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Flexible Hone for cleaning seat tube

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Flexible Hone for cleaning seat tube

Old 11-10-21, 11:34 PM
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jnbrown
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Flexible Hone for cleaning seat tube

I got my Ritchey 27.2mm seatpost today and it is a really tight fit in my vintage steel frame.
I cannot slide it up and down, but have to wiggle it back and forth using the saddle and it is still hard and scratching the post.
Both the post and frame measure 27.2mm and the frame has little use and no rust or corrosion.
I do not feel any burrs either. I think it is close just need to take a little off the seat tube.
I am thinking of using one of these flexible hones:

https://www.amazon.com/29mm-Flex-Hon..._t1_B003V2UQ30

They come in 25.4 and 29mm. The 29mm is what people seem to recommend as it compresses somewhat.
Just want to make sure I can't damage anything if I go slow.
Another option is I have some steel conduit I could attach some sandpaper to and move it around by hand or try to attach to a drill somehow.
Since I only need about 5 inches of post above the top tube it has go really deep into the frame, so I am thinking of cutting it so it only goes about 3 or 4 inches into the frame which should help.

Thanks for any feedback.
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Old 11-11-21, 12:41 AM
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Brush Hone For Seat Tube

The 29mm Brush Hone will work fine.


Several things I recommend:

1. Clean all the gunk out of the seat tube first. I use an old coat hanger with the end bent into a flattened loop. Thread a piece on rag into the loop, dip it into some kind of solvent that wont hurt the paint and use it like a cleaning rod on a shotgun. Turn the bike so that the seat tube is level with the ground or pointing downward so that gunk doesn't get into the bottom bracket.

2. Remove the seatpost clamp bolt and check to see if the slot is parallel not squished in at the top like this one. If it is squeezed in take a large screwdriver or other kind of wedge and GENTLY pry the "ears" of the seat open to round it out a little. You can do this from the top or rear being careful not to damage the paint.



3. Take a small smooth file and remove any burrs or rough spots inside the seat tube. You can also gently file a very slight bevel around the opening.



4. Take some tape and wrap it around the outside of the seat tube opening so that the Brush Hone doesn't damage the paint as it's going in and out of the seat tube.

5. Compress the brush by hand as you're inserting it into the seat tube. Once it's fully in you can turn on the drill and feed it up and down being careful not to let the abrasive coated balls get out of the seat tube while it's running.

6. Clean out the seat tube afterward with a solvent soaked rag on the coat hanger to clean out the grit and junk. You can try fitting the seatpost in a little bit so you can tell how much more material you need to remove.

7. Lastly. take some sandpaper and clean off the bottom of the seatpost to remove any burrs that might have been kicked up when you tried to force it in. THEN take a glop of grease and spread it around the inside of the seat tube as far down as you can reach with your fingers. Smear some on the seat post and voilà your set with an easy to adjust seatpost that shouldn't get stuck!

If I haven't been riding for a while, I usually lower my seat 1/4" to 3/8" and then gradually fine tune the height. That's why having an easily adjusted seatpost is worthwhile.

verktyg
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Last edited by verktyg; 11-11-21 at 01:04 AM.
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Old 11-11-21, 04:18 AM
  #3  
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Originally Posted by jnbrown
I got my Ritchey 27.2mm seatpost today and it is a really tight fit in my vintage steel frame.
I cannot slide it up and down, but have to wiggle it back and forth using the saddle and it is still hard and scratching the post.
Both the post and frame measure 27.2mm and the frame has little use and no rust or corrosion.
I do not feel any burrs either. I think it is close just need to take a little off the seat tube.
I am thinking of using one of these flexible hones:

https://www.amazon.com/29mm-Flex-Hon..._t1_B003V2UQ30

They come in 25.4 and 29mm. The 29mm is what people seem to recommend as it compresses somewhat.
Just want to make sure I can't damage anything if I go slow.
Another option is I have some steel conduit I could attach some sandpaper to and move it around by hand or try to attach to a drill somehow.
Since I only need about 5 inches of post above the top tube it has go really deep into the frame, so I am thinking of cutting it so it only goes about 3 or 4 inches into the frame which should help.

Thanks for any feedback.
We now currently have 3 threads on this going on the front page now.

You might want to check the others out.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-clean-up.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...scratches.html
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Old 11-11-21, 04:40 AM
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Thanks for sharing!
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Old 11-11-21, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by verktyg
The 29mm Brush Hone will work fine.


Several things I recommend:

1. Clean all the gunk out of the seat tube first. I use an old coat hanger with the end bent into a flattened loop. Thread a piece on rag into the loop, dip it into some kind of solvent that wont hurt the paint and use it like a cleaning rod on a shotgun. Turn the bike so that the seat tube is level with the ground or pointing downward so that gunk doesn't get into the bottom bracket.

2. Remove the seatpost clamp bolt and check to see if the slot is parallel not squished in at the top like this one. If it is squeezed in take a large screwdriver or other kind of wedge and GENTLY pry the "ears" of the seat open to round it out a little. You can do this from the top or rear being careful not to damage the paint.



3. Take a small smooth file and remove any burrs or rough spots inside the seat tube. You can also gently file a very slight bevel around the opening.



4. Take some tape and wrap it around the outside of the seat tube opening so that the Brush Hone doesn't damage the paint as it's going in and out of the seat tube.

5. Compress the brush by hand as you're inserting it into the seat tube. Once it's fully in you can turn on the drill and feed it up and down being careful not to let the abrasive coated balls get out of the seat tube while it's running.

6. Clean out the seat tube afterward with a solvent soaked rag on the coat hanger to clean out the grit and junk. You can try fitting the seatpost in a little bit so you can tell how much more material you need to remove.

7. Lastly. take some sandpaper and clean off the bottom of the seatpost to remove any burrs that might have been kicked up when you tried to force it in. THEN take a glop of grease and spread it around the inside of the seat tube as far down as you can reach with your fingers. Smear some on the seat post and voilà your set with an easy to adjust seatpost that shouldn't get stuck!

If I haven't been riding for a while, I usually lower my seat 1/4" to 3/8" and then gradually fine tune the height. That's why having an easily adjusted seatpost is worthwhile.

verktyg
Thanks for the great tips.
I don't really have any solvent, will WD40 work or should I buy something else?
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Old 11-11-21, 08:49 AM
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Wd-40

Originally Posted by jnbrown
Thanks for the great tips.
I don't really have any solvent, will WD40 work or should I buy something else?
WD-40 will work fine. It's almost all solvent. It was originally developed to displace water in electrical devices, thus Water Displacing...

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Old 11-11-21, 12:53 PM
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And FWIW Flex-hones says always use oil with their products as lubricant. I keep my main go-to in a motor oil bottle so it's constant-bathed and ready. If the flex-hone can't do the job then you need to up the ante and use an actual blade-type adjustable reamer (also with oil), but for general clean-out/clean-up good to at least start with this hone, and follow Chas' excellent pointers.
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Old 11-11-21, 04:59 PM
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Originally Posted by unworthy1
And FWIW Flex-hones says always use oil with their products as lubricant. I keep my main go-to in a motor oil bottle so it's constant-bathed and ready. If the flex-hone can't do the job then you need to up the ante and use an actual blade-type adjustable reamer (also with oil), but for general clean-out/clean-up good to at least start with this hone, and follow Chas' excellent pointers.
Thanks for letting me know about the oil.
I am getting the hone from Napa Auto Parts so I can pick up some oil with it.
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Old 11-17-21, 06:45 PM
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So I got the hone. oiled it up and ran it through the seat tube a few times.
It definitely helped, the post is sliding much easier although it still does take some force and twisting back and forth.
The seat post is much longer than I need, I figure I can cut 5 inches off it and still have 4 inches going into the seat tube.
This will definitely make it easier to get in and adjust.
Is there any reason not to cut it?

Last edited by jnbrown; 11-17-21 at 07:06 PM.
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Old 11-17-21, 06:56 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by jnbrown
Is there any reason not to cut it?
Just be sure to leave it long enough for a safe amount of post inserted into the seat tube (about 2.5 times the diameter of the post).
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Old 11-22-21, 03:44 PM
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A file for every purpose

Originally Posted by verktyg
The 29mm Brush Hone will work fine.


Several things I recommend:


3. Take a small smooth file and remove any burrs or rough spots inside the seat tube. You can also gently file a very slight bevel around the opening.





verktyg
I went to local industrial supply store and quickly realized I’m not sure which would be the best file. half round ? length ? bastard, second cut, or smooth?


Which would be best?
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Old 11-22-21, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Slowride79
I went to local industrial supply store and quickly realized I’m not sure which would be the best file. half round ? length ? bastard, second cut, or smooth?


Which would be best?
A small round or 1/2 round fine tooth file will work best...

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Old 11-22-21, 06:36 PM
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I recommend an 8" half round 2nd cut. The radius of an 8" HR is just slightly smaller than the ID of the seat tube. It is the right size if your purpose it to thin the wall to make a seat post fit. If your purpose it to remove edges on the slot or at the top so a sharp corner is less likely scratch a seat post, then I would choose one of my other files. For example i like to use a small triangle file to radius the inside of the slot. I also like to round the top of the slot (like on blue frame in the picture jnbrown posted). I use a 6" Half round to radius the opening of the seat tube. The 8" HR will work okay however.
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Old 11-26-21, 03:27 PM
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I guess I am not smart enough to buy an expensive tool to use for a job it was not intended for. To clean the inner portions of the tubes I buy a length of wooden dowel and wrap sandpaper around it to match the insides of the tube. Use a small hand drill and run the sandpaper hone to clean the inner walls of the tubes. Cost is about $5.00. HTH, MH
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Old 11-26-21, 04:17 PM
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After reading this thread, I went to Harbor Freight and then to Auto Zone to buy the 3 armed flex hone, or the flexible ball hone. I have wanted something like that for years, The 3 armed hone I bought worked nicely and got 5 or 6 inches into the seat tube. The worse spot though is at the clamp area with paint and tool marks. Lazily and reluctantly I ran the hones past the clamping slot and had no problems with the stones. If I see the ball hone, I may buy one, but I try to avoid Amazon.
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