Tuning lever for a Dale Forty Upright

[juliancer]

I have been asked by a neighbour to tune their Dale Forty upright piano (I a keen amateur tuner) but none of my tuning hammers fit the pins ( I have 2 star and one square ended). I haven't determined the age of the piano yet but reading previous posts that shouldn't be too difficult to find out. Does anyone know whether a smaller pin size was previously used as standard and whether it is possible to get a lever to fit?

Thanks
Julian

[Bill Kibby]

The square-ended one will usually cope with unusual sizes, but stars are available in three sizes from Fletchers and I find all of them necessary. Dale Forty were not unusual with their pins, are they oblong ends? Oblong pins were used just into the 1900s, and as they used up stock, some pianos had a mixture of oblong and square! Pianos from the early 1800s are much variable about pin size, and it is sometimes necessary to have a T-hammer made especially. T-hammers are useful in old pianos with loose pins, they require a different technique, but are more controllable with awkward pins.