Re: [CR]Nervex lugs..and Wagner crowns

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

From: <"brianbaylis@juno.com">
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:47:46 GMT
To: norris.lockley@talktalk.net
Subject: Re: [CR]Nervex lugs..and Wagner crowns
cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

Norris,

I have a genuine Nervex BB shell like the one being discussed. The one that looks like an ocean wave sort of. I have often wondered which Nervex lugset it was a part of. As it turns out, over this past weekend I spend some time with framebuilder Bruce Gordon up in Petaluma, CA. As I was poking around the shop we stopped to look at a small pile of vintage lugs, crowns and BB shells Bruce had sitting there on a table. I picked up the set that was strung together with the wave-like BB shell at to my surprise there was a complete set of matching lugs for the BB shell. They don't seem to have some of the common traits that one might see on many Nervex lugs; like the reinforcement ring around the headlugs. The looked more like Prugunat lugs; but they matched the BB shell pattern perfectly. I think these lugs may have been "lighter" version lug. Anyway, they were cool and the only set I've ever seen. So at least I know what they look like now.

I'm in for a Nervex lug swap of stray pieces. Most of my sets are complete. I probably have around 50 sets left; none of which are likely to go anywhere beyond my shop in the raw form (in other words not for sale. Trade hen's teeth for hen's teeth considered). I have a few shells but they don't seem to have good angles for the stuff I build so I don't use them. As you mentioned, Nervex crowns are generally not popular amongst custom builders.

As far as what they're worth, I got most of mine when I could buy old stock from Schwinn for $5 per set. It eventually jumped to $10, and then it stopped. I bought hundreds many years ago and sold most to my other framebuilding friends during that time. Once the pipeline dried up, my willingness to sell them dried up also.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA


-- Norris Lockley wrote:


I dont think that there is any problem with the bracket in this set of " Ner vex lugs", as the seller cyclonbro is quite a well-reputed seller. I'm p ret ty certain that the bracket shell is a Nervex Serie Legere one, possibly mo del 161, that used to be sold on with the Pro lugs, as a set, possibly w ith a combination of angles, bracket height etc that was not covered in the st andard Pro combination, which was, after all, a "racing" set. In that ca se

the bracket would be stamped with the "Nervex" name.

As for the Wagner crown, these were just seen as very ordinary over here in the UK, and brazed up in the tens of thousands by the likes of Raleigh. Ov er the years I have had several variations on the general theme from Wag ner .. Some that I stil have in stock have a tapered off "relieved " web

area between the wall of the steering column hole and the wall of the so cke t for the fork blade, that is intended to reduce the need for an excessi vel y long heating up period. Others that I have used were solid metal betwe en

the column and the blade socket. In these cases it was customary to dril l a couple of 6/7mm holes each side of the column hole into this mass of me tal to help reduce the amount of heat needed. In any case the blades can be br azed into place during the same heating as the column is brazed in, ther eby avoiding the need for a second prolonged heating period.

I have never really been a fan of the Nervex Pro crown, nor were they pa rti cularly popular in the UK, with builders preferring crowns such as the E KLA or the AERTS.

About twenty-five years ago I was fortunate in getting Ron Kitching to l et

me "rummage" round among his obsloetre stock. I found a box of Milremo b ran d forged crowns - Model No2020/"Corsa" B, in Ron's early 70s catalogue. The se have a small circular cut-out in the side that can be tweaked with a nee dle file to resemble quite closely a Nervex Pro lug. At the same time I fou nd a box of Milremo 2030.Giro"A" crowns..but none of his unusual 2010/Cr sa

"a" models. Although I live only forty miles from Ron's warehouse, and u sed to call in each week, I have never seen this model on any frame/fork co mbi nation.. It's a pity because it looks to have much scope for reshaping.

When I read the contri about the $300 Nervex lug set, I remembered that las t year a set fetched $550..so they must be reducing in price...but never the less I dashed out to the workshop to check out my sadly diminished stock . P robably there are several frame-builders on the List who have, like me, set s of Nervex missing either the seat lug, or one of the headlugs. I have sev eral brackets..but they are metric dimensions, whereas all the lugs are Imp erial sizes. Maybe we should set up a "Swop Shop".

Norris Lockley, Settle UK

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