| Bill, it is possible to remove the dents without leaving a mark. If you take a look at some of Leigh's work you'll see how it's done. He disassembles the horn and then "burnishes" the bell. That means that he places the bell over a form or mandrell and actually "rubs" the bell with a tool, much like a dent "dolly" used by an auto repairman...except it gets rubbed over the surface and not used to "hammer against". Then the horn is reassembled and refinished. You can't tell if the bell is brand new or has been seriously worked on when the job is done.
Of course, it isn't a cheap process because of lots of hours involved...but if you want it fixed so that it looks "absolutely new", then it's the only way to go.
Good luck with the Connie.
From the beautiful East shore of Kootenay Lake (dialup is slow... but it's better than two soup cans and a waxed string!)
Toots |