Raoul asked about block chain being made and used up until the 1960s. The
context is real block chain with a solid inner linking piece, two side
plates etc. and not a roller in sight.
>From my own experience I think block chain was even sold new in the 1960s.
Keep in mind this would be used by tradition minded sprinters only. My 1959
Frejus track bike had a Regina block chain, and Campagnolo 1" pitch cogs.
The Frejus catalog skips the chain in the equipment listings, although I
gather Frejus favored Everest cogs and chains. I tend to think the chain was
original on the Frejus because it is darn hard to wear them out.
I suspect Regina was the last block chain made new.
Per the 1939 Oglaend's catalog available from Velo-Retro a Diamond Block Racing chain was $ 4.80 wholesale and a Diamond No. 61 Roller chain was $2.50.
Anyone have later catalog entries for block chains?
Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ
> But , about block chain being used by sprinters up into the 1960's , and
> big name chain manufacturers actually making block chain in "fairly
modern"
> times . . .
>
> Are we talking about the same thing ?
>
> Solid steel blocks of metal , connected by side-plates , and held
together
> with steel pins ? Solid steel blocks ?
>
> Normally , almost always , almost every time , when someone is talking
> about "skip-tooth" chain , they are talking about
> one-inch-pitch-roller-chain . And just to be clear , although you can
> use a normal "half-inch" chain on "skip-tooth" cogs and
ainwheels -
> you can NOT use a one-inch-pitch-roller-chain on "half-inch" cogs
and
> chainwheels .
>
> Block chain and one-inch-pitch-roller-chain can be used interchangeably
> ( assuming that they are roughly the same width ) . But block chain is
> made up of solid steel blocks , connected by steel side-plates .
>
> And major manufacturers were making actual block chain , not only well
into
> the 20th Century , but even after World War II ?? ??
>
> I'm very interested . Thanks !