soft enamel vs hard enamel

[+Goudacat]

Hi everybody,

Travis and I are looking into minting a personal geocoin. I am trying to figure out the color fill options and I was hoping you could help.

 

My understanding is that there are four options:

 

soft enamel

hard enamel

soft enamel with epoxy

glow in the dark, epoxy required

 

Here are my questions:

 

Is soft enamel durable enough by itself? It seems like most of the coins that I have bought are hard enamel. I like the idea of the texture that the soft enamel allows, but I don't want a coin that scratches easily.

 

Have any of you made your coin with soft enamel, and are you happy with it?

 

If you get glow in the dark, do you have to have epoxy on that entire side of the coin?

 

Thanks for your help,

Jennifer

[+Go JayBee]

I really like the hard enamel myself....I don't really go for covering up the metal with epoxy, though.

 

As far as glowing paint: no epoxy is needed to cover it.

 

 

When you do get a coin made, I'd love to do a trade with you. Rumor has it that mine is the World's 1st glowing GeoCoin.

Edited January 27, 2007 by Go JayBee

[+Mauison]

I had my personal coins minted in soft enamel because I liked the texture. If the coins you mint are going to go into someone's collection, you won't have to worry about it scratching. If you're going to send them out traveling, the soft enamel will scratch more than the hard enamel but not in a way to detract from the coin. I think your choice is if you like texture or not.

[+Goudacat]

Thanks for your help. We will have to think about it some more. Travis really likes the texture, so we will probably go with the soft. Maybe a few scratches on the coins we release will detract the potential geocoin theif.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Check with your production company about doing a combination if it looks right for you. We have both hard and soft enamel on our coin and on the same side, too.

[+crake]

Is soft enamel durable enough by itself? It seems like most of the coins that I have bought are hard enamel. I like the idea of the texture that the soft enamel allows, but I don't want a coin that scratches easily.

 

Yes - soft enamel is very durable. Don't let the name fool you! Most coins I've seen are colored with soft enamel. Regarding scratching, the finish is going to be more prone to scratching than the enamel.

 

Have any of you made your coin with soft enamel, and are you happy with it?

 

I'm very happy with soft enamel. It has more texture, which I like, it is less expensive, which I like, and it is easier to produce with less flaws, which I love. I use imitation hard enamel from time to time, but generally try to create designs that will work well with soft enamel.

 

If you get glow in the dark, do you have to have epoxy on that entire side of the coin?

 

Selected area epoxy doesn't work too well, so if you get epoxy, it should go across the entire surface of the coin. I've been instructed by the mint that glow-in-the-dark is hard enamel and needs an epoxy coating. I'm not sure if this is because of the powder that is used for the color, or for another reason.

 

Another thing on soft vs. hard enamel. Soft enamel is applied by pouring liquid enamel into recessed regions using a tiny needle. When it cures the enamel hardens and results in a sag. Imitation hard enamel is applied as a powder, and when cured it is actually above the surface of the coin. The coin is then polished and the surface made smooth. A common problem is for an insufficient amount of material to be used, resulting in a void when the coin is polished. Thus instead of a flat surface you get a mostly flat surface with a little sag. The sag is glossy, while the rest of the surface is matte in appearance, and so the flaw shows up easily.

 

Most people don't notice, or don't care. But it drives me crazy!

Edited January 28, 2007 by crake

[+Anthus]

 

Another thing on soft vs. hard enamel. Soft enamel is applied by pouring liquid enamel into recessed regions using a tiny needle. When it cures the enamel hardens and results in a sag. Imitation hard enamel is applied as a powder, and when cured it is actually above the surface of the coin. The coin is then polished and the surface made smooth. A common problem is for an insufficient amount of material to be used, resulting in a void when the coin is polished. Thus instead of a flat surface you get a mostly flat surface with a little sag. The sag is glossy, while the rest of the surface is matte in appearance, and so the flaw shows up easily.

 

Most people don't notice, or don't care. But it drives me crazy!

 

Thanks so much for the explaination. I always thought soft enamel was more expensive -- probably associated the cost with the word "immitation" usually being cheaper. Well worth looking into now. You mentioned that you try to do designes that are more suitable for the soft enamel. What make a coin better suitable for one over the other. Does it have to do with the raised and recessed metal? Tiny detailing?

 

Thanks so much for all the great info......Anthus

[+crake]

Thanks so much for the explaination. I always thought soft enamel was more expensive -- probably associated the cost with the word "immitation" usually being cheaper. Well worth looking into now. You mentioned that you try to do designes that are more suitable for the soft enamel. What make a coin better suitable for one over the other. Does it have to do with the raised and recessed metal? Tiny detailing?

 

Real hard enamel is limited in colors and availability. Thus imitation hard enamel was developed. Now almost all "hard enamel" designs are imitation hard enamel.

 

The best thing to do is to ignore the names - soft is not "soft", imitation is not "cheap". Instead, consider the end result, sags and texture vs. smooth.

 

When I design, I like to make multi-layered 2D designs. Hard enamel doesn't work well with multi-layer designs because the enamel has to be polished down. Same for designs that use 3D dies. When I design a coin that has an entire side which is colored (like Rhode Island 2006) then hard enamel is a good option, but I had a lot of quality issues due to the problems I described before.

 

Another option for a smooth feel is soft enamel with epoxy.

[+stepshep]

Selected area epoxy doesn't work too well, so if you get epoxy, it should go across the entire surface of the coin. I've been instructed by the mint that glow-in-the-dark is hard enamel and needs an expoxy coating. I'm not sure if this is because of the powder that is used for the color, or for another reason.

 

I have the Caching Through the Pumpkin Patch geocoin with glow in the dark and it doesn't seem to have an epoxy coating. So is epoxy always necessary with glow in the dark enamel? Or does that coin have epoxy?

[+Goudacat]

Selected area epoxy doesn't work too well, so if you get epoxy, it should go across the entire surface of the coin. I've been instructed by the mint that glow-in-the-dark is hard enamel and needs an expoxy coating. I'm not sure if this is because of the powder that is used for the color, or for another reason.

 

I have the Caching Through the Pumpkin Patch geocoin with glow in the dark and it doesn't seem to have an epoxy coating. So is epoxy always necessary with glow in the dark enamel? Or does that coin have epoxy?

 

GoJaybee stated (up above) that it is not necessary to have epoxy with glow in the dark. I have two sets of coins with glow in the dark and as far as I can tell, neither of them have epoxy either. That is why I was confused about whether it was required because Oakcoins told me that they always put an epoxy coating over their glow in the dark.

 

I guess that means that if I go with Oakcoins and don't wany epoxy, I can't have glow in the dark.

[+Mauison]

Selected area epoxy doesn't work too well, so if you get epoxy, it should go across the entire surface of the coin. I've been instructed by the mint that glow-in-the-dark is hard enamel and needs an expoxy coating. I'm not sure if this is because of the powder that is used for the color, or for another reason.

 

I have the Caching Through the Pumpkin Patch geocoin with glow in the dark and it doesn't seem to have an epoxy coating. So is epoxy always necessary with glow in the dark enamel? Or does that coin have epoxy?

 

GoJaybee stated (up above) that it is not necessary to have epoxy with glow in the dark. I have two sets of coins with glow in the dark and as far as I can tell, neither of them have epoxy either. That is why I was confused about whether it was required because Oakcoins told me that they always put an epoxy coating over their glow in the dark.

 

I guess that means that if I go with Oakcoins and don't wany epoxy, I can't have glow in the dark.

 

I don't have epoxy on my glow-in-the-dark personal geocoin so epoxy is not required for glow-in-the-dark enamel. It might be a recommendation, but not a requirement.

[+Landsharkz]

We try to never use epoxy because we like to 'feel' our coins art .

We've also used glow in the dark paint a few times and never put epoxy over it. Some were large areas like the Bitten By Whitebear and others small sections like the pieces of coral in the Dorkfish fishtank.

We epoxied once out of necessity over the glitter ring on the 1701eh coin.

[+CoinsAndPins]

Selected area epoxy doesn't work too well, so if you get epoxy, it should go across the entire surface of the coin. I've been instructed by the mint that glow-in-the-dark is hard enamel and needs an expoxy coating. I'm not sure if this is because of the powder that is used for the color, or for another reason.

 

I have the Caching Through the Pumpkin Patch geocoin with glow in the dark and it doesn't seem to have an epoxy coating. So is epoxy always necessary with glow in the dark enamel? Or does that coin have epoxy?

 

GoJaybee stated (up above) that it is not necessary to have epoxy with glow in the dark. I have two sets of coins with glow in the dark and as far as I can tell, neither of them have epoxy either. That is why I was confused about whether it was required because Oakcoins told me that they always put an epoxy coating over their glow in the dark.

 

I guess that means that if I go with Oakcoins and don't wany epoxy, I can't have glow in the dark.

 

Hello,

 

Oakcoins is trying to help you with quality, and I agree with thier recommendation. You can do soft enamel glowing without epoxy, but it should have it.

 

Thank you.

 

Edit to add "soft enamel"

Edited January 30, 2007 by CoinsAndPins

[+Goudacat]

I don't really care for epoxy. I have a Hawaii Nat. Park coin and the coating is so thick and heavy looking, I think it detracts from the coin's overall appeal. One of my favorite coins is the geocat coin. (No surprise there, right. ) It has soft enamel with glow in the dark and no epoxy and it seems just fine to me, so I think I will go with it.

[Pins Fast]

Thanks so much for the explaination. I always thought soft enamel was more expensive -- probably associated the cost with the word "immitation" usually being cheaper. Well worth looking into now. You mentioned that you try to do designes that are more suitable for the soft enamel. What make a coin better suitable for one over the other. Does it have to do with the raised and recessed metal? Tiny detailing?

 

Real hard enamel is limited in colors and availability. Thus imitation hard enamel was developed. Now almost all "hard enamel" designs are imitation hard enamel.

 

The best thing to do is to ignore the names - soft is not "soft", imitation is not "cheap". Instead, consider the end result, sags and texture vs. smooth.

 

When I design, I like to make multi-layered 2D designs. Hard enamel doesn't work well with multi-layer designs because the enamel has to be polished down. Same for designs that use 3D dies. When I design a coin that has an entire side which is colored (like Rhode Island 2006) then hard enamel is a good option, but I had a lot of quality issues due to the problems I described before.

 

Another option for a smooth feel is soft enamel with epoxy.

 

Right! I wish someone named these things differently. Soft enamel is the most popular type of lapel pin. I am always trying to explain to my customers that it is not "soft". And yes, the pins are metal. Why did they name it that? It has to do with the evolution of the manufacturing process. I also hate the name "imitation cloisonne" or hard enamel. There is nothing imitation about it. it is an improvement over ancient cloisonne and uses Pantone colors, unlike its predecessor. Much more vivid and beautiful. They should call it "advanced" cloisonne or just epola. Then they should re-name soft enamel to become hard enamel. That would fix the problem!

 

The great thing about "ahem" imitation cloisonne is that they dont have to use the pebbles anymore. They use a syringe to fill in the recessed areas the same way soft enamel is made. I think they made that change a few years back. Anyways, for smooth surface pins, hard enamel (imitation cloisonne) is the way to go since the methods have improved. It would be pointless to get soft enamel and then cover it with epoxy when you could just get hard enamel. Soft enamel is still very important for pins that desire a bevelled surface.

[+AtlantaGal]

Soft enamel with flat epoxy gives the look of imitation hard enamel, but is less costly.

[+GoldBugGirl]

When my personal coin design was submitted, the mint insisted on soft enamel for more than 6 or 7 colors (my design needed a minimum of 11 colors). I usually dislike soft enamel because of all the annoying reflections where it slumps inside the compartments. Mike suggested the clear epoxy coating, & I was very happy with the result. The coating does a great job of minimizing the reflections, & it's flat across most of the top. There's a slight doming (with its intrinsic reflection) around the edge. The soft enamel colors are bright, & the metal lines are fine & crisp; I think not having to grind down the top (which is necessary with IHE) helped ensure this. I didn't use any translucents in the soft enamel colors; to me, they don't have as nice an effect as in IHE. If you decide on soft enamel, I'd recommend that you get both coated & uncoated samples, to see which you prefer.