That’s a common and traditional process used for making lapel pins. After polishing and plating processes, adding the selected enamel Pantone colors to the appropriate areas of the pin, the pin is then baked in a hot oven to form a firm surface. An epoxy coating can be added if desired to prevent color fading for soft enamel pin.
1. What is a soft enamel pin?
Soft enamel pins are one of the most popular types of pins, with a raised and textured look and feel that many people love. Enamel pins must be baked in the oven to cure and harden the enamel. Unlike hard enamel pins, the soft enamel metal plating process is done before filling the enamel.
Soft enamel pins are the most popular type of custom lapel pins. The pins are die-cast and the enamel is hand-painted. The color is positioned lower than the raised metal lines, giving the pin a textured look and feel. These pins are a little heavier than the photo screen pins. By default, soft enamel pins have no epoxy coating, so you can feel the texture of the design.
Soft enamel pins have recessed areas of color. The enamel filling is just enough to paint the hollows. The result is a pin with metallic edges and lines. This is a popular type of pin because of its texture and classic look.
If you want rainbow metal plating or custom metallic colors, then soft enamel is your only option. We can add a clear epoxy-coated soft enamel pin for a flat and shiny finish, or you can keep the raised metal look.
2. How to make soft enamel pins?
Soft enamel pins are made in a special way, and the process is fun because it creates bright colors that add dimension to the finished pin. Soft enamel pins are die-struck, which means they are stamped. This allows the recessed and raised parts of the design to remain. Recessed areas are filled with air-dried tan enamel paint. This will cause the paint to settle. Because there are thin metal wires around each painted area, the enamel is attached to the pins. You can actually feel the raised lines if your finger moves over the pin. But their pins are not “stock” pins.
Soft enamel pins are usually made with concave enamel. To make a soft enamel pin, apply enamel paint to the recessed part of the pin and let it dry. Soft enamel pins have a matte finish because enamel stays at a lower tempt than rigid metal borders.
3. The advantages and disadvantages of soft enamel pins
The following are the pros and cons of soft enamel pins.
1) The main advantages of soft enamel pins
- They are cheap.
- They have a three-dimensional and textured appearance.
- They are lighter and thinner than hard enamel pins.
- They allow various plating options such as dyes, surface treatments, metals, etc.
- They capture every tiny detail.
- Their creative speed is very fast.
2) The main disadvantages of soft enamel pins
- The ridges of the soft enamel pins can get stuck, tearing clothing.
- They don’t have a protective coating, so they can be easily broken or otherwise damaged.
- Soft enamel pins don’t have the luxurious appearance of hard enamel pins.
- They are more likely to have imperfect designs in the manufacturing process.
4. Soft enamel pins VS. hard enamel pins
Hard enamel pins vary in durability, cost, appearance, and elegance. We will discuss them in detail below.
Durability
In terms of durability, hard enamel pins are more durable than soft enamel pins. The reason for their robustness is that hard enamel pins have a protective film, while soft enamel pins do not.
cost
As mentioned earlier, hard enamel pins are more expensive than soft enamel pins. Unlike hard enamel pins, soft enamel pins don’t take long to produce, and the process and polishing make them expensive.
texture
When discussing texture, soft enamel pins are preferred as they are more textured than hard ones. Soft enamel pins have grooves, a rigid surface, and raised edges to give them more texture.
grace
Both are elegant. Some people prefer a smooth finish, while others prefer a textured finish.
1) Soft enamel pins vs hard enamel pins – when to choose?
The biggest difference between hard and soft enamel is the texture of the finished product. Hard enamel pins are flat and smooth, soft enamel pins have raised metal edges. Both methods use the same metal mold and both will have bright and vibrant colors. But they also have some special options, which are designed for soft enamels.
#1. When to choose soft enamel?
Soft enamel is one of the most popular types of pins, with a raised and textured look and feel that many people prefer.
Soft enamel pins must be baked in the oven to cure and harden the enamel. Unlike hard enamel pins, the soft enamel metal plating process is done before the enamel is filled. This means they are metallic finishes that can only be used on soft enamel. If you want your pins to be rainbow plated, painted black, or painted in any other custom color, tan, you’ll need to use soft enamel.
One of the most important things when creating a custom enamel pin is the choice of electroplating. A good plating choice can change the overall look of a pin, elevating it from a plain enamel pin to something more premium, modern, and edgy. This is especially important for soft enamel pins if you want to take advantage of a variety of colors.
What’s more, soft enamel pins give you a terrific degree of design freedom and endless possibilities to customize the pins as you see fit. Whether you want glitter and luminous enamel, epoxy coating, rhinestone, sandblasting, or engraving and embossing, soft enamel pins give you a lot of choice and flexibility.
While soft enamel pins may not meet the elegant standards of modern hard enamel pins, they are still attractive due to the different textures and heights between the colored sections and the metallic ridges between them. In conclusion, soft enamel pins are one of the most popular enamel pins. That’s because they’re attractive, detailed, and affordable.
Their name may suggest that they are “soft”, but they are not. You don’t have to worry about soft enamel pins losing their shape or texture. Therefore, if you want an enamel pin with bright colors, thin lines, and a neat design, you should choose a soft enamel pin. You can also opt for soft enamel pins if you want one that really stands out and looks professional.
#2. When to choose hard enamel?
Hard enamel pins are more durable and scratch-resistant than soft enamel pins. Many people choose hard enamel over soft enamel because it looks clean and finished. Many designs are available with both hard and soft enamels, so it’s mostly a matter of personal preference. The hard enamel pins are first filled with the color, and the surface of the pins is ground and smooth. Grinding and polishing make them incompatible with some metallic finishes. If you want standard gold or silver metal plating, tan hard enamel might be a good choice for your design.
A very important difference between hard and soft is that some metal finishes are only available with soft enamel. With soft enamel, your metal can be painted in any custom color you like. The most popular color is black. If you want black metal with hard enamel, your only option is black nickel. Black Nickel is actually a very dark gray color with a slight sheen. If your metal is real and deep black is important to your design, tan soft enamel is your best bet. Rainbow plating, also known as anodizing, is only available on soft enamels.
5. Soft enamel pin FAQs
There are some common questions.
1) Are soft enamel pins cheaper than hard enamel pins?
Yes, soft enamel pins are relatively cheaper than hard enamel pins. The easiest way to tell a hard enamel pin from a soft enamel pin is by appearance. Hard enamel pins have a two-dimensional smooth look. In contrast, soft enamel pins have a three-dimensional rigid surface that feels designed when you touch it.
Both hard and soft enamel pins are ideal fashion statements, but for someone who doesn’t know the difference between the two, choosing between the two can be a challenge. Flat or smooth hard enamel pins are expensive, while hard, ridged, and soft are affordable.
2) Why choose soft enamel pins?
High-quality work is done by pressing the pin design into the metal through a die, choosing metal plating, and then filling in the recessed areas with colored paint that matches the artwork. The dimpled and textured finish is of very good quality and the colors are very nice.
Baseball trading pin lovers choose soft enamel pins for the look and feel. These pins are made in a way that gives them more texture than other pins. They tend to be a bit heavier and have a thicker design, which adds to their overall weight. They feel sturdy when you hold them in your hand.
Custom soft enamel pins also come with a high level of detail. The enamel lacquer comes in a wide variety of colors, making it possible to design pins with a wide range of details. Soft enamel pins are also the best choice for reinforcement due to their solid construction. Cut, hanger, and glitter applications are more effective than soft enamel pins because of their construction.
3) What is the best design for a soft enamel pin?
Because soft enamel pins are die-cast and feature a raised metal border to separate all enamel color fills, they are the best type of pin for designs with defined and clearly separated colors. The best of both worlds is the slightly more expensive cloisonne lapel pin. It features clean color delineation soft enamel pins but gives you the option to add fine details to custom pin
Plating options for your custom enamel pins are extremely important. It can change the look of the entire pins, taking it from classic American style to modern and edgy. Most custom corporate pins feature our traditional metals plated with gold, silver, or copper. For pin designs with light colors or a lot of text, we recommend these metal-plated antique versions for enhanced legibility. Modern designs often use our colored metallic finishes. A favorite is our black metal finish, which makes for an eye-catching lapel pin with very bold lines. This lapel pin finish is very reminiscent of striking comic book pen and ink artwork.
6. Conclusion
This is a popular science article about soft enamel pins. If you are interested in soft enamel pins, please contact SICpin for more information.