Northwest Marketplace

Yeah I was thinking it would work the other way round; I've checked Sheldon & here's what he has to say: (Direct-pull = V-brake-type)

Brake Levers for Direct-pull Cantilevers

              Direct-pull cantilevers have double the [mechanical advantage](http://sheldonbrown.com/cantilever-geometry.html#mechanical)  compared with traditional brakes, so they require special brake levers.  Direct-pull brake levers pull the cable twice as far, half as hard. The  lower mechanical advantage of the lever compensates for the higher  mechanical advantage. of the cantilever. It is not generally safe to mix  and match levers/cables between direct-pull and other types for this  reason.                 

[]Conventional brake levers used with direct-pull cantilevers will usually not pull enough cable to stop in wet conditions without bottoming out against the handlebars. In dry conditions, they either won't work, or will grab too suddenly.
[]Direct-pull brake levers used with any other type of brakes will feel nice and solid when you squeeze them, but due to their lower mechanical advantage you'll need to squeeze twice as hard to stop as you should, so unless you are a lightweight rider with gorilla-like paws, this combination isn't safe either.