It seems that most of what I have read on Zephyr leather is how bad
the current crop is and how unfit it is for pouch use.

I recently purchased stock #60 zephyr skin from Player Piano Company
desiring to replace the pouches found in a early Artemis 88-note
pumper.  Removing the zephyr skin from its envelope gave an illusion
of a very thick skin, due to the fact that it had apparently been
stored folded over.

The inexperienced rebuilder might believe that this is all the zephyr
that they were getting for their money and that it was too thick.
Spending some time to gently peel and unfold it, yields a full skin
of zephyr the correct thickness, the same as if you were to separate
two-ply toilet tissue.  I tested a few pouch circles unsealed and found
them to be virtually air tight, feather light and extremely flexible
just like the originals were supposed to be.

I'll probably wind up sealing the remaining skins with a 50/50 rubber
cement/thinner solution which will be talcum powdered after it is dried
and lifter disks are set.  Be sure that the rubber cement that is used
guarantees not to wrinkle nor crackle and it is the highest quality
that you can obtain.  Hot glue works like a charm to replace original
zephyr pouches with new zephyr leather.

There is no substitute for zephyr (once it has been treated) for the
pillow pouches found in European actions.

Happy Pouching,

S. K. Goodman

 [ Steve has laid his music arranger's pen to rest and happily returned
 [ to his other vocation of fixing pianos and orchestrions. -- Robbie