We are delighted to see that Jameson Lopp appreciated the design and durability of our products. All our products – Coinplate Alpha, Grid and Punch received the best possible Triple A rating.
Jameson’s stress tests are known to be demanding and include:
- heating the plates to 2000°F / 1093°C with a large propane torch and then throwing them in cold water,
- submerging in a bucket of 16% muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) and left for 12 hours or until bubbling ceases,
- 20-ton hydraulic press is used to deform the device, after which the data is checked for readability.
As already stated, all Coinplate seed phrase backups performed great in these tests.
Jameson Lopp received one standard retail package each of our products: Coinplate Alpha, Coinplate Grid and Coinplate Punch a few months ago.
We did some improvements to the design since Jameson received our products. The improvements included a slightly looser fit of screws to minimize problems with opening the device after it is deformed by heat or impact.
Please note that Jameson performed all tests consecutively, on the same unit. Meaning that he first performed the heat test, then the acid test and later crushed it with a press all using the same unit.
Check the results below. You can see the full test using links on the left side of the table.
| Device | Overall Grade | Heat Grade | Corrosion Grade | Crush Grade | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coinplate Alpha | A | A | A | A | $79 |
| Coinplate Grid | A | A | A | A | $75 |
| Coinplate Punch | A | A | A | A | $65 |
Jameson Lopp noted:
“One thing I’ll note about the Coinplate devices – they are hefty. Each plate weighs over a pound; the joined plates weigh nearly 3 pounds.”
We made our plates from top grade, heavy and thick plates so they can be as durable as possible.
The layout was also reviewed favorably by Jameson as he noted: “The device is large and hefty, there are no problems punching the divots into it.”
The center punch markings are not that well visible in his first photo, but you can see later in the acid test that these are indeed deep marks. Since the center punch makes clean, smooth holes, it might be hard to make a good photo of them in bright lighting, as Jameson experienced: “trying to see the markings in a photo is pretty tough”. These are however, well visible with the naked eye.
Heat stress test
The test procedure:
In order to simulate slightly hotter than house fire temperatures, a large propane torch is used to apply a 2000°F / 1093°C flame that is over 4” in diameter. This temperature was verified using a scientific thermometer with a high end sensor capable of reading temperatures up to 2500°F / 1371°C.
Heat is applied for 10 minutes or until device failure is observed. From my experience, if failure occurs during the heat test, it usually takes place around the 5 minute mark.
Finally, in order to simulate a house fire being extinguished by firefighters, the device is submerged into a bucket of water to quickly cool it down.
Jameson Lopp’s stress test methodology
Our flagship product – Coinplate Alpha performed admirably in the heat test.
Coinplate Alpha remained readable, the plates were still joined tightly together, protecting the seed phrase.
You can see that the logo sticker on the front got burned up, just as expected and desirable. The removable branding on the sticker makes it harder for the unauthorized person to spot the device as something valuable.
Coinplate Alpha was heated to 2000°F / 1093°C and then suddenly cooled down in the bucket of water – blacksmith’s style. This is what caused a thin layer of rust appearing on the surface of stainless steel. You can see later that is was easily removed by acid, exposing the healthy, natural stainless steel surface underneath.
However, Jameson had some problems opening the device after it was heated and rapidly cooled down due to deformation and a tight fitting of screws in the unit he received. Since then we improved the design and adjusted the fit of the screws for easier opening.
The main purpose of seed phrase backup is to protect your seed phrase in case of disaster, even if opening might get a little bit hard after some extreme situations. Please note that after a disaster, when it is hard to open the device with a wrench, you can use power tools to cut the edge/drill out the screw and open it if needed.
Corrosion Stress Test
The device is submerged in a bucket of 16% muriatic acid and left for 12 hours or until bubbling ceases. Are strong acids a threat vector you should be worried about? Probably not, but these tests are extreme in order to see which devices stand out from the pack!
Jameson Lopp’s stress test methodology
Again, full success. The photo shows clearly that the full layout is well-visible and readable.
Also, the markings made with the center punch are also well readable. One could argue that after this acid bath, the punch marks are even more readable than before – it is because the acid oxidized the parts inside the holes and increased the contrast.
Jameson noted: We can see that although some of the parts of the template had their dark lines erased, both the template and data remain deeply etched and intact.
The acid also removed the slight layer of rust from previous test with propane torch.
One thing to note is, that Jameson tested the device opened. In most situations, you can expect even better performance against any corrosive agents because when the device is closed, any liquid has a hard time getting inside. It is assuring, that even if fully exposed, it performs more than well enough.
Crush stress test
A 20 ton hydraulic press is used to deform the device, after which the data is checked for readability. In some cases the device may need to be pried open or deformed further in order to access the data. Do you need to worry about this level of pressure? Probably not unless you’re keeping the device at the bottom of the Mariana Trench or in a structure that could collapse on top of it like a mine or a large building.
Jameson Lopp’s stress test methodology
No data loss – success.
Even this extreme test that simulates large building collapse showed that Coinplate Alpha is ultra durable. It is not a surprise for us as it was designed and made that way!
Also, you can see in the photo, that Jameson opened the device before crushing it. He used his press on a single plate, not on a double plate sandwich. This means that in real-world situations, even high impact and pressure will not scratch your seed phrase inside. Coinplate steel crypto wallet offers exceptional protection against destruction, and it is even stronger when closed. This is quite unique Coinplate feature.
Summary
As noted above, Jameson Lopp’s stress tests prove again that Coinplate Alpha (and our other metal crypto wallets) offers exceptional protection of your seed phrase against any possible disasters and accidents.
You can be sure that your Coinplate will protect your precious seed phrase even in extreme situations.
Get Coinplate Alpha today and protect your seed phrase for decades.