David Kerber wrote:

In article , says...
In article , Dr Engelbert Buxbaum
wrote:

Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A. wrote:

Ti has nearly the same ductility as steel. Carbon snaps.

That depends on temperature. When I was caving in England, using Single
Rope Technique, I was warned against using titanium carabines in my
equipment. There had actually been accidents because they can suddenly
shatter at the low temperatures in caves (about 4 degrees C). We always
used aluminium crabs to hang our lives on.

If titanium cracks at 4 degrees C, why aren't the jet engine fans
exploding off of more airplanes? They see air a lot colder than that.

Different alloys different heat treatments, because of different design
criteria.


What you say has merit, but mountaineering gear - life and death equipment at
that - that gets brittle enough to break in the cold? How likely is that?
They must have a very clear warning on them somewhere. Didn't notice any
of those the last time I was at MEC.

Bernie