Verdigris on Steinway rails

[Lance Lafargue]

I'm still listening.  Both the rails and the center pins are brass.  Both
the bushings and the rail cloth are wool?  the rail cloth looks like
cotton?  I've always seen the rails green too.  I just want to know what
the consensus is on the rail reproducing the problem to some extent decades
from now.  Thanks!
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: Keith McGavern <kam544@ionet.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Verdigris on Steinway rails
> Date: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 10:43 PM
> 
> >...It is my understanding that the green gunk
> >comes from a reaction between the center pin and the felt. What is on
the rail
> >is just an "overflow" of that stuff. In other words, it wasn't "created
> >there". So if you clean it, it will not come back, or reproduce on its
own.
> >
> >Willem Blees  RPT
> >St. Louis
> 
> If I read your explanation correctly, Wim, I'm afraid I can't swallow it.
> The verdigris has to be a reaction of the brass rail itself and the rail
> cloth that covers it.  There's no way that much verdigris creeped
> (overflowed) from the hammer flange center pin and bushing cloth to the
> rail.
> 
> Willing to be corrected by anyone,
> 
> Keith A. McGavern
> kam544@ionet.net
> Registered Piano Technician
> Oklahoma Chapter 731
> Piano Technicians Guild
> USA
> 
>