"HK" wrote in message
...


Interestingly, the gold-tone coating on the spools of my Penn spinning
reels does not seem to wear off nearly as easily as the coating on the
Shimanos. It's strictly ornamental, though. Both brands of reels work well
for me...

If it is TiN and not electroplated, and it was done properly, you will find
it damn near impossible to wear off.

Titanium Nitride can look just like gold electroplating. It can also be
adjusted to different "hues".
Several auto manufacturers with the fancy gold hood ornaments and side
badges use plastic or zinc parts that have a vacuum deposited base coating
and then a reactive titanium nitride finish top coating.

Each manufacturer has a different specification in terms of the gold color,
hue, and other color spectrum requirements, etc. which are controlled by
different process parameters including voltage, pressure and gas ratio
mixtures. The "gold" tipped drill bits aren't designed to be pretty, so
they have a dull, but very hard coating. The hood ornament or badge on a
Caddy may be zinc or plastic, but the TiN coating is bright, shiny gold with
a lot of "depth".

Same with many of the modern sports trophy manufacturers. They are shifting
to vacuum deposited TiN instead of electroplating or electro less nickel
plating. The older plating technologies generate toxic waste that needs to
be disposed of. Vacuum deposited coatings are "green", environmentally.

Same with junk jewelry.

It's an interesting technology.

Eisboch