A question for the engineer's

[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

So we have polished Stainless & polished titanium, visually similar to chrome. Does anybody know of a solid steel with a gold colouring?

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[Grump]

Brass / copper aloy

 

[bellringer]

The closest thing I know of would be brass but it very expensive a lot of the time the other metal would be ally bronze. The only reason the plateing on foreign made kits is not hard wearing is they only put a very thin layer on I would go with steel and have it electro plated with a low cart gold as it hard wearing

 

[Neil Lawton]

I know bu##er all about it, but your question did get me to do a quick search.
This looked quite interesting.
http://www.johndesmond.com/products-and-services/coloured-steel-pvd-coating/
You'd obviously have to make the bits first and allow for the thickness of the finish.

 

[Grump]

Alex has a good point there, cost surely is part of your equation.
Brass can be made to look very much like gold, dependent on the amount of copper / zinc or another metals added to the alloy.
Copper can be confused with rose gold, when polished bright.
All this 24 carat gold plated is a load of bollocks 24c is pure gold and never seen these days if ever was.
My Drain has a 22c ring which is so soft I can squeeze it out of round in my fingers, go to a jewelers and see if you can buy anything above 18c if you do it will either be a lie or old gold, very old, nearly as old as Woody init?
Back to Alex's point, a low carat gold will be a harder mixture of metals and in theory longer lasting therby a thicker coating could be allowable in the plating process price.

 

[Grump]

Looking at Neils link give food for thought on anodizing, a high gloss gold would be a very attractive and cost effective finish.

 

[bellringer]

Looking at Neils link give food for thought on anodizing, a high gloss gold would be a very attractive and cost effective finish.

I disagree gold anodising can be a very hit and miss thing some time it can come out perfect then the next lot will be a complete different colour you also have to anodise it all at one time


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[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

Anodising Titanium was something i thought about but i wouldn't know where to start or who to ask to do it. I would like to be able to offer a full range of british made kits but currently i am restricted to I polished Stainless or polished Titanium

 

[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

Thank you for this. Might be worth a call me thinks

 

[Penpal]

I know bu##er all about it, but your question did get me to do a quick search.
This looked quite interesting.
http://www.johndesmond.com/products-and-services/coloured-steel-pvd-coating/
You'd obviously have to make the bits first and allow for the thickness of the finish.

Neil well found and to the point.

Peter.

 

[chas_41_uk]

The only reason the plateing on foreign made kits is not hard wearing is they only put a very thin layer on I would go with steel and have it electro plated with a low cart gold as it hard wearing

I would agree with Alex. Electro plating with a low carat gold (10k). The lower the plating the more hard wearing it is.
I'm not sure but I believe electroplating is cheaper and can put a thicker coating on that anodising.

 

[Grump]

Nothing wrong with polished metal as a finish.

The end user can dull it or plate it to get their desired finish, turn em more into pen makers instead of kit assemblers init?


If you wanna go down the plating / anodising route there are many good plating and polishing companies around, one of the best on my doorstep init?
http://www.lpcplating.co.uk/

 

[EStreet]

Truth be known almost any metal can do that, naturally. The answer is .. heat treatment. Color case hardening will do the trick for you nicely.

specific colors can be imposed.

 

[wm460]

Black titanium is my favorite plating.

 

[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

We have Sam's parents round for tea and I am fortunate to have a metallurgist for a father in law. PVD sounds like the option I was looking for. No idea of the costs involved but..... We could now have colours of Gold, Gunmetal and polished Stainless. I'm enjoying having the in-laws around!

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[EStreet]

Here in the states PVD can get rather pricey. When we PVD tap and dies the cost is $9 USD per item. However that is so it can stand up to working which is direct wear. something that pens will never come close to matching. CVD coating may be more down to earth price wise or even thinner layers of PVD.

 

[bluntchisel]

Hi, Dan,

My big fear in all this theorising is that the higher the metallic/engineering values that go into the metals will result in a much higher cost to producing the kit. This then will cause a higher price to charge to sell the pen. We need to remember that it's only a pen, after all, and customers will only pay so much!

Bob.

 

[EStreet]

Even at 90+ GBP for one kit there would still be a market for it.

 

[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

Hi, Dan,

My big fear in all this theorising is that the higher the metallic/engineering values that go into the metals will result in a much higher cost to producing the kit. This then will cause a higher price to charge to sell the pen. We need to remember that it's only a pen, after all, and customers will only pay so much!

Bob.

I do take your point. It's a case of exploration and fact finding.

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[Grump]

Only a pen? Who is that man?
It is what you make it, mine are fine writing instruments, lovingly hand crafted especially for you.

Only pay so much? They will pay what they're told to or not get one init?
Sod the customer it's my hobby and I do what I want not what they think they want.

If Dan puts his price beyond his market he won't sell the kits, simples init?
I am sure he is well aware of this fact he don't got the luxury of it being a hobby he is making a business of it and that relies on sales dunnit?