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X-Metal Discontinuation Has Started

I don't know how much truth to this story I was told at my local Oakley outlet store why these glasses are not being made....for a while if it's true. I was told: The frames have a small amount of magnesium in them to help with how they make them so stiff and is a non issue after made. When raw magnesium comes in contact with water it has a reaction. From what I was told some how water vapor or water got in to the storage of magnesium used and blew a tow motor threw a wall and hurt a worker. After that the state of CA said magnesium can not be used any more in any way to make some thing like this with out major safety. Oakley pulled the plug on making them in CA plant and is moving the plant to NV and should if not all ready be making them again.
 
The Nevada plant closed in march....

Oakley Inc.’s scheduled closure of its manufacturing facility in Dayton was brought about by changes in the research and development for its signature sunglasses, an Oakley official said in a written statement.

The closure of the Oakley manufacturing facility that opened in 1996 affects about 75 employees, although Oakley has offered job transition for northern Nevada employees to its headquarters at Foothill Ranch in Orange County, Calif.

Oakley made its patented X Metal eyewear line at the Dayton facility. “Bringing this technology to market has come with its challenges due to the complex science and cost that goes into producing each pair of X Metal frames,” company spokeswoman Cheri Quigley said. “The company has begun development of the next evolution of X Metal technology that will be supported by a reengineered manufacturing process. As a result, the company has decided to close its X Metal plant in Dayton at the end of March.”
 
Joe, I see that you are a noob but there is a lot of mistakes in your assessment.
The plant was in Nevada and is now closed. The plant was built in Nevada due to California safety regulations regarding the alloy used in the manufacture of X Metals.
I would imagine the biggest reason that the line was killed was the remote location of the facility and the sheer man-hours that went into each frame. I can see where some bean-counter somewhere would want to try to save some labor and not make them quite as well or quite as cool.
Watch this video first:
OAKLEY X METAL on Vimeo
"One pair of glasses takes 3 weeks... over 27 different machining operations... over 75 pair of hands touch a pair of X Metals during production"
Then this one in the interest of nostalgia:
Final Pour: Oakley X Metal, Nevada on Vimeo
There may be a new line of "X Metals" coming- it is a brand that has been established and has great recognition. I would not want to walk away from that if I owned that brand but I think that it is a safe bet that the next X Metals will be very different from the previous ones, way more "common" with a lot of labor expense driven out.
 
Then this one in the interest of nostalgia:
Final Pour: Oakley X Metal, Nevada on Vimeo
There may be a new line of "X Metals" coming- it is a brand that has been established and has great recognition. I would not want to walk away from that if I owned that brand but I think that it is a safe bet that the next X Metals will be very different from the previous ones, way more "common" with a lot of labor expense driven out.

I just teared up
 
That first video was awesome. The second one was sad. If Jim was still arround this would have never happened.
 

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