Perhaps we need another phrase that is less ambiguous to describe the process. I think there ought to be a difference - especially in marketing terminology and semantics - between:
- Cymbals that have had a machine hammering them which has been programmed by a person;
- Cymbals that have been machine hammered, but held and guided by a person;
- Cymbals that have been *partially* hand hammered, but machine shaped, pressed, etc; and
- Cymbals that have been completed hand made from blanks, without machine involvement (use of a lathe not withstanding. It would be expected that this would be hand-lathed while the machine rotates...)
Here is the blurb from each of the Big Three:
ZILDJIAN:
With the development of new technology, the hand hammering is not the most effective or efficient way to manufacture the highest quality, consistent cymbal. We now have the ability to accurately recreate hand hammering with computer-controlled machinery. A computer can be programmed to hammer a cymbal in a symmetrical pattern, as in the A and A Custom ranges, or randomly, as in the K and K Constantinople ranges. Symmetrically hammered cymbals have a high, bright cutting sound because the hammer rows are more organized and vibrations can easily travel across the body of the cymbal. Randomly hammered cymbals have a range of overtones and a darker sound because the sound vibrations have to travel through the many unorganized hammer marks. This new technology has allowed a consistency in cymbal sound that cannot be duplicated by human hands.
Verdict: Extremely unlikely that there is any hammering done 'by hand' - including on the Kerope and Constantinople lines. (By hand, in this case, = human being holding a hammer.)
SABIAN:
(HH Series) HH cymbals are traditionally hand-hammered into shape and sound by Sabian craftsmen. Each cymbal receives between 2,000 and 4,000 hammer blows, resulting in increased musicality, tonal complexity and unmatched sonic texture.
(Artisan Series) Artisan cymbals blend old-world cymbal-making with innovation. Traditionally hand-hammered into shape and sound by Sabian craftsmen, Artisan cymbals also receive hand-guided large-peen hammering for extra dark, complex musicality.
Verdict: Looks like a blend of hammering techniques. Still very ambiguous with HH though, due to unclear terminology. Unsure.
PAISTE:
The Master Cymbal
The master cymbals created by Sound Development form the basis for production and are kept as references in the different production departments. Each department’s goal is to contribute to producing faithful copies of these reference cymbals. This is the principle that ensures the ultimate in consistency and quality.
The Firing Department
The firing department prepares the round disks for later stages of production. A visual inspection ensures uniformity and sorts out flawed disks. The center of the cymbal is then heated to soften the metal, so that a bell can be pressed into it. A hole is then punched through the center of the bell. Some cymbals are sent through a high temperature oven in order to anneal them.
The Hammering Department
The hammering department gives the cymbal its shape. To conserve human energy, we utilize a pneumatic hammer. This tool aids the craftsman in the initial shaping of the cymbal. With his feet the craftsman controls the velocity and force, and with his hand the spacing and pattern of the hammering. The process is comparable to mastering four-way independence in drumming. Extensive and careful hand hammering using only hammer and anvil accomplishes the fine-tuning of the shape. An important aspect of this process is the truing, ensuring uniformity in shape throughout the cymbal.
The Lathing Department
The lathing department reduces the thickness of the cymbal to the correct parameters which usually also involves a thinning of the surface towards the edge of the cymbal. Our tolerances are minute, and measuring by micrometer is necessary to achieve them.
The Finishing Department
The finishing touches are then applied by smoothing the cymbal's edges, silk-screening brand marks and model designations on the instrument and then coating it with a special protective solution to prevent oxidisation.
The Verdict: Unlikely that there is any hand hammering, per this description.
Disclaimer: These 'verdicts' could be 100% wrong. Just based on the available information from companies on their public sites.