Off topic slightly, but FWIW...I like to keep some old, unused spokes around for various other uses. Most recently I used an old spoke to repair my barbecue pincher tongs. The spring rusted and broke apart. They would no longer 'spring' open. I bent an old spoke to about 45-degrees, stuck it into the handles through the end of the tong and now it works perfectly (Park Tool TM-1 tension meter not required for this job).

Dan