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How To Tell If It's Really Titanium

Posted by Zonk on from the hold-your-credit-card-to-a-grinder dept.

With the growing popularity of titanium, some disreputable merchandisers are passing off other materials as the more expensive metal. Popular Science looks at a surefire way to prove what that credit card/crowbar/ring is really made of. "Hold any genuine titanium metal object to a grinding wheel (even a little grindstone on a Dremel tool will do), and it gives off a shower of brilliant white sparks unlike any softer common metal. The sparks are tiny pieces of cut titanium--the friction of the grinder heats them till they burn white-hot. Hold a grindstone to the shackle of a "titanium" padlock from Master Lock, however, and you'll instead see the telltale fine, long, yellow sparks of high-carbon steel."

14 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. is there a better way? by pwizard2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The method in TFA sounds like it would really scratch up whatever you're trying to test. Is there a way to run a test without damaging the object?

    --
    "It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to the fallen; that is the common right of humanity."
    1. Re:is there a better way? by Dan+East · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, there is a better way, and your concern about damaging expensive objects - particularly jewelry - is quite justified. Simply send the object to one of my two testing centers (conveniently covering both hemispheres - one is located in Russia, the other in Africa) and we will send you a full report of the object's composition.

      Dan East

      --
      Better known as 318230.
    2. Re:is there a better way? by necro81 · · Score: 5, Informative

      How much are you paying for that service? For $30,000-40,000, you can buy a handheld x-ray fluorescence analyzer. These things got started in testing for lead paint, and now get used to test and check for lots of things - including alloy composition verification. An XRF shines x-rays of a known energy at the test sample, then detects and analyzes the spectrum that is reflected back. Each element has a characteristic x-ray emission spectrum based on the energy of electrons dropping into lower shells. In 10-20 seconds, you can get a really good breakdown of the elements in the test sample.

  2. Oh great... by grassy_knoll · · Score: 5, Funny

    Think the store will mind if I bring a dremel with grinding wheel to the store with me? For testing purposes of course...

    --
    A Human Right
  3. Re:color, texture, weight by Alaria+Phrozen · · Score: 5, Informative

    Wtf is with these fake links? Do you get money or something for that stupid city?

  4. Good news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently my wife's jewelry was all genuine titanium!

  5. Ow! Shit! by schon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Man, I just tried this with a new package of Energizer Tianium, and the spray burned a hole through my skin!

    You can be sure I'll be returning these "titanium" batteries just as soon as I'm back from Emergency!

  6. A few simple ones by BlueParrot · · Score: 5, Informative

    a: Titanium is not ferromagnetic, and hence it is not attracted by magnets as strongly as iron is ( the difference in force should be orders of magnitude ).
    b: Titanium's density is 4.5g/cm^3 , iron is 7.8g/cm^3
    c: Titanium is corrosion resistant to dillute sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, iron is not.

  7. Interesting! by Poromenos1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Next up: Test if your explosives have gone bad by detonating them.

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    Send email from the afterlife! Write your e-will at Dead Man's Switch.
    1. Re:Interesting! by BlueParrot · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If you know of a more reliable way, I'd like to hear about it. No, seriously.


      Physics to the rescue:
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitzur-Vaidman_bomb-tester
  8. Re:Titanium: not recommended for rings by Nexzus · · Score: 5, Funny

    About 18 years ago, I was on an underwater oil-drilling rig, when the mission we were "tasked" to perform by the navy went horribly wrong, and the rig started taking on water. I was running frantically running through cold freezing water towards a closing hydraulic door. I didn't make it in time, but I stuck my hand in the opening, and the door was stopped by my titanium wedding band. A colleague had found me, cut the hydraulic power to the door, and saved me. Earlier I had almost flushed it down the toilet. Good thing I didn't.

    Couple hours later I met some aliens.

    (Yeah, I know, but it sounds better in 1st person.)

    --
    Karma: Can only be portioned out by the Cosmos.
  9. Re:Density test by g0dsp33d · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its not too hard, you can try it from the comfort of your tub with a toaster.

    --
    lol: You see no door there!
  10. Re:a magnet? by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 5, Informative
    Nope. Get above 0.15% carbon or so and you lose almost all the magnetic properties of iron. It's one reason that loudspeakers are made with low carbon steel (usually 1006, 1008, or 1010 grade) since you get too much carbon and the flux no longer flows well, meaning you need a LOT more magnet and a higher grade magnet to get the same flux in the gap.

    And yes, I am a loudspeaker engineer... ;)

    MERRY CHRISTMAS!

    --
    Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  11. Re:a magnet? by funfail · · Score: 5, Funny

    You've never tried to stick a magnet to a stainless steel fridge, have you?
    That's because they mislead the customer by using titanium instead of steel in fridges.
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