Your friendly pin designers at PinCrafters have recently noticed an uptick in questions from customers about the difference between hard enamel pins and soft enamel pins, so we thought that an article on the subject was long overdue. And given just how frequently we field these soft enamel vs. hard enamel questions, we felt this resource was deserving of its own page on the website – not just a blog post.
Hard vs Soft Enamel Pins
The long and the short of it – or in this case, the soft and the hard of it – is this:
- Soft Enamel Pins – During the soft enamel pin creation process, enamel must be laid in the recessed sections and then it’s sent through ovens to bake the enamel hard. In order to ensure that the enamel clings to the recessed areas and edges, it’s not added until this process is underway to ensure the surface is dry. This pin gives an elegant textured feel to the pin.
- Hard Enamel Pins – When manufacturing hard enamel pins, enamel is added to the mold before the plating process. The enamel is then polished numerous times until it is flat and level with the metal die lines. In order to achieve a smooth, jewelry-like finish, we use an updated version of the traditional process known as “Cloisonné”.
Examples of Soft Enamel vs. Hard Enamel Pins
For details, please read our full article: Soft Enamel vs Hard Enamel Pins – What’s the Difference?
Enamel Pin Quotes
Need help deciding on whether to go with a hard enamel, soft enamel or any other type of pin? No problem! Start your free quote or contact us directly now and one of our custom lapel pin makers will be happy to walk you through the process!
