[CR] paint durability in restorations

(Example: Books:Ron Kitching)

From: "Charles Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2009 11:48:01 -0700
Subject: [CR] paint durability in restorations


I know that one big issue in "restoring" a frame to something like its original look, is the problem presented by laying primer, paint and clear on very thin. Older paints were not all that durable, but they seem to have been more durable laid on thin than modern paints seem to be...although perhaps I'm mistaken on this score, I'm just going by my subjective experience with both.

This as a prelude to the interesting experience I've had with a frame I've owned for something like 35 years...a nice old Argos racing frame in silver that I bought new and raced pretty hard for a few years, and rode a lot after that as a commuter. Argos did not make the most refined frame in the world at that time--the lug-work in particular is nothing to write home about; I'd call it servicable, at best--but the paint! My word. That paint is absolutely bullet-proof. Not laid on especially thick, either, but supernaturally durable. You could take a sledge to the frame, and I swear, that paint would not even crack. I suspect it's not just tough, but very flexible. It just doesn't chip, crack or peel. It has some usual wear now. I haven't ridden it in a long time as It's a little small for me, but I've always admired the enormous toughness of that paint.

I assume it was some kind of oven-baked enamel. It's a nice-looking silver. I'd take a paint like that anytime, but I assume such things are long gone, with stricter VOC requirements, alas.

Charles Andrews Los Angeles

"everyone has elites; the important thing is to change them from time to time."

--Joseph Schumpeter, via Simon Johnson