In October 2006 we switched to a different style of dog tag so that we can avoid a faded-back problem we had in mid-2006.
We’d used a dog tag for years that accepted an imprint on the back. At first we didn’t need to do anything to it for longevity, but then we heard of fading (and replaced those tags) so we began using an automotive engine overspray for protection.
The base aluminum for the tags comes from a huge aluminum plant, so our supplier who coats the white side and stamps out the blank tags has no control or pull with them. Evidently the chemistry of the base aluminum, or some coating of its own, kept changing and we couldn’t foresee when or how to react with a new coating.
So you know, I made up a test solution for our tags that tried to approximate sweating, showering, and all the other factors a tag would get. Let’s see, it was equal parts oil, salt, and acidic vinegar. Anyway, it would show us within a day or so how the backing might react with the human body.
Anyway, we couldn’t foresee a chemical change or find a suitable protective coating that would always work, so we had to switch tag types for our tags that had something on the back. This is about 80% of all the tags we sell. The new tag has a white back which is *made* for imprinting, and it has a bonus in that we can imprint a full color photo on the back, whereas we used to affix a piece of mylar.
Like I said, we have replaced any dog tags made of the first type whose backs faded, but if there are others out there who haven’t contacted us, please do so.
Margaret