Hi Harvey, the recognised brake pad material for wooden rims is cork, and I managed to buy a set on eBay a while back. I haven't yet used them ,so I don't know how effective they'll be. I think if you check the CR archive, you may find some correspondence re this subject.
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
>From: Harvey Sachs <hmsachs@verizon.net>
>Reply-To: hsachs@alumni.rice.edu
>To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>,
>neilfoddering@hotmail.com, ternst <ternst1@cox.net>
>Subject: brake pads for wood rims, was AW: [CR]Brake pads for steel rims
>Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:42:16 -0400
>
>Thank you, Neil, for your wise counsel. I wonder if you, or others, have
>suggestions for brake pad material for wood rims rather than steel or
>aluminum. I ride my '38 Paramount on the road, and fit it with a front
>brake for this service, and have been concerned that the conventional pads
>might be a bit rough on the rims. Leads to a better workout for the hind
>legs stopping the back wheel, as I try to minimize use of the brake, but I
>think there must be a better way.
>
>Harvey Sachs
>mcLean va
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>
>Hopefully, your LBS should be able to help you out, but as Michael says,
>suitable blocks are sold under the Fibrax name, and ones with leather
>inserts were made (to give better stopping in the wet) but I think that
>these are no longer in production. I've bought some on eBay - they turn up
>from time to time. They may well have been made by Fibrax, and I've also
>bought them under the brand name "Raleigh Raincheck". I've checked mine,
>and I have two patterns - one has the leather in a "sandwich" with the
>normal brake block material, and the other (marked "Sturmey Archer") has
>the
>leather full width across the face of the block. I haven't used any of
>these for years, and can't remember how good they were, but I think they
>were quite effective.
>
>The Fibrax 269 blocks are the ones for the 1950's British caliper brakes,
>such as GB, Phillips and Monitor. These are still available, but a friend
>told me that the dimensions of the current (outsourced) ones differ from
>the old ones made by Fibrax.
>
>In any event, my advice would be to see what your LBS has to offer, and
>compromise on the side of safety, rather than originality.
>
>Don't let all this put you off; literally millions of cyclists rode steel
>rims in all weathers. You just need the right equipment.
>
>Neil Foddering
>Weymouth, Dorset, England