Dear Dale, Fantastic! But again a question. If the copper (from the brass) were really part of the equation, wouldn't you see more 'vertigris' on the end of the pin that was nipped, and almost none on the end that has the plating covering the end? Or is the plating permeable??? Christopher In a message dated 6/19/1999 10:16:51 PM, you wrote: << Tallow is animal fat. Fat has a low PH. Hence the term fatty acid. The tallow doesn't turn green but rather the process of oxidizing the copper in the center pin liberates copper from the brass in the form of green colored oxides which in turn mix with the tallow making the green goo. Actually, I have no proof that this is the process but it makes sense to me. Sometime when you have a really bad shank, pull out the cloth from the wood and look at it with a lense. Every time I hear someone say that these parts can be cleaned out and repinned I just think about how badly eaten up the cloth is from the same process that caused the corrosion. Dale Fox >>>>>
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