Patina
I've been concentrating on the frame and learning about patina. It's an allusive term, but whatever it is, I'm getting hooked.
Cleaning this meant a good rub down with white spirit and some cotton bud action on the nooks and crannies.
What I was left with was bright paint interspersed with chain, cable and pebble rash on the stays, top tube and down tube; also some missing paint round the front mech band; a few stone chips and mechanics' marks.
Where the metal was exposed, it's been rubbed down with fine wetndry and overcoated with clear laquer. For the record, the frame weighs 5.7lbs with fixed BB cup and head races in place. And when you ting it with your fingernail, it rings out like Bow bells.
Perhaps the trickiest to deal with -- and to do the right thing by -- were the decals. These are plentiful [Peugeot intent on getting their money's worth] and well scuffed in places.
After a good clean I still wasn't happy: the frays and edges showed lines of dirt, and were masking loose paint under thier yellow age. This forced me to a decision. The first rule of patina is: it isn't dirt, it's what's left when you remove the grubbiness.
So, stanley knife to the decal edges, and like a happy surgeon I'd nipped and tucked the nicotine patches and flyblown rags. A rub down with carb cleaner and the results are in the pictures.
Going for a patina build has accentuated some of the scars; but at least now that is just what they are - hard-won trophies not smears from the shed.
Next steps are to source and fit a new head set and BB: the originals have earned their keep already.
Couple of frame details. First, a brazed-on boss on the lower seat stay: chain hanger for wheel changes.
Second, the rarely seen [at least by me] Reynolds
Service de Course tube sticker:
Getting back to the patina thing, which I guess is the theme today, I still remain skeptical in some ways -- it does get used in a general way to lend weight to mediocrity: like "farm fresh" or "iconic". But, patiently fettling this old bike, it felt right.
Okay. Last word to a patinated pedal that I spent the evening with: a nicely-used narrow body m731 mated to one of the cyclocross clips. It and it's partner will replace the worn-out Tioga Surefoot III's that the bike came with.
cheers
DB