I think the ones with numbers are supposed to be bullet sizes. Also, there's Black Chrome. As for FMJ+, all I can come up with is that it was applied with a positive electric charge.
yeah, I've always wondered that for some colorway, they don't even mention FMJ on it. The best example is the SCAR. Black Chrome, Electric Blue, FMJ Red and Platinum are retailed @ $175 and the rest are $150
Keep in mind how closely Oakley works with the military. From sunglasses to goggles to footwear, Oakley provides a ton of stuff to the military. I think someone on the forum mentioned some time ago that they use top-secret Oakley stuff we'll never see as civilians.
FMJ is a lite metal application that Oakley bakes, similiar to a powder coating process, onto certain frames. This thin layer is anti-corrosive yet brital
For anyone interested in the actual process Ill try to explain.
Pretty much all FMJ eyewear starts out black. The frames are attached to clips in a mostly closed fashion. Under the earsocks of just about every pair of FMJ eyewear you will notice two spots where the frame is black. Thats where its attached to the clips so it doesnt get painted there (also a small portion of the hinge). The glasses are clipped into rows on a huge gear driven hollow cylinder a litter bigger than a refridgerator sitting on its side. Two large copper contacts protrude from one end of the device which links to some SUPER heavy gauge copper wire down the length of the device. Also along the length of the device tiny pieces of im-not-sure-what-kind of metal are attached in line with the heavy gauge wires. The metal flakes are about 1/2"x1/4" and are very thin and only maybe 10-20 flakes are used in the whole process (if i recall correctly). The whole cylinder is pushed into a big chamber and the door sealed tight. The copper contacts are charged with a huge jolt of electricity which vaporizes the metal flakes and the plastic frames are charged which causes the vaporized metal to stick to it. When the frames come out they are all a very bright chrome looking color (brighter than polished aluminum but along the same lines). I actually thought it would be a cool color by itself but they arent finished yet. The frames then get transfered to the FMJ painting room where they are given their final color. This process is apparently very toxic and highly flammable. The employees have to wear full suits of protective gear to work in there. In my years at Oakley one fire started in the FMJ lab that required evacuating the whole building. Lucky they managed to keep it under control.
I once asked a customer service rep if Polished Aluminum was FMJ, and he said no. Are there different versions of Polished Aluminum? The one on Half Jacket looks more like a silver paint with thick clear coat on top, unlike other FMJ finishes that have a matte or satin finish.
Same question applies for Black Chrome Bottlecaps. I also noticed that Bottlecap frames have more FMJ in the hinge area than other frames, which actually prevents the frame from opening up as much as the non-FMJ colorways. I actually had to exchange my original pair because the thick FMJ coating only allowed the earstems to open up about 80%, which made them fit very tight on my temples.
Yeah I would guess they did the Fives by the hinges in three different parts instead of as a whole. Which is unusual because due to the nature of FMJ each batch can come out slightly different so they would have to do all three parts in at the same time. Part numbers for FMJ frames are always one part number for the complete frame and earstems because the colors can fade over time and if you replaced one stem the color wouldnt match. This is why any warranty work on an FMJ frame will always get you a complete new frame (keep that in mind if youre getting nit-picky about your FMJ).
When the polished aluminum was originally released it was more of a smooth chrome finish. It was later changed to a slightly less shiny slightly more textured look which I didnt personally care for.
nice info eliah , now another question , everytime i open the full metal moon , it makes a skeecking-sound , has that also anything to do with the FMJ ?
That is precisely why your frame squeeks when you open and close it. This happens on all new FMJ eyewear. After a while the coating wears down and the frame will become significantly more loose. And yes this information is on the tour for those lucky enough to have one.
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