[CAUT] Steinway verdigris

[Susan Kline]

On 1/7/2011 1:42 PM, Douglas Wood wrote:
>
> Now, on the question that brought this all up--is a one-time exposure 
> to high humidity significant in this problem--I'd have to go with the 
> very unlikely vote. I think it is a long-term 
> oxidation/corrosion/chemical reaction kind of problem. Unfortunate, 
> but if it made the parts work better for 30 years or more, well, I 
> would endorse the process unless there were a better one available.

Hi, Doug

So good to see you back on the list.

I agree about the one-time humidity event. I think, though, that if one 
takes a piano with verdigris from a wet climate to a very dry one, 
having repinned the sluggish parts, one may be able to keep them 
long-term. Our family Steinway A went from Connecticut to Colorado, and 
verdigris of the old parts, once repinned, does not seem to be an 
ongoing problem.

The old parts seem awfully nice, so lightly built. It does feel bad, 
tossing them. The hammer shanks and flanges got tossed, but the wippens 
(1930) seem to still be going strong. So how much longer the old parts 
can be kept going may depend a lot on whether the piano is still in the 
moist climate where the verdigris started forming.

Regards,
Susan
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