Today I decided to buy a head set wrench and attempt to grease my motobecane messenger for the first time, what a terrible idea that was. The guy at the shop told me to use oil and not grease so I did. Upon loosening the head set for the second time since it still felt grimey after the WD40 treatment and phil wod oil to the bearings, the threads started to strip. Even before that my locknut, or whatever it is called became stripped. I could not remove the headset a second time in fear of stripping the entire bolt and having the fork permanently stuck on. Accordingly I tightened the stem down and headed back home from my friend Jameel's in shame. My questions are; is it worthy to invest in a pricey head set, and where can I find a fork proportionate to a 64 cm frame?! Do forks run like wheels or are they universal and do those who manufacture just cut the head tube down to size?

1. should use grease for bearings every time.
2. it sounds like you may have crossthreaded your locknut, in which case your fork may be screwed.
3. you need 2 wrenches to properly adjust and lock your headset.
a "pricey" headset is a luxury. If it's installed properly, a $30 headset will do just as well as, say, a Chris King. The primary function of a headset is to turn your handlebars maybe 90 degrees laterally either direction, nothing fancy about that.
As for forks, assuming it needs replacing, ask around shops you will eventually find one.

it's worth it to invest in a GOOD headset, even if it's not the expensive units. and forks are generally cut down to size buy the end user. double check when you buy to make sure you have enough to cover.

sounds like a good time to convert to threadless, by the way. and a cabron fork.

I agree with MetalJim, Convert to threadless & get a headset with sealed bearings. This way once you dial it in, you won't have to open up the headset to repack the bearings again. If you are in over your head, have a buddy or LBS do the work.

This is wrong. Repacking a headset is always done with grease. I can't think of *any* reason, competition or otherwise to use oil/lube.

Which part exactly did you strip?

Accordingly I did not believe that I was in over m head since my friend Jessie was a volunteer for a program called bike church over the summer here in Philadelphia ( a volunteering program to help those in need of free tune ups etc and who seek cheap parts.) I'm creamin myself thinking about a thomson stem.

It's a good thing you saved all that money on a BD bike...

when you say you stripped it: do you mean you stripped the threads or just rounded it off with the wrench?

Threads as well as rounded it off with the wrench. Any brand recs for forks and headsets?

Its a good frame it was worth it and it is the only track frame i could find in 64.

bump bump bump