I tried to do a search on this, but have you guys typed 'x-metal' in the search of this site? I might as well type in the word 'Oakley' and try to find what I'm looking for!

Any way what I know- X-metal is a titanium alloy composed of 25 different types of metal. X-metal has an incredibly high strength to weight ratio. X-metal is hypoallergenic (because it's titanium). X-metal sunglasses are designed so that parts of the frame flex and parts remain rigid by manipulating the relative thickness and thinness of certain parts of said frame.

What I want to know - what specifically is in x-metal? What is the strength to weight ratio? Is it stronger than standard titanium? Is it stronger than steel? Is x-metal lighter than titanium? And last thing I would like to know is anything else at all you might know.

Here are some videos on x-metal that are pretty interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOPmUg5wRfE

http://vimeo.com/39514792

feel free to just point me to a thread that already has any or all of this info!

x-metals are made up of a five metal alloy composed of primarily titanium. However there are 25 different pieces in every x-metal frame.

It is stronger/lighter than standard titanium and steel, it can withhold the weight of a car....not exactly sure what specific car, but it can.

And when you say they can withhold the weight of a car, does that mean any x-metal frame? Thanks for the added info.

yes any xmetal frame can. No problem, i believe there was a thread already started about what different metals were used to make the xmetal composition.

"What Is X-metal Anyway? is an interesting question. I think over the years it went from just a proprietary blend of titanium to also including a unique design language. There's a certain style the X-metal family has that separates it from the rest of Oakley's lineup, which is why you don't see many consider the early Whys or the Scars to be part of the X-metal class even though they also contain the metal.

X-Metal can be:

-The alloy blend
-The classification of glasses using said alloy
-The matte grey finish on the glasses using that alloy

one guy had his juliets orbital crushed when it got run over by a car, so i wouldnt try to put the strength to the test.

not much more to add besides the mentioned pointers... and yeah, i really want to know the specific alloy composition of Xmetal too, but i doubt we will. its proprietary information and i dont think they would want rayban copying it..

Lux owns both, so I'm sure they could use that alloy in any brand they have possession of, but I don't see it happening. Well least with the Nevada plant, but if they're opening a new factory, who knows.

Wouldn't matter if another brand copied the alloy composition of X-metal, it still wouldn't be Oakley X-Metal and would therefore not be worth the money

Wouldn't matter if another brand copied the alloy composition of X-metal, it still wouldn't be Oakley X-Metal and would therefore not be worth the money

I second that notion.

Third!!!

I doubt anyone would try to copy the x-metal concept. It's like America landing on the moon. There is just such a big gap in technological prowess that no other country has even attempted it.

15 years on nobody else has a xmetal equivalent.