[CR]Ideas needed please - newly chromed stem doesn't fit!

(Example: Production Builders:Tonard)

From: "Dr. Paul Williams" <castell5@sympatico.ca>
To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 21:26:11 -0400
Subject: [CR]Ideas needed please - newly chromed stem doesn't fit!

I know, I should have heeded warnings and kept on top of the platers to make sure that the new plating on a 40s headclip stem was kept to the right depth to allow the stem to still fit in the steerer (and, more importantly, through the locknut). The job was very well done - although the lugs on the stem aren't as crisp as I would like - but, now what do I do? The stem is about 0.5mm too wide in diameter at the quill end and is too thick to go into the steerer up to about 5-6cm from the end - it would fit fine from there on up. Do I grind away 0.5 mm at the quill end? Can it be done by a combination of sandpaper and files? Will this compromise the chrome on the rest of the stem?

Paul B. Williams, BAH, MPhil, PhD
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
castell5@sympatico.ca