Man, I bet they sound great! Play them, but don't bash them. I play a set of fairly thin 15" Istanbul Ks, but they're not as old as yours...intermediate stamp top and new stamp bottom.

If you like the way they sound, then by all means use them . If you don`t like them, you have a very expensive HH you don`t like but can show !! Personally, when it comes to your HH, dont settle for bling bling, settle for the ring ring !!

Dude, play them! Cymbals are meant to be played. I have old K hats and old A hats. Of course, the Ks cost much more, but I love both depending on the situation.

I have a decent amount of vintage gear (cymbals and drums), and I insist on playing and gigging the stuff. I'm not afraid to play it out due to something being expensive or rare. It's worth the risk for the sake of the music. Drums and cymbals are worthless sitting in museums or only for show. Just my 2 cents.

...And old Ks will continue to be the standard for hand made type cymbals...no matter what people say. Famous cymbalsmiths always talk about old Ks. There is a reason. Granted, some may be better than others, but I'd still bet more old Ks are very good than not.

I took them to practice last night with the intention of playing them. I was afraid that the mounting hole would be too small so I had a contingency, and it was a good thing that I did, but it brings up another question.

Should I drill them or leave them? The purist in me says don't touch them, the practical part of me says bore them and have at it. Do modified Ks have a reduced value?

Hmmm. The holes on mine fit on a regular hi hat stand. Personally I'd drill them, but others will disagree. Modifies affect value. I put 4 rivets in my old K ride...I'm glad I did....that cymbal is now very personal to me and my sound. Since I'm a player, I don't care about value too much...and I have something unique that I designed (in terms of the rivet pattern). Try them on first to make sure they don't fit...of course.

You can probably pick up an old hihat stand that had a smaller diameter seat and clutch for $50-75. Just a thought...

As far as value, anyone that knows anything about cymbals from that era will know that someone's drilled the holes if they fit on a modern hihat stand, and they will not want to pay top dollar - assuming you may want to sell them in the future. They're yours and you have every right to do what you want to them, but I think you could get around drilling them and still enjoy them.

There's my :2Cents:.

Best of luck in your decision. Many of us are still learning about gear (myself included) as well. Either way, I say keep them.

just change the nylon center to a cymbal one and it works fine for older cymbals the clutch is another story

There are always alternatives to drilling or bastardizing old K's. There are Hi Hat stands, center rods & clutches that will work for the smaller holes. (Don't be one of those drummers who claim to love vintage equipment, pay big bucks, & then ruin them on a whim, because they can't think of alternatives, or because they're "Players" )