AB Chase Sostonuto question

[Geoff Sykes]

Greetings all --
 
I serviced a 93 year old A. B. Chase upright this afternoon. I was told that
it was over three years since it was last serviced. Surprisingly, I found it
pretty much at pitch. Hammers a little more worn than I would have liked but
all still serviceable. Dampers a little squished but not yet hard. And in
need of some tender regulation. When I finished tuning it I was really
amazed at how good this piano still sounds. It has been in this family for
over 50 years and they have never done anything to it but have it tuned so
I'm guessing it's all original parts. The action was even designed to
compensate the lost motion when the soft pedal is used. Very nice. Anyway,
why am I posting? The middle pedal on this piano is a sostonuto, and it's
not working. I found that the sostonuto design featured a thick cotton
thread, (just under 1mm thick), that got lifted up in order to catch the
tabs on the dampers. This thread was broken at every tie point and so the
sostonuto no longer works. Today's question: What would you recommend I
replace this thread with? I thought of using a piece of piano wire but
second guessed it on account of if that had been a good idea than why didn't
the manufacturer do the same thing. 
 
Ideas?
 
-- Geoff Sykes
-- Los Angeles
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