Braze-on removal service?

And before you start, I did UTFS.

I just got a lovely old 60's Holdsworth frame to build up, but I can't be arsed to take all the braze-ons off before Armourtexing. Does anybody do this as a service? Any idea of cost?

Cheers,

Pluck

Mate! You lazy cnut. It's not exactly difficult/tasking/time-consuming is it!
Armourtex might do it for you if you ask nicely.

Given that it's a quick and easy job I think most bike shops would be more than happy to take your money. If you do it yourself the money you save could go towards better components/tyres or whatever for the bike.

Given that it's a lovely old 60's Holdsworth frame, it would be a shame to 'fixieize' it.

I am lazy, well actually I'm not lazy but I just have too many other projects on the go at the moment and I want this baby rolling soon as.

However, now I've done a bit of research I think I'll leave everything on with the exception of the pump-holders perhaps. The frame appears to be a fairly decent Holdsworth although I haven't figured out exactly which model it is yet - and it's in great nick apart from the paintwork. Maybe I'll leave it un-butchered and just have it coated.

Cheers all.

arg!
60's holdsworth + braze on removal + ARMORTEX = bike death.

Don't do it mate. Clear coat ftw

Clear coat ftw

What do you mean?

Pluck

happy to lend you my 9" grinder...

;)

do not take the braze-ons off of a 1960s holdsworth.

for the love of god, don't do it

do not take the braze-ons off of a 1960s holdsworth.

+1

don't.

Do what you like - Holdsworth were never anything that special. Half a step above Falcon...

Do what you like - Holdsworth were never anything that special. Half a step above Falcon...

they went through a crap period in the 80s, but in the 50s and 60s, a holdsworth was the frame to have.

my two cents: if you have a classic holdsworth, don't take the braze-ons off. and if it's in reasonable shape with the original paintjob, just clean it up and ride it. or else get it enameled not powdercoated. talk to mercian or argos about enameling.

they went through a crap period in the 80s, but in the 50s and 60s, a holdsworth was the frame to have.

Only if you didn't have the wit, style, money or connections to go Italian...
At best third-rate.
Ask Hilary Stone.

must i?

I'm not as precious as some of you guys about braze-ons, remember they were often an 'optional extra' and so taking them off so long as it's done well ( hence not wanting to do it myself! ) isn't necessarily sacriledge IMO. Especially on my frame which although completely sound, has virtually none of the original paintwork, headbadge is missing, decals missing etc, etc. It's not a candidate for proper restoration. I am going to leave most of them on though, except the pump clips - which I will do myself.

What I'm not sure about though is how to finish it. I'm hesitant about power-coating it as I know how difficult it is to remove if somebody ever did want to restore it. At the same time I don't have the time/money/inclination to get it properly painted. I was starting to think about the idea of getting it blasted and then lacquered maybe to protect while I've got at least, which is why I am interested in what IRO-DAN means when he says 'clear-coat ftw'. Could you expand iro-dan if you're reading?

Cheers,

Pluck

PS. Reading up on what Hilary Stone has to say, and others, concensus seems to be that 50's 60's period Holdsworths were excellent. There's quite a lot on the googlenetz about them. Either way, I'll enjoy knowing my bike has a handbuilt frame, handcut lugs etc even if it isn't anything particularly special.

arg!
60's holdsworth + braze on removal + ARMORTEX = bike death.

Don't do it mate. Clear coat ftw

Does a real 60's road frame have braze-ons then ?
I think most of these frames had lots of bolt-on cable guides and other small parts.
Maybe the braze-ons came later and the frame was resprayed.
Removing them may make the frame more original.

Anyway, I think it looks great with original paint, decals, pinstriping, etc.
Even some small damages and rust wouldn't be a problem.

contact argos. they can remove the braze-ons, provide you with all the correct decals and badges, and give you a good baked enamel paint job.

you can treat the rust and then get argos or someone like that to give it a clear coating so that the original paintwork is still visible but sealed off from rusting any further.

you can treat the rust and then get argos or someone like that to give it a clear coating so that the original paintwork is still visible but sealed off from rusting any further.

OK thanks - this frame doesn't have any paint so not worth preserving from that point of view, but thanks anyway.

Pluck