<>A couple years ago I was trying to date a Masi Nuova Strada frame made from Reynolds 653. I emailed directly to Reynolds to see whether the tubing could help date the frame. Their response is germane to the current discussion:
"653 was a set of tubes made up of 531 main triangle and 753 rear stays. It was in production from the mid 80's to the mid 90's, but we do know some small builders still have a few sets about. I would suggest that the Masi would be an early 90's frame. It was considered number two set in our range, 753 being the first at the time."
I've also got a TI-Reynolds table that shows tubing sizes and materials for a good range of their products. I'd be happy to email copies to any who'd like it.
Cheers!
David --
David G. White
Burlington, VT
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<http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=2290&px=1764749>Jerome
& Elizabeth Moos wrote:
>All good questions - I don't know any of the answers. To add to the confusion, there was also a 653, which Mercian used a lot in the 90's. I thought the numbers were supposed to have something to do with the percentages of alloying elements, but I'm not so sure anymore.
>
>Regards,
>
>Jerry Moos
>Houston, TX
>
>Fred Rafael Rednor <fred_rednor@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Jerry,
>It was once my understanding (don't shoot me if it was
>incorrect) that Reynolds 631 was the same material -
>metalurgically - as 753. The difference was that 631 was not
>subjected to the same heat treatment as 753.
>Since I've also read that 753 was the same basic material as
>531, does this mean that 631 was simply 531 in thinner gauges?
>The current Bob Jackson Web site describes 631 as the same
>material as _853_ but without the heat treatment. Does that
>mean that the current 631 is different than the original 631?
>Or does it mean that 853, 753, 631, 531, etc. is whatever
>Reynolds wants it to be during any particular era?
>That is, at this point, Reynolds might well consider this
>numerical type-designation to be a marketing tool and - as long
>as the frame is well built and light - the buyer will never be
>able to distinguish between subtle metalurgical differences.
>Cheers,
>Fred Rednor - not yet being subjected to heat
>treatment in Arlington, Virginia (USA)
>
>--- Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote: