Alternative material for rod rigging

[Stumble]

I couldn't really see titanium working very well for standing rigging. Well it would work find, but it would be incredibly expensive.

Titanium for all its advantages really hates being cold formed. And requires post forming heat treatment to prevent cracking. But since it will catch fire long before it gets to optimal heat treatment tempratures it has to be heat treated in a noble gass environment. So imagine cold forming the heads then having to bake the entire rod to 1800c in an oven filled with argon.

It could certainlybe done, but carbon fiber would be cheaper, and lighter, and available off the shelf.

The cost of the metal rod that you start with would be pretty cheap by comparison. Probably not much more than normal rod rigging rod.