Nice to see this post.
I still remember first seeing "hub shiners" on older neighborhood kid's bike in the 70's. Couldn't really figure out what they were for, but I crafted my own shiners when I finally got my own 10 speed, out of junk I found around our house (from lengths of my old cub scout uniform belt, IIRC). Despite my best effort to ride the bike as much as possible to see my hubs shine to a brilliant chrome-like luster, they never really did..... Maybe if someone told me back then that anodizing's tough stuff, I guess.....