Spoke Key

Any idea what size of key I should get for some 1960's road wheels?
Cheers

Spoke nipple sizes differ. Take the wheel to your LBS and get them to tell you which one you'll need.

For an old wheel, I recommend getting a spoke key that grips all four sides of the nipple to avoid rounding them off - see the discussion here: http://roadcyclinguk.com/tech/maintenance/winter-wheelbuild-part-one.html

You may find the nipples don't twist on the threads properly, and instead just twist the spokes instead - this can make them break quite easily, especially with older ones. It's a really good idea to lubricate that whole area.

Put some oil on the spoke just where it enters the nipple and also just where the nipple enters the rim, then spin the wheel fast for a minute or two. If the tyre's off, dab some oil onto each nipple from the inside of the rim too.

Good luck.
www.doctorbike.org

Thanks benbrangwyn!

I tried one of those multi key things and they're 15's. I will get one of those keys that grips on more than 2 sides as you suggest.
I will lube my nipples (hehehe) and forget about them for a while to allow for penetration.
The eyelets on the old Fiamme tubular rims are a bit rusty!

What's the regular size (if it's 15 on a multi spoke tool), 3.2 or 3.3?

0.127" (3.23 mm) (DT/Wheelsmith nipples)
0.130" (3.30 mm) (most European)
0.136" (3.45 mm) (most Asian)

I'd get a multi-sized tool for ease/future compatibility, but 3.3 is the "standard" (I think).

15 on a multi spoke tool will depend on the manufacturer, often they just produce a tool with 0.5mm increments and could start/finish wherever they like (again, I think).

Cheers JM, I think you're right about multi spoke tool being manufacturer specific.
All my wheels are 15 on my ice toolz multi key, but I seem to remember them being 14 on an old one.
I'd like a single key to carry round, so I still don't know what size. I guess 3.3 as I'm sure I used Sapim one the wheels I built.

Or your overweight mate can buy a Giant hybrid, trash the rear wheel by riding it with inadequate tyre pressure, ask you to true it up whereupon you find that there are at least 3 different nipple sizes on said wheel, some of which aren't any standard fuggin size at all, and end up looking like a divvie 'cos you can't true up a simple wheel, even with 7 different spoke wrenches.

DoctorBike (not bitter or anything.)

Yep, I agree, 14 or 15 are most common.

Hint - if I'm stripping an old wheel, I normally remove the rim tape and WD40 the spokes and nipples, leave for 24hrs and they come apart okay.

Have just invested in a twist resist tool - swears by them and I have a wheel I'm working on with very narrow gauge spokes that needs a "twist-resister" badly. I could have saved a lot of spokes on older wheels too...

Have just invested in a twist resist tool - swears by them and I have a wheel I'm working on with very narrow gauge spokes that needs a "twist-resister" badly. I could have saved a lot of spokes on older wheels too...

I like this tool, mine came from Harris Cyclery but other shops may have them, for all I know. I tend to use it when working with 1.5mm spokes (midsection) for blades I have a few custom bits of plastic with slots hacked in them, and best of all, a DT tool which goes "along" the spoke and skinnies down close to the nipple so you aren't point loading the spoke to stop it twisting- very nice!

Best of all, never build with Revolution or similar skinny but round spokes, the build time (for me anyways) is X2 because of repeated spoke windups- also if a customer starts in on the wheel, it will get worse and worse as they leave woundup spokes in their bid to take out a waver.

What's a good/comfy spoke key? I'm not planning on building wheels all day but, you know, I don't want to be fucking these digits up.

• this'll 4-way one will cover everything (Fat Spanner) - http://www.fredbakercycles.co.uk/180...poke-key-.html (£4.50)
  
• 3-way one is good too (X-tools) - http://tinyurl.com/6cmtdkp (£4)
  

That first linky no worky, Ben. The second link looks just like the Park Tools one. Aren't they supposed to be a bit uncomfortable?

Those are shite. One key, one size. Just buy the one you need.

+1

Here's the multi spoke key - www.fredbakercycles.co.uk/180/FAT-SPANNER-Spoke-key-.html.

Those old style Park ones are fine, except that it's easy to round off a nipple, even if you're careful, especially if you're working a lot on old wheels. The one in the link above grips 4 sides of the spoke nipple for all the sizes you're likely to encounter - and I've found 3 different nipple sizes on the same wheel (on a Giant).

I believe Park do the 4-side-grip keys now as well. Look for an extra flash of colour on the plastic coated bit.