Steinway upright--verdigris? (long)

[J Patrick Draine]

>John,
>
>Steinway's use of a paraffin substance to treat the centers began sometime
>about 1910 or 1915, and continued - from what I can tell from the symptoms -
>until the Permafree actions were built in the early 60's.  This includes all
>verticals except for the shorter verticals using the Pratt Read actions.  Any
>tubular rail actions in that period will suffer from the residue of fungus.

Dear Bill:
Are you certain that "verdiris" is "the residue of fungus"? What fungus?
Can you find spores under magnification? Did you determine it is a fungus,
or were you told that by An Important Authority?

I always *thought* it was a chemical interaction between the paraffin,
acids remaining in the felt, and the  center pins. But that was because
"someone told me so" ...

Any documentation?

TIA,
Patrick Draine