Scratches On Brand New Twenty (2012) Frames (polished Black)?

[steveadorjan]

I just got a pair of black Twentys from Zappos (polished black frame/black iridium lenses). To my greatest shock, as I unboxed them, I immediately noticed two very thin, hairline scratches on each side of the frame (at the outer edges), about the level of the hinges. The glasses are brand new, the lenses are in perfect condition, but these two scratches really worry me. They are probably not cracks, but I'm afraid that they may develop into cracks and eventually result in the frame breaking.

I've found a few forum discussions related to similar scratches on polished black frames, but my old (8-year old Twentys, which are also polished/jet black don't have them, and neither do my polished black Straight Jackets). I'm thinking of sending these back for a refund/replacement, but yesterday I checked 3 different polished black Twentys (all new, still in the box) at my local Oakley store, and they all had similar scratches in the same parts of the frame.

Is this a sign of Oakley quality declining? Or could it be a structural problem with the first production batches of the new Twentys with polished black frames?

 

[Romeo Van Frogskinstein]

I just got a pair of black Twentys from Zappos (polished black frame/black iridium lenses). To my greatest shock, as I unboxed them, I immediately noticed two very thin, hairline scratches on each side of the frame (at the outer edges), about the level of the hinges. The glasses are brand new, the lenses are in perfect condition, but these two scratches really worry me. They are probably not cracks, but I'm afraid that they may develop into cracks and eventually result in the frame breaking.

I've found a few forum discussions related to similar scratches on polished black frames, but my old (8-year old Twentys, which are also polished/jet black don't have them, and neither do my polished black Straight Jackets). I'm thinking of sending these back for a refund/replacement, but yesterday I checked 3 different polished black Twentys (all new, still in the box) at my local Oakley store, and they all had similar scratches in the same parts of the frame.

Is this a sign of Oakley quality declining? Or could it be a structural problem with the first production batches of the new Twentys with polished black frames?

i have seen copious pairs of polished black frames across a variety of models, and over a long time period, that show faint marks that you could say look like lines/swirls/scratches. this applies to brand new and unused glasses that have had no use or wear. i would assess this as part of the manufacture and another one of those oakley foibles we all have to live with. you also say you have seen other examples of the same pair that display the same trait, which amounts to evidence that it is a consistency in the 'making' process. i dont like these marks myself but have had to live with it. matte black is imo a much better frame as it has a higher quality finish. i dont think this is an issue you should concern yourself over.

 

[Eckstream1]

matte black is imo a much better frame as it has a higher quality finish.

Ditto...

It seems like all of my polished frames are scratched.

 

[the piper]

I have to agree. There is an SI Matte Black Twenty w/ Grey or Grey Polarized out there I have the non polar one and like it a lot. I just found out there is also a Matte Half jacket 2.0 XL but havent found one yet...probably just stick to my matte Flaks...

 

[steveadorjan]

Hm, I could swear that I never noticed similar scratches on my polished black Straight Jackets (I'm away from home for a couple of weeks, and I don't have them with me now). I've already printed out a shipping label for returning the new Twenty because of the scratches (they are brand new and haven't even worn them once), but the fact that the three pairs the guy at the Oakley store had in stock all had the same scratches has made me think whether it makes sense to ship them back for replacement. On the other hand, I'm still wondering if this could be an early production issue (after all, the Twenty just came out recently, so the first production batches could be considered prototypes in a way), though that doesn't explain why other models with a polished black frame apparently suffer from the same (cosmetic) defect.

And yes, I do wish they came in matte black, but at the moment there are only 3 non-polarized Twenties available, and none of them is black (neither are the polarized lens models). Where did you see the SI in matte black with grey? I'd be very interested in buying those. Unfortunately, the Twenty is not available through OCP yet.

 

[RetinaBurn]

If its the same on all the pairs you checked, it sounds like a mold seam and not a scratch. It would be very difficult to produce the same identical scratch on several pairs of glasses.

 

[steveadorjan]

It's not exactly identical, but they are roughly in the same place (on the far edges of the frame). I'll try to take a picture. The guy at the O Store thought that they were mold seams, but he and I actually found the regular mold seams along the bottom of the frames. These scratches are a little bit different though.

If its the same on all the pairs you checked, it sounds like a mold seam and not a scratch. It would be very difficult to produce the same identical scratch on several pairs of glasses.

 

[steveadorjan]

I haven't managed to take a good picture with my phone's camera, but found this Malaysian Oakley fan's pictures in another forum, complaining about the same issue:
New Oakley polished black frame got scratch

My scratches look very similar and are located in roughly the same area. I thought that mold seams would probably be highly unlikely in this part of the frame, but I'm still puzzled by what causes them. My 8-yr old Twenties don't have these lines after years of wear.

 

[Rustpot]

If every pair has the same marks in the same spots then it's safe to assume they're not scratches from abuse, they're inherent to the manufacturing process.

Polished black pairs have these faint lines. You can't really notice them if you're not looking close.

 

[steveadorjan]

I see that and it makes sense. But it raises the question if there is a problem with the manufacturing process itself on some models that come with the polished black frame (Twenty 2012, whatever that Malaysian guy posted in the photos). Just took a quick look at my wife's 2-yr old Straight Jackets (also polished black), and they also have some similar scratches, but they are a bit smaller than mine, and have seen 2 years of abuse, whereas mine are just new. The guy at the Oakley Store was quite puzzled when I pointed these lines out to him and couldn't really know what to say. Still thinking whether to send them back for a refund or keep them.

On another note, as "the piper" suggested above, the SI Twenty could be a good deal, as it comes with matte black frame (grey lens). So if I end up returning the polished black, I'd be very interested in getting the SI version. Do the SI versions differ in quality from retail Oakleys? And what's the best source to purchase them (I have no eligible relatives or friends)? Are "Patriot Outfitters" (which sell the SI Twenty) legit?