Alan - I've had good luck with the following method. Saw or sand any remaining shank flush with the hammer-butt. Drill an 1/8" hole down into the old shank, approximating the rake of the shank into the butt as best you can by eye. Drill this about 1/2" deep. Use an eyedropper to fill the hole with water and then thread an old flange screw into the hole. Heat the head of the screw with a torch, disposable lighter, or match, and then pull it out by the head with vice grips. On maple shanks, I find that this almost always removes the old shank cleanly and after dressing the hole with a 7/32" drill you're ready to reshank. Many old pianos used cedar shanks in the high treble, and these often won't "come clean" but you will nevertheless often remove enough material that the same 7/32" drill will then be able to follow the original hole in the maple butt. Those old flange screws are almost as handy as duct tape or its 21st century replacement - PVC pipe! - Mark
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