1. A PROCESS FOR PROTECTING THE SURFACE OF TITANIUM METAL AGAINST OXIDATION DURING METAL PROCESSING OPERATIONS WHICH COMPRISES: APPLYING A GLASS FRIT COMPOSITION TO THE SURFACE OF SAID TITANUM METAL TO FORM A CONTIUOUS GLASS FRIT COATING THEREON, SUBJECTING SAID COATED TITANUIM METAL TO A METAL PROCESSING OPERATION AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF FROM 700*C TO 1000*C AND DURING SAID METAL PROCESSING OPERATION MATURING SAID GLASS FRIT TO FORM A CONTINUOUS GLASS COATING ON SAID METAL SURFACE AND MAINTAINING SAID CONTINUOUS GLASS COATING ON THE SURFACE OF SAID METAL, AND THEREAFTER REMOVING SAID GLAS COATING FROM THE METAL SURFACE UPON COMPLETION OF SAID METAL PROCESSING OPERATION, SAID GLASS FRIT COMPOSITION CONSITING OF FROM 15% TO 25% BY WEIGHT OF ALKALI METAL OXIDE, FROM 10% TO 20% BY WEIGHT OF BORON OXIDE, FROM 30% TO 60% BY WEIGHT OF SILICON DIOXIDE AND FROM 4% TO 45% BY WEIGHT OF TITANUIM DIOXIDE.