Dim and distantly, I think I remember reading something about storing the sections seperated. I didn't...

Just tried to extend my poles for the first time in about nine months or so. I'm pretty sure I didn't put them away wet - that'd be quite unlike me. But today, I couldn't actually get them to extend. I had to bang them shut (Flicklocks have to be left extended an inch or two to make room for the handle of the lock) to break the bond, then found them to be amazingly corroded and pitted. Clouds of white dust appears when I push the sections in and out.

Has anyone else had this? I guess the moral is to store the sections seperately. I think I did do that with my old Lekisports, but I'm not sure. Certainly, they never corroded like this.

My Gabel poles went like this but a soaking in WD40 and a bit of elbow grease with a plastic scourer got them usable again, shabby, but usable.

So, how much do you want for them then Dan? ;-)

I use a brass tube cleaning brush on a shaft to remove any corrosion then spray the interior of the tubes with damp start engine laquer.NO more probs.

I think my old Lekisports did go with this actually, but only where the black coating on them wore through exposing the metal.

Does anyone have any idea of why this happened? What's the chemistry behind it?

Aluminium Oxide is the white stuff, it takes up more space than the aluminium itself which is why it causes the seizing up of the poles.

It usually happens where aluminium & steel are present together, something called bimetallic corrosion I think.

Or oxidation if the anodised finish is compromised

But I thought walking poles were entirely aluminium? What's it reacting with?

And there also serious pitting in the surface of the sections. What might have caused that?

Mice? Formic acid from crushed ants? Neglect?


I'll get me coat...


Oh, I'm working on a 'spring clean your gear week' to ensure that this sort of thing is never allowed to happen again. Reckon you must have stored them either wet, or in a condensation prone place or the pixes have been taking them out and using them without telling you.

Dan!

Think back to your gcse/a level chemistry lessons! fink you can answer your own question there!

Dan,

My BD Flicklocks went the same: arse! - but WD40 saves the day - hurrah!

Keep the faith

Jed

You can buy (for a fiver) a set of Leki steel brushed which fit onto the end of the pole sections and can be used to clean the electrolite corrosion out from inside the pole.

They work really well, are very easy to use and if you bring your poles to wasdale we will do this for you for free, all makes of poles more or less.

:)

Aluminium tends to corrode in highly localised areas (pitting) unlike steel which normally corrodes evenly over the whole surface. The white powder often found over the suface is as previously mentioned, Al-oxide.

The BD Flicklocks don't have the steel thread like say a pair of Lekis at the end of the pole, the only steel I can see on mine is the tightening mechanism and that's isolated by the plastic so I doubt it is down to galvanic issues.

I suspect that the cause of the corrosion is "crevice corrosion" from the poles being closed up. If closed wet or kept in a damp / humid atmosphere, this will only make the situation worse. If drying poles before storage, you might also consider the internals depending on the weather conditions when used.

The solution is to apply a nice highly impact resistant coating to the Aluminium (expensive) or store the poles in pieces.

Mark. (who's first pair of flicklocks siezed when he should have known better).

Ah ha, so it wasn't just me! I'm now fairly certain I did actually store them wet :( dumbass!


Kids: take home message - store your poles in pieces!