Advice to add longevity to kit plating

[feeneypens]

I am having an issue with pen kits having gold plating and chrome plating in that the plating wears out WAY too fast. Chrome seems to last longer than gold plating. I even had a costumer send a green circuit board pen with the black enamel worn down on the grip! And he only used it a year!
I'm open to any and all suggestions on how to get around it. I even thought of making my own kit parts but I only have a PSI mini lathe (upgrading soon).

 

[Smitty37]

Here you are, My opinion is:

Favor the following finishes in the approximate order listed.

Rhodium
Gold Titanium Nitride
Black Titanium Oxide
Chrome
Black Chrome
Satin Chrome
Gun Metal

Avoid the following finishes as much as possible:
24 Kt Gold including satins
22K gold if it is in wear prone places on the pen.
Rose Gold
Silver including satins and pearl
White Gold (finishes called platinum are ofter white gold)
Any Enamel



These finishes will probably be OK for most applications
Copper
Satin Aluminum

These I don't know enough about to have an opinion

Antique Copper
Antique Brass
Pewter

 

[ed4copies]

I don't claim to know anything about jewelry or the platings "stated durability".

I will say I have now sold thousands of pen kits and have never received a complaint about Chrome, Rhodium, Platinum.

I HAVE received at least one complaint about black chrome, gunmetal, black ti, tigold.

The remaining platings I don't sell enough to consider the lack of complaints as evidence of exceptional performance, so I have no opinion.

Whenever we ask these questions, I believe it is important to separate by manufacturer, to the best of our ability. CSUSA has made pens for 20 years and the ONLY plating that I ever had trouble with was 10 kt gold---I bought an awful lot of their tigold and chrome, less rhodium, but still a lot---no complaints.

I bought a lot of Berea chrome and ti gold. Never had a problem.

Bought a couple hundred gunmetal and the same in "black titanium" and black chrome from Chinese sources---each had problems. BUT, the price was really good.

I have also purchased from smaller firms in China and Taiwan and had very GOOD results, AND low prices. But, this is a "crap-shoot". I've sold hundreds (that have been good) and scrapped hundreds, that were not so good.

FWIW,
Ed

 

[vtgaryw]

My everyday pen I carry all the time is one of the first pens I ever made. It's a Sierra style, gold plating and whatever black coating it was. The pen is great, but most of the black has scuffed off. I carry it as a reminder to only offer higher quality platings, unless it's a pen that doesn't have a clear sub.

The CSUSA catalog has a guide where they rate their platings for wear.

Gary

 

[kovalcik]

While not a plating like the others, I would rate the Stainless Steel kits up there in Smitty's top tier.

 

[sbell111]

These I don't know enough about to have an opinion

Antique Copper
Antique Brass
Pewter

We bought some antique copper kits a while back. You could scratch off the plating with your finger nail.

 

[Smitty37]

While not a plating like the others, I would rate the Stainless Steel kits up there in Smitty's top tier.

That's why it isn't there it is not a plating, there are only a couple of things that can happen to stainless steel and normal wear isn't one of them, I have never seen anything made of stainless steel that wore out from handling. It can be not polished correctly to begin with or you can if you try hard enough knick or scratch it or etch it by dipping it in acid etc....but for most pen users it is going to be impervious to abuse.

 

[edstreet]

I am having an issue with pen kits having gold plating and chrome plating in that the plating wears out WAY too fast. Chrome seems to last longer than gold plating. I even had a costumer send a green circuit board pen with the black enamel worn down on the grip! And he only used it a year!
I'm open to any and all suggestions on how to get around it. I even thought of making my own kit parts but I only have a PSI mini lathe (upgrading soon).

This is more often a user error than a hardware error. However the answer to the problem is either a) change the usage or b) change the hardware.

The problem with the user is how the pen is cared for, handled and used. Simple fact is everything will fail with the right amount of abuse, there is no exceptions to this either.

I forgot who said it before but it was told that if someone pays a higher amount for a pen then they are more apt to take good care of it, regardless of what care it needs, not abuse it and the like. Also works in reverse on the lower end side. With 'disposable' items being slung around society sadly things like this have became all to common place with the disposable mentality. With a 'quality' instrument it negates the disposable crowd and needs to be treated accordingly.

However .... Plating that come off over (short) time is, more often than not, actually designed for presentation rather than usage. It looks good, it gives good form feature color texture and looks good in the cabinet, on the wall or on the desk, however it is pure junk when you try to use it every day; and that becomes the abusive part to the equation.

Ultimately the best solution is education. Educate that user on how to treat a custom made pen (or pencil, letter opener, etc..) in the end they will appreciate it and be thankful.

 

[feeneypens]

Wow! Thanks! That really makes a big difference! Any other suggestions regarding different metal options?