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Thread: Edge Coating Pens

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    OptiBoardaholic OptiBoard Bronze Supporter
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    Edge Coating Pens

    Does anyone know if the special pens for coloring edges of lenses are just rebranded paint pens? They seem very overpriced.
    Does anyone have any tricks for hiding the clear edge on polarized lenses in more difficult RX's (high plus).

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Camblor View Post
    Does anyone have any tricks for hiding the clear edge on polarized lenses in more difficult RX's (high plus).
    order a thicker edge? I believe the film is about 1.2mm below the front surface so you can't really knife edge a polarized lens.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter lensmanmd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Camblor View Post
    Does anyone know if the special pens for coloring edges of lenses are just rebranded paint pens? They seem very overpriced.
    Does anyone have any tricks for hiding the clear edge on polarized lenses in more difficult RX's (high plus).
    We edge all polar @1.0 bevel, eliminating the need for edge coat.

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    Quote Originally Posted by lensmanmd View Post
    We edge all polar @1.0 bevel, eliminating the need for edge coat.
    That’s what I normally do, but recently did a +6.00 in a patients zyl frame and couldn’t completely conceal the edge without having too much lens sticking out the back of the frame.

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    Master OptiBoarder optical24/7's Avatar
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    Use a black or brown Marks A Lot.

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    Master OptiBoarder rbaker's Avatar
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    Back in the sixties there was a company named Ancyclo that specialized in very high minus eyewear. Of course they used Zeiss 1.8 lead glass and painted the lens edges with ceramic paint matching the zyle frame color/texture before they heat treated the lens. The resulting edge coating was indestructible - never saw one chip off. We did a -12 with 9D Base Out and the lens edges looked just fine although the poor guys eyes looked like two pi$$ holes in the snow from the front.

    When everyone drank the plastic lens Kool-Aid we used off the shelf marking pens from a craft store.

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    Last edited by Speed; 10-20-2018 at 04:38 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Speed View Post
    Another big E company.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter lensmanmd's Avatar
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    Might I recommend Testor’s model paint. They are designed for models made from polycarbonate and acrylics. Plus, they are available in a multitude of colors and sheens.

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    Bar none hands down the best edge color pens I've found are made by an Italian company Aurochim. However there is no US distributor and unless you buy a boat load of them they won't ship them to the US. Something to do with the solvents in the markers having a large shipping expense. But, McCray Optical in Canada carries some of them now, and does ship to the US. They are spendy but they work far better and last much longer than any others I've tried.

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    I have an art background and to me no pen is worth over $30 a pop but I bit the bullet and bought 2 just to have in the rare case that I need it. The SDS is really similar to regular paint pens...I think I will have to do some tests on some scrap lenses and see if there is any compatibility issues.

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    Redhot Jumper he SDS is really similar to regular paint pens................................

    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Camblor View Post

    The SDS is really similar to regular paint pens...I think I will have to do some tests on some scrap lenses and see if there is any compatibility issues.

    Having been in the optical-chemical business I can give you a hint what this is all about.

    The only way you can tint edges properly and permanently is using a media that will penetrate the plastic material of the lens.

    That is the solvent used to dissolve the lens material, mixed with matching dye pigments. CR 39 is not affected by solvents, however polycarbonate is.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    Having been in the optical-chemical business I can give you a hint what this is all about.

    The only way you can tint edges properly and permanently is using a media that will penetrate the plastic material of the lens.

    That is the solvent used to dissolve the lens material, mixed with matching dye pigments. CR 39 is not affected by solvents, however polycarbonate is.
    Thanks Chris, that was exactly the kind of answer I was looking for.

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    the internet made it hard to find these damn pens.

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    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    And I miss Chris.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter lensmanmd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drk View Post
    And I miss Chris.
    As do I. Sparring with him was fun. Learning from
    him was fun.
    I bend light. That is what I do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by iD View Post
    the internet made it hard to find these damn pens.
    Hilco still sells the “Lenz Penz” I bought but they aren’t very good. The ink doesn’t go on smoothly and it ends up looking blotchy and full of streaks.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter lensmanmd's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Camblor View Post
    Hilco still sells the “Lenz Penz” I bought but they aren’t very good. The ink doesn’t go on smoothly and it ends up looking blotchy and full of streaks.
    Go to a hobby store and purchase Testors. Cheaper and easier to use than paint pens.

    Then again, edge coating was a fad, primarily designed to “fix” poorly edged polarized lenses.
    I bend light. That is what I do.

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    Eyes eastward... Uilleann's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lensmanmd View Post
    Go to a hobby store and purchase Testors. Cheaper and easier to use than paint pens.

    Then again, edge coating was a fad, primarily designed to “fix” poorly edged polarized lenses.
    Sadly, I believe Testors/Model Master are now out of business. [showing airplane model building nerdness BOSS level here]. But there might be other manufacturers of paint pens. Just check if they're enamel as Testors was, or acrylic which seems to be the "new" trend in all those sort of paints.

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    Quote Originally Posted by iD View Post
    the internet made it hard to find these damn pens.

    This is the same as what I posted above, but the best are from McCray. https://www.mccrayoptical.com/index....eco_pens-black

    Alternatively you could get some from Stormin Norman. I don't think they go on as nicely, and they don't hold up over time. https://www.storminnormans.com/Storm...ductinfo/3519/

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