Hub Cones - Surface and Smooth Schwinn Cones

 I wrote recently about my process for resurfacing and smoothing Sturmey Archer cones and Raleigh front cones. [See HERE]

The set up and work are fairly basic - take a spare or damaged axle appropriate for the cone you want to surface and smooth. Cut the axle in half so that the smooth center portion will go into the drill press chuck. 

Gather your materials - pencil stones, emery pieces, polishing tips, polish, rags, and oil. The surface is worked evenly from coarse to smooth. Some cones may not need help from the stones, and others will need more substantial work. Some cones can be saved; some cannot. But keep working the surface as evenly as you can. 

After final polish, de-grease with acetone and then apply some gun bluing and finally oil for storage. 

Schwinn cones seem a little softer generally than Sturmey or Raleigh cones. It's not a big difference, but the stones seem to work the surface a little faster than the British cones. All of the cones were reasonably well-made and seem to re-smooth pretty well. 

They may not end up lasting as long as new-old stock cones, but at least they can run awhile longer and are saved from the scrapper.