blueman wrote:

Jim Elbrecht writes:

blueman wrote:
-snip-
Here is a link to a pic:
http://96.252.37.8:8080/public/1stFlrTread.jpg
Personally, I'd clean out the crack with a coping saw blade- then
epoxy it.
I have been debating between cleaning it out and between leaving it
as-is as a mark of "character" -- my concern is that if I clean it all
out and can't bring the two sides back together tightly, then the epoxy
fill may look less authentic and more like a hack than just leaving the
crack alone...

I think the West system epoxy will fill it with a darker color- but
not look that bad. I wouldn't even try to bring them back
together- you're likely to just end up with 2 pieces if you do.

My guess on what caused the crack-- That piece that cracked is
heartwood- with sapwood on either side. It is the piece that expands
and contracts the most. The nails in the stringer held the front and
back in place & the wood shrunk, opening the crack.

The stairs look just like mine in my 100 yr old house. *If* they
are. . . There are two 5/4 stringers- one on each side of the stairs.
They are nailed to the face of a 5/4x10 that serves as a
baseboard/trim.

Jim