About a month ago we sent out a different type of newsletter, apologizing for some quality control issues we have seen.  Basically, cord end caps were coming off randomly.  Very frustrating to lose a necklace as you put it on!   We also asked for you to contact us if you had this issue, and luckily it is not widespread.   We waited to post about this in the blog till we had a final solution, and now we do.

The final solution is below, and you can read further for the detailed explanation of the problem and all the other solutions we tried.  Thank you again for your continued patience and support.

The Final Solution

Chain 2 on Dragonfly

The final solution is…….we are switching to chain.  It eliminates any issues with adhesives or crimp ends, and is just as comfortable to wear.  And it looks cool.

Problem 1

Superglue fail

Our original cords were black neoprene with a metal end cap.  We loved the look and comfort of this design.  Unfortunately the adhesive super glue was not reliable.  The end caps would randomly pull off after several wearings.  We tried cleaning the end caps to remove any grease left over from manufacturing, and that helped a little.  But it still happened.

Solution 1 – Epoxy

So we tried different adhesives.  Epoxy was the most recommended, and again it worked for a while but would then randomly pull out.  After further investigation we noticed that epoxy sticks great to the metal end cap, but not to the neoprene.  Superglue had the opposite problem.  As can be seen above the superglue sticks well to the neoprene, but not the metal.  Frustrating.

Solution 2 – End crimps

End crimp

End Crimp

Another common jewelry termination device are end crimps.  These are physically squeazed or bent around the cord.  But we do not like the look of the crimps, and they are not secure on Neoprene.  We could switch from neoprene cords to leather cords, where crimps are more common and effective.  But leather has other issues with wear over time, and does not fit our aesthetic.

Problem 2 – UV and Neoprene

Another long term issue we have seen with the neoprene is that it hardens over time.  This is due to ultraviolet exposure, and is a common issue with plastics.  We want our jewelry to last with minimal issues.

The solution – Two kinds of Chain

Chain 1 on Dragonfly

Chain 2 on Dragonfly

If you have been watching our facebook or twitter page, you will already know that we were experimenting with chain.  The first picture is the same one used previously.  The second is a chain with smaller links.

Chain 1 is nice because it is matte black and looks industrial.

Chain 2 is nice because it looks a bit more feminine but still strong.  The finish is also more durable on chain 2 and less prone to flaking off when we are working with it.  So we decided to go with chain 2.

Chain 1 on Skull

Chain 2 on Skull

If you would like your jewelry changed over to the new chain, PLEASE CONTACT US at lumenjewelry@gmail.com.  We will replace it free of charge regardless if it is broken or not.  This includes paying for shipping to and from.  Your satisfaction and continued support are very important to us.  Thank you.

Live long and solder on,

Robin