# 1942 Columbia lightweight spoke color



## Goldslinger (Jan 13, 2021)

I am cleaning and greasing my girls 42 Columbia lightweight. What do you think the finish was on the spokes? They are mostly rusty but near the hubs they look either blued or black.


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## Roger Henning (Jan 14, 2021)

Probably not chrome as that was a war material.  Maybe just straight steel and now rust.  Roger


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## TJWine (Jan 14, 2021)

I have a few random spokes of the same vintage with the same finish. They certainly have polished black appearance. My guess is some type of bluing. I also have other wartime spokes which are a dark, charcoal, matte finish, which I think are instead zinc or manganese phosphate.


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## TJWine (Jan 14, 2021)

Top to bottom for comparison: Galvanized, Parkerized, Blued(?)


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