Stained Mahogany Plug

[martinaskey]

I'm in the process of restoring my 1966 Sparkman and Stephens 36.
She has a a varnished mahogany hull that I'm completely re-doing and as part of that I'm dealing with blackened areas and minor damage.
I've a few plugs that have a white staining that doesn't seem to be cleaned with oxalic acid or mild bleach - see picture
Thoughts and advice would be welcome
Martin

 

[pmagowan]

Could well be from something leaching out of the fixing beneath the plug. might be a case of remove plug and fixing and replace to stop it returning. I know that iron in contact with wood can cause a white discolouration through a process similar to galvanic corrosion of the wood (the wood degrades) (and before anyone says, I know wood is not a metal!). If you find the wood here is less good it might be a matter of drilling out a nd putting in a bigger plug if you want the white gone.

 

[johnlilley]

Sometimes the timber surrounding the fastening can become affected by electrolytic damage. This electrolytic damage softens the timber directly surrounding the fastening, turns the timber slightly fibrous and bleaches it.
More often than not it is because the fastening which may be a copper nail or bronze screw comes into contact with some other fastening or structure in the timber such as a rudder tube or a centreline scarf bolt for instance. If this fastening is of a different material this creates an electric cell which causes the electrolytic damage.
Sometimes it may be of no major consequence however, if it is a hood end fitting for instance then you may want to further examine this area.

John Lilley