-
Chrome vs Titanium Gold Finish Problems – The science
Been researching almost too much what kind of finish to get on my xpole. Chrome vs Titanium Gold. There are tons of threads and articles on the grip and feel, but almost nothing on their problems. I’m sharing my notes in hopes it helps other people decide.
Chrome’s Peeling:
According to http://www.clevelandexoticdance.com/polearticle.htm
If your environment is not climate controlled and humidity and temperature fluctuates the chrome will eventually start to peel off, making the pole dangerous. This has happened to mine and I have had to purchase a replacement section.However after I learned about chrome plating from http://www.finishing.com/faqs/chrome.html
If your chrome plating is peeling, this is virtually always a manufacturing defect due to insufficient adhesion of the plating to the substrate. Although exposure conditions can certainly harm chrome, and discolor it or make it pit, they won’t make it peel!Remember Xpole only offers a 6 month manufacturing defect warranty. If the chrome peels after 6 months, it looks like its up to you to buy replacements. However, the chrome really should never peel. From forum posts, it looks like its pretty rare. We have to remember no one is really going to post how awesome the chrome is sticking to their pole.
Chrome Allergies:
Chrome plating is a layered process. Copper is applied, then Nickel, then a coat of Chrome. So people with copper and nickel allergies, your probably going to see a problem.Titanium Gold Electroplating:
The Titanium Gold was almost impossible to find anything on except its an alloy of Titanium and gold https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif Gold is a pretty weak material and commonly strengthened with another metal. Electroplating is less involved than chrome plating. It is usually only one layer of the primary material. In theory you could even electroplate your own pole if it looses the finish. http://www.finishing.com/faqs/howworks.htmlWho knows exactly what is in the plating Xpole uses. Titanium Gold Nickel Zinc is a mouth full and doesn’t look as pretty in advertising. Again, I have no idea what they are actually using. I also do not know what the base pole is made from so it was super hard for me to determine if the Titanium Gold should be rubbing off or not.
Rhodium electroplating is naturally going to rub off white or yellow gold. You’ll definitely want to read this if you have a "white gold" ring. http://www.finishing.com/faqs/whitegold.shtml
But then gold electroplating shouldn’t rub off of silver. http://www.finishing.com/315/67.shtmlThe short version:
If your Chrome peels outside of 6 months – which it should not do if coated correctly – You need to buy replacement poles.If your Titanium Gold rubs off outside of 6 months – which I cannot tell if it should or not – You need to buy replacement poles…or attempt to redo the electroplating.
Basically I wasted a day researching and wrote a huge post to ask:
Where do you get replacement pole parts A or B?
Even though Xpole says 6 month warranty have they worked with you if the finish comes off after the first 6 months?
What is the pole like after the Titanium Gold rubs off?
If you have metal allergies, does the titanium gold cause a reaction?
Anyone else a huge science nerd? -
12 Replies
-
Oh, I am so glad that you posted this! I’ve been debating between finishes for some time now, and never once did I consider metal allergies. I’m quite allergic to nickel, and even some surgical steel (often in the hospital I can’t have a surgical steel needle for an I.V. because I’ll have a painful reaction!) I thought I had decided on chrome but now I’ll be steering away. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif That would have been a disaster! Having irritated skin would definately put me off poling.
Incidently, I have never had a problem with titanium in gold or any other color. I can wear titanium, niobium, sterling silver, and gold that is at least 10 karats with no problems. Stainless steel can be iffy: my watch band doesn’t bother me, but the back of the watch-face does.
-
I don’t think there actually is any gold in the Titanium Gold finish. I think it’s just a denomination for the color of the pole. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif But I’m not sure…
I did read in one of the older threads that when the gold color on the TG fades, the grip of the pole is not affected. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif
But I can’t help you with the other questions. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif -
More than likely Titanium Gold is anodized titanium. Basically an electrical current is passed through the titanium causing an oxidized finish (think chalky white aluminum siding or rust on your car). Titanium is "special" because it can be anodized to many colors based solely on the voltage of the current passed through it. This however is a coating and will essentially wear itself off. The finish under should be a steel like color.
The many colors of titanium:
https://www.studioveena.comhttp:://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSg45DSzx61heE7ZgIl5NYCjr1Y_9w0IQSXJ1svCEUxOAWo1E&t=1&usg=__rN2Bf1lHZ_MraSvtuRFhEknI90Q=Titanium ring with anodized bands:
https://www.studioveena.comhttp:://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSKeRjJmctoD7jH5OjVLxTbR5Simpguxbe_Emu1lzk7BX_yMlE&t=1&usg=__fLSjEiSIUZjdagsLbp7D6ERkbaU=Stuff you have probably seen:
https://www.studioveena.comhttp:://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSju38dYOF-pV0x8bZaxSUtKZwCU7eekAGFBBN5nQNT3L20T8c&t=1&usg=__e-h5s1EEmk3HYxmIFBvA9k_-DeI=When talking metal allergies titanium is about the most inert of all metals and is what implants are made of. It is also ridiculously strong and very lightweight.
Now my mind is going off in different directions…how cool would it be to have a rainbow titanium pole? Or green? Check out the possibilities!!!
https://www.studioveena.comhttp:://www.danco.net/page-photos/TITANIUM-COLORS2.jpg
-
I have a friend who claims that the titanium x-pole irritates her skin where there’s contact – I take it this isn’t so common?
-
I have a TG X-Pole and while the "finish" has worn off some time ago..the performance of the pole remains the same…and other than callouses, no skin issues.
-
I have a friend who claims that the titanium x-pole irritates her skin where there’s contact – I take it this isn’t so common?
Not knowing the grade of titanium used for the X Pole this could be a possibility. ASTM recognizes several grades of titanium and as you can see many are alloys. Implants are typically grade 4.BTW:
Ti: Titanium
Al: Aluminum
V: Vanadium
Sn: Tin
Ni: Nickel (this is the one to watch for)
Mo: Molybdenum
Pd: Palladium
Zr: Zirconium
Ru: Rubidium
Cr: Chromium
Nb: Niobium
(yeah, and I did that all without looking them up….what can I say, I am a geek!)ASTM Alloy
Grade Composition1 Unalloyed Ti ("Pure")
2 Unalloyed Ti ("Pure")
3 Unalloyed Ti ("Pure")
4 Unalloyed Ti ("Pure")
5 Ti-6Al-4V
6 Ti-5Al-2.5Sn
7 Ti-0.15Pd
9 Ti-3Al-2.5V
10 Ti-11.5Mo-6Zr-4.5Sn
11 Ti-0.15Pd
12 Ti-0.3-Mo-0.8Ni
13 Ti-0.5Ni-0.05Ru
14 Ti-0.5Ni-0.05Ru
15 Ti-0.5Ni-0.05Ru
16 Ti-0.05Pd
17 Ti-0.05Pd
18 Ti-3Al-2.5V-0.05Pd
19 Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo
20 Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo-0.05Pd
21 Ti-15Mo-2.7Nb-3Al-0.25Si
23 Ti-6Al-4V ELI
24 Ti-6Al-4V-0.05Pd
25 Ti-6Al-4V-0.5Ni-0.05Pd
26 Ti-0.1Ru
27 Ti-0.1Ru
28 Ti-3Al-2.5V-0.1Ru
29 Ti-6Al-4V-0.1Ru -
Actually asked about the allergy thing to try and get a better idea of what grade titanium they are using. So its interesting that the titanium gold can trigger allergies.
I used to be a huge do-it-yourselfer. If I were not in an apartment I probably would have assembled my own pole from the hardware store and got it electroplated or chrome plated. I still really want to find a shop that does electroplating and ask about the pricing lol.
-
I used to be a huge do-it-yourselfer. If I were not in an apartment I probably would have assembled my own pole from the hardware store and got it electroplated or chrome plated. I still really want to find a shop that does electroplating and ask about the pricing lol.
Check with racing shops or shops that specialize in car mods. They usually know locals that can do it. I know that chroming is not cheap as I looked into it for my motorhome bumper.
-
chroming is expensive because the process is now strictly controlled as it is considered to be very toxic…. VERY cheap in the UK comparatively. i work with replating materials all the time (interior design) and there’s only ONE place in the NY metro/tristate area that does high end chrome replating that i know of, whereas TONS will do nickel, etc.
-
Pole nerds unite!
This is kind of a tangent, but being a pretty big nerd I had to say something. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
I will say that I am not very happy with the chrome finish on my pole…I am afraid that it wont last long term (I have had it since the new year). I wrote an email to the manufacturer when I got it, basically saying that the chrome finish on the bumper of my 10+ year old truck is in better condition…and I live in Canada…it sees rain, sleet, hail, snow, ice, salt, heat, humidity…etc. I never got a response but I guess that’s what I get for buying the cheap Chinese X-pole rip off! Don’t get me wrong, it’s very strong and sturdy (same exact design as the real thing), but the finish was just cheaply done (although I’ve never seen a real X-pole up close, so I don’t really know if it would be better or not). I worked in manufacturing for 8 years, and I’ve seen a lot of different finishes, I know a good chrome finish from a bad one. I don’t know how long it might last…so far it hasn’t gotten any worse, no peeling or anything. If it bites the bullet, I guess I’ll just have to buy replacement sections…or go for broke and get a real X-pole…Sorry for the rant… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif
-
i had a well known pro tell me in a workshop that if i was deciding between TG and brass to drop the money on brass as she had stopped even selling the TG on her site becauae the finish would come off and be slick underneath…sure enough, the most heavily used area of my TG silver now and feels like stainless steel…plus the finish has gone all weird and pock/ rough on the top and bottom..
-
i love my brass although it is so grippy it is more painful. I know a pole dancer that is allergic to chrome and titanium xpoles so she uses the stainless steel xpole.
Log in to reply.