Steinway pin block removal

[A440A@AOL.COM]

John writes:
>There are no obvious screws to remove the block.

    Look very closely in the very corners, you may find a screw there.
>Do I drill out what look like dowels on the treble end and then
cut/chisel/pry
>or whatever it takes, or is there a less violent way to get the old one
>out? 
    Drill the dowels out with a 1" Forstner bit.  Mark your depth carefully.
The dowels are usually at an angle, going out.   After than,  use the drill to
drill several holes right next to the stretcher so that you can use a keyhole
saw.  There is  a lot of adhesion along the stretcher, and there are dowels
there that should be cut. (M has four, I think) 
    After cutting the block loose from the stretcher,  you will need to break
the remaining glue joints at the ends.  I use a machinist's jack and hammer a
chisel in from the soundboard side.  They will usually crack loose.  Cliff
Geers demonstrated the use of an angled saw cut, right through the middle of
the block, so that you can break it loose, one side at a time.  
>	Also, I was considering Delegnit instead of a S&S hexplank, is that a
>reasonable substitute?
   Why?  The older Steinways use a considerably thinner block than the new
ones, but Steinway Restoration tells me that they just run a new block through
the planer until it is the right dimension. This will remove almost all of the
two outer laminations. 
Good luck, 
Ed Foote