Al-Star - Custom Anodizing

[craigs63]

Has anyone had their Al-Star sent to a shop or anodized their pen themselves to get some new color?

I imagine the clip and plastic parts would have to be removed first, and the factory finish sanded off.

Just a crazy idea that went through my head.

Edited March 30, 2019 by craigs63

[Astronymus]

I know someone gave some pens a paint job and shows the results on Youtube. I think the hardest part would be to find someone providing color variation for anodization outside the standard colors of the industry. Most shops have a limited palette.

Aside from that I have no idea if the AL-Star can be dismantled without damaging the sheet metal.

[1nkulus]

Here is a Safari paint job. I am assuming the AL-star is similar to disassemble.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/344745-jf-lamy-safari-le19-audi-nardo-grey/?hl=audi

[Astronymus]

It's not about disassembling, more about stripping off the metal parts.

[1nkulus]

It's not about disassembling, more about stripping off the metal parts.

 

This would help.

 

https://www.hunker.com/13412962/how-to-paint-over-anodized-aluminum

[Astronymus]

craigs63 doesn't want to paint it. He wants to anodize it with a new color. The old coating is to be removed chemically. Nasty process doing it at home.

[craigs63]

craigs63 doesn't want to paint it. He wants to anodize it with a new color. The old coating is to be removed chemically. Nasty process doing it at home.

 

I was imagining removing the existing coating with sandpaper or something. Just throwing the idea out, since we wait for the color of the year, and isn't always what everyone wants. I wonder if fountain pen ink can be used as the coloring agent for anodization? I happen to have a lot of that around.

[Inkysloth]

The anodized surface isnt laid on top of the pen body (like a paint), the pen body is what becomes anodized - the aluminium oxidises to a specified depth & pores in the oxide layer absorb a dyestuff and its then sealed. So you cant strip the anodization without thinning the pen materal itself.

 

This video illustrates the process:

Edited March 30, 2019 by Inkysloth

[Honeybadgers]

anodization can be sanded off pretty easily.

 

But having it done a custom color is going to cost a minimum hundred bucks.

[Intensity]

Sanding such a delicately finished surface will definitely leave visible marks. Anodized surface is simply oxidized top layer of aluminum, so it will take on the texture that there was prior to the anodizing. A dip into a strong acidic solution will chemically remove the anodizing figuratively-speaking instantly. Worth googling local anodizing/metal finishing shops in your area--most should have a vat for chemical stripping. Steel can't be in contact with the anodizing bath (it will corrode), nor any plastic parts, so the clip and anything else that's not aluminum needs to be carefully removed from the cap and pen barrel. For a relatively inexpensive pen that already comes in lots of colors, this seems like an excessively elaborate process that would end up costing more than the initial cost of the pen.

 

If you want an alternative solution, check out custom Cerakote application. It's usually a finish of choice for custom-decorated weapons, and some fancier Cerakote mixes are called "Gun Candy" and such.

 

Painting a pen should be the last resort, unless done professionally with 2-stage epoxy automotive paints or similar. Anything less will wear off easily with simple handling and hand sweat.