reamming Agraffes

[A440A@aol.com]

Jon writes: 
>I'm cleaning a set from an old M&H.
>
>The brass is so soft that even the slightest pressure has the tool digging
>
>deeply into the metal.
>Is burrs can easily be carved off with an Exact knife, it's so soft.

Greetings, 
   I make a burnisher out of an old bass string core.  Using a piece of the 
heaviest core, about three inches long, roll a 1" section between two files 
and then hammer a swedge on this rough spot until it is just a little too 
wide to fit through the agraffe.  Cut so that you only have about 1/8" of 
round, unroughed wire in front of it.  Chuck it up in a cordless drill and 
burnish the inside holes of the agraffes.  It smoothes without cutting.  If 
there are really deep wire cuts in the tops of the holes, go slowly, lest it 
grap the burnisher. 
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT