The shells, one is 66mm wide and one is 67. I did mean the word "cast" as in the means of manufacturing; the surface is rough like a casting and there are mold marks and no weld or remnant of a weld that would indicate their being stamped. The threads look more like the ones in other cast shells than in stamped ones. The letters "HB" are stamped near one edge. One looks exactly like the shells pictured in a reproduction Nervex catalog that I have, the other has points and peaks that more directly mimic Nervex Professional lugs. I own a bike made with a Nervex shell, it does have the name stamped into the shell as well as a series of numbers. Richard mentions Eisho, I was given some lugs a few years ago that were a type used on many Japanese early 1970's bikes, Mizutani and some Fujis. They had a type of mock-Nervex pattern cut into them. Would those have been an Eisho product? Off on another tangent, does anyone know the origin on some Italian Nervex-like lugs that were used in the 50's and 60's? I've seen Pogliaghi, Garlatti, Ives and some Windsor Carerra Sport bikes with these. It seems like the Nervex pattern inspired a lot of copies--even to the lugs on the Diamondback Ridge Runner mountain bike made in the 1980's!
David Feldman
----------
>From: Brian Baylis <rocklube@adnc.com>
>To: Dave Feldman <feldmanbike@home.com>
>Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: Re: [Classicrendezvous] nervex professional question.
>Date: Mon, Nov 13, 2000, 5:33 PM
>
>Dave,
>
>If you have a cast BB shell that looks like it matches the Nervex lug,
>then you may have a Hayden "Firefly" BB shell. I've got some, haven't
>used any yet. Check to see if the width of the shell is 65mm. If it is
>then it's probably a Hayden. You'll have to widen the shell to 68mm if
>you want to use it.
>
>I think genuine Nervex BB shells are pressed steel; have the name Nervex
>on it, and have the angles listed on the bottom.
>
>Brian Baylis
>>
>> Framebuilders on the list, is this true? I've got two Nervex Legere lug
>> sets that came with shells, one is going to be an SPX tubed touring frame
>> for a friend of mine. Are there real reasons that I should not use the
>> shell? It's pretty stout looking, kind of roughly cast but there's plenty
>> of metal where metal needs to be removed. I've also seen lots of high
>> quality frames that have lasted many years with them. Is what Phil is
>> saying for real?
>>
>> Perplexed
>>
>> David Feldman
>> ----------
>> >From: Philcycles@aol.com
>> >To: jac33@tron.arts.cornell.edu
>> >Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>> >Subject: Re: [Classicrendezvous] nervex professional question.
>> >Date: Mon, Nov 13, 2000, 4:03 PM
>> >
>>
>> >
>> >In a message dated 11/13/0 10:34:56 PM, jac33@tron.arts.cornell.edu writes:
>> >
>> >> I've also got a custom frame of my own and it
>> >>doesn't use this bottom bracket shell either; instead it has what looks
>> >>
>> >>to be a modified Henry James bb shell. Why don't builders use that
>> >>shell?
>> >The Nervex shell, while pretty, has the structural strength of paper mache. I
>> >built a frame with one many years ago and I'll never do that again. Very
>> >flexible.
>> >Phil Brown