# Help with a Hackett "Our Diamond"



## Rsharp (Jun 23, 2010)

This is my first time posting here, although I do frequent Bikeforums.net and do some classic stuff there. This bike is a bit older than I have messed with before. 

I found this on our family farm in Iowa. From my research it is an "Our Diamond" distrubuted by the Hackett Co of St Paul MINN. The number on the bottom is either 397157 or 897157. Given that the company started in 1886, I am hoping that the possible 89 is the year. 

Can anybody point me in the direction of info on these bikes? This one looks pretty complete if somewhat rusted. I am unsure if I should try to restore it or just leave it alone. It would need paint and pinstriping, but I do not know what colors  or how it looked new. I think the old girl is really pretty and would love to put it on the road, even if I had to build some more usable wheels and hang the wooden ones on the wall for now.

Again, this is my first time on such an old bike I would really appreciate any input I can get. 

Thanks
Rsharp


----------



## mre straightbar (Jun 23, 2010)

my guess is the 15 is the year


----------



## yewhi (Jun 24, 2010)

Looks like a great old bike.  Given it came from your family farm I'm assuming you want to keep it.  I would, but then I'm sorta' sentamental that way.

If it is solid (mostly surface rust and pitting without any structural damage) and you have some time I would consider restoring it to keep in the family.  You know the front was white and the shape of the darts on the head tube are still evident.  You can start by tearing it down to clean and inspect.  In the process you will likely learn more about the frame.  Look for evidence of original colors inside the bottom bracket shell and so forth.  These will help you decide how to restore the old girl.  Document as much of the details as possible with pictures so that you can return to them for reference (plus they make for some great "before" pictures.  If you intend to ride it I would consider using a more modern wheelset (but definitely keep the originals with the bike)  I have a similar project (see pictures) that I intend to use vintage hubs laced to 29er rims (likely Velocity blunts) simply because I fully intend to use it.
Before...




Sanded, filled, Primed and ready for paint...




You have a unique opportunity to preserve a piece of family history, if you have the time to commit, go for it!


----------



## sam (Jun 24, 2010)

Looks like it might be a schwinn built frame.The crank might tell the story and date.Also the inside of the BB and inside of the stear tube might tell the original color.


----------



## Rsharp (Jun 24, 2010)

Thanks for the input. I need to get the bike home somehow and then I am going to restore it.
I plan to hang the wheels as is and come up with somethig similar to run.

Quick question, I can see a couple shiny bits on the rear hub that must be nickel plate but the bars, riser, and sprocket do not appear to be plated. I am going to start looking at pics of restos, but is there a preffered / correct finish I should be using?

Rsharp


----------



## OldRider (Jun 24, 2010)

I believe your chainring gives it away as a Schwinn. The chainring is called the Schwinn Sweetheart. I'm pretty sure that ring was exclusive to Schwinn. If it is indeed a Schwinn then thats the earliest sweetheart I've seen! I agree with Straightbar, 1915 sounds like a good number.


----------



## Adamtinkerer (Jun 24, 2010)

It does look like a Schwinn built frame, though these style frames are very hard to tell apart! I don't think they had the sweetheart sprocket as early as 1915, and they did continue offering this style bike into the mid 30s. But that's just my two cents!


----------



## slick (Jun 24, 2010)

Very cool! I would start drenching the chain with Wd40 to loosen it up. Looks a little frozen in a few spots. Crank definately looks like a schwinn to me. Nevertheless a very neat project. Wish my dad kept his Huffy Radiobike he had when he was a kid so I could adopt it now!!


----------



## chriscokid (Jun 24, 2010)

love the bicycles.... one day i'll find one of my own. you know i read all the new posts every night. and try to suck up all the information i can and from what i gather it seems pretty difficult to restore the wooden rims. like just finding the spokes to repair and the tires.. but really how sturdy are wooden rims and another thing back in the day there wasn't paved roads just gravel dirt or bricked roads what kind of up keep were preformed on them and how often  did they brake down?  what i guess i'm getting at is if i had a bicycle with wooden rims would it ok to use it as a daily rider like riding it 2 or 3 times a week?


----------



## dave the wave (Jun 24, 2010)

WD-40 the whole bike.that will show you the color of the bike.that headbadge looks porcelain,which would indicate early years 1915-20?.and it might even be a schwinn.


----------



## irene_crystal (Jun 24, 2010)

Not sure what it is, but it looks like a good project. Love the picture of the white one, that will be a cool one when finished


----------



## ejlwheels (Jun 25, 2010)

Everything about it looks Schwinn made.  The highest six numeral format Schwinn serial number I have seen is 5xxxxx, and those were for sure in the 1933-35 range (balloon motobike frames).  Your serial number is most likely 397157, which would make it late 20's in my book.


----------

