# Correct skirt guard material for 1935 Silver King?



## cbustapeck (Sep 21, 2020)

Soooo, there has been a reason I've been selling off so many parts and bicycles, and it's not just to clean out my garage. I just paid for a (late?) 1935 women's Silver King, with anodized blue aluminum finish. What do I do while I wait for it to arrive? Why, I research, of course! 






I like the visual effect of a skirt guard, but I haven't been able to determine what the cord should look like. I will appreciate any / all insights on the matter, please.


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## 1motime (Sep 21, 2020)

Nice bike.  Can't see the anodizing in the photo.  Original?  I thought cast aluminum could not be anodized


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## cbustapeck (Sep 21, 2020)

1motime said:


> Nice bike.  Can't see the anodizing in the photo.  Original?  I thought cast aluminum could not be anodized



I don’t know. I am looking forward to researching this!

These pictures show the color a bit better:


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## 1motime (Sep 21, 2020)

Anodizing does not flake like that.  Looks like some type of paint.   I always was told that a casting could not be anodized because it is porous.  Turns the metal black.
Someone has to know about these Monarks!


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## New Mexico Brant (Sep 21, 2020)

@ratrodz   Was this finish offered in 1935?  I was just trying to research a bike in Scott's Monark bible and there is an illustration showing the colors just on the tubing; not the cast parts.  Please post what you find out.


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## ratrodz (Sep 21, 2020)

Only tubes were anodized. I believe this bike was posted for sale on this site. 





New Mexico Brant said:


> @ratrodz   Was this finish offered in 1935?  I was just trying to research a bike in Scott's Monark bible and there is an illustration showing the colors just on the tubing; not the cast parts.  Please post what you find out.


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## cbustapeck (Sep 21, 2020)

ratrodz said:


> Only tubes were anodized. I believe this bike was posted for sale on this site.



It was for sale here. Purchased from scrubbinrims.


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## Freqman1 (Sep 21, 2020)

I don’t have my book with me but didn’t think the early bikes were anodized. Regardless this one isn’t and should have an all aluminum finish—break out the Mother’s and a buffing wheel! V/r Shawn


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## cbustapeck (Sep 21, 2020)

Freqman1 said:


> I don’t have my. Ok with me but didn’t think the early bikes were anodized. Regardless this one isn’t and should have an all aluminum finish—break out the Mother’s and a buffing wheel! V/r Shawn



As much as I do want to polish the heck out of it, I am going to be doing a good bit of investigation, first.


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## mrg (Sep 21, 2020)

You need to see what's under that badge! anything factory would have been done before badge was installed, but kinda looks like the badge was taped off.


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## cbustapeck (Sep 22, 2020)

mrg said:


> You need to see what's under that badge! anything factory would have been done before badge was installed, but kinda looks like the badge was taped off.



Oh, definitely. It should be a nice, inside fall / winter project.

I’m actually thinking that it may be fun as an exercise to test small pieces and learn what the composition is, and date it from there. While the answer may end up being pretty cut and dry, there’s something to be said for being able to learn about analyzing paint that is on a solid substrate, rather than one where there may be good paint underneath.

Finally, if it comes to it, I may engage the Intermuseum Conservation Association. They do some public service work, and if the paint was done early in the existence of the bicycle, it might merit keeping.

Yes, I am a librarian and a nerd, and I want to know everything.


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## 1motime (Sep 22, 2020)

Did you get answer of your original question?  Fender skirt webbing material?


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## Andrew Gorman (Sep 22, 2020)

Ca. 1910 catalogs would mention "mohair cord".  The 1939 Island Cycle Supply just mentions "cotton cord" or "lacing cord".  Remnants I've seen look like heavy woven fishing line.  I like, but don't need the colorful woven ones from Europe:








						Net Skirt Guards for Ladies Bikes | General Discussion About Old Bicycles
					

I've been poking around German bike sites and slowly improving my technical German vocabulary.  It seems that nice, colorful macrame skirt guards are still available on eBay.de.  Your US eBay ID will log you in, but there are a lot of sellers that won't ship to the US. Just use the google...




					thecabe.com


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## cbustapeck (Sep 22, 2020)

Andrew Gorman said:


> Ca. 1910 catalogs would mention "mohair cord".  The 1939 Island Cycle Supply just mentions "cotton cord" or "lacing cord".  Remnants I've seen look like heavy woven fishing line.  I like, but don't need the colorful woven ones from Europe:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



OMG! Love those colorful ones! Some color would really stand out on a silver bicycle. Thank you so much!


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## GeorgeK54 (Sep 26, 2020)

where and how is the cord attached from fender to....? thanks


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## Robby R (Aug 7, 2021)

GeorgeK54 said:


> where and how is the cord attached from fender to....? thanks


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## Robby R (Aug 7, 2021)

George. New to site. Did you get answer to your question


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## mrg (Aug 7, 2021)

@cbustapeck, never saw what you found under the badge?, that winter/fall project on the road for summer?


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## cbustapeck (Aug 9, 2021)

mrg said:


> @cbustapeck, never saw what you found under the badge?, that winter/fall project on the road for summer?



I never removed the headbadge (I saw no good reason to drill out the rivets) but a good bit of other physical evidence led me to be sure that the finish was not factory - among them being the way it responded to certain solvents. 

As for finishing it, I came to a stalling point because I was frustrated with the amount of difficulty in polishing the really hard to get areas, and I wanted some time to think about whether I wanted to spend the massive amount of time and Dremel polishing bits to get it to a high finish or what. I stopped to think and became distracted by other projects. I think the most sane solution is to leave the level of polish as-is and let the next owner deal with that if they see fit. 

I appreciate you mentioning it. I'm going to make a point of getting either it or my Orange Krate done in time for some fall riding and a fall photo shoot.


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## AntonyR (Aug 9, 2021)

I used hemp thread that I found in a bargain bin at a craft store. A slight off-white, it had patina built right in. It is closer to cord than thread. Jute thread is good too. The elbow of the fender strut usually has a hole in it that a looped piece of wire fits into, which works like an anchor to the windings of the string.


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## AntonyR (Aug 9, 2021)

If you zoom in on this one, it will give you an idea of how I tied this Roadmaster. There is no standard way to do it, you just have to get creative.


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## gkeep (Aug 11, 2021)

This great pair of Wingbars were at the recent Rolling Relics ride in San Francisco. They seem to have a similar anodized finish on the fenders. You can sort of see the chord on the woman's.




You might consider cotton Seine Twine, you can die it any color. It's used traditionally for nets and fancy knot work on traditional boats. There is also nylon in white and green. I've used many yards of this stuff in years past.


			https://www.eversoncordage.com/twisted-cotton.
		







						Amazon.com : 3 Strand Cable Cotton Twine (2 MM x 200 Feet) - Mason Line, Chalk Line, Seine Twine - Hold Knots Securely : Office Products
					

Amazon.com : 3 Strand Cable Cotton Twine (2 MM x 200 Feet) - Mason Line, Chalk Line, Seine Twine - Hold Knots Securely : Office Products



					www.amazon.com


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## Jon Olson (Aug 11, 2021)

My Racycle TOC skirt guard string is from a shoe repair shop and is all weather that matched the old string that was hanging off the fender.


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