Guide to buying xmetals

[erap]

hello fellow oakley enthusiasts.

i would like the buyers and experts to chime in to the list. xmetals are pretty expensive and it would help if we can come up with a sort of check list on what to ask or look in a sale.

Let me start with a few I have in mind and I hope others can add

1. LNIB or BNIB description. have pictures of lens held against the light. swirls or scratches not visible would show up when held against the light.

2. immediately inspect the item upon arrival and take a close look for any mismatch with the picture or description.

I will add more in the days to come.

cheers

 

[dingo ate my baby]

Video tape it as you are opening the box..one box I got. I had good luck due to him double boxing it otherwise penny's would have been toast

 

[#1 Stunna!]

Video tape it as you are opening the box..one box I gotView attachment 172527

wtf..
Yo, you just answered this for me today.. lol

 

[supersharp]

Good description of the flex coupler: Factory tight, tight, loose, destroyed

Description of any discoloration on the frame or scratches: There may be some discoloration with different generations of different frame colors like Plasma and Ti.

Condition of the Unobtainium parts: is it good, sticky, or any missing rubber

 

[freakface]

are all components OEM or at least oakley (for the lenses that are custom cut)?
yes, condition of the coupler is always a good question.

hint: if the seller does not know what a "coupler" is, ask more questions, lol.

 

[saulsaul]

Nice idea for a thread.
Sponge included?
Serial?
Matches box?

 

[jdd32]

Pretty obvious things to check:
1. Is the frame broken?
2. Does it have cracks?
3. Is it warped out of shape due to being crushed?

Believe it or not I've seen a few warped frames advertised and own 1 of them (friend had his crushed by a truck and now it's ended up with me) - they're impossible to repair without the right tools. Same goes for any broken frames... you can't weld xmetals without a specialized workshop and significant costs

Last but not least: check for stripped screws if you're paranoid and don't know how to repair them.

 

[freakface]

i forgot to add. first and foremost, make sure from the pics that you are getting an authentic x metal. if pics are not clear, ask for more pics.

in the juliet, look for...
-ear stems tips (authentic would be curved all the way, fake would have a bent tip)

in the xx metal,
-all xx metals have the hammerstems unless they are customized with straight arms

in the romeo,
-arms are also not bent at the tips

in the mars,
-arms are not bent at the tips as well

all four above....
-proper sheen/finish on the frame. frame looks to be in between a plasma and polished? be wary.
-coupler bolts from behind. they should NOT be screws. romeo has the bolts on the top
-frame looks TOO perfect in their finish (totally no blemish or looks photoshopped and too smooth, looks cheap) make sense?! (we get a lot of that in the philippines)


i am not too sure about the other x metals like half x and x squareds

 

[OakleyFreak]

One often overlooked item are the t6 screws
Are the heads stripped or in good working order

Also Im real picky
Do the ear stems close and not touch the frame
Thats one of my pet peevs
I always prefer a serial and the arms close without touching the orbitals

 

[pjd1234]

One often overlooked item are the t6 screws
Are the heads stripped or in good working order

Also Im real picky
Do the ear stems close and not touch the frame
Thats one of my pet peevs
I always prefer a serial and the arms close without touching the orbitals

Question is it a defect if the stems touch the orbitals??. I believe I have one that does that and it's new.