Grace F-90 bent cantilever

[Stuartarm]

I have been using this pickup for most of the time lately with a needle from another f-9...the f-90 has been been my go to cartridge for along time now and decided to try the damaged grey as it seemed straight enuff to use and it looked like a finer build than the clear f-9 needle...sound was definitely more coherent with the damaged grey on led zeppelin vocals...bass seemed a little loose at first but didn't notice it later...sounds very decent for a damaged grey...would definitely recommend that needle if you can find one nos

 

[bulgin]

the heat would be to soften up the area around the kink then with a tiny set of tweezers carefully manipulate the metal to push out kink??

You write like any respectable cantilever's worst nightmare with all due respect. The duralumin or whatever the cantilever has been made from has been stretched and stressed. Applying a hot soldering iron to the cantilever and then fiddling about with a tweezer will make things much worse. You will never in a million years remove the dent/kink or whatever. Accept it's toast and play it if the cantilever is straight and the stylus azimuth is correct. I know. I make needles for the past 22 years and also own Grace cartridges and arms, incidentally.

bulgin