Titanium alloys are more commonly used in firearms nowadays, but my experience with them is pretty limited.

I once used a Ti firing pin in a short 1911 as sort of stopgap measure to prevent drag on the primer during ejection, but that issue was ultimately solved by a new recoil spring. (I also used to read too many gun magazines - LOL)

Later, I got one of the first M329s on the block, but it only lasted a few rounds. (Which is to say *I* only lasted a few rounds - LOL).

I also tried a M296, and while its bite matched its bark, I found it much too bulky for my style of EDC.

Now, it's just a M342 with its Ti-alloy cylinder, and that one's a little more like it. (No pun intended - LOL)

As I've also mentioned before, my other hobby is eyeglasses, and as a concession to modernism, I picked out one pair of skinny Eurospecs last time I went shopping. (Yep, I 'caved to peer pressure' - LOL)

Since I much prefer Geekspecs, I settled on an old-school-but-updated, browline-style combination frame made by SALT. Optics called the 'Bennett' (Color: 'Coastal Grey').

Fine.

Except for one thing: The 'Grey' was hand-enameled across the front surface, but the paint job left much to be desired. In particular, the 'artist' evidently wiped the excess paint away several times. This left a series of small paint trails that caught the light and looked like dents in the metal.

Call me a 'perfectionist', but that just wouldn't do.

Step 1: Away with the paint. Easy. Fast.

Results? Just OK. Now the front surface was clean of apparent nicks, but a little too brightly polished for my taste.

Step 2: Refinish the Ti-alloy (browline parts only). Tricky.

Results? As usual, scotchbrite saved the day. The browline pieces now have an even brushed finish. Moreover, now they really are 'Grey'.

And the point?

Where I would normally use gray scotchbrite on say, stainless steel, it took the more coarse green variety to achieve a similar level of finish on the Ti alloy.

I probably should have expected it but didnt.

How's that for beating around the bush?

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