Sorry,
that's a trade secret. I WILL tell you though, that I was initially
dismayed by how LONG this process takes and still keep the quality...
trust me, you DON'T want to know! There's a REASON why these things are
so "Limited" - it would drive me crazy to commit to utterly unlimited
manufacture of the Pins without compromising the high quality that I've
managed to achieve.
Still want to know? Two words for you: "Dremmel Tool". That is part of the process. Nuff said..
It's
been nearly a decade since this pin project started. I have moved
a few times, ran into a few hard times... and had to sell my pin-making
equipment. So all that is left is just inventory. I have just a few of
each kind of pin left, and as they are sold out, I will let you know on
this web page.
Now
class, we will explore THE most ultimately booooooring aspect of pin
manufacturing, the FASTENER! Pay attention, there will be a pop quiz
later. The fastener which is used on the original <*> Pin is
called a "pinback." (No relation to the name of any character in the
classic cult flick, "Dark Star")
The
pinback is the type of fastener which works almost like a safety pin. I
began my debut as a pin-maker by using a cheap, plastic, black pinback
fastener that stuck on the back with peel-off adhesive. It turns out
that first version quits being very sticky after about a year, which
really pissed me off.
So
then I discovered a new, more efficient type of pinback fastener to use
for the Original pins. They glue on with clear, strong epoxy instead of
tacky (in BOTH senses of the word!) adhesive. The new pinback holds the
pin slightly closer to your shirt or jacket than the old version. Other
than that's it's still another boring ol' pinback.
There
is another fastener featuring one or two post(s) which pierce your
clothing, and little round clips which hang onto the posts from the
inside of the cloth. THAT is called a "military clutch". Those little
clips that come with them are called "clutchbacks". Military clutch
fasteners drive me completely nuts. It seems to be just too easy to
lose those little round clutchbacks! That is why I have decided to
include a spare, bonus clutchback with every <*> lapel pin sold.
This a service which you would rarely find anywhere else, since I CARE
about the handiwork I give to others.
I
have to wonder some of the wierd jargon that the jewelry industry uses
for some of these things... such as: did you know that the curlique
little fastener that goes on the back of a post earring is called a
friction nut? (No, I did not make that up!) GO FIGURE! :-)
Do
you have any more questions about the creation of these pins? Just hit
the "contact" button on this page and ask. You may see your question
and my answer turn up on this page afterwards.
