Bronze Titanium Hardware fade?

[Pcexbird]

I've read Bronze Titanium hardware will fade over time and lose it's vibrance. Does anyone know what color bronze would fade to or how it fades over time?

 

[shane45-1911]

Bronze forms a greenish-brown patina not unlike copper, as it oxidizes.

 

[jiggyfly16]

All titanium anodizing will wear over time. The fading is caused by abrading the top oxide layer (that has the color) or any oils on the surface that changes in how the light hits the oxide layer. The brilliance of the color can be restored by stripping away any oils from the surface with windex, if that doesn't work you can have the piece re-anodized.

 

[Pcexbird]

Bronze forms a greenish-brown patina not unlike copper, as it oxidizes.

I'm not speaking of true bronze alloy. Bronze anodized titanium, does this still apply?

 

[Pcexbird]

All titanium anodizing will wear over time. The fading is caused by abrading the top oxide layer (that has the color) or any oils on the surface that changes in how the light hits the oxide layer. The brilliance of the color can be restored by stripping away any oils from the surface with windex, if that doesn't work you can have the piece re-anodized.

Is bronze Ti hardware long lasting? Or wear off quite quickly? I'm primarily going with Ti hardware due to the difficult lanyard tube on the Spyderco Paramilitary line.

 

[Bob Denman]

You can bring the bronze anodization back with a good cleaning...

 

[shane45-1911]

I'm not speaking of true bronze alloy. Bronze anodized titanium, does this still apply?

Yes. The bronze in the alloy will discolor. Titanium oxidizes naturally, but it is opaque and uncolored. The colored anodizing effects on titanium are artificially created with heat.

 

[Dadpool]

Is bronze Ti hardware long lasting? Or wear off quite quickly? I'm primarily going with Ti hardware due to the difficult lanyard tube on the Spyderco Paramilitary line.

It depends on a few factors, notably how often you touch it or it rubs against other things. Anodization on, say, a screw that sits proud of the scale and is in a spot your hand uses as part of your grip will wear off much more quickly than a recessed screw that never really touches your hand, pocket, etc.

As an example, the anodization on the peak of the thumb stud on my Sebenza 31 has worn off, the ano on the raised "steps" of the stud has partially worn off, but the ano on the "valleys" has not, nor has the ano on the lanyard plug.

If you don't like the idea of anodization wearing off eventually, don't buy anodized hardware. IMO that wear is part of its charm and half the reason to use anodized parts.

 

[jiggyfly16]

It depends on a few factors, notably how often you touch it or it rubs against other things. Anodization on, say, a screw that sits proud of the scale and is in a spot your hand uses as part of your grip will wear off much more quickly than a recessed screw that never really touches your hand, pocket, etc.

As an example, the anodization on the peak of the thumb stud on my Sebenza 31 has worn off, the ano on the raised "steps" of the stud has partially worn off, but the ano on the "valleys" has not, nor has the ano on the lanyard plug.

If you don't like the idea of anodization wearing off eventually, don't buy anodized hardware. IMO that wear is part of its charm and half the reason to use anodized parts.

Beat me to it. I was just about to post a pic of my sebenza as an example too

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

I'm not speaking of true bronze alloy. Bronze anodized titanium, does this still apply?

Yes. The bronze in the alloy will discolor. Titanium oxidizes naturally, but it is opaque and uncolored. The colored anodizing effects on titanium are artificially created with heat.

No actual bronze in anodized titanium.

 

[shane45-1911]

No actual bronze in anodized titanium.

The OP never said it was anodized titanium in his initial post, and I obviously missed it in his subsequent post.

 

[jiggyfly16]

Is bronze Ti hardware long lasting? Or wear off quite quickly? I'm primarily going with Ti hardware due to the difficult lanyard tube on the Spyderco Paramilitary line.

If we want to get specific, the thickness of the oxide layer increases proportionally based on the voltage applied.
To get bronze, you would need roughly 15volts to get that color. To get blue (like what you would get on the sebenza) will be around 25 Volts, and to get green over 100 Volts.
So in theory, blue will last longer than bronze, and green will last the longest.

 

[ferider]

For Hinderers, "Battle Bronze" will become Working Finish, "Bronze Stonewashed" will become Stonewashed. Takes years of usage though. Or chemicals

 

[Pcexbird]

The OP never said it was anodized titanium in his initial post, and I obviously missed it in his subsequent post.

No problem man. It said it in the title Titanium.