Rhodium corrosion on CSA kits-- anyone else?

[redfishsc]

I have had a bear of a time lately with Rhodium plating from CSA, and even one Gold Ti. The problem is needle-like pit holes. I don't have a pic available (didn't think of it before I mailed them back to CSA, doh!).

I have had this problem with four different pens (all four pens I use, to varying degrees of use). One was a gold ti Gent rollerball that pitted last year (after 6 months of use).

The others were Jr Gents (roller and fountain) and an Americana Fountain.

I also just noticed some pitting on the nib of an Imperial (not the fountain nib, just the part you hold with your fingers). It will likely be sent back.

Now, CSA was glad to replace them when I spoke with them on the phone. I shipped the pitted pens to them so they could have someone look at them, hopefully, to figure out what is going on.


Meanwhile, anything I use that is black Ti, chrome, or even black epoxy continues to look great, not a hint of corrosion.

Anyone else have a problem with pitting like this?

 

[wizical]

I have order from CSUSA for about two years, and the only problem I have ran into is from the 10k and 24k Gold pens, they have a tendency to wear a lot faster, that is why i try to avoid them now when I make my pens. As far as the rhodium, they are holding up for me just fine. maybe you got a bad batch or something. you never know, good luck and let us know

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Redfishsc, these are all pens you said you use to some degree and the pitting seems to come at the nib where you hold it on the Imperial, is it also in the same place on the others? Some people just have a caustic acid in their skin that reacts with certian metals and not others. Just seems strange that its happening on 2 diff. platings and 4 diff kits or I would agree that maybe a bad batch. Let us know what CSUSA has to say .

 

[kent4Him]

I've never had problems with the Rhodium finishes at all.

 

[wdcav1952]

Did you use CA for a finish or to glue parts with these pens?

 

[Draken]

I'd also lean towards something in your body's chemistry reacting with the metals. One of my roommates in college couldn't wear watches, digital or regular, as his body would attack the metal in the and they would all be dead within a month. Please do keep us updated with what CSUSA says.

 

[jthompson1995]

I've had the same issue on a Gold TN elegant american. I wear polo shirts to work normally and clip it just inside the shirt where it buttons. The side where it is against my skin is pitted pretty bad. I figured it was from being against my skin and so now I warn people not to keep theirs against their skin for long periods of time and wipe it off frequently when using it a lot. I guess I'm just one of those caustic people.[][]

 

[Rudy Vey]

If these "pittings" happen from sweat, then the only reason can be:
the coatings are very thin (thinner than normal) and have very small holes that cannot be seen with the eye or even with a magnification glass (a microscope with at least 100x magnification or a SEM would make them visible). Or due to the very thin plating, mechanical damages (handling the pen) leads very fast, say days or weeks, to holes.
Now, sweat will diffundate through these minute holes under the plating and corrosion will start on the underlying metal and eventually the holes become more visible.

Why are these platings so thin? Rhodium prices have gone through the roof and reducing the thickness of the plating gives $$$savings in production of thousands of pen kits. Would be nice to see the spec sheets for these pen kits and what plating thickness is called for.
The same applies for the TiNitride (Ti-Gold) coatings - Titanium price has been increased manifold during the last four, five years.

 

[redfishsc]

Cav--- do I use CA? Yes, when assembling them.


The pitting is EVERYWHERE on the pens (except for the Imperial, which is only pitting on the nib, the rest of the pen is "satin" rhodium).

The cap finial and clip are the places that are pitting the worst.

I have a handful of other rhodium items that do not pit at all. Black Ti seems indestructible.

Go figure.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Yes, I had this happen on a Jr. Statesman kit once. CSUSA sent me out replacement parts and it has not happened again with that pen.

 

[Dario]

Funny you posted this now. I just noticed one Rhodium Jr Gent II had this type of corrosion on the nib part too. I saw it last week but never done anything about it yet. The pen was originally given to my son and it is hardly used. He "lost" it but while cleaning my car, I found it under one of the chairs.

Maybe I will take some pics before sending it to CSUSA. I quite busy right now though and not sure when I'll get to it.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by Rudy Vey
<br />.....Now, sweat will <b>diffundate</b> through these minute holes under the plating and corrosion will start on the underlying metal and eventually the holes become more visible.....

Is this some technical engineering term or just a typo?? I couldn't find it in my dictionary.

 

[wicook]

I couldn't find it in Webster's 3rd Unabridged either, Randy. Guess it was a typo...or a highly technical term that isn't even in the unabridged dictionary... []

 

[Rudy Vey]

Originally posted by Randy_
<br />

Originally posted by Rudy Vey
<br />.....Now, sweat will <b>diffundate</b> through these minute holes under the plating and corrosion will start on the underlying metal and eventually the holes become more visible.....

Is this some technical engineering term or just a typo?? I couldn't find it in my dictionary.

Guess you figured out that I am not a native English speaker. The word "diffundate" means the same as diffuse. It is the German word for diffuse, but is sometimes used in medical terms also in English. Why, I don't know.

 

[redfishsc]

OK! I got a couple of pics! I have one black ti Jr Gent I did not send since I have become a bit attached to this fountain pen, and the only part that is pitted is the cabachon in the finial. Note that the pic makes this pen look insanely fat, but it's only the angle. Also note all the ugly lint I didn't notice until after the pic, lol.


The pits are ONLY--- ONLY-- on the silvery part, which looks to me like Rhodium (which is much "whiter" than chrome when compared side by side). The black titanium is FLAWLESS save for a few normal scratches (this is a notebook pen for taking notes in seminary class)

 

[redfishsc]

Originally posted by Rudy Vey
It is the German word for diffuse, but is sometimes used in medical terms also in English. Why, I don't know.

Rudy, the medical profession, as much as I love them all, will use the most convoluted way of saying something, and I think it is a consipiracy to keep us all dependant on prescription medicine!

Now pardon me, I think someone is hiding behind my door.......