the only "not as good as the others" I have...

If you know how to hammer you can make it better than the others :)
See and hear my custom cymbals:JOHAN Custom Cymbals
49
Well... I think I will follow your advice and buy a crappy 40 euros cymbal and practice before hammering the ufip.
50