Author Topic: Bead Finish Chipping Off (Read 800 times)

Domenick Swentosky · « **on:** February 28, 2010, 12:32:38 AM »

Well the copper finish on my new tungsten beads sure isn't lasting long. I had an excellent day of fishing and I wasn't even right on the bottom all that much but it was enough to really bash up the beadheads on a few of the flies that I just tied up with tungsten.

I've never had this problem before, probably because I always used copper beads and I don't believe there's any finish on them; they're just made from copper. But the new tungsten beads I just got have a copper finish on them, and on a couple of the flies that I used today a good quarter of the bead has the finish flaked/chipped off and the tungsten is showing through.

So, is this common? Do different bead manufactures have more durable finishes?

-Dom

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2010, 12:47:54 AM »

Seems common, but that's not an excuse. Most of my hot colors and black chip off fairly quickly on flies that I'm working on the bottom. Can't remember the gold/copper chipping that quickly though.

Josh McFadden · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2010, 04:48:50 AM »

I kind of figured that the hot colored beads would be powder coated like jig heads. If that's the case then I could see that.

Domenick Swentosky · « **Reply #3 on:** February 28, 2010, 08:25:09 PM »

No, these aren't hot colored beads. Just copper tungsten. I banged up a couple more today. I'm really surprised by this because, again, it's not like I'm dragging them across the bottom all day, there just touching once in while. It's my anchor flies mostly, of course, and at the rate that I'm losing the finish, I'll have silver colored beads after using the flies only a couple of times.

So are you guys saying that this is normal?

I'd really appreciate some other input on this from you guys who have been fishing tungsten for a long time because I'd like to know if I just ran into a bad batch, if I should look at a different source for beads, or just expect the finish to chip off because it happens to everybody.

Domenick

Nick Naclerio · « **Reply #4 on:** February 28, 2010, 08:32:34 PM »

I've only ever had a problem with the painted beads chipping. My gold and copper ones hold up pretty well.

Loren Williams · « **Reply #5 on:** February 28, 2010, 08:34:12 PM »

I can't recall the finish off anything but black beads chipping or wearing-just tarnishing.

Chris Smith · « **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2010, 09:00:24 PM »

Like Dejon, the paint on my orange, pink, and sometimes black tungsten beads chips off. I've found that if I coat the bead with Hard as Hull as I'm finishing the fly, the finish lasts a bit longer.

My gold tungsten beads never lose finish, however...and I'm fairly certain it's the same manufacturer. I'd try another brand Domenick...just to be certain.

Dejon Hamann · « **Reply #7 on:** February 28, 2010, 09:19:18 PM »

Quote from: Chris Smith on February 28, 2010, 09:00:24 PM

My gold tungsten beads never lose finish, however...and I'm fairly certain it's the same manufacturer. I'd try another brand Domenick...just to be certain.

I agree, sounds like a bad batch.

Steve Sawyer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 28, 2010, 09:24:24 PM »

I've had the copper come off my tungsten beadheads as well. I figured this was normal. I guess it isn't.

Torrey Collins · « **Reply #9 on:** February 28, 2010, 09:43:27 PM »

I've used a variety of brands of tungsten beads, and most of the plated finish ones held up well (gold, copper, nickel, black nickel). A few of the cheaper ones didn't though, with the finish mostly flaking off after a couple hours in the water, both on the copper & gold ones. Most of the true black (not black nickel) beads chip readily, also as do most of the "hot beads" (fl. orange, fl pink, chartresue, etc.), as mentioned already. I don't know if these are powder coated or baked on enamel.

Generally chipping is not a problem with most copper tungsten beads. And of course flies are often lost to the bottom, trees or fish long before they have time to get beat up. We found a supplier that makes really durable true black beads, nice & stealthy. I've fished the same fly all day and only had a couple of tiny chips. I'm guessing it's baked on enamel, but I'm not sure about that. Just glad to finally find a black bead (other than black nickel) that actually holds it's color. The black Umpqua tungsten beads looked great in the package, but within 1-2 hours all the paint was gone and they were back to a matte "tungsten gray"- actually not a bad stealth color, matches nicely with certain patterns.

Domenick Swentosky · « **Reply #10 on:** March 01, 2010, 11:08:04 AM »

OK guys, thanks very very much for these replies. My problem is definitely unusual then. I'm gonna contact the seller and see what can be done.

Enjoy the day.
Domenick

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #11 on:** March 01, 2010, 11:11:42 AM »

I have had a similar thing happen with a few beads that had a copper finish on tungsten. It was really isolated and only happen on a couple beads here and there.

To be honest I really don't think it matters all that much as long as the fly is catching fish.

Domenick Swentosky · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2010, 12:29:08 PM »

Quote from: Mark Hanes on March 01, 2010, 11:11:42 AM

To be honest I really don't think it matters all that much as long as the fly is catching fish.

I knew that was coming. You're right Mark, it probably doesn't matter much, but then why do we buy various colored beads in the first place?

I think it does matter a bit. I use copper on most of my flies and I like black nickel too when I need it to be a little more subtle. I rarely do well with the gold beads that I've used. Too flashy for most of my streams.

At the rate that I'm losing the finish from these beads, I'll have bare tungsten in no time, and that's not the look that I want in my flies.

Domenick

Mark Hanes · « **Reply #13 on:** March 01, 2010, 12:35:09 PM »

If it is that bad then I would be getting frustrated by it. I have just had it on a few and it was in really fast water with heavy flies so I was not too concerned.