Bob Jackson's is shutting up - IT IS NOW (sob) !!

[Barrowman]

My understanding (of the 531 era mostly) is that heating any tube like Brazing or Silver Soldering (silver soldering is like brazing but happens at a lower temperature) (I have a silver soldered frame) a frame will give you what is known as a heat affected area (potentially weakening the tubing) and that a lug helps to spread the heat and help the Braze/Solder to spread over the joint .
(I do know about old school 'Welded' frames (In fact I own one) ie No Lugs . Actually I think the correct term is Bronze Welded.
Not sure how the more recent tubing reacts to heating.

[rareposter]

My understanding (of the 531 era mostly) is that heating any tube like Brazing or Silver Soldering (silver soldering is like brazing but happens at a lower temperature) (I have a silver soldered frame) a frame will give you what is known as a heat affected area (potentially weakening the tubing) and that a lug helps to spread the heat and help the Braze/Solder to spread over the joint .
(I do know about old school 'Welded' frames (In fact I own one) ie No Lugs . Actually I think the correct term is Bronze Welded.
Not sure how the more recent tubing reacts to heating.

Pretty much.
Old steel frames needed lugs because, as you say, the brazing dripped molten silver (or brass) into the gap between lug and tube which "glues" it in place. Silver/brass melts at a lower temperature than steel so the steel would be relatively unaffected by the low(er) temperature and there'd be no danger of burning a hole into the tube.

Modern steels (there are thousands of different grades) will air harden so when exposed to the heat of a weld will actually get stronger. Far more options now for shaping and manipulating steel as well.

There's very little in strength between the two - a good framebuilder can build perfectly strong reliable lugged or welded frames - it really does just come down to aesthetics.

Lugged frames are more time consuming to make and therefore more expensive than TIG-welded frames. But hey, Woodrup / Bob Jackson must still believe there's a market for them. Might be small but it'll be relatively artisan customers with a wallet to match. Good luck to them!

[thirdcrank]

There's a saying along the lines that a camel is a horse designed by a committee. Some sources attribute it to Alec Issigonis.

Anyway, if Woodrupp's ever decide they need the guidance of a committee, they could recruit on this forum. :wink:

[Bmblbzzz]

What a deranged question. Isn't that enough reason?!?

Important for almost everyone, and enough in itself for some. But I can't think of anything besides that. So... ??

There's the lack of rust (or is it reduction?) I'm not sure if anyone considers that worth the upcharge. Reynolds says it offers similar performance levels to 853, so no benefit there.
I only know one rider who has one, a Swift, very nice it is too, but it's painted, so other than the sticker the aesthetics are the same as with any other steel frame.

I think it's technically a reduction rather than total lack. But both mattheus and I were referring to lugs, not stainless steel.