Fitting cotter pins
Is there any on this forum who know how to file cotters and can explain it?
Two LBS have tried and failed with a Var #7. Both times young mechanics who may never have used that tool before. It is covid time and I cannot walk into shop and use the tool myself. My main wrench for a long time was Ron Boi and his shop is closed for good. At another shop I’ve known proprietor fifty years but making an appointment with him is simply impossible, he does not know himself where he will be five minutes hence. The only certain solution is driving 300 miles round trip to Yellow Jersey.
The best description heard so far is of Raleigh cotterpins going into Raleigh cranks and Raleigh spindles. Almost clicked or snapped into place, it is said, and you knew it would work. One light tap with hammer, snug up the nut and it never failed. File it so it feels like a Raleigh cotter. During 1960s. Well, I never had that shop experience in 1960s and don’t know the feeling.
So far have filed until the ramp of pin can be felt solidly engaging the flat on spindle. With thumb pressure on the pin, no hammering, no nut, the crank does not move. Remains solidly in position while moving bike around shop. But that is not good enough. Hammer it home, add the nut, on test ride it creaks instantly.
Please do not tell me about the Bikesmith tool. Already tried that and did nothing but trash a cotter.
Going forward it is not going to be possible to ride my bikes if there is no way to put a crank on. This is not about getting it on there somehow and having it look presentable. It is about having bikes to ride and to use daily.
Another good description is archived at the Dave Moulton blog. English schoolboy racers used to refit cotters before every big race. Not all of them could have been mechanical savants. They re-used cotters over and over, never had them come loose, only rarely damaged them and needed to replace. But Dave never gets to exactly what they did, except to say they filed down the shiny spot. He sort of assumes the reader already knows a whole lot. Dave is not available for questions. To get to the point where there might be a single shiny spot sounds like a dream.
So far I have five dead cotters and no bike.
No pictures. Can’t post them. Complete Luddite. Will experience shock if this text posts at all.