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Titanium reel?

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M

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
This is just me thinking out loud, actually it has been my dream to have reel made of titanium :). I know it will be way out of my budget range if it's available.

Why fishing reel manufactures have yet to make reel out of titanium?

Any custom shop that make spool, side plate, and reel handle?

Does anybody knows where to find a chunk of titanium?
 
lite-liner

· Super Moderator
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6,466 Posts
#3 ·
I can see it now.....
Titanium Avet SX-2, carbon fiber spool, electronic spool brake w/ ABS,
bluetooth voice-controlled drag settings and on and on.......$6500
Should be called unobtanium.LoL
-Brian
 
U

· Senior Member
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1,116 Posts
#4 ·
TJ: I remember once hearing about a titanium fly reel that was over $20,000.00 but I can't find anything on it any more and I have seen some reels listed as titanium from Australia supposedly for under 300 Aussie dollars. That couldn't be real.

CAP: I wanted a Ti wedding ring but my wife nixed it--wanted them to match. I suspect Gunsmoke would have gone ahead and bought the titanium, but I was a wuss. I have heard emergency rooms can have issues cutting them off of fingers--some can do it--others have cut the finger off along with it.

lite liner: Don't forget the digital video camera to film the fight and download it via a miniature wireless T1 line for immediate viewing on 360.

Russ
 
P

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36 Posts
#7 ·
Yes guys there is such a beast as a titanium fishing reel.

It is the Hardy Zane Ti.

The reel is for saltwater fly fishing and if you want one there is an 18month waiting list and it'll cost you 9750USD.

The reel was first shown at the Denver fly-fishing show and Hardy's thought they would only sell 25 a year worldwide.
They left the show with orders for 20, each buyer paying 50% up front for their reel!

Hardy's use a machine shop in the Ukraine to make the reel from material which is so tough it takes six days to machine just one frame.
Hardy's believe there is not another company in the world that can make the reel from this material.

Reel manufacturers Charlton also made a titanium reel which they had at the tackle show in Salt Lake City in 2000, it cost 16,000USD - but only around 10 were ever made.
 
G

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615 Posts
#10 ·
If you want the best fly reel on the market, this is it. I used one tarpon fishing last year. It was owned by a friend that is an avid fly fisherman. He told me it cost him around 10K. I'm not really into fly fishing but this reel was really fine. A piece of work to be enjoyed by all. Thank God they don't make 80Ws and 130s.

Hardy Zane Ti Fly Fishing Reel
 

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C

· Junior member
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27 Posts
#13 ·
Uncle Russ I heard the same thing about titanium rings so I asked a couple orthropedic surgeons about this concern. First off most rings can be removed without cutting (lube the finger up with jelly and wrap a string around the swollen digit to push out the edema) . Secondly, they said most modern ring cutting devices only require a slightly longer amount of time to cut titanium rings. So for our purposes they are safe.

However, if you have a ring made out of the aerospace Grade 5 titanium alloy (Ti-6AL-4V or simply Ti 6-4) all bet are off. This stuff is ridiculously hard and you could dull several diamond coated bits just trying to make a scratch.
 
A

· Senior Member
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346 Posts
#15 ·
6AL4V Titanium machines as easily as most stainless. I design tools for downhole in the oil patch. Use it in lots of downhole tools. I believe it is a controled material but that dosn't count for much these days. It is no problem to obtain in the US. The shops in Houston have no trouble machining it.

The Russians used Titanium to build their Nuke Subs.

Al
 
F

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363 Posts
#16 ·
Titanium is a commercially available product that can be easily machined, similarly to aluminum but with different speeds and cutting tools. Some present day reels are using the product for their drag washers, specifically Accurate. The hardness and heat dissipating characteristics of the material makes it fantastic for this operation. I also believe Accurate may use the material for the posts on its twin spins.

I have been building titanium products for the aerospace and airline and boating industries for decades. Its applications are varied due to its high strength, heat resistance and light weight. However, Aluminum, which can be anodized for protection against salt water corrosion is a much more cost effective and still viable material. The weight savings nor strength differentials are not significant
enough to offset the cost of a titanium billet, the price of which has gone through the roof.

Salt water and metal are never a great combination but anodized aluminum has been the best answer to date for all around viability.

Jamie
 
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A

· Senior Member
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346 Posts
#17 ·
Titanium would make sense for drag washers. Most stainless steels suffer from oxygen starvation corrosion. I made some tests putting an Oring on a 1 inch bar in a corrosive bath. All the stainless I tried, the oring cut the bar. The titanium did not get cut. A friend made a reel with a stainless spool. The line prevented oxgen from getting to the spool and ruined the spool. Some fishing reel mfg's know their material and some don't. Sounds like Accurate knows their stuff.
 
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