Reed Corrosion

[boxplayer4000]

Reed Corrosion.
While checking a quality accordion with Antonelli reeds, which had not been played over a long period, an unusual gritty dust was seen in the upper treble reeds. I removed this as best possible and the reeds sounded fine with the exception of a top G Sharp range 6. The pitch had dropped a full semi-tone to G and the tip of the reed was raised. A notch/crack on one side of the reed was visible with a light at the back of the reed and what looked like corrosion mainly on the outer surface. The corrosion, or waisting of the reed, was so advanced that cleaning or removal of the corrosion was not going to save the reed.
Reed corrosion is not unusual and in most cases can be dealt with with emery cloth and perhaps WD40. The corrosion, if that’s what it was, on my reed, was different in that it was much more local and intense.
Most of the damage is about 2/3 of the way up the reed and I’ve tried to photograph it. Any thought please?

 

[debra]

In one word: replace!
Superficial corrosion can be sanded off, then maybe a bit of a clean with WD40, and another tip is to cover rusted parts with graphite (to stop further corrosion). The black stuff on this reed might even be graphite used in an attempt to stop further rust some time in the past.
Contrary to what you state corrosion of reeds is unusual when the accordion has been treated well. I have worked on accordions that are over 50 years old and none of the reeds showed any sign of corrosion. It depends on the reeds as well. In older instruments from Russia or eastern Europe corrosion can be found on younger instruments already.

 

[boxplayer4000]

Debra. Thanks.
I had already replaced the reed before I wrote the thread.
Corrosion and the circumstances of the instrument in question are not so unusual here. People seem to buy, learn the instrument, then when their lifestyle changes the instrument is laid away out of use in loft etc., forgotten about then when circumstances change again the instrument is remembered and brought out again, by which time it requires attention.
Corrosion is not unknown in these circumstances.
I see no signs that this instrument, probably from the late 70’s or 80’s, has had any internal attention.
It’s the type of corrosion which is taking my attention. It is unusually local and intense. I retired a number of years ago and unfortunately have no contact with what was then our metallurgical laboratories which existed to analyse metal conditions and failures.