[kbryt]

Mine is a very early model 1 [3003] with several odd bits of finish, I have always surmised it was the Olympia show bike,so not standard it seems.

[wessex_man]

Yes I believe they were supplied all black by the factory. However nickle plated nipples are easier if you require to adjust the wheel at a later date. It does mean that they have to be built twice though.

[kbryt]

original spoke nipples on my 1929 are nickel.

black all over is certainley a lot easier.

[phutton]

The works' photos in Bob Champ's Illustrated History clearly show that the nipples are actually black (even clearer in the original photos). Bob has confirmed this is the case. We think that the wheels were built then dip-painted black, certainly up until 1936.

[kbryt]

the levers are secured, or should be, by a countersunk screw in the end diameter of the bar probably 2BA.
You have to peel back the control rubbers to see it.
looks as if you may have pattern bars and a bodger previous owner
No need for any expansion device anywhere.

Spokes should be black enamel, same as rims and nickeled spoke nipples.
How they were originally assemble I cannot fathom.
In the days when I fussed with showing bikes I'd have the wheel built, then mask up every spoke nipple, etch prime the spokes then sprayed black with an air brush.

Such a finitiky job as masking 40 small spoke nipples is a job my wife got very good at.

[Eddie Berrisford]

Re. Handlebar end lever.  I'm assembling a 1929 longstroke and found that the end levers were a very close fit inside the bar and secured by driving a steel wedge into a slot cut longitudinally into the lever body between the horns for the pivot.  The wedge expands and locks the body very firmly into the end of the bar. I'm not sure that this is how it was done at the factory, but it certainly works and removal was difficult.  A better method would be to use a pointed screw to expand the body making removal much easier.

[bob southall]

hello all
I have just started the restoration of a 1929 model 8. Currently my wheels have painted spokes which given they have been painted assembled do not look good. Does any one know details of the original spoke finish?

The other problem I am wrestling with concerns the handlebar end levers. These are currently glued in position (probably araldite). I can probably free these with heat but cannot figure out how they were originally attached. Can anyone explain please?
Thanks in anticipation