matt weber wrote:

Immediately after recharge you can see voltages as high as 1.7 volts per cell, but
it doesn't last long.

Which is why it's a good idea to let a freshly charged NiCd or NiMH
stand for a while to normalize the voltage before using it. This is
especially important for certain voltage sensitive devices. For example,
zapping an incandescent bulb in a flashlight with too much voltage can
shorten it's life. If you have to use the battery immediately after
charging it, you can reduce the over voltage by briefly shorting it with
a wire connected between both terminals.