I've owned a Campy record hf road hub with a crack in the web. resulted from an overshift into the spokes. Not uncommon, I expect. So, I assumed that they are made of a hard alloy.
But, wait. Recently, a list buddy and swapped some parts. I wound up with a Campy Record HF track hub with a flange bent in maybe 10 degrees around about 90 - 120 degrees of the circumference. No prolem, this had been fully disclosed by the Honorable List Member, and I figured I could lace it up for a rider/commuter and not worry about it. Just on a whim, I put the brass jaws in the vise, clamped down on the flange, and bent it back. Worked just like on soft aluminum. Yielded smoothly. No cracks found. I'm pleased, of course, and this sort of fits in inutitively with the common experience of deformation around spoke holes, but I'm having some trouble reconciliing my mental metal models. Eh?
harvey sachs
mcLean va