End Plate Damage......

[Robin Harrison]

Rather than creep someones thread,I thought I'd start a new topic.

In the thread "Button Damage",it was suggested that the semi-circular dents you often see on older concertinas could be caused by finger nails or finger pads hitting the metal.

I wonder if its not the actual fingers hitting the end-plate but the sweat that is carried on the fingers.It is said that different people have a different sweat composition and some is more acidic.

I don't know if this is true or if indeed there are any studies done on this.From personal experience I've seen it....both my offspring play violin and my daughter flies through strings ( that change colour where her fingers hit and then unravel) whilst my sons never change colour and never unravel.Apparently violin teachers will tell you this is common.Of course it doesn't prove its the sweat.

Does this ever happen on wooden ended concertinas.

 

I've included a pic...interestingly what it shows , I think, is that the plating as well as the end plate itself has been eroded......if you look just in from the little finger rest, the fret-work has actually separated.....BUT.....the three screws (which I assume are original) holding the rest don't seem to have any of this erosion and they are not plated but just ordinary steel wood-screws.

Does steel not react....... ??

Any information out there?

Regards Robin ( not the other Robin)

[Paul Read]

Surely this is THE Robin?

 

My Aeola tenor treble has damage to the nickel ends where the heel of the hand would sit. It was suggested by Chris Algar (who I bought it from) that this is sweat damage.

[tomlaw90]

My mahogeny-ended Lachenal has similar damage. I suspect it is from fingernail impact, but wouldn't be able to prove it. But anyway, its a data point regarding wooden ends.

 

Tom Lawrence

[Robin Madge]

My 1880s GD metal ended wheatstone has always shown verdegris at the slightest oppertunity, whilst my 1950s model has not.

The earlier model has ends that look to be plain nickle silver whilst the later one is looks chrome plated.

I say looks because I'm not sure exactly what the original specifiation would have been at the different dates.

 

Surely the way to determine whether the damage is caused mechanically or chemically is to look for deformation of the inner surface of the metal and/or measure the thickness.

 

The Other Robin.

[JimLucas]

My 1880s GD metal ended wheatstone has always shown verdegris at the slightest oppertunity, whilst my 1950s model has not.

The earlier model has ends that look to be plain nickle silver whilst the later one is looks chrome plated.

I say looks because I'm not sure exactly what the original specifiation would have been at the different dates.

You should be able to get the spec on the 1950's instrument by looking up the serial number in the Wheatstone ledgers. Or I could do it for you. What's the number?

 

The Other Robin.

So which of you is the hooded robin? :-)

[d.elliott]

Does anyone have data on the nickle or perhaps 'german silver'?? that was used for the metal end plating and furnature?? and current equivalents.

 

Dave