Spud,

I'm not upset. There are alway an exception to the rule. I never said that replacing the hinge pin was a bad idea. I think that it is unnecessary, in most cases. Finally, taking a .009 - .011 dovetail around the bearing surface of the hook is not going to weaken it. BTW, the dovetail can be delivered to a customer for around $275 - $300. Is pin replacement comparable?

Phil