265
.0002
.0005
.001
.015
.002
Harken Materials & Properties
Clear-Anodized
Clear aluminum anodizing is an electrochemical process that produces a corrosion-
resistant finish. It also hardens the surface, making components less prone to scratches 
and dents. It is “clear” because the protective layer isn’t thick enough to change the color 
of the component (though dye can be added). More rigorous anodizing, such 
as hardcoat, can give components a black or colored hue.
Delrin® Acetal Resin
Black (white in older blocks) material which excels in small boat and low to 
moderate-load applications. Delrin® acetal resin is used for bearings, sheaves, 
and sideplates.
Hardcoat-Anodized
Hardcoat aluminum anodizing is an electrochemical process that produces a 
corrosion-resistant finish with hardness characteristics second only to diamonds. 
Harken's hardcoating process is twice as thick as black anodizing to provide extra 
protection against scratches, dents, superficial deformation, and corrosion.
Nylatron® Nylon
Durable, lightweight composite material that has high mechanical strength 
and stiffness, resists static electricity, and has excellent wear resistance.
PTFE-Coated
PTFE-coating, along with anodizing, protects aluminum against corrosion 
by sealing the surface from moisture. It also minimizes friction and gives 
the component better wear resistance.
Stainless Steel
17-4 PH Stainless Steel: this alloy is used in gears because it is hardenable 
to extremely high strengths. 17-4 PH is more corrosion-resistant than any other 
standard hardenable stainless steel.
316 Stainless Steel: this is a nonhardenable alloy with high corrosion resistance 
in freshwater and saltwater.
XM-19 Stainless Steel: this stainless is highly alloyed, with very high mechanical 
strength and superior corrosion resistance. Rods and pins in Harken cylinders are 
made of XM-19 stainless.
Titanium
This lightweight, hard metal has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. 
Its corrosion rate is so low that after 4000 years in seawater, corrosion would only 
have penetrated to the thickness of a thin sheet of paper. Harken uses titanium 
rollers in V blocks to handle bearing loads.
Torlon® Thermoplastic
Exceptionally strong crush/impact-resistant bearing material that withstands heavy 
long-term use and shock loading. Most Harken hardware that sees extreme loads 
uses greenish-brown Torlon® bearings.
UV-Stabilized
UV light photo-degrades composites by breaking their chemical bonds, leaving 
them weak, brittle, and discolored. This is common in equipment with white bearings. 
All Harken composites and bearings are naturally UV-resistant or use stabilizers 
like carbon black.
Zirconia (Ceramic)
Zircon bearings are more than 700% stronger in compression than stainless bearings of the 
same size. So, they won’t deform if used within the recommended load limits. For the same 
bearing sizes, ceramic withstands incredible compression loads, but beyond the limit, they 
tend to crush not flatten. 
Hardcoat-anodized
Delrin is a registered trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. 
Nylatron is a registered trademark of Quadrant EPP USA Inc.
Torlon is a registered trademark of Solvay Advanced Polymers, L.L.C.
Clear-anodized
Not UV-stabilized
UV-stabilized
Torlon
Zirconia (Ceramic)
Delrin
6061-T6 Aluminum Anodizing Thickness
Thickness range 
in inches
Clear
Black
Harken hardcoat
For complete listing, see www.harken.com/glossary

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