Thanks to everyone for all of the excellent advice regarding my rust issues. Can't wait to (cautiously) put them all to the test.
By the way\u2014and I don't know if this link has been posted yet\u2014my cousin sent me a link to a similar Bianchi he found that is currently for sale on eBay. Thought the crowd here might enjoy it:
Bret Van Horn Washougal, WA USA
On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 6:53 PM, George Hollenberg <ghollmd@gmail.com>wrote:
> Don:
> Your suggestion of wearing gloves when doing bike work is a good one for
> many reasons, but, there isn't a molecule of evidence that aluminum, let
> alone polishing bike parts, can cause Alzheimer's disease. However, there
> is
> some evidence that riding your bike may prevent the disease. It's also a
> good idea to wear gloves when you ride too.
> Regards,
> George Hollenberg MD
>
> On Wed, Aug 12, 2009 at 9:45 PM, donald gillies <gillies@ece.ubc.ca>
> wrote:
>
> > Due to the high concentration of aluminum plaques found in the brains
> > of Alzheimer's patients, when restoring bikes, please try to minimize
> > your exposure to aluminum that you inhale !!
> >
> > 1. Don't use aluminum foil to remove rust when there are other
> > alternatives (such as brass or copper wool) available.
> >
> > 2. Nearly all high-grit sandpapers (400 grit and above) are
> > aluminum oxide. Wear a face mask and/or use wet-sanding to
> > polish with these sandpapers.
> >
> > 3. Wash hands frequently or wear gloves when polishing with
> > polishes such as NEVR-Dull or Simichrome. I suspect that
> > the polishes have a mild acid that eats aluminum oxide away
> > from the surface of aluminum pieces, and the aluminum oxide
> > migrates to your skin where it can be absorbed ...
> >
> > Stay Healthy so you can Ride Your Bike !!
> >
> > - Don Gillies
> > San Diego, CA, USA
> > ______________________________ _________________
> >
>
>
>
> --
> George
>
> George Hollenberg MD
> CT, USA