Replacing agraffes

[MR DAVID M SWARTZ]

Mark wrote " I recently came across an old Fisher grand with a broken
agraffe, which I
managed to extract and replace after a couple of hours of labor. When
I began to
tune the piano, though, another one broke. My thinking at this point
is that I
should replace all of the agraffes,..."

It would be a good idea to replace all agraffes on this instrument.
As brass ages, it weakens to the point of crystallization...the brass
may be rejuvenated by a heating and cooling process but in the case
of agraffes, I don't think it is worth the effort.  If one broke,
then others very well may follow (unless the agraffe was torqued at
the factory for proper alignment and as a result violated the
integrity of the brass).  Pianoteck Supply Company has agraffes.

By replacing the agraffes, you open a giant can of worms, then you
should consider the multiple facets of rebuilding. One of those
"while your at it" things.   It sounds as if this piano was hacked up
pretty good at one time.  Tuning pins attached to damper wires is a
new one to me.  I'll leave shims, plate bore, etc. to others here on
line.

Good luck,

Dave Swartz, RPT