I think you have opened the door so now you have to tell us how you fixed the dents.

I make it a very serious rule to never lay cymbals on the floor for that very reason.

I thought that someone might come back with lead by example tell us how you did it!

Due to these dents, these were sounding almost like dark chinas or something. They lacked resonance and generally did not sound good.

Well, unfortunately I did not take any pics. I can tell you that these were both HH cymbals and that one of them had a dent that when you push on it to get it out, it only pops back when you release pressure (I pushed on it to 'fix' it).

So, I decided to try to fix it permanently. First, I was not afraid to get the hammer out as they were truly useless because of the dents. I did not want to just use a hammer because that would likely just create another small dent. So, in order to spread out the impact, I used 3 can lids stacked together in the center of the dent (which was about the size of a baseball or the size of a fist). I first started by placing the cymbal on the couch - which proved to be too easy on the cymbal and unfortunately it made no change. So, I then decided to lay it right on the carpeted floor. That helped - and pretty much did the trick. I was not afraid to really give it a wack though.

With one of the cymbals (the one that was popping back) I modified the technique and I struck with no lids right about 1 inch from the edge - as these dents would cause the cymbal to appear (in that area) like one of those model of cymbals that are flat in the outer half. So, I used a ledge (raised threshold in the floor) and pounded closer to the edge there and it essentially created a curve there towards the edge - fixing the dent.

I hope you can visualize what I have described.

One of the cymbals still sounds a bit inferior to what I would expect (2002 SE top) but the other (404 SE top) sounds exactly what I would expect it to.

The 2002 SE now is a very good top for heavy music. ...and now the 404 top is pretty much good for anything - and proves to be a good Paiste wet washy top HH. Now the bottoms make a big difference and I try several bottoms (SE and reg) until I like what I hear.

I am so happy with these results that I have decided to call off my quest for some 505 HHs. They are just too darned pricey now too!

I hope you all can visualize and this can prove to help somebody. If your cymbal is already dented, it is useless anyway - don't be afraid to try a repair. Just spread out the impact with some can lids and also start too soft and work your way toward just right - as too hard will likely create another problem.

John

Hey John; This could be useful information, however, (maybe it's just me) I'm just not visualizing the "can lids". Could you be more specific? What kind of cans? metal, screw-on lid?, Mason jar, 'canning' lid? Plastic, snap on lid? Large like from a coffee can, or small, like from a can of lip balm? Did you place them flat to surface, or round edge down? what color were they? Were they food cans? How did the food taste?...

Seriously though, I've collected a few junkers I wouldn't mind trying this out on, if you could please clarify. Thanks for sharing.

Disclaimer: I must say that I do not know if the use of the can lids have had their desired effect. If you hammer hard enough, you will make a dent the size of your hammerhead no matter the can lids.

The use of the can lids just seemed logical to me.

Anyone with experience with this - please add to this thread - so that we can flush out this know-how.

Thanks,

John

I've had very mixed success using a rubber hammer - carefully and repeatedly striking the indentation over a soft surface like thick carpet. Sometimes the dent conceals fractured metal molecules not visible to the naked eye which eventually develop into a crack. Machinists have told me that the harder the metal, the more fragile as regards chipping and breaking, so I rarely attempt it. Dents are usually always the result of cymbals mishandled by previous owners who either drop cymbals on their edges, or transport cymbals in vertical position allowing trauma from bumps and vibrations, Occasionally a rare onstage mishap occurs when a mounted cymbal stand falls over.

english wheel? rubber mallet seems self depricating.

Ahhhh! Okay, like can lids, after you take em off with a can opener. My Mom said never to play with those. 'They're SHARP!' My first concern would be lining up with the dents underneath, without being able to see under the lid. Does seem risky, but possibly worth a try... on a non-valuable cymbal.

I have found that 2002 B8 bronze is fairly easily to hammer out dents and such, I use a piece of curved hard wood from an old wire brush I have and a very light weight hammer. BUT I have also tried to hammer out dents on B20 and they crack, instantly. You would first need to anneal the B20 before hammering. If I had the gear I could do it.

All you need to do, to anneal bronze is to get it to a dull red heat, then allow to cool slighly then submerge in water or brine solution, this should allow you to hammer the dent out,slowly, I just don't have the equipment for this or I could give better details from actuall practice.

IMHO annealing the b20 will ruin the sound by reducing all of the tension that was introduced into it by hammering.

By pounding out the dent as the OP did he was simply re-tensioning the alloy to make a more pleasing sound.