I always thought there was a practical benefit for the builder in nice lug finishing. The point of cleaning up the lugs was to sugest that the entire bike was well built. If the builder goes to the trouble of cleaning up the lugs nicely, you can (hopefully) assume he was as careful mitering the tubes and completely brazing the joints. Not to say that a roughly finished bike can't be good (I've got an excellent riding Gitane TDF, but no one would admire the lug finish work), but well finished lugs are an indication of the quality of the build.
Harry Quinn was asked why he spent so much time cleaning up the lugs, and he replied "You needn't do it, but it's a sign of workmanship." The Custom Bicycle", Kolin & de laRosa, 1979, Rodale Press, pg 71.
Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
Dennis Young <mail@woodworkingboy.com> wrote:
> snipped:
> "I have tried for the last 30 years to make my frames as flawless as
> possible."
>
After thirty or forty years and finally I made something perfect, for the next project I'd wqnt to top it, so might add file marks.
Dennis Young Don't use a file but use a rasp in Hotaka, Japan
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