How To Tell If It's Really Titanium

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."

Oh great...

[grassy_knoll]

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

Good news

[Anonymous Coward]

Apparently my wife's jewelry was all genuine titanium!

Or use a cutting torch

[$RANDOMLUSER]

It heats white hot almost instantly, and when you thumb the oxygen cutting lever, you get the most amazing shower of white sparks - like fireworks - very pretty!

Re:Density test

[g0dsp33d]

It still works for electronics though! (you'll prove something is dense)

Ow! Shit!

[schon]

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!

Interesting!

[Poromenos1]

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

GRIND THIS!

[denzacar]

Apparently, Google [google.com] has "interesting" sense of humor regarding titanium products.

Re:is there a better way?

[Dan East]

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

Re:Density test

[Anonymous Coward]

I DUN GET IT LOL

Re:a magnet?

[Anonymous Coward]

Hey dumbfuck, go stick a magnet on your kitchen sink... Before spouting obvious wrongabilities, check your facts a bit OK shit-for-brains?

Re:Titanium: not recommended for rings

[Nexzus]

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.)

Re:Density test

[g0dsp33d]

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

Re:Not Just Titanium

[ScrewMaster]

If you were testing Adamantium, those sparks were probably from your grinding wheel being worn down to a nub.

Works like a charm

[aflag]

I tried the method with my tennis racket. Indeed, it *was* titanium.

Re:a magnet?

[funfail]

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.

Re:Good news

[niceone]

Lock up the dremel before you go to sleep tonight.

What kind of pansy want's Titanium?

[Colin Smith]

Titanium is a woman's metal. Real men use Tungsten.
 

So what's next? platinum?

[sectionboy]

someone please tell me how to tell if there's real platinum in my Capital One® platinum Card, I always want to know.

Re:Mods smoke crack

[jcuervo]

Shitcock [penny-arcade.com]

Re:a magnet?

[cerberusss]

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

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Could you turn that down please? :P

Famous last words...

[Anonymous Coward]

Hmmmm...I wonder if this works with magnesium?

Re:a magnet?

[TheMidnight]

Unless a hot chick injects you in the ass with a syringe full of iron so a rather magnetic villain can escape from a plastic cell.

Re:a magnet?

[Lord Ender]

If it weren't for slashdot, I would never know amazingly pointless facts like this one. Thanks, slashdot.

Re:a magnet?

[Lt.Hawkins]

Sure, it might prevent a automatic pressure door on an undersea rig from locking you in, but it doesn't hold a sharp edge at all.

Nor will it stain when you drop it into a chemical toilet... Your hand may, however, be blue.

Re:is there a better way?

[berashith]

Exactly my thought. I don't think it would go over too well if my wife found me with my wedding ring in a vice while holding a grinder. The only thing to make it worse would be if I had forgotten the safety goggles again.