# What is the best plating/finishes



## bruce119 (Oct 6, 2007)

What is the best plating/finishes

Which finishes hold up the longest and don't wear off. Say for a slimline pens. I know gold plating wears quickly. I will not do gold plating any more.


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## wdcav1952 (Oct 6, 2007)

Gold Titanium


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## mrcook4570 (Oct 7, 2007)

> _Originally posted by wdcav1952_
> <br />Gold Titanium



and also platinum, rhodium, black titanium, and chrome.


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## wdcav1952 (Oct 7, 2007)

Stan, of course you are right.  I was assuming Bruce was more into gold colored plating when I posted.  Also, I was a bit distracted by the LSU/Florida game at the time. []


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## bruce119 (Oct 8, 2007)

Actually I had a few customers. Who asked about the gold and how it wears quickly. I don't offer gold any more just for that reason. What other finishes should you stay away from copper, pearls ?? If someone wants gold I will order gold titanium. 

The big question is why gold wears so quickly it's a plating I kinda understand that. Then customers ask isn't rhodium, platinum, black titanium, chrome just a plating also. Why would they last longer. 

I read they do but I don't have an answer for them. What is the answer. I want to sound like I know what I am talking about.

I am pretty much interested in slimline. I don't just bang out slimlines but I modify them into a lot of variations and have quite a selection of different looking pens that are all slimline. I rarely use the centerband any more and just use the nib and clip.

Thanks for help.


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## dbriski (Oct 8, 2007)

Gold wears a lot quicker than those others mentioned because gold is a very soft metal so your are basicly rubbing off the gold. Titanium is a very very hard metal so it takes a lot more work to rub it off, Same with rhodium/platinum and chrome (although I don't think they are as hard as Titanium but not sure).


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## kent4Him (Oct 8, 2007)

I assume when you say pearls, you are referring to the satins.  I have found the satin nickle to hold up very well.  I do not have any experience with the other satins.  I started a thread on the satin nickle and I don't believe anyone stated that they had a problem with it.  It is one of the less expensive platings, so it might be a good lower priced option for you.


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## arioux (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi,

I have a satin nickel in eavy use for close to 2 years now and still holding.  The other satin plating (and i tried them all in the field) are like 24k gold, they don't hold.

Anything that's name platinum or rhodium are the best.

Regular chrome is impressive too.

I know many turner don't like their kits but PSI slimline plating (in my experience) seems to be of better quality. 

There are plating i'm wondering about if anyone has experience with.  Black chrome and gun metal.

Alfred


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## Rifleman1776 (Oct 9, 2007)

> _Originally posted by dbriski_
> <br />Gold wears a lot quicker than those others mentioned because gold is a very soft metal so your are basicly rubbing off the gold. Titanium is a very very hard metal so it takes a lot more work to rub it off, Same with rhodium/platinum and chrome (although I don't think they are as hard as Titanium but not sure).



Rhodium is extremly hard. I don't know if it is as hard as titanium, but, for practical purposes, it doesn't matter. I have been wearing a rhodium plated silver necklace for more than 30 years (constantly, it hasn't been off more than a few hours in that time) and the rhodium is still there and shiny.


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## bruce119 (Oct 9, 2007)

So is Rhodium & Titanium a type of finish or more like how a finish is applied. I only saw rhodium in sliver so I thought it was a color. Have seen titanium in different colors.

Is there some ware were I can get more educated on the finishes. I just want to have the answers when a customer asks why would one finish wear better than another. Instead of daw I don no. I could always make something up that really sounds good, like I know what I'm talking about. But I want to try and be real.

Keep it coming I'm learning. I am getting what last longer and what to avoid. BUT the BIG question is WHY. What is the difference.

Thanks All


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## dbriski (Oct 9, 2007)

Rhodium and Titanium are types of metal that they put on as the outer coat, and they can be thought of as the color also.  The Gold Titanium and Black titanium are both titanium, gold is mixed with another substance to give it a different color (the Gold is Titanium Nitride I believe, and the blackish silver I think is the natural color.


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## BigguyZ (Oct 10, 2007)

Why use Platinum over Chrome?  According to the AZ site, the platings should have similar wear characteristics...


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## bruce119 (Oct 10, 2007)

> _Originally posted by BigguyZ_
> <br />Why use Platinum over Chrome?  According to the AZ site, the platings should have similar wear characteristics...



Were on AZ did you find that info. I just spent a little bit looking and didn't find anything.

I'm trying to find out what the differances are. Why one type finish is better than anouther.


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## BigguyZ (Oct 10, 2007)

From their 1st page of the pen kit images-
Chrome:  This is an extremely durable plating.  Under normal use this plating should hold up for many years.

Platinum:  This is also a very durable hard plating.  Berea Hardwoods uses real platinum rather than rhodium and it should be expected to hold up under normal careful use for many years.


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## dbriski (Oct 10, 2007)

BigguyZ the only reason to use Platinum over Chrome would be the draw for the customer.  Platinum sounds more valuable and desirable than Chrome.  If the pen is for myself or for a gift and the option is available, I go with Chrome.  Otherwise I make what the customer requests (my sales are all custom orders so far).


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## Hosspen (Oct 10, 2007)

I have wondered for a long time, does the woodcraft's standard gold (w/cobalt) really wear longer (hold up better than say the woodturningz gold kits?  I hope so but don't know if I'm getting my money's worth on the slimlines from woodcraft or not? Anyone know?


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## bitshird (Oct 14, 2007)

TIN (Titanium Nitride) The first coating to be used successfully to machine steel in industry and still the most recognized, distinguished by it's attractive bright gold colour,
The "gunmetal" is actually TiAIN which actually is Titanium Nitride and Aluminum, I realize it sounds stupid, but by adding Aluminum to certain metel compositions, it actually makes them harder and more durable as well as disapating heat quicker, The Gold with Cobalt is probably also a Positive Vapor Deposition and not actually an electroplating.
I imagine that most any of the "platings" that are TIN or TiAIN coatings are vapor depositions, and not electroplated like the 24kt Gold , Rhodium or Platinum
Rhodium and Paladium are two of the hardest of a class of metals known as Noble Metals same class as gold silver platinum, and rhodium.
Electro plating or batch plating usually only deposits a coating of less than  .0000002 I think I got the 0s right, its about200/millionths of an inch in thickness for average good quality gold plating, flash platings are a lot thinner.[8][]
I'm going to make some sawdust now that I've confused old Hosspen[]
Ken


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## bruce119 (Oct 14, 2007)

Ken that is some really great info. 

Not that I understand it all but it sounds really good. And you explained it so a person could understand it.

This is exactly what I was looking for. 

Any body else got any technical stuff to add on the finishing process.

All the parts start out as brass don't they and then they are coated/plated with some thing or another. Is this correct ??

We're all learning a lot here keep it going!!![]


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## DRP460 (Oct 14, 2007)

1 millionth is 0.000001 (6 decimal places) so 200 millionths would be 0.000200 or 2 tenths of a thou.


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## gerryr (Oct 14, 2007)

> _Originally posted by bitshird_
> <br /> Positive Vapor Deposition and not actually an electroplating.



PVD actually stands for Physical Vapor Deposition.


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## Rifleman1776 (Oct 14, 2007)

bitshird said, in part, "...Electro plating or batch plating usually only deposits a coating of less than .0000002 I think I got the 0s right, its about200/millionths of an inch in thickness for average good quality gold plating...."
Very interesting. Now, what percentage of a gold/Tn plating is the gold? And, on a pen kit, what might be the weight, in fraction of a troy ounce, the actuual amount of gold used?


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## loglugger (Oct 14, 2007)

For a $ 1.70 a kit very little gold is used.[]
Bob


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## Rifleman1776 (Oct 14, 2007)

> _Originally posted by loglugger_
> <br />For a $ 1.70 a kit very little gold is used.[]
> Bob



I was thinking more along the lines of a $20 to $50 kit. Ye think, mebbe about 1/20 cent worth of gold?


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## loglugger (Oct 15, 2007)

That sounds about right.
Bob


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## wolftat (Oct 15, 2007)

Hosspen,
 The kits that you are buying at Woodcrafts are the Berea upgraded gold kits that have been rebadged for them. At least that is what I was told by the owner of a Woodcraft store. Wether it will outlast Woodturningz (PSI) kits is all depending on the kit that you buy from them. So far, I have had no problems or complaints with either brand and I see most of my customers on a regular basis.


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