Newer FMJ Quality Compared To Old

[mtedenajimenez]

I used to think the FMJ coating on the older oakley glasses was delicate. After purchasing or looking at the finish of quite a few newer FMJ coated glasses, I feel the FMJ coating not only scratches more easily, but also has more quality defects out of the box.

I consider the newer FMJ coated glasses like the Goldbrooks, black chrome Flak's, BMX chrome Radar, BMX chrome Jawbone, chrome Fast Jacket etc. I consider the older stuff to be like 04 and before.

I'm not sure if it's b/c of the mirror-like finish of the newer ones I listed in which any little rub will show up compared to a lot of the older stuff which is more matte-like.

Anybody else notice about the quality out of the box (more small grazes/scuffs, more contamination under paint)? Can anybody that wears their Gold or Chrome mirror FMJ coated glasses comment on how they hold up to use? I gotta imagine they have to pick up grazemarks from just wiping the dust so many times or definitely mark up if you wear them with anything that might rub them (ex: hat). This is the reason things like the chrome Fast Jacket never made it into real production, no?

I think it just sucks, as I feel that in order to keep the newer mirror-like FMJ looking great, you can't wear them. If you want to wear them, you almost got to be comfortable with the idea that no matter what they're going to pick up light grazemarks minimum. I currently have the Goldbrooks and a black chrome Flak (as far as newer stuff). I was thinking of purchasing the BMX chrome Jawbone, but now I'm getting away from that idea as I don't want another shelf whore pair.

 

[Batwolf]

Honestly I think today's FMJ quality is better.

 

[alcapon1]

I do agree that defects are more prone. My new pair of FMJ Hobrook have a tiny black smudge on the ear stem but I honestly don't care

 

[TOWSNBN]

Honestly I think today's FMJ quality is better.

yea i agree and there really is no comparison. the fmj now is not great but the fmj of old was truly horrible. i have killed many splices otts minutes and racing jackets because of their easy peeling issue.

 

[BriP]

yea i agree and there really is no comparison. the fmj now is not great but the fmj of old was truly horrible. i have killed many splices otts minutes and racing jackets because of their easy peeling issue.

i have to agree, OLD FMJ may be more resistant to light scratches and marks due to being matte, but they peel like a bad sunburn

 

[mtedenajimenez]

i guess everybody's experiences are different, and maybe i just didn't get to see/wear enough old FMJ frames. i wasn't personally thinking about the peeling issue, while making the thread, as i've never been hit with the oakley peeling issues. i kinda agree about that because i do hear more stories about peeling with the old more than the new. although it's not like peeling stories don't exist with the newer stuff either. i guess i'm talking more about things that occur under light use, as i don't think many people are going to put their goldbrooks or BMX's though heavy use for example.

my first oakley pair, a FMJ 5.56/fire XX was in use for 10 years. for the first five years i didn't even have a case for them (i didn't wear them all the time, it was light periodic use during the entire time i owned them, it's not like i threw them around either). during the later part of me owning them, i took them snowboarding a few times. they were scrunched in between my beanie and helmet for hours. when i sold them the frame wasn't missing any paint nor did they have any noticeable scratches. the lenses definitely did, but that's a different story.

the first pair of goldbrooks i got, bnib, had a scratch in the frame that oakley just painted over, so you could see the outline of it in the fmj paint, the hinge corner had a little black mark on the edge, and they had a noticeable scuff on one of the arms. the first pair of black chrome flaks i saw had a large (5+mm) but light scratch near the oakley print, and isolated very tiny stuff elsewhere brand new as well. maybe i just had bad luck with the first tries on these pairs? the second pairs were much better, but not 100% flawless, but close enough.

i guess maybe it comes down to the mirror finish just being prone to scratches old or new? i want all the newer FMJ frames, but i feel like there's no point in getting glasses if you can't atleast wear them once in a long time and have them maintain their gem mint condition without being all paranoid while you have them on and where you're going. i guess i just want to hear people's experiences with the newer stuff, if they're different than mine or the same.

 

[TOWSNBN]

yea i think that is just inherent in the properties of a polished finish. it will always be more prone to scratches. that is why i prefer matte frames to polished ones. i also prefer satin finishes on oakley watches rather than polished for the same reason.

 

[alcapon1]

FMJs gold is a little silverish and washed out but I actually like that.

 

[mtedenajimenez]

After writing it out in this thread and thinking, as cool as the mirror finish FMJ glasses are, I decided they're not worth the stress to me. That BMX Jawbone is the sickness, but I'm just going to stay away from them. I hate playing the game of buying something so expensive and still having to hope that there isn't any factory/handling defects, and these mirror ones are just so much of a higher risk than other glasses. I already didn't hit on my first tries with the Goldbrooks and black chrome Flaks. I'm just going to concentrate on the vintage stuff which is why I got into this in the first place, unless I come across any gem mint in person.

 

[Uluahunter]

My FMJ black chrome Half Jacket was put through the ringer. The coating didn't start peeling until about a good 3-4 years after I starting wearing them. Idk, maybe I lucked out and had an exceptionally well made pair . And believe me when I say I put them through hell...fishing, surfing, diving, biking (road/mountain), hiking...just overall daily use for everything and anything. The only real cleaning the received was a fresh water rinse from time to time, no soap or cleansers. Takes a lickin' and keeps on...protecting my eyes from the harmful rays of the sun, while looking stylish like no other...or something like that, LOL.