Titanium Ultralight Tent Stakes

Good. Some kids over here will be thrilled

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=87298

Edit: thanks Roger

…

best tent stake ever…

I highly reccomend these, they are designed not to bend when you are attempting to insert into hard soil.

They dont flip around easily and if they do the aggressive backbend holds the guyline.

I have the painted red version without a perfect point.

Thanks for the heads up Lawson. Just ordered some with some glow wire.

I've been waiting for this…just ordered 8 last night.

Thanx…

-Mark in St. Louis

Perfect timing. got 6 more for my new 6 moon design tent. you gotta have a set for each tent.

Dang, you're right. Good thing shipping is free over a $10 order. Guess I might have to order more already!

Just to confirm these are not painted red line they used to?

I have some red ones but might pick up a few more.

Just to repeat myself, these stakes are the best in it's class. A lot of people love these because they are so light but are designed so well. If you have not liked ti wire stakes in the past, try these you will like them!

Received my order today. Bare and without paint, but pointy.

Thanks for all the business. I am glad everyone likes these stakes. I have sold ALOT of them over the years.

If we were to buy them, how would you recommend that we paint the tops for better visibility?

I think you want to paint them any color that contrasts with the color of the ground in the area where you operate. That is likely to be red or blue, and it is unlikely to be tan or green.

I'm not so concerned about seeing them in daylight. I am more concerned about seeing them at night so that I don't trip and break my fool neck. So, I paint mine with glow-in-the-dark paint which looks kind of yellow by daylight, and it glows yellow green at night.

–B.G.–

Ok, but what kind of paint? Are you brushing a particular type of paint that sticks to titanium or using a spray paint, etc? Suggestions on how many coats, etc?

I'm not brushing or spraying any paint.

It takes good paint to stick to titanium rod, so you should first rough up the metal surface, then dip it in some kind of white epoxy paint. Once that is completely dry, then you can dip it in glow-in-the-dark paint that contains strontium aluminate. The white color of epoxy acts like a reflector, so the glow appears brighter.

Unfortunately, all of the glow-in-the-dark paint that I have is latex-based, so it is not very hard when dry. I try to beat that a little by coating it with some clear fingernail polish.

If you erect your shelter before sunset, then the glow-in-the-dark paint will collect some sunlight, and then it glows better. If you wait until after sunset, the glow won't be as bright. You can always shine a flashlight on it, and that helps a bit, but an hour of sunlight works the best.

Now, if you think about this… where should the paint be, exactly? If you paint the very top of the stake, it may be impacted by a rock used to pound it into the ground. However, somewhere near the top will be best for visibility. I generally dip mine for about one inch, but I don't concentrate on getting the very top spot covered.

If you do this, you should be adding a negligible amount of weight to a stake.

–B.G.–

Hey, Lawson…can you make one like this next?

Red enamel in spray can?

You don't care about even coverage or anything. After a while a lot will scrape off but there'll be enough left to find stake. One can will paint hundreds of stakes, so if it starts wearing off after a few trips, just repaint. Just wash and dry stakes first, maybe rough up a little with fine sandpaper?

If it comes off too quickly, maybe prepare better the next time?

The few that I have used that were painted, either by me, or from the company, never lasted long at all… The best thing that I have found is to anodize them. It can be done pretty easily with some diet coke and a few 9V batteries. The color may not be as bright, but it beats being a dull gray, or silver… mine are a bluish color.

Look for local powdercoat shops. Powdercoating is the most durable paint type finish. will be a little heavier than regular paint, but will last much longer and can be done in a variety of colors. You might be able to get a deal if you are willing to wait and not to picky on exact color, just have the stakes done at the same time as another job in a color you want.

Mine turned pretty blue all on their own when I shoved them in a windscreen as a pot support. Maybe just throw them in a fire if you just want them blued. Ti blues fairly easily it seems. Can't say what that does to the temper though.

I got these BPL orange Ti stakes. After ~100 nights they're still mostly orange.

It seems like blue isn't contrasty enough, better to use orange or red.

Well, for ease/cost I might try and find the most garish color enamel to dip the stakes into. I also have a set of ruta locura carbon fiber stakes which I really like….everything except the color which is straight black. You think the enamel will hold if I dip the ends of carbon fiber poles into the enamel?

I bet you could get decent service out of nail polish to adorn the stakes with color, and easy touchups. I used some red fingernail polish to make some marks on a pressure cooker, and it has held up nicely.

If that does not stick,use electrical heat shrink in your choice of colors.

> Ti blues fairly easily it seems. Can't say what that does to the temper though.

Nothing at all.
Ti does not 'temper' the way steel does. You can take 6Al-4V alloy up to red heat, and when it cools it will be just the same as it was before. The same applies to CP.

Cheers