<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> <title></title> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000066"> I wrote to this list recently asking for advice for removing a broken agraffe. What I received in return was the sage advice that we all have come to know from this collection of technicians. Before I went to this clients home yesterday, I called a long-time confidant asking for some guidance, prayer, and any advice he had since I had never done this type of repair before. I explained to him what I had read here and what was suggested here. He had another idea: He suggested that I go to Grainger and get a left-threaded drill bit(1/8"), an awl, and file 3 equal sides about 1/4" up from the tip...just in case. The purpose of filing the awl was in the event that the left-handed drill bit did not remove the agraffe on its own. It was his opinion that the left-threaded drill bit would remove the broken agraffe on its own without the aide of the awl..and if it did, I would own him a hamburger. Make it a Happy Meal. Here's the procedure I used yesterday to easily remove a broken agraffe: -Apply some Liquid Wrench to the broken stub. -With the awl, lightly tap a starting hole/point for the drill bit to bite into. -insert the drill bit and start slowly..trying to find a bite. As soon as the drill bit found a bite, the agraffe started to spin free. At this point, there is no need to do anything else except remove the stub with your fingers..or in Guy Nichols' case, perhaps use tweezers to remove the stub. I will admit that I had, obviously, never removed a broken agraffe until yesterday. I am here to suggest to the experienced techs as well as the new techs to strongly consider this type of procedure the next time you're faced with a broken agraffe. For a person like myself, skiddish at best when working on a clients piano doing a procedure I have never done before, that outside of the sweat pouring off my face in nervousness, this procedure could not have been more tech-friendly as well as plate-friendly. For those who don't know, Grainger only allows businesses to have an account with them. It costs nothing to fill out an application. I had an account with them since this same confidant had suggested it a few years ago. Grainger has the odd and hard-to-find stuff. You can't imagine the relief I felt when I saw that stub start to turn. One Happy Meal..coming up. Phil Bondi(Fl) </body> </html>