Mike: Thanks, and wow everyone, keep them coming. I want to get it right and if it saves some time, even better. I don't personally want to remove the bases as that would mean resoldering them back in and rebluing, but if that is what it takes, it explains the high cost from some quarters. JJ Perodeux at Champlin Arms charges $400 for just the top ones, I don't see him resoldering and bluing for that price, but don't know. I also did not see a radius inside the front hook base; it appeared to be a slope, a straight angle. I could stand corrected if the radius was too slight to be observed, I did not make a cast or such thing. I sure invite Oskar to chime in and tell us a bit about his methods. If I had remembered his post, I might have contacted him, but then he expressed a strong desire to stay in retirement concerning such work!
Concerning the slider, I purposely created the groove proud of the bottom of the slider, then carefully worked it down, polishing it down to a final tight fit. I think it accomplished the same thing, though if I had flubbed it, I would have had to start everything over. I have seen such sliders with a groove worn on the bottom as well, by rubbing the hooks over the years, and they could have used a refreshing. But you might be right in that the slider was thought to be the replaceable part, and expendable. One's idea of expendable being somewhat tempered by the fact that the slider was probably of non-standard custom size and might be a pain as well to replace. (or could be built back up by spray plasma procedure?) Still, if one thinned the slider too much, it would all be loose and have to be redone or replaced. I just worked it from the other direction...Steve
