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The smoked clear coat is our most popular finish, chosen by around 75% of our customers, because it shows off the workmanship that has gone into the frame with the brazing being so visible. The smoked clear coat finish, as with our other paint finishes, is a polyurethane based powder coat paint which is strong as hell, offering excellent chip resistance.

The upside to this finish

1. It looks stunning in all its naked glory.
2. It shows off the craftsmanship and brazing.
3. It looks like nothing else out there.

The downside to this finish

1. It is possible for ‘creeper rust’ to form beneath the surface of the smoked clear coat.
2. ‘Creeper rust’ beneath the surface of the smoked clear coat is not covered by the Curtis Bikes warranty.
3. ‘It is possible for ‘creeper rust’ to progress and become ‘bad rust’. This is also not covered by the Curtis Bikes warranty.
4. Be warned you will have to get used to lots of people asking lots of
   questions about the frame like what is the gold welding, where/how are
   they made etc.

What is creeper rust?

Creeper rust is a non-penetrating type of surface rust that can form in between the surface of the frame and the paint. It can occur on all painted steel frames however will only be visible with a clear coat finish. Creeper rust doesn’t need the paint to be chipped or scratched
in order to form, it just starts randomly under the surface of the paint. This can occur within 6 months or many years.

How the frame is stored and looked after will make a big difference to how creeper rust forms and develops, so we recommend storing your frame in dry and warm conditions rather than cold or damp conditions.

Does creeper surface rust damage the frame?

Creeper rust itself does not have any impact on the structural
integrity of the frame. It does not damage the frame at all; it is
purely a surface rust that creeps beneath the paint and can be removed
when the frame is stripped, leaving no marks on the tubing at all. However,
creeper rust can sometimes develop into ‘bad rust’, which can result in
pitting and structural damage to the frame, so it is vital that
customers keep an eye on any creeper rust and send photos to us so that
we can assist accordingly.

Preventing creeper rust progression

In cold or damp conditions it is possible for creeper rust to develop
into ‘bad rust’. Creeper rust becomes bad rust if it forms in one
condensed area. Eventually bad rust will start to lift paint from the
surface of the frame. This will pit the tubing, causing irreversible
damage to the surface; leaving pitting marks where the rust has started
eating into the tubing. It is not possible to polish pitting out.
Therefore, if you start to see creeper rust forming in concentrated
areas, it is definitely time to strip and re-paint your frame before any
damage to the tubing is done.

To summarise

We are more than happy offer our customers hand polished and smoked
clear coated frames however customers who wish to order one must read
and understand the information above. Curtis Bikes cannot accept
responsibility for creeper rust that is allowed to progress into bad
rust. Creeper rust removal and re-coating are not covered by the Curtis
Bikes warranty.

The customer is responsible for:

1. looking after their frame and keeping an eye on any creeper rust that may appear;
2. contacting us as soon as any areas of creeper rust begin to collect
   in a condensed area, returning the frame to us for re-coating at the
   customer’s expense before any damage is done to the tubing;
3. ensuring that any chips or scratches to paint are treated to prevent rust from starting.