"Upgrade" gold

[ed4copies]

Having never used "upgrade" gold from Berea and AS, and since the new pens are only available in this plating at present, and since shows start soon, so I won't have a lot of time to wait, here is the question:

For those who have actually PURCHASED AND USED OR SOLD OR GIVEN AWAY PENS WITH UPGRADE GOLD from Arizona Silhouette, Berea or Woodcraft or others I don't know about (please tell me who):

Upgrade gold has

 

[airrat]

Not sure which choice to use. Depends on the kit.
Slimlines I will NEVER buy upgrade gold for. Everyone of the first kits I did wore off. After the first few, I only use it to make my trash work pens. (trash = me trashing them at work with abuse)

Cigars never had one wear off.

Flat top never had a problem

Baron only made a couple so no idea on this one.

To me what seems to be the difference is the amount of finger contact on the plating.

 

[Ron Mc]

Ed,
Good timing! My wife brought me back a pen from a woman she works with to be refinished. The pen has been in use for about 9 months on a daily basis. The original finish on it was an "upgrade gold". (No need to bring up the kit type.)
I was both shocked and absolutely disgusted with the way it looked![]Anywhere on the kit that her fingers would touch the finish was completely gone. The nib was silver, clip was silver, as well as most other parts.
Needless to say I completely dismantled the pen and replaced all parts after refinishing the blank. Basically she is getting a new pen.
This has concerned me enough to NO LONGER purchase upgrade gold kits. I am really concerned with other customers that have purchased my pens.

Obviously in no way is it the manufacturer or distributors fault. They all have explanations on their sites in regards to finish quality and this is a situation that I have created and I need to fix.

 

[DCBluesman]

Ed, The Sierra Vista is available in Chrome, Gold Ti and Black Ti. (You'll need to make your own bushings, though.) The Sedona is available in both platinum RB and FP. The "matched set" kits are avialbe in all platings. It's been so long since I used upgrade gold that I've lost track of the few I made.

 

[ed4copies]

Lou,

Color me a victim of my own idiosyncracies.

Platinum is beautiful and grossly overpriced. Looks like chrome, so why not make it in chrome? (Because that cuts into the margin, Ed!!! We perceive "platinum" to be worth lots, chrome is "cheaper"!)

If I were selling to pen collectors, which I do on rare occasion, I would LOVE platinum. But the LOL (little old ladies, not laugh out loud) crowd with which I "hang", perceives a $40 pen as pretty "pricey", if I use $15 kits, I will price them over $50 and have to handle numerous heart attack victims in my booth!!! My insurance adjuster (not Anthony) has no pen-making background and would, therefore, not understand the equation. (Over $50=HA heart-attack)

When it is "GOLD" (colored) TN, $50 is more palatable.

Welcome to my world!!

 

[DCBluesman]

'nuff said, Ed! [8D]

 

[ed4copies]

Did I rant? Sorry!

 

[rpasto92]

I have never used upgrade gold form Berea or CSU but I have used the gold from PSI and I must say, I have never had a complaint nor have I noticed any wear on my personal stock. They claim to have a lifetime guarentee on their gold plating but I have not had to call them on that yet. This also includes keychains that take a lot of abuse...the gold is all still there.

 

[PenWorks]

I never used upgrade gold, I thought upgrade gold had the same wear characters as 10K, which is not much.

 

[DCBluesman]

Originally posted by ed4copies
<br />Did I rant? Sorry!

Nope! I'm just know the blue hair set AND I'm an accountant. Thank heaven I don't do my own books! []

 

[LanceD]

At a show that I did this past weekend I just noticed an upgrade gold pen stored in a case turned black around the clip and nib. I have about a dozen upgrade gold kits left and will no longer be offering them as with the satin finishes. I plan on making things simple for myself and only sell the black and gold titanium, chrome and platinum.

 

[ed4copies]

Anthony,

I THOUGHT (always dangerous) that upgrade gold might have something similar to a powder coating over the gold. That MIGHT make it pretty durable???

 

[Ron Mc]

Does anyone have any idea if the 10k gold is the same a "upgrade gold"?

 

[loglugger]

What makes this bad is that it seems to me that different Co. gold holds up different. I have not had any trouble with PSI gold finish. When some one has trouble with a finish we don’t usually know which Co. it came from. It’s usually THAT dam gold finish came off, never going to use it again.
Bob

 

[alamocdc]

After I finish the few upgrade, 10K and 24K gold platings I have in stock, I will no longer buy them. While I haven't seen a problem with any of my PSI 24k gold yet (only had them in the field for about 1 1/2 years now), I have noticed faster wear from both Berea and CSUSA gold finishes (regardless of what they call them). However, I have been carrying and handling an upgrade gold Churchill daily for about two months and so far so good. But that's what the guy that fell off the skyscraper said as he passed each floor.[]

 

[Jerryconn]

I carry and use a 24Kt Euro in my pocket everyday for about 6-8 months from Woodcraft. To date have not had a problem with the plating wearing off. I wipe this pen on my pant leg on a regular basis to remove fingers prints and oils from my skin.
In my first attempts at pen turning 4-5 years ago, I made a rollerball classic 24Kt gold from Woodcraft. In about 3 months the finish was wore almost completely off. I think the difference with pen was, I carried it clipped in my shirt, as a result My body oils and sweat were getting on the pen all the time.
The only other thing that I could assume is the plating is much better than it was 4-5 years ago.
All this said I have never purchased an upgrade gold kit, I have used either the 24Kt or the Titanium gold.

 

[mrcook4570]

I have carried an upgrade gold cigar and an upgrade gold baron as my daily pen. Each one lasted about a month before the plating had worn off. I only hope the upgrade gold pens that I used to sell are now collectors/display items rather than writers.

There is a slight difference in the color of chrome and platinum, but the perceived value is a huge difference. But, not every market will perceive any value.

 

[ed4copies]

Stan,

Just to get you up to speed on the Illinois/Wisconsin market.

"If it's good nuff for my Escalade bumper, it's good nuff for my pen!!"

Not too many platinum bumpers (unless they sent it to Bruce Boone, but that's another story).![][][]

 

[Rudy Vey]

Ed,
don't waste your time with standard or upgrade gold. My experience with these platings are negative. I early moved up to the Titaniumgold versions. I have made several different models in upgrade gold (FT AM, Euros, El Grande) and 10K (Gent Jr)and all these platings have worn off pretty fast, as fast as four to six weeks!! These days I will not sell a pen with a plating I cannot guarantee; the choice is easy and clear for me: Titaniumgold, Platinum, Chrome and Satin Nickel. These are the platings I have tested and know they do not wear off.

 

[alparent]

If it's available I go with the Titanium Gold or Platinum. But the kit is only available in 24k or chrome, I make sure the client knows the limitations of the plating. (The usual answer is "I don't care! That's the pen I like".) All the PSI 24k I made are stile looking good.

Don't know if the chemicals composition of ones hands plays a big part of how good a plating will hold. (For some it holds for years and for others only months?)

 

[epson]

I have not personally had any problems with the upgrade gold, but I am worried about potential problems my clients may have had. So far nobody has notified me of any problems. Because I am worried, I will stop using the gold plating. The only exception is, if the pen does not come in titanium and the customer wants the pen in gold. I will shortly be selling my gold kits as I inventory the kits that I no longer use.

 

[bradh]

I have been using my 24k gold slimline for almost two years now. The gold has lots of scratches and a few areas worn right through the gold.
That is two years, used every day, never rewaxed or cleaned.
I tell people that the pens have gold plate that will eventually wear through. I often show my pen to show them what will happen. BY setting the expectations, I have not had a wear complaint yet.
Brad

 

[mick]

Everything I use regardless of which kit, is Gold Titanium, Platinum, Black Titanium or Chrome. The only exception to this is when I make a Corn Cob pen, then I will use a Black Chrome. I only use Platinum If on a higher end pen or if it's specified in an order by the customer. I think in order to keep my prices below the "heart attack" level I use Chrome on all my "plastic" pens. (Unless the color calls for gold ti). I will add this as a corection I do use the occasional Pearl or black kit on some slimlines, again if color or style calls for it.
It's just not worth it to me as someone who is trying to build a reputable business and provide quality pens to use "upgrade" or lesser platings.
The area I'm in is rather small compared to some and the craft and art circles we travel in are a pretty tight knit group and I'm slowly becoming known as "The Pen Guy" I wanna keep it that way and not become known as the guy whose platings wear off!

 

[TellicoTurning]

Can't vote this poll.. don't buy from AS or Berea and rarely from Woodcraft.. I don't know anything about Upgraded Gold... I prefer the TN gold or black or chrome or copper kits now...