Joe,
I agree with you. The slightly modified or even the original basic pattern can be made to look fantastic by someone with vision. What I like most about the Nervex Pro pattern is it's versitility. It allows one to add or subtract material in key places to make an infinite variety of variations that are almost always interesting and beautiful. Also, the ring around the top of the Nervex lug adds to it's potential to be used in creative ways; for example the "bell shape" approach to finishing it. I've been horseing around with Nervex Pro lugs for 30 years and I'm still comming up with new stuff for them and I'll never get tired of them. I'm also still sort of proud of my "lacework" pattern cutting for Nervex lugs. For as simple and as obvious as it it; it makes a unique frame and is ideal for showcaseing delicate filing skills.
Regarding the seams on Nervex lugs, the way they're made there is only one short weld that goes down the front of the lug. Almost nothing. Older Prugnaut and Cinelli stamped steel lugs were welded down the length of the points. And often time done quite poorly. The Nervex was just better made all the way around. Not that Purgnuat and others are bad really, just sometimes they limit what one can do with them. I like lots of old lugs; but clearly Nervex Pro are my all time favorite. Obviously. They seem to fit my style of doing things also.
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Fell in love with Nervex Pro lugs from my first 1971 PX-10, even though
they were not exactly finished perfectly; and therein lies their beauty.
>
> Raoul - Nervex Professional lugs will always enjoy the highest rating as the most simple, yet perfect lug designs - and they confer the highest rating to the builder who can make them look good. - Joe Starck, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
>
> Raoul Delmare <Raoul.L.Delmare@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> Well , O.K .
>
> It has been pointed out to me , that when I wrote that Nervex Professional lugs were made with big ugly seams , I may have been overstating things just a bit .
>
> When I wrote that , I was thinking about conversations from the past few months . In the past few months , I have read , and I have heard over the telephone , several people , each expressing their opinions more than once , about how they feel that perhaps people should not be so enthusiastic about Nervex Professional lugs .
>
> And fairly recently , I've seen photos of them on a Raleigh , where they were not finished all that well . And I have certainly seen several examples of them on Peugeot frames , where they were not given much of any finish work at all . Some of those looked very rough .
>
> Personally , I love the look of those lugs , always have . And , I'm pretty darned enthusiastic about them . But , when people start talking about how they are machine-made lugs , and should not be put up onto a lofty pedestal . . . I understand that too .
>
> So , just minutes ago , I took a long look at a 1966 , & two 1972 , Paramounts - with Nervex Professional lugs . The lugs had obviously all been filed and polished almost perfectly .
>
> Then , I looked at some raw lugs . At this moment , I have some New Old Stock , raw , unfinished , Nervex Professional lugs , sitting on the table , next to my elbow ( thanks Joe ! ) . Considering what the factory must have started with ( just plain sheet metal ?? ) it is amazing to look at these lugs . They are far from perfect . But , even raw , in just the same condition they were in when they left Nervex , they look good .
>
> Yes , they have seams . But really , the seams are almost obliterated . Those machine-made lugs look pretty darned good to me .
>
> The only exception - if you look REALLY closely - on the raw lugs , and on two out of the three Paramounts I examined , there is a noticeable bumpy lump , at the seam , on the top of the front of the seat lug . This is where the top tube comes into the seat lug . In the set of raw lugs , it is easily seen . On one of the Paramounts it was filed and polished to invisibility . On the other two Paramounts , it had been polished into a smooth lump , but it had not been filed down much at all before
>
> So , there you have it . I understand that we should not worship these lugs as the most elegant ever made . But , honestly , I really do think that they are extremely lovely . And although they have seams , those seams are neither big , nor ugly .
>
> : ^ )
>
> Raoul Delmare
> Marysville Kansas
>
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