Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Broken tuning pin

There's always a first time. I opened up a brand new Kawai piano (assembled in China) and was surprised to see the tuning pin of the No. 6 string (lowest D in the bass) broken horizontally in half. I immediately notified the customer that it was surely a factory fault before I get blamed.
Kawai China immediately sent a replacement cork, tuning pin and string.
The problem on the piano is that there's nothing left in the broken pin where I can slip in the hammer to loosen the string. Definitely, I cannot cut the string in its full tension.
Any suggestion please?
Thanks.

JUNMER

Strings break at full tension, so why not cut it if that is your only way to proceed.

You would then normally use a tuning pin extractor which has a reverse thread.


BTW, How much are tunings in UAE?

Have you tried using vise grips or some other tool to get a hold on what is left of the pin ?
Where exactly is the break ? Is it above the coil ? Is the piano a Grand or a vertical ?

IF you have to cut the string at full tension make sure you wear safety goggles, a full face shield and gloves to protect you hands and fingers. Make sure you also cover the string with a moving blanket, sheet of plywood etc to contain the wild string. Keep in mind that a string under tension has over 150 lbs of tension and it will behave like a wild whip when cut. BE VERY CAREFUL AND STAY OUT OF THE LINE OF FIRE.

Thank you for your suggestions, Sirs. Good luck to me for this new experience.

Mr. Lawson, the going rate for tuning an upright here is Dhs 250 ($68) and Dhs 350 ($95) for grands. Is that too much or too less compared to your own charges?

Mr. Jimbob, the problem piano is a vertical.

To cut the string at full tension makes me worried about its damper. Misalignment or damage may occur.

JUNMER

Don't worry about the damper, just remove the whole mechanism! If you cut off the string where it leaves the tuning pin it will travel downward, that is, away from you, so there is really very little danger.

Of course! I should have thought about it. Thanks for consoling me. (and educating me)

JUNMER

Just hold the wild end tightly with a pair of pliers when you cut the string.

Break the string at the becket. It won't fly anywhere. Pull it off and extract.

Vice grips will tear up the pin and prevent the extractor from getting a good bite. Plus I doubt you would have room to use them and of course pull the action.