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I am the proud owner of a Lachenal double action g bass concertina (so it is heavy). I get on well with it when sat down, but I now have a requirement to play it when standing. I am reluctant to modify the instrument and the only holes in the ends (apart from the fretwork) are the thumb strap fastenings. Does anyone have any ideas about straps or mechanisms,to support it for playing when standing, or even better, walking. Regards, Adrian

Is it hard to remove a rectangular strap retaining ring (photo) from the hand bar on an Anglo? Do the end pins go far in? I need to remove rotting hand straps (Lachenal gold stamped livery) so that I can send them intact to a bookbinder who will make new ones. But I find that the straps wont go back through the retaining ring without snapping. Advice, please?

I'm up to three concertina cases now, all from reputable sellers, which feature but a single latch to keep the case closed. Am I, a relative concertina novice, just totally missing something here? Is there some great reason that there aren't at least two latches on a given case? I take care to carry my cases with the latch outboard, since I've had at least one or two occasions where an inboard latch bumped my leg and came open. Thankfully it was my cheaper Elsie, and thankfully the case is a good snug fit and it didn't fall out. I vaguely recall a few past threads where a few alternative case makers opined it's daft to have a case design where the handle is on the lid, thus allowing the case to fall open even with the handle held firm. I do wish the "standard" case had a more secure design, but for the moment I've gots what I've gots. That being the case, does anyone have a preferred luggage belt/strap to keep their case closed? Not necessarily a shoulder/hand strap, just a cinchable piece of material that has to be deliberately loosed to allow the case to come open. Either with a sliding buckle, unlocking velcro, knot, velcro, whatever? Not to be too gearheaded, as I'm sure I could just loop a piece of whatever I have laying around the house about the case and it'd suffice, but if anyone has a favorite $5-10 item that looks good, works smooth, etc. I'd be glad to hear of it. I'm vaguely inclined to get something with a sliding buckle rather than one that snaps open, thinking that such a buckle has even less chance of failing than a snap that could somehow be bumped or break a tooth inside. Most hits for "luggage belt" or similar on Amazon, however (such as the pretty little ones from Orb) tend towards the plastic squeeze-buckle, and most are more like 80" long when I reckon 40" or less should work for my concertina cases. I'm probably overthinking this, but am open to any suggestions. And/or people to tell me using a strap is silly, or to endorse that a single latch is a poor idea and a strap is wise insurance.