Baron TiGold Plating Issue

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DWulf

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Sep 10, 2013
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Hello all! I'm fairly new to penturning (and woodworking in general). I made two Barons for my dad for Christmas, one of which was a Titanium Gold Baron. Up until the last week and a half, he had just used it in his office. He then took the pen traveling with him. I gave him one of the executive leather pouches (from Exotic Blanks) to carry the pen in. He got back a few days ago, and the plating has worn off all along the edges of the clip and the edge of the end cap (I couldn't get a good picture of the end cap). I have more kits so it should be simple to just swap the parts out, but I'm concerned about this happening again. I thought the TiGold plating was supposed to be quite durable, and I certainly wouldn't say that this pen has had much in the way of hard usage at this point. Has anybody else experienced this?

Apologies for the poor picture quality - all I had at hand was my camera phone.






Thanks!
Sarah
 
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its_virgil

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Welcome Sarah. This issue is definitely not one that you should have with a titanium gold baron. I would contact the company where the pen kits were purchased and make a complaint. Good luck.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 

DWulf

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Belton, MO
Thanks for the reply, Don! The kits are from Exotics, so I know Ed and Dawn will take care of me - they have such awesome customer service. I'll drop them a line tomorrow. Hopefully it's just the one defective kit - I made the same pen for my brother a month before Christmas and he said the plating on his is fine, and it's seen much more use.
 

DSurette

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Ooltewah, TN
I'm wondering if there may have been something in the pouch that may have reacted with the metal. Maybe some chemical from the tanning process.
 

Charlie_W

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Sterling, VA USA
I have seen tools or metal objects stored in the vicinity of pool chemicals (chlorine tabs) rust..big time! :eek:
Not saying that is the case here but just putting that caution out there.
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
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Off the top of my head I'd say that it isn't wear, and it isn't rust I think titanium nitride oxidizes at about 800 degrees, in addition titanium nitride is not metal it is a ceramic. Exposure to some acids can cause problems....

It might have been applied too thick which can result in chipping.
 
Last edited:

plano_harry

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Jan 12, 2012
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Plano, TX 75093
Hi Sarah, welcome to IAP! I too have had problems with TiGold similar to what you show, though not associated with a pen pouch - however possibly related to a leather portfolio.

Anyway, Holz_Mechaniker recommended Renaissance Wax, said he puts it on every exposed part of every pen. I have now started doing this and have had no known problems. I love this stuff, I apply a thin coat with my finger and rub it all over the finished pen, it dries, you buff it off the haze with a soft cloth and you have a surface that strangely doesn't show fingerprints :confused:

Could have been bad plating/lacquer batch, leather chemicals, or something else, but I am going with the Renaissance Wax for security. It is expensive, but one can will probably do a thousand pens.

Hope it works for you.

Harry
 

DWulf

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Joined
Sep 10, 2013
Messages
16
Location
Belton, MO
Is that a crack under the clip on the first photo?

No, it's a hair/thread - I didn't notice it until I cropped the picture.

I'm wondering if there may have been something in the pouch that may have reacted with the metal. Maybe some chemical from the tanning process.

I gave my brother the same pouch - I'll have to ask him if he's been carrying his pen in it.

I have seen tools or metal objects stored in the vicinity of pool chemicals (chlorine tabs) rust..big time! :eek:
Not saying that is the case here but just putting that caution out there.

Good to know!

Off the top of my head I'd say that it isn't wear, and it isn't rust I think titanium nitride oxidizes at about 800 degrees, in addition titanium nitride is not metal it is a ceramic. Exposure to some acids can cause problems....

It might have been applied too thick which can result in chipping.

This is what I love about IAP - the wealth of information! I had no idea titanium nitrate is a ceramic. Now that I've removed the clip, it looks like it happen everywhere the clip came into contact with something else - all along the side edges, the raised middle edge, and the point on the underside where it touched the pen barrel. The plating on the ring attached to it looks fine. On the end cap, it's all around the rounded bottom edge, a few specks on the sides, and the slightly raised center on the bottom. I'll have to see if I can get good pictures of the end cap later.

Hi Sarah, welcome to IAP! I too have had problems with TiGold similar to what you show, though not associated with a pen pouch - however possibly related to a leather portfolio.

Anyway, Holz_Mechaniker recommended Renaissance Wax, said he puts it on every exposed part of every pen. I have now started doing this and have had no known problems. I love this stuff, I apply a thin coat with my finger and rub it all over the finished pen, it dries, you buff it off the haze with a soft cloth and you have a surface that strangely doesn't show fingerprints :confused:

Could have been bad plating/lacquer batch, leather chemicals, or something else, but I am going with the Renaissance Wax for security. It is expensive, but one can will probably do a thousand pens.

Hope it works for you.

Harry

Thanks for the tip, Harry! I'll have to give that a try.
 

edstreet

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Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
3,684
Location
No longer confused....
Is that a crack under the clip on the first photo?

No, it's a hair/thread - I didn't notice it until I cropped the picture.

I'm wondering if there may have been something in the pouch that may have reacted with the metal. Maybe some chemical from the tanning process.

I gave my brother the same pouch - I'll have to ask him if he's been carrying his pen in it.

I have seen tools or metal objects stored in the vicinity of pool chemicals (chlorine tabs) rust..big time! :eek:
Not saying that is the case here but just putting that caution out there.

Good to know!

Off the top of my head I'd say that it isn't wear, and it isn't rust I think titanium nitride oxidizes at about 800 degrees, in addition titanium nitride is not metal it is a ceramic. Exposure to some acids can cause problems....

It might have been applied too thick which can result in chipping.

This is what I love about IAP - the wealth of information! I had no idea titanium nitrate is a ceramic. Now that I've removed the clip, it looks like it happen everywhere the clip came into contact with something else - all along the side edges, the raised middle edge, and the point on the underside where it touched the pen barrel. The plating on the ring attached to it looks fine. On the end cap, it's all around the rounded bottom edge, a few specks on the sides, and the slightly raised center on the bottom. I'll have to see if I can get good pictures of the end cap later.

Hi Sarah, welcome to IAP! I too have had problems with TiGold similar to what you show, though not associated with a pen pouch - however possibly related to a leather portfolio.

Anyway, Holz_Mechaniker recommended Renaissance Wax, said he puts it on every exposed part of every pen. I have now started doing this and have had no known problems. I love this stuff, I apply a thin coat with my finger and rub it all over the finished pen, it dries, you buff it off the haze with a soft cloth and you have a surface that strangely doesn't show fingerprints :confused:

Could have been bad plating/lacquer batch, leather chemicals, or something else, but I am going with the Renaissance Wax for security. It is expensive, but one can will probably do a thousand pens.

Hope it works for you.

Harry

Thanks for the tip, Harry! I'll have to give that a try.



If this was 'acid' then the blank would have been affected as well, to some degree.

WIKI states "TiN will oxidize at 800 °C at normal atmosphere. It is chemically stable at room temperature and is attacked by hot concentrated acids."

Note the "C" which is celsius :) 800° Celsius = 1472° Fahrenheit

Yet I fail to see any blank problems with hot concentrated amounts of acid, there would be pooling and build up in the cracks, crevices and any other area it could build up in, yet we see none of those things.

I do have to say it's quite clear and obvious what caused these er 'plating issues' ;)
 

edstreet

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Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
3,684
Location
No longer confused....
Off the top of my head I'd say that it isn't wear, and it isn't rust I think titanium nitride oxidizes at about 800 degrees, in addition titanium nitride is not metal it is a ceramic. Exposure to some acids can cause problems....

It might have been applied too thick which can result in chipping.

Assuming this is indeed Titanium Nitride is the mail problem with your post, we all know what is about assume. For all we know and the photo's do seem to back up the notion that the plating may indeed be simple clear epoxy over paint, or some other similar coating type. Also it may be something else entirely that is not even a drop of Titanium nor Nitride in the mix.
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
In Memoriam
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
12,823
Location
Milford, Delaware 19963
Is that a crack under the clip on the first photo?

No, it's a hair/thread - I didn't notice it until I cropped the picture.

I'm wondering if there may have been something in the pouch that may have reacted with the metal. Maybe some chemical from the tanning process.

I gave my brother the same pouch - I'll have to ask him if he's been carrying his pen in it.

I have seen tools or metal objects stored in the vicinity of pool chemicals (chlorine tabs) rust..big time! :eek:
Not saying that is the case here but just putting that caution out there.

Good to know!

Off the top of my head I'd say that it isn't wear, and it isn't rust I think titanium nitride oxidizes at about 800 degrees, in addition titanium nitride is not metal it is a ceramic. Exposure to some acids can cause problems....

It might have been applied too thick which can result in chipping.

This is what I love about IAP - the wealth of information! I had no idea titanium nitrate is a ceramic. Now that I've removed the clip, it looks like it happen everywhere the clip came into contact with something else - all along the side edges, the raised middle edge, and the point on the underside where it touched the pen barrel. The plating on the ring attached to it looks fine. On the end cap, it's all around the rounded bottom edge, a few specks on the sides, and the slightly raised center on the bottom. I'll have to see if I can get good pictures of the end cap later.

Hi Sarah, welcome to IAP! I too have had problems with TiGold similar to what you show, though not associated with a pen pouch - however possibly related to a leather portfolio.

Anyway, Holz_Mechaniker recommended Renaissance Wax, said he puts it on every exposed part of every pen. I have now started doing this and have had no known problems. I love this stuff, I apply a thin coat with my finger and rub it all over the finished pen, it dries, you buff it off the haze with a soft cloth and you have a surface that strangely doesn't show fingerprints :confused:

Could have been bad plating/lacquer batch, leather chemicals, or something else, but I am going with the Renaissance Wax for security. It is expensive, but one can will probably do a thousand pens.

Hope it works for you.

Harry

Thanks for the tip, Harry! I'll have to give that a try.



If this was 'acid' then the blank would have been affected as well, to some degree.

WIKI states "TiN will oxidize at 800 °C at normal atmosphere. It is chemically stable at room temperature and is attacked by hot concentrated acids."

Note the "C" which is celsius :) 800° Celsius = 1472° Fahrenheit

Yet I fail to see any blank problems with hot concentrated amounts of acid, there would be pooling and build up in the cracks, crevices and any other area it could build up in, yet we see none of those things.

I do have to say it's quite clear and obvious what caused these er 'plating issues' ;)
Is it? I don't think so. I've read the WIKI article too and I have only this to say. WIKI has some good information but if you want to learn about plating go to the platers (there are a lot of them). If it happened to me I would contact one of them and see if they have any ideas. Engineers are a helpful lot.
 
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