Hey there,<div>My only complaint about the becket breaker is that it is prone to drive the coil or the string itself, within the webbing, into the plate and chip the finish. It can leave you with a handful if not many chips and dents in the plate and if the plate needs to maintain its condition you might skip the becket breaker.</div> <div><br></div><div>Also my experience has been that becket breakers work best with some tension in the string. If there is not enough to hold the coil tight on the pin it won't break the becket everytime. Of course the more tension that is on the string the more danger there is of flying piano wire, which is super sharp, so be careful.</div> <div><br></div><div>Shawn</div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, May 12, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Alan Eder <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:reggaepass@aol.com">reggaepass@aol.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"> <font color="black" size="2" face="arial"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hi Joe,</font><div class="im"><br> <div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:10pt;color:black"><blockquote style="border-left:2px solid blue;padding-left:3px"><pre><tt>break all the top row of strings first.</tt></pre><tt></tt></blockquote></div></div> Do you mean break the beckets without lowering the tension? <div><br> </div> <div>Alan Eder<div><div></div><div class="h5"><br> <br> <div style="clear:both"></div> <br> <br> <div style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Joe Goss <<a href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com" target="_blank">imatunr@srvinet.com</a>><br> To: pianotech <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target="_blank">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br> Sent: Thu, May 12, 2011 5:35 am<br> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Removing Strings<br> <br> <div style="margin:0px;font-family:Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size:12px;color:#000;background-color:#fff"> <pre style="font-size:9pt"><tt>If you are concerned about letting down the tension, break all the top row of strings first. Joe Goss BSMusEd MMusEd RPT <a href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com" target="_blank">imatunr@srvinet.com</a> <a href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com" target="_blank">www.mothergoosetools.com</a> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Duaine Hechler" <<a href="mailto:dahechler@att.net" target="_blank">dahechler@att.net</a>> To: <<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target="_blank">pianotech@ptg.org</a>> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 9:12 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Removing Strings A couple of times, I've been asked to destring old uprights. After taking down the tension, cut the string before it does in the capo bar. Then I take a pair of vice-grips and pull on the string - in an unwinding motion - and voila the string is out. Sometimes I do have a little trouble getting the string out of the becket hole. In taking down the tension, I've used my tuning lever - however - I'm going to order the pin driver that can go in a drill and use that next time. Duaine On 05/12/2011 09:08 AM, David Love wrote: > > You don’t need a becket breaker. After taking down the tension I often use > an awl or something similar to pry out the becket and then pull the string > over the pin with a string hook. A becket breaker is a bit faster but not > that much and then you have all those little end pieces to deal with. > > David Love > > <a href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com" target="_blank">www.davidlovepianos.com</a> > > *From:*<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" target="_blank">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org?" target="_blank">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] *On > Behalf Of *Steven Hopp > *Sent:* Thursday, May 12, 2011 6:47 AM > *To:* <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target="_blank">pianotech@ptg.org</a> > *Subject:* [pianotech] Removing Strings > > I have been asked to de-string a Steinway grand. I don't need to be > careful for reasons of what they are doing with the piano after. I have > done this before but needed to be careful so the piano could be put back > in order. > > My question is would using a becket breaking tool be the fastest way to > deal with the coils and getting the job moving? Is there a way to do this > without purchasing the dedicated tool Schaff sells? Also are there any > safety concerns? Do I need to follow any special order of sections or pins > to prevent harm to plate and myself? (I do need to keep the plate from > breaking :) > > Thanks for the help > > Steven Hopp > > Midland, TX > -- Duaine Hechler Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ Tuning, Servicing& Rebuilding Reed Organ Society Member Florissant, MO 63034 <a href="tel:%28314%29%20838-5587" value="+13148385587" target="_blank">(314) 838-5587</a> <a href="mailto:dahechler@att.net" target="_blank">dahechler@att.net</a> <a href="http://www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com" target="_blank">www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com</a> -- Home& Business user of Linux - 11 years </tt></pre> </div> </div> </div></div></div> </font></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Shawn Hansen RPT<br>certified piano technician<br>816.896.4047<br> </div>