[pianotech] Steinway verdigris questions

Terry Farrell mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com
Wed Sep 16 13:06:05 MDT 2009


No, no, Wim, that wasn't my point. I know you were recommending  
replacement, as most would. However you suggested that repining will  
provide a satisfactory fix for a period of 75 years. IMHO, any fix  
that lasts 75 years is a permanent fix - and what then is to recommend  
against a permanent fix?

I don't have the experience of repining action parts with verdigris  
and then observing how long it takes for the action to slow up again -  
but my general understanding is that the problem would commonly  
reappear in relatively short order - maybe just a few years - or less  
- but very likely within a decade or two at most. My point was that my  
best guess is that repining a verdigris action is NOT a 75 year  
satisfactory fix.

Maybe someone with better experience can chime in.....

Terry Farrell

On Sep 16, 2009, at 1:55 PM, wimblees at aol.com wrote:

> It might take 75 years for the verdigris to effect the center pin,  
> but by that time, other problems will most likely have occurred to  
> replace the wippens, and/or the hammer flanges. In actuality, I've  
> always recommended replacing the parts. I think in all my years of  
> rebuilding, I've only repinned one set of verdigris shanks. And that  
> was the first set I ever did. Then I learned my lesson.
>
> I just mentioned the repinning as a possibility, not as a  
> recommendation.
> Wim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com>
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Sent: Tue, Sep 15, 2009 5:41 pm
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Steinway verdigris questions
>
> I dunno Wim,  75 years with no problems, sounds too good to be true.  
> 75 years could be considered "permanent". Care to amend that  
> claim?  ;-)
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> On Sep 15, 2009, at 10:46 PM, wimblees at aol.com wrote:
>
>>
>> Wim,
>>  In my experience the repin repair is also a temporary fix.
>> Been there, failed there.
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Tom Driscoll
>> Tom
>>
>> I agree with you. The only reason I mention the repinning is for  
>> temporary repairs, in cases where the customer doesn't want to pay  
>> for new parts.
>>
>> Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: tom <tomtuner at verizon.net>
>> Julie
>>
>> Verdigris is not mold. It is a chemical reaction between the  
>> parafin wax Steinway put in the cloth and the nickel on the center  
>> pin. Since this reaction took over 75 years to develop, you can  
>> repin, and the problem will come back in 75 years. But, since the  
>> parts are that old, it's probably time to replace the worn out  
>> parts anyway.
>> Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
> =

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