Re: [CR]Titan questions

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli)

From: "Donald Dundee" <rebour@hotmail.com>
To: swampmtn@siscom.net, Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Titan questions
Date: Mon, 08 Jan 2001 12:05:23 -0500


Aldo,

What you ahave are indeed Titan Bar and stem, made by the Belgian concern who manufatured these components as early as the late 40's. They usually marked their bars with Belgian champions names. Of course, by the time the greatest Belgian cyclist of them all came around, they were defunct. I'd bet at least one list member can give exact dates as to their life.

Chroming is a fickle process, best left to one outsourcing company. The first step is to remove all chrome, a process done in an acid bath. Next, the base metal has to be polished, during the course of which the engraving gets obliterated, muddied, and most-likely messed up.

Three step chroming involves copper-nickle-and chrome plating steps. I usually ask fo rthe piece back after the copper step. At that time you can fill in any imperfections with solder by cleaning, fluxing, and sweating in solder, and then polishing it out.

Once the copper step is complete, nickle and chrome are applied.

Most of the euro shops that I know do not use copper, but rather a nickel and chrome, 2-step process.

Good luck, Ken Denny Boston


>From: "Aldo Ross" <swampmtn@siscom.net>
>To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]Titan questions
>Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 11:57:07 -0500
>
>I have a Titan stem and Kint bar from a 1963 Paramount, and I have a few
>questions:
>
>1. Was Titan a Belgian company?
>
>2. Who made the handlebars marked "M.Kint S.Maes A.Schotte V.Steenbergen"?
>Where they made in Belgium? Only other marking is a "60" or "90" on the
>lower surface of the sleeve. Are these bars related to Titan?
>
>3. The chrome on the stem is in poor condition. Anyone have a favorite
>shop for re-chroming?
>
>4. What will I need to do to get the stem ready for chrome?

>

>Aldo Ross