Anyway to check whether a spring is Titanium or not?

Got one for sale on a bike and just thought that the only reason I ‘know’ it’s titanium is that the previous owner told me it was. Can I check easily? Don’t want to cause problems down the lines if it’s not ti!

Cheers

magnet

Ah yes, good plan!

unless it’s painted it should be pretty obvious

A magnet might prove it’s not Ti but won’t prove it is, as loads of materials, stainless steel for one, aren’t magnetic.

can you submerge it in water to measure its volume, weight it, then calculate its density?

Cut it in half with a grinder. If the sparks are yellow it’s steel. If they’re white it’s Ti.
Don’t actually do that coz I might be wrong.

I’ve never seen a painted Ti spring only some heat treated ones that go rainbow.

If it’s painted I very much doubt it’s titanium. If it’s titanium, the spring will probably have a slightly matt/dull grey appearance.

Post a picture

A magnet might prove it’s not Ti but won’t prove it is, as loads of materials, stainless steel for one, aren’t magnetic.

never seen a stainless suspension spring. does anyone make them?

I use a polished brass spring for that ‘steam punk’ frame look so my bike would fail the magnet test too.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/santa-cruz-bullit-frame-with-5th-element-shock?replies=5#post-2385248

Does this look Ti to you more knowledgeable chaps?

can you submerge it in water to measure its volume, weight it, then calculate its density?

+1

usually fewer coils for a given spring weight in a ti spring. Unless you weigh 20 stone, the one in the photo looks like a steel spring painted grey.

what julian just said.

that’s steel.

That’s just the standard 5th element steel spring I’m afraid….

buy another Ti spring and also a steel one. then put your spring in your right hand and pick the others up in your left hand to see which is most similarest. then try to sell your two buckshee springs on here to other ppl with the same Ti spring conundrum

HTH

Ti melts at 1650, steel at 1300

Ti springs make vampires eyes water!

Specsaver’s?

if it’s heavy then it’s probably steel, if it’s 100grams lighter, and cost £200, then it might be titanium…

I went to an interview last week wearing a painted steel spring round my neck

the bloke in Top Man swore it was a Ti e

Standard 5th spring, sorry

only non-magnetic stainless is non-magnetic, plenty of magnetic stainless around,

i’m +1 for the displacement caluculation method too 😀

Nice frame, good look with the sale. Good thread idea for druming up further interest aswell. 😛

stainless steel for one, aren’t magnetic.

depends on the type of stainless steel – 2 basic types

austenitic (to keep it simple contains Nickel as well as Chromium)most common type as good corrosion resistance and is non-magnetic

Ferritic stainless steel contain less (or no) Nickel and are hardenable through heat treatment and are commonly used for springs – so expect a stainless steel spring to be magnetic

If you take it off it’ll be obvious, it’ll feel much lighter than you were expecting.

Some good answers, the obscurer the better please. (Even though I know the answer now)

Genuinely wasn’t a way to publicise the sale!

This is what happens when you go outside with a Ti spring.

.

+1 Horatio.

In the absence of some fancy kit then the density method is the way to go.