Dave writes: << I've bolstered a few knuckles in my lifetime, but I have been much more prone to replace parts. I do, seriously, try to calculate the cost of some of these jobs that save old parts and compare that cost to new parts and usually the new parts win. Time is usually the big factor to renewing old parts...i.e. it will take a week to get new parts but this has to be done by tomorrow. >> It is definitely a triage approach to spend the time trying to recondition knuckles, since the pinning is also going to be worn, (usually). When I did want to tighten the leather, I did not bolster under the center, where the jack contacts, but rather, on the distal side of the knuckle. This pulls the leather tighter, and the bulge created is safely away from any working interaction with the repetition,(which sees only the bottom and proximal surfaces of the knuckle. I suppose a slight increase in surface area might result, but the difference in repetition/knuckle contact isn't something that I have ever seen to be a problem. It is a lot faster than cutting leather and clamping, as it can be done without removing the shanks. Regards, Ed Foote RPT http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html <BR><BR><BR>**************<BR>A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220439616x1201372437/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc% 3D668072%26hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62)</HTML>
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