A few years ago, I worked on a Story & Clark player action that used
what looked like blotter paper throughout the action.  It just barely
played.  The owner and I decided to replace the paper gaskets with
leather gaskets before we rebuilt the whole thing.

What a difference!  It went from just wheezing along to very tight and
expressive in one step.  I'm quite sure the paper work was done in the
factory, from the quality and consistency of the work.  Needless to
say, I didn't totally restore it at that time but the seed was planted
to do it in the future.

As I remember, there were many gaskets that needed to be replaced.
Perhaps paper was significantly cheaper than leather back then.
Anyway, I remember many runways and chambers had to be leathered, but
once it was done, it was as good or even better than new.

The above experience proves to me that paper as a gasket is not the way
to go.

Jeff Davis