Colored Titanium Guides FAQ's
Q: Will the color come off of the titanium guides?
A: Titanium Anodizing is an electro-chemical process which occurs at the surface layer of the metal. A very, very thin oxidation layer occurs and the color we see comes from light refracting through this layer - with different colors being a result of varying the thickness of this layer. As such, there is no paint, coating or other that will peel or chip off of the guides, resulting in a very durable, long-lasting color. It is possible to abrade the oxidation layer away by sanding, but normal usage will not affect the color. Likewise, the color will not "fade". Should the surface get oily it could result in a slight color-shift due to light refraction through the oily residue, but this can be easily cleaned.
Q: Why do you not offer red or orange colors?
A: This is due to the physics of the light refraction and the thickness of the oxidation layer formed on the titanium. Trust us, we would LOVE to be able to offer red or red-related colors..... but unfortunately it is not possible with titanium anodization.
Q: What colors are possible?
A: We can get a wide spectrum of colors, with bronzes, blues, golds, "peach" hues, pinks, and light greens.... We offer 14 "standard" colors but also offer custom color matching services to "dial in" the color as close as possible within the confines of the process to match a specific reel seat, reel, winding check, etc... for a small additional up-charge you can send a component to us to color match as closely as possible.
The color spectrum that we can achieve with titanium anodization is well represented in this picture:
A: Titanium Anodizing is an electro-chemical process which occurs at the surface layer of the metal. A very, very thin oxidation layer occurs and the color we see comes from light refracting through this layer - with different colors being a result of varying the thickness of this layer. As such, there is no paint, coating or other that will peel or chip off of the guides, resulting in a very durable, long-lasting color. It is possible to abrade the oxidation layer away by sanding, but normal usage will not affect the color. Likewise, the color will not "fade". Should the surface get oily it could result in a slight color-shift due to light refraction through the oily residue, but this can be easily cleaned.
Q: Why do you not offer red or orange colors?
A: This is due to the physics of the light refraction and the thickness of the oxidation layer formed on the titanium. Trust us, we would LOVE to be able to offer red or red-related colors..... but unfortunately it is not possible with titanium anodization.
Q: What colors are possible?
A: We can get a wide spectrum of colors, with bronzes, blues, golds, "peach" hues, pinks, and light greens.... We offer 14 "standard" colors but also offer custom color matching services to "dial in" the color as close as possible within the confines of the process to match a specific reel seat, reel, winding check, etc... for a small additional up-charge you can send a component to us to color match as closely as possible.
The color spectrum that we can achieve with titanium anodization is well represented in this picture:
Q: Are the colors always the same & consistent across a set, or from set to set?
A: Due to the nature of the material and the process, there can be some slight variations in the color and/or hue across parts or sizes - though we take all possible steps to match a set as close as absolutely possible across the range of parts - we accomplish this by anodizing each part one at a time, comparing to the "control" part - and adjusting the process along the way as needed. No bulk anodizing of lots of parts at once.... we work hard to ensure as perfect a set as possible. Some vendors parts are more highly polished when they come to us and thus the output is a more reflective surface, where other vendors are not quite as polished and the outcome is a bit more "matte" in nature.
Q: Can I shape/grind the feet after receiving them?
A: While you can certainly shape the feet before wrapping, grinding/shaping the feet of the guides will remove the oxidation layer on the metal, thus removing the color we see. If you wish to shape the feet, then we will recommend you use solid color thread to cover the area where the color has been removed. However, we realize that some of you may wish to either wrap the feet in translucent silk so that the maximum amount of color on the guide is seen, or that you may be using a light colored thread that will go semi-translucent when epoxied, and perhaps show the contrast vs. the guide color. In these situations we offer a guide foot prep service for an additional cost where we can pre-shape the feet of the guide if you desire, or you may procure the guides on your own, and ship to us for a coloring fee.
Q: Do you offer powder coated titanium guides?
A: We can certainly powder coat titanium guides - due to the price point we have not added this as a standard order able offering on the website, but if you are interested in this - such as to get red colored titanium guides, reach out to us for a special order - pricing will be the same as the titanium anodized guides.
Q: I have a wholesale account with the guide manufacturer - can I send you the guides for processing?
A: For rod builder businesses with commercial wholesale accounts with guide manufactures, we do allow you to ship the guides to us for processing. Cost is based on the number of guides, staring at $75 for a set of up to 10 guides (additional $5 per guide beyond 10), and $10 for a tip-top, with return shipping/insurance paid by the buyer. We work to provide a competitive price for the product and depending on your wholesale level it may be just as cost effective to purchase directly through us when you factor in shipping your guides to us.
Q: How long will it take to get my guides once ordered?
A: We maintain stock of Alps parts on-hand, but due to the due to the sheer number of styles, sizes & costs of the parts we place orders for other styles to our vendors at least twice a month - typically on the 1st and 15th - or, if there is sufficient order volume to allow us to meet minimums, perhaps more frequent. As long as the parts are in stock, we will recent them generally within 5 days of ordering. Then within 3-5 business days we will process the order and have it out the door on the way to you.
Q: What shipping methods do you use?
A: Our standard shipping is via USPS 1st Class for most orders as the light weight of the titanium allows us to ship the package under 1 lb. For bulk orders we would typically ship USPS Priority Mail. For international shipments we will work with you to determine the most cost effective shipping option.
Q: How should I clean the titanium guides?
A: Any cleaner meant for cleaning rod/reel parts should be safe for cleaning the anodized guides, just just a soft cloth for washing & drying. Windex, mild soap or such are also all good choices.
Q: What's the deal with Tip-tops?
A: We are able to offer Fuji & SeaGuide titanium tip-tops at this time. It is important to know that the tubes on these tip-tops are actually stainless steel so the tube will not color, but we have developed a special process which allows us to color the frame of the titanium tops, allowing you to complete the look of your overall colored guide train.
Q: Can you color American Tackle MicroWave guides?
A: While we can color the titanium runners, the MicroWave stripper/reduction guide is a 316 Stainless base with a plating, and thus will not anodize. We do offer powder coating of the American Tackle Microwave sets.
Q: Do you offer any snake guides for fly rods?
A: We have not been able to identify a source of titanium snake guides to this point. The REC guides are an alloy containing titanium and another metal and thus will not anodize. If you are aware of a source of a pure titanium snake guide, please let us know and we will look into it.
Q: Can you color winding checks, reel seats or other components?
A: If you have a pure titanium part, then we should be able to color anodize it. Most metal reel seats and winding checks are made of aluminum, and while there is an aluminum anodization process, it is a very different process than what we do with titanium and we are not setup for that at this time. There is at least one titanium fly reel seat which we are looking at procuring to give a test, so watch this space....
Q: Do you sell the titanium guides uncolored?
A: No, please reach out to one of the many great distributors of Alps, American Tackle, Fuji or SeaGuide for those needs.