Hi Bill, I had the same experience as you with the alloy tab wearing through .....twice before I discovered the nylon pencil. When we got Ocean Pearl home to NZ with the rigging over 10 years old I had riggers replace the forestay and while they were at it I had them put new bearings in the furler as a preventative while the forestay was down. I assumed this unique piece of Amel had got lost in the process. I may or may not be right in my assumption. However, now it is fitted I don't expect a repeat. I was having trouble fitting it as it wouldn't fit in through the slot at the bottom of the foil and I thought I would have to remove the foil from the gearbox to slide it up from the bottom. After trying every thing I could think of I called in a trusted rigger. When I looked away he gave it a sharp whack with a plastic  hammer and in it went.