what difference does more refined butane make?

Most, if not all butane sold for refilling is refined.  This means that impurities are removed making the gas as pure as possible so prevent containments from clogging a torch or lighter.

 

Some marketing happens when a butane company says 10x refined, or 15x refined.  This is not true and is just a marketing ploy.

What can you and cant you electroform

Almost anything that can be soaked in water for over an hour can be electroplated.  If the item is not metal, one can use a paint-like substance to put on the item.  This is how glass is electroplate.  The copper or metal in the solution must have something to adhere to that is also metal.

why did my terp pearl break

A terp pearl can crack for a few reasons.  If the blower did not anneal the glass this will weaken it.  Another issue happens if the user of the terp pearl overheats the pearl to past 1050 and it basically un-anneals.

Dropping a terp pearl could also cause it to crack and break.