Enamel pins have become a significant part of the fashion industry. However, enamel pin sellers badges don’t just appear. A lot of time goes into the design of a desirable enamel badge. Have you ever thought about this importance?’
Choose hard or soft enamel badges.
Enamel pins divide into two main categories; hard enamel pins and soft enamel pins. While both types of enamel pins are quality, each works best in specific applications. This is one of the long-standing questions among enamel pin enthusiasts and is debated repeatedly, with everyone seeming to have an opinion. Of course, the better choice boils down to preference in many cases, but let’s explore why one type may be perceived better than another.
Before discussing the differences, you need to understand the similarities between hard and soft enamel.
- Both are stamped pins, meaning the design is stamped into a thin piece of metal to create the design.
- Both can be made of iron, copper, or brass.
- Both have enamel added in the recessed areas of the design to create color.
- Both can be plated in gold, silver, black nickel, copper, brass, bronze or even antiqued to give them a rustic look.
- Both have thin metal ridges separating individual colors of enamel.
- Both have a nail and coupler on the back with different couplers.
- After reading this list, you might think that hard enamel and soft enamel needles work equally, but there are some subtle differences that most people don’t fully understand.
Hard enamel pin badges
Hard enamel lapel pins are most commonly made of brass or copper metal, the sole reason being that these metals are softer and easier to manufacture. However, iron is becoming an increasingly common base metal for hard enamel because it is cheaper. It is a more brittle metal and can cause more production scrap, but companies choose to use iron as their first option. The enamel on hard enamel badges is processed differently than soft enamel. It is baked or hardened by heat. The heating process hardens the enamel, making it seem more durable to some. And this is true because it would be much harder to scratch the surface of hard enamel than soft enamel. Hard enamel badges are also more highly polished, making them look like jewelry. Once the enamel pin has hardened, the final step is
Use of soft enamel pin badges!
Soft enamel pin badges are often explained as the best value. This means you get a good combination of quality at a lower price. Soft enamel badges are usually made of ferrous metal because they are cheaper. The enamel on soft enamel pins is the most noticeable difference from hard enamel pins. Unlike firing on hard enamel pins, the enamel on mild air dries, causing slight settling. This seating leaves the metal ridges raised and the enamel sunken. Soft enamel pins have a textured or 3D look and feel with two different levels. Many people like this look because it makes the pin more interesting, and on some staples, it makes the pin cartoonier. Soft enamel badges are not polished as hard enamel due to the recessed levels. Due to the lower level of polishing, it does not affect this lower level.