I've played around with Minima guides of various finish, types and sizes.

Just noticed something that puzzled me.

Why is the TiN finish price 450% higher than the hard chrome?

For example,

XF4XG04 is $0.64.
CF4CG04 is $2.88

The latter is exactly 450% more so the pricing gap is probably not randomly assigned.

Questions:

1. Is TiCh that much more expensive to manufacture?

2. Regardless of #1, as a question of value, is the TiCh a whole lot more durable? As the TiCh is quite thin, I've seen it rubbed off with use and wonder about the price premium.

Thanks,
Mo

I think it's going to take someone from Pacific Bay to give you a definite answer.

..............

Mo,
That is the price of the product.
As the old saying goes, buy the product or don't. Your choice.

A comany sets the price of any product.

If you buy a 1000,000 guides, I would expect that the company would give you a good price break.

Roger

Mo,

The dollar amount difference seems to be on par with what I see when I look at the PVD coated ceramic ringed guides. I suspect the limiting factors involve the number of pieces that can be coated at a time, and the resources involved in the process. Of course, this is my speculation and someone at PacBay should be able to help. I really don't think the difference is based on a percentage markup.

Joe

Check some other sources with the finish costs - you'll see it's pretty consistant. The finish you are looking at, I believe is actually TiCh - which seems to add the most cost. I looked at reel seats from another source, and seats with the TiCh finish was more than double the cost of the stainless finish seat - so it's not just Pac Bay.

By the way - on the Minima guides, both are really nice guides - so my recomendation is just use what you like.

Thanks everyone for the comments. (Roger, were you offended by my query for some reason?)

Wondering if anyone can address my 2nd question - any comments as to whether TiCh is indeed much more durable and worth the 4.5 times premium?

Mo

Mo,
No, not at all. I just agree with the other posts in that the tic guides are generally several times more expensive than a chrome guide.

Roger

The TiC material is 19% harder than chrome, if I remember the conversation from many years ago it is also a bit more flexible and shock resistant.

I bought some of both styles, and found it very hard to prep the feet of the TiCH guides...the files I use on chrome and stainless had a difficult time even getting through the finish...I had to go to a diamond sharpening stone to prep the feet easily...so they are a lot harder than the chrome finish, at least in my experience.

Thanks Ken. The exact feedback I was hoping for. Appreciated.

Mo

No problem.