My experience: I've filed and polished large and small flange hubs to remove the spoke marks, I've respoked hubs in different direction than the hub was originally spoked, I've used high tension recommended by Jobst Brandt and radially laced front hubs and left flanges on the rear hub and never had a hub crack or break in thirty years. But I'm in total agreement... the above practices are definitely NOT the thing to do!!!
Chuck Schmidt
South Pasadena, CA USA
http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, t-shirts & timelines)