Thanks. I have replaced the whole socket, so I'm confident about the solder
joints (and the spark gaps, which I don't believe were ever an issue).
Gently scraping the pins removes a covering which sure looks like it would
prevent the connection, but the problem re-appears in about two weeks. I am
only scraping the exterior face of the pins, where I can see exactly what
I'm doing, which is why I thought a different cleaning technique that could
safely get around the whole pin might be better. I'll try the gentle
bending trick, as that will increase pressure on the surface I can scrape,
but the pins appear to be made from a very brittle metal.

The latest fix is to use a plastic tie to put some upward pressure on the
board, and currently that seems to be working!
--
"Matt J. McCullar" wrote in message
m...
If you're VERY careful, you can get a better connection by lightly
scraping
the pins with a dull knife. This helps to remove some of the oxide.

Also, carefully spread the pins outward just a skosh with long-nosed
pliers.
This gives the pins a better grip in the socket.

BTW -- Are you sure that the solder connections on the CRT socket are OK?
That's often a weak spot. Resoldering those joints will often help.