Painted Romeo Frame

[ajirbl]

Not true.........xmetal is an annodized finish,plasma and titanium is also an annodized finish with a clear coat,ive watched it many times peel away when i hit them with the sandblaster.first gen silver plasma is also some kind of coating.i hate refinishing these because it takes alot of time to remove that tough finish.xmetal IS NOT the natural color of titanium its natural color is more light grey.

You're wrong. X-Metal is a blast finish. You just need to know what material, grit, and pressure to blast it at.

 

[qtrain23]

Not true.........xmetal is an annodized finish,plasma and titanium is also an annodized finish with a clear coat,ive watched it many times peel away when i hit them with the sandblaster.first gen silver plasma is also some kind of coating.i hate refinishing these because it takes alot of time to remove that tough finish.xmetal IS NOT the natural color of titanium its natural color is more light grey.

Not anodized. Coated, maybe, anodized, def not. That's not in the spectrum you get from ti anno.

 

[kronin323]

@xmetalmaniac, @BriP, @dragonvoi, any comments?

 

[ajirbl]

Not anodized. Coated, maybe, anodized, def not. That's not in the spectrum you get from ti anno.

Exactly. Can't "anodize "grey or black or red on ti. Again though...new plasma, titanium, and x-metal are all just blast finishes.

 

[dragonvoi]

What the Oakley process for xmetal is! No idea. Def a coating, not sure what kind and how it is bonded to the titanium. I do know you can easily polish it off with the right tools and it can and has been replicated by the xman and by machinehead. The question is, is the replicated finish as good as or better/worse than OEM? Dont know that either hehehe ummmfor a thread resurected from the depths of 2/2012 what i really want to know is if the romeo is still available for $310. I live 20 min away from davis OP... HMU!

 

[kronin323]

Mmmmm, R1 for $310... [drooling sound...]

 

[kronin323]

For the record, I'm not trying to start an argument or only have my earlier post validated. I just want to know the truth.

Personally, before joining this forum I always considered the x-metal finish to be blasted, because it looked like my blasted-finish titanium watches (non-Oakley). Not exactly, but close enough. It was here that I learned it was a coating. But it makes sense - the bubbling / pitting should be expected when casting something this small, and my 1st gen Ti's really look like a coating. I haven't refinished firsthand; it's forum-learned knowledge, which is why I tagged some of the members who should have firsthand knowledge for their comments, after x-man's knowledgeable participation already...

So, ajirbl, for informational purposes only, though the x-man may have misspoke about original x-metal being anodized (and qtrain should know), he at least validated his information that it is a coating by explaining that it came from his personal experience, which he can support with pics / video, if necessary (and if he chooses to make the effort on top of his regular work load). What is the source of your info that Oakley blasted those finishes? Just saying "you're wrong, they're blasted" isn't enough; please provide the supporting background.

And if those I tagged or anybody else can speak authoritively on the subject, please contribute. I'd prefer to say the truth if I find myself talking about this again...

 

[robocopu]

I will take them of your hands, Pm sent

 

[THE X-MAN]

is there any way we can find out firsthand...i.e Jim or Colin.....somebody has to know for sure. If plasma was just a blast.....then what is it that is peeling away during a sandblast?????
ill try to do a an in process picture to prove what im talking about. Lets all get together and find out how this was done. Maybe email Hans and ask him.in the video it shows the individual parts being tumbled after casting then deburred then assembled.what is the coating process........whos got the skills to find this question out once and for all...winner takes all.and answers from vault employees don't count.

 

[THE X-MAN]

wonder if someone could facebook hans.....I forgot his last name...and ask him,now that hes not with Oakley,he may answer