An outer hard anodizing is not the same as the color that is being talked about. The cooler is really just die added to the metal that goes about 2 microns in to the alloy. The hard anodizing is an application of aluminum oxide put on to the alloy to provide a hard cover on to the aluminum for looks or for wear. Do not tell any body that we sent some parts out in the 80's to get that oh-so-cool black put on them. ;^) Steve
The Bike Stand 1778 East Second Street Scotch Plains NJ 07076 908-322-3330 http://www.thebikestand.com
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of Donald Gillies Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2005 10:07 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]1958 Campagnolo cranks in black?
I would be a little bit surprised if campy threaded the cranks before they were anodized, since anodizing can change the surface of the threads by growing a hard oxide layer.
My suspicion is that if the threads are black, then its an elementary after-market anodizing effort. A better after-market effort would mask the threads with masking compound before anodizing, so that they remained silver.
Similarly, the chainring teeth will be silver if they were anodized at the factory. At least that's how my black sugino maxy rings rings came way back in 1977. I think the same thing goes for the drillium holes in the super mighty chainrings.
An original crankset should be all black with silver threads and chainring teeth which have lost their anodization during the drilling/tapping/milling process, i believe.
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA