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[KLR]

Ever since fitting a new bellows to my Gaelic IVS the strapettes have been a bit too snug - getting both fastened takes a good deal of effort.  Is there a way to stretch them out a titch - soaking in saddle soap or the like?  They're leather, or whatever Hohner used in the early 60s.  I could always fill the snaps' pinholes in and redrill .5mm off if that's the only option.

[Malcolm Clapp]

Fan the bellows slightly so that the bottom folds are perhaps 4 or 5 inches open. Now fasten the top strap, close the bellows and try the bottom strap. This works for me on one of my piano accordions; don't know why, but it does, and the only way I can fasten the bellows.

[Graham Spencer]

I had a similar situation when my Saltarelle Pastourelle had a replacement bellows years ago; I found  a) the bellows fanning suggested by Malcolm worked reasonably well, though not consistently, and b) after a year or so the bellows itself had settled in - presumably the card compresses slightly over time - and everything began to fasten normally, as it still does.

Graham

[KLR]

Ah, that's good to know, Graham, thanks.