Richard, I first found out about 531SL in Mike Kolin's 1979 book, 'The Custom Bicycle'. He mentions that the builders who worked with it did use silver solder, but he also suggests the tubing had been around since at least the mid-70's but I don't recall hearing about SL gauge tubing when I was active in racing up till 1975.
Larry Hakim
Oxford, MS
>From: Richard M Sachs <richardsachs@juno.com>
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: Re: [CR]Reynolds 531 SL
>Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:36:48 -0400
>
>i used 531sl in '76 and it was the catalyst for me
>to learn silver brazing since i was mentored in
>brass brazing.
>e-RICHIE
>chester, ct
>
>
>On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 16:30:30 -0500 "Larry Hakim" <larryhakim@hotmail.com>
>writes:
> > Three questions:
> >
> > 1.) When did Reynolds come out with 531SL tubing?
> >
> > 2.) How do you know if your frame has it apart from special
> > decals---in
> > other words is it possible a frameset w/the 531DB label is actually
> > made w/
> > 531SL tubing?
> >
> > 2.) Is 531SL the same tubing as the current 531 Competition?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Larry Hakim
> > Oxford, MS