Inner ply should be mahogany, I think. I have the same issue but I'm not worried about it as it's not seeming to effect the sound. However, the plan of action I'd take if I need to would be Elmer's wood glue in a hypodermic under the split and gently clamp it back together.

Thank you Rob. I should have been a little more specific in my explanation. On my set, the outer ply is maple, the center ply is poplar, and the inner ply is mahogany except for the 20 in floor tom. On the 20 inch floor tom, the inner ply is maple. I am doing the needle and Elmer's thing. My concern is how to stop the issue from progressing further. I live in the super dry Arizona desert so I feel I need to do something to seal up the edges.

Other than light sanding to get off the dirt, dimensionally the edges are like they were when the set was made in 1956.

Another thing I have noticed on the bearing edges is the rough feeling of the poplar center ply. Poplar is a greenish wood which you can see on my set. Poplar is also rather soft and coarse by nature. The result on my set is the bearing edges feel a bit rough rather than smooth. To get around the rough feel, do restorers do anything with the bearing edges like clear coat the bearing edge or wax the edges? In the old days guys used to use paraffin or soap on the edges. In terms of preservation of the vintage nature of the set, can I paint or coat the bearing edges without hurting the value of the set?

Actually, you should be waxing the edges. Use a good wax mix so as not to make them sticky, which some waxes can do. There are some really good ones out there. You want to look for more than just paraffin or bees or whatever else might be in your junk drawer. A lot of drummers just grab some "wax" and rub it on. That's not good. Some wax will actually cause the head to stick which reduces vibration, blah blah blah. Shop around. It's definitely going to help you in your dry area.

Thank you, mcjnic. Could you give me some brand names so I have something more to go on?

Here's a pretty good blend.

http://willoughcraftdrums.com/wcglide.html

I've used it several times. Not too bad.

Thank you. I've used candles and ivory soap. Nice to see someone came up with a can of something. Thanks again.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Or use Tung oil...a couple of coats....it does the same thing as waxes....is idiot-proof to apply, and it really sets up nicely, no sticking...

Find sand to 220gr then go one coat with a lint-free cloth, wait 12 hrs. then do a second coat....[/COLOR]

Excellent suggestion, Jaye. Yes. That would also do the trick. Due to the dry environ, it may even be a better suggestion. You might want to consider this one, for sure.