I ordered some of those teflon 9 pin sockets off the eBay user many here have used. They look fine but I've not used 9 pin teflon before, at any rate getting a tube in one is extremely difficult. I can remove an individual pin and put it on pretty well, but leveraging all nine into the socket is a nightmare, I can't imagine trying this with a soldered socket. At least when unsoldered the pins have a little play to align themselves. 

 

Other experience? Do I actually need to pull all the pins, try to use and pre stretch them before use? Ugh ...

I seem to remember someone (KG?) suggesting using the back end of a 1 mm drill bit to loosen them up a bit, but for the life of me I can't find the post.

I had ceramic sockets from ebay that were impossible to get a tube into. I used a 1.1mm drill and a lot for muscle to open up the sockets. I suggest to use some lubricant when you do this. Something like electrocontact spray. Otherwise you will have a really hard time. 

 

I thought I only had the problem, because I bought relatively cheap sockets. But if the problem also occurs with teflon sockets, this really sucks. 

 

Could you please post a link to the sockets you bought?

Edited February 26, 201511 yr by insanity

These are the ones I ordered

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181469359862

 

They've been selling for years as I found a link to them from a Birgir post some time ago. 

Edited February 26, 201511 yr by Earspeakers