<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2627" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello List</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When restringing I always extract the = wrest-pins <EM>s l o w l y.</EM> I do this in order not to generate heat and make = the holes large. I always use next-size-up wrest pins and copy faithfully the = string terminations and scaling of what has gone before. I always use Roslau = "Blue Label" (polished, not coated) steels. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have a simple jig to wind on the new = coil of string to the new wrest pin using a stringing crank. This jig consists = simply of a thick hand-held Beechwood dowel with a hole to take the wrest pin and = a No.10 round-head screw screwed in next to that hole to use as a = lead-in. I first dip the new wrest pin into powdered French chalk so the pin turns = smoothly in use. I then use a punch to start the pin in the hole and punch the = pin in to a predetermined depth by attaching a cocktail stick to the wrest pin = punch. I use forceps to ensure the string stays on the bridge and hitch pin while = taking up the slack. I cut off the new string using the width of four of my = fingers to determine the length of string used in the coil. (That's called "rule of = finger") :-) I have a pair of Eskilstuna piano wire side-cutters = (Swedish) I have had them since the late 50s ( that's 1950s).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>:-)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Michael = G.(UK)</FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>