Re: [CR] FS: Vintage Stella Spokes for Restorations

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli)

Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 19:54:24 -0800
From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR] FS: Vintage Stella Spokes for Restorations
References: <091520052332.21866.432A048E000CEE490000556A2205889116020E000A9C9D0A08@comcast.net>


hersefan@comcast.net wrote:
>
> Hi CR folks,
>
> For the all out Italian bike restoration...
>
> I'm doing some organizing, sorting, and discovering in my piles of stuff. I found some 295mm 15/16 gauge double butted Stella Spokes that are quite gorgeous. They have nipples with them too. They came out of boxes labled Crominox. I think they are chrome plated stainless, but I'm not sure.
>

Sounds to me like Crominox is a plating over carbon steel spokes not stainless (inox) steel spokes. Anyone know for sure?

http://www.bicrom.com/english.htm "The CROMINOX-Coat avoids nickel allergies and fulfils the N34 standard of the Danish tests and has the appearance of stainless steel 316 and 316L. The hardness of the deposit is 600 Vickers, the thickness can be from 1 to 10ยต and can be white or black-chrome plated, gold- or silver-plated, etc. CROMINOX is deposited using plating racks or in barrels. It can be applied to brass or copper. CROMINOX is a very good protection against corrosion and its colour makes CROMINOX a very attractive decorative application."

By the way, I remember when stainless steel spokes did not have a great reputation for durability before DT stainless steel spokes became popular in the mid 1970s. Anyone know why?

Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, Southern California