Yamaha damper question

[Clyde Hollinger]

Friends,

Earlier this week I received a complaint that a key was sticking on a
1976 Yamaha G2 grand piano.  When I arrived I diagnosed the problem as
the D#4 damper not returning to rest on the strings after the note was
played.  I replaced the center pin holding the damper lever to the
damper lever wire flange and all was fine.  The same thing had happened
to the neighboring D4 damper three years ago.

The removed pin looked discolored where it rotated in the felt bushing,
so I decided to check it out under a microscope and see if I could learn
something.  Some friends have a cheap one, but it served to show me that
the center pin appeared to be deeply scratched around the pin.

Now to my questions:  Is this a case of flaking plating that I heard
about?  If not, what is likely the problem?  Are the center pins I buy
from Schaff plated as well?  Will this become a chronic problem for this
particular piano?  If so, is there any preventive measure I can take
without replacing that center pin in every damper?

Thanks,
Clyde Hollinger, RPT