spoke and nipple compadibility
 

random question: do spokes and nipples have thread pitch compatibility issues, or are they standardized? I'm lacing up a wheel with some spokes (new, but have been sitting around), and the nipples give me a tad bit of resistance when I thread them on.

the spokes are double butted, and the right length, but I can't remember where I got them -- they might be wheelsmith, might be DT, maybe sapim. I dunno.

when I lube the spoke threads slightly, thread them on, off, and then back on, it gets somewhat smoother, but I don't want to lace the thing only to have the nipples pop when I get the thing up to tension. anybody know the answer to this?

ive never heard of the thread count being different...

the threads on the spokes might not be that 'clean' and that might make it a little hard to thread a nipple on.

the brand of the spokes is sometimes stamped at the head of the nipple

Obviously the gauge at the threaded end has to match. You don't want to use 14 ga (2 mm) nipples on 15 ga (1.8 mm) spokes. Other than that, I believe the thread pitch is the same for all of the major brands.