Silver Paw Durabilty and Quality Versus Other Tags

Many of you have done a lot of research trying to make the right buying decision for your dog's new id tag. It's hard to know whose website to believe when it comes to engraving durability, tag durability, tag material, customer service, and quality of product.

Addressing these one at a time, tag durability has to do with thickness of material and composition of material. Whatever you do, stay away from soft metals (aluminum, brass, copper, nickel, pewter) and plated metals. They do not last. The use of thick stainless steel or titanium, and by that I mean an 1/8" (or two quarters stuck together) with a loop that is just as thick, translates into a lifetime (yours and theirs) tag. Red Dingo,  Silver Paw Pet Tags, Dog ID's, Mega Tags, Boomerang Tags, and The Sterling Pet are the major companies offering tags using these metals. Red Dingo, Silver Paw, and Mega Tags have the greatest thicknesses.

Not all stainless steels are created equal. Silver Paw uses something called Duplex 2205 which was developed in the 1960's for the offshore oil industry. It has TWICE the hardness and non corrosive properties as 316, 304, etc. stainless steels.  It is also very close to the hardness of titanium. Silver Paw is the ONLY company using this stainless alloy. That means that our tags hold onto the engraving lines routed into them, instead of fading after your tag has been worn awhile, more than any other company's stainless tag.

Engraving is a tricky thing, especially engraving into a VERY hard metal. Most companies use stamping, rotary engraving, or laser engraving on their tags. Stamping has a more primitive look to it and is done by Boomerang tags quite a bit. It holds, but is not terribly attractive, usually done on a blank of metal coming out of China, with no adornment or design incorporated.

Engraving can also be done using a rotary machine that routes out metal in the lines of engraving. If it is done deeply, it will last for a while. Red Dingo, Silver Paw, and many other tag companies use this method. Dogs who are really active and wear other tags with their id tag, can eventually wear out their engraving, NO MATTER HOW DEEP or by WHAT METHOD it is done. Tag companies offering a "lifetime guarantee" on their product, should agree to take a tag back and re-engrave it, or replace it free of charge. Usually these tags are thin and cheaply made in China, so it's easy for them to just issue you another tag, if they are reputable.

If a Silver Paw tag engraving fades, we just regrind the tag, polish, and engrave it again, free of charge. Often people send their tags back to get phone numbers, addresses, etc. changed. No problem! There are no other tag companies offering that service because it's not economical for them.

Laser engraving is being done by Dog Id's, The Sterling Pet, and several others. It is a good engraving solution when it is deep, however, most laser machines only mark the surface lightly. The type of laser used must be a "fiber pulse" to get really deep on hard metal. Laser engraving has come a long way in a short period of time. Purchasing a DEEP laser engraving machine is VERY expensive. Most laser engravers only barely mark the surface of the metal and will not last on a dog. The engraving must be done with a fiber pulse laser which can get deeply, hardened, black lines embedded into a metal surface. Fiber laser engraving is such a new technology that the jury is still out on how it hold up around a dogs neck. My guess is as well if not better than a rotary style engraving.

Silver Paw does not incorporate this style of engraving yet, but we do offer a finer, more unique, jewelry-like tag, engraved deeply, that holds up better when compared to all others. Our materials and design can't be beat and that goes for our backing of a lifetime guarantee on engraving so you won't ever have to worry about fading down the line or wondering what you will do if your address or phone changes.

We manufacture our own tags here in Maine, USA.  Red Dingo tags are manufactured in China and thus can offer a lower price on their tags, which aren't made of stainless that is as tough as ours. The Sterling Pet and Dog Id's offer very ordinary blanks of metal which are very inexpensive to produce.  They also can't be re-engraved if your address or phone changes.

Lastly, pay close attention to reviews on customer service. The more reviews, the better. You need a company with good, fast communication and delivery, as well as one that stands behind their lifetime guarantee with a smile!

When making your buying decision, be well informed, knowledgeable, and weigh out costs. Will you be replacing your dog's tag four, five, six or more times during their life span? An inexpensive tag at $10 will eventually lead to several at a total cost of up to $50-$60 dollars or more and will look rather jaded very quickly after the purchase! Spend $30 and get a tag you will have for the life of your dog that looks as good as when you bought it, so much so, that you will want to adopt is as a keychain or memorial piece of jewelry for yourself.  Silver Paw tags offer extreme value for your dollar. They are an investment in your dog's good looks and safety. Time and time again our customers say they are worth the cost and then some.

I know I am certainly biased in having written this blog post, but I am also knowledgeable, honest, and aware of the products and competition out there. Before Silver Paw tags came along there were not a lot of tag companies talking about durability, only Red Dingo. Our tags are influencing the rest of the market to become more responsible in the area of durability and design

and we are proud of that!

www.silverpawtags.com