Anyone else using Fuji Titanium TPST or T-MNST in the SW notice they turn green? I know they have a hard time welding Titanium, and these 2 tips both require welding, so I'm assuming that the GReen is whatever material they used to weld the Ti together. Anyone know for sure? I'll also go ut on a limb and assume anyone using a T-FST without the braces will not have this problem?

Billy,
Is it a green of corrosion or just discoloration? either way I would think that the titaniums should be experiencing this.

Tom Kaufmann
GySgt USMC

I honestly cannot tell what it is. I agree, whatever it is it shouldn't be there. I'm curious if I'm the only one...maybe it's the NY water, lol.

Don't know too much about that NY water but I am sure that what you are seeing is some type of corrosion. If you could possibly put up a pic maybe we could pinpoint it a little better. I know that many of the electronic assemblies that I deal with have that type of coloring on them when we have salt water intrusion into some of the aircraft panels.

Tom Kaufmann
GySgt USMC

I just checked mine and it does have some green color on it , I can't tell what it is but it was not there when I put it on the rod. The Titan guides look great no corrosion or discoloration. It isn't the NY water this has only been used in the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic.

Will put up pics tomorrow from work. Titans to my knowledge do not have Tip tops. Guides are fine, it's just the top.

If there is a heat affected zone near the weld in Titanium it is possible to have a blue/green" colored band a certain distance away from the weld. When some metals, stainless, cool improperly without control this narrow band will be sensitized and is typically called blue blush. If you can get a good close up picture it can be visually determined if it is general surface stuff like copper sulfate precipitation or a true heat affected zone. I looked at the Fuji site and there is no way to tell what specific titanium alloy is involved or if there is a added chromium/nickle inhancement used like American Roller uses on their stuff. For an "artsy type" guy you sure use high end stuff and have a good eye! This is what typically happens to most of the stainless plated stuff that uses a copper priming coat to insure a good bond with a high chrome content layer. I have four new TPST here and no green but they have not been in saltwater either - there is no heat affected blue blush band on the ones I have. Anxious to see your pics -

I don't know about all that metal stuff you posted, but it does look similar to when a Copper pipe begins to turn green. I'll actually try to post clear pics for you tomorrow, lol.

Arts & high end - when I was figuring everything out I was all into Alconite, as the cost allowed me to tinker around and build a few rods which I Was able to see how certain handle & guide configs actually worked for me when I fished. Once I came up with something I was comfy with and confidant worked, I stepped up and started using better guides. IT makes NO SENSE for anyone to spend hors on tricked out guide wraps, only to have them rust or to have the epoxy amber in a short period of time - which was teh case on all of my rods at one point .Fortunately Aftcote & THreadmaster came out and took care of teh Ambering issue, and I was able to sell enough rods tha tI could afford Titanium. I don't expect Titanium to be a Silver version of a Gold guide after seing use in the SW though, but to be honest - there is no other choice.

FWIW, been on the Photo BOard all weekend. Right now there are 200 people on, it's a Sunday night at 12:15 Eastern time, and ALL the boards I've been on are DEAD slow. Something is not right at all.

Here's the pictures of the "Titanium" tops: [www.rodbuilding.org]

I had more pics of old tops which were still perfect, and another one which looked exactly the same as this one but none of them came out in focus. I guess using my tripod would have been beneficial, huh?

At $15-ish per tip top, I ain't happy. Especially since I have about a dozen more in stock from this same order.

Everything is right. I have a log file of each person or IP address that views the board. It shows each one individually while they are connected to the site. The numbers are correct. This photo page gets a ton more traffic than another other rod buildng photo page, same with the forum.

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Billy I used the Titan guides but wanted to stay with titanium on the tip so I used the Fuji tip with it and that is what has some green tint on it, not as bad as your picture so maybe it is taht NY water. lol.

Got an email from a guy in New Zealand just now. He reminded me that what we consider the middle of the night, he considers noon.

I didn't even stop to consider that most of the people in the world live in the Eastern Hemisphere. Makes sense that the board would get so much traffic at what we think of as the middle of our night.

I suspect we're all guilty of "exceptionalism."

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All my Fuji titanium tips that have been in use for many years in the Hawaiian salt air are in as perfect shape as the first day I got them. Same for my titanium guides except for the ones I bent. Some of the "titanium finished/coated" tips and guides from another manufacturer do look like that though.

MArk, I assure you these are Fuji Titanium. I have teh coated IC tops from Fuji, as well as Chrome plated. They changed somethign with how tehy make these this year. I'm in teh process of figuring out how to contact someoen at Fji.

Billy -- Contact at Anglers Resource, here is the U.S. -- Carl Haber -- Ph. # 251-943-4491 -- I would think a phone call would be much better than an e-mail.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

Bob,

The problem is that Carl doesn't seem to have much influence over Fuji's home office decisions on what to make or what changes may or may not be any good.

I've always done better by going direct to Fuji.

I have no doubt that Carl will certainly replace any pieces anyone isn't happy with. But beyond that it's nice to be able to speak with the factory people. Trouble is, their English is only marginally better than my Japanese.

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