Another Jr. Emperor - SOLD

[gerryr]

I got some really nice curly Koa from Dario some time ago and have been saving it for something special. I thought this Jr. Emperor rollerball was it, but now I'm not so sure. I'm thinking of cutting it off and redoing the pen in African Blackwood. Any thoughts?

Update 8/6 - I wasn't sure I had time to try a different wood before the show I was scheduled to be in this weekend so I just took it the way it was. A customer asked to see the best rollerball I had so I showed this to him, he tried it out and bought it with no hesitation. He really liked the wood. And the rest of the show was just as good.

 

[wdcav1952]

Gerry,

Read your signature line!!! That pen is beautiful.

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Hi Gerry,

It's a nice blank, The pen is very nice too, I'm not sure this blank suits the pen hardware of this kit design. With kits at this level of cost I really am very selective with the blanks I choose. I would think about buying other spare tubes and turning some other blanks of other materials and consider a change over if if you like. I often buy a few extra sets of tubes and do this with my expensive kits, I do not turn them down to final size always before I do the comparisons....because if they would look better on a Jr Gent or Jr Statesman then I save the final sizing for the kit I like on the blank I turn...maybe I'm alone with this thought, but I can't see what the blank looks like till I turn it, so I turn it round on the spare tubes and then decide.


Just my 2 cents, It's still a good looking pen Gerry
[8D]

 

[alamocdc]

Gerry, it's a very nice looking pen, but I like Jim's idea. I know that many feel like overstated materials detract from the hardware of the higher end kits, but I'm not sure I fully buy that. The only problem I have with the Koa and this pen is that I don't think it's striking enough. Yes, it's moderately curly, it's just missing something. JMO

 

[Dario]

Gerry,

Much as this hurt me...from the pic, another wood might work better with Gold Emperor. You will be the ultimate judge since you can really see and feel the pen.

 

[johncrane]

I think Dario is right in his comment.

 

[Texas Taco]

I think Billy and Dario stated what I was thinking. We can sit here and tell you it's just missing something but you are the one with it in your hands.

African Blackwood or a real nice dark Ebony would IMO look great with that kit.

 

[ed4copies]

Originally posted by Jim in Oakville
<br />Hi Gerry,

It's a nice blank, The pen is very nice too, I'm not sure this blank suits the pen hardware of this kit design. With kits at this level of cost I really am very selective with the blanks I choose. I would think about buying other spare tubes and turning some other blanks of other materials and consider a change over if if you like. I often buy a few extra sets of tubes and do this with my expensive kits, I do not turn them down to final size always before I do the comparisons....because if they would look better on a Jr Gent or Jr Statesman then I save the final sizing for the kit I like on the blank I turn...maybe I'm alone with this thought, but I can't see what the blank looks like till I turn it, so I turn it round on the spare tubes and then decide.


Just my 2 cents, It's still a good looking pen Gerry
[8D]

Has anyone put together a list of the pen kits that use the same tubes? Last night I was strugling with this same type of question, do I make a Jr. Statesman or Jr. Gent (then realized there is also the Jr. Gent II - which IS different and the Jr. Emperor and other new kits that I have a few of but have not measured) Has someone already done this??

If you can use that Koa on a different pen, go for it. But, I sure would NOT turn it off, making it "throw away" wood. (JMO)

 

[gerryr]

Thanks to everyone for all the comments. I got an email from someone whose opinion I respect a great deal and, at least for now, I'm leaving it alone. I just need to market it correctly.

The tubes for the Jr. Emperor are the same as the Jr. Statesman/Gentleman version 2, but obviously different bushings.

 

[GBusardo]

This may sound crazy, but I bet that pen would sell in two hours in a hotel gift shop in Maui. There are plenty of Asian business men with plenty of money that just might want to take home a beautiful pen made from native wood. Hawaii is to Japan what Disney World is the the eastern US. I am guessing that is what Gerry meant by marketing it correctly.
By the way, looks like you did a great job on the pen, Gerry! Like the others, I am not sure if the combination does anything for me, I would have to see and feel it.
Good luck
Gary

 

[chitswood]

haha, love it.

Any wood looks good on an emperor.

 

[Galanw]

When I have doubts about what a turned pen blank will look like, or which pen kit to use for a particular wood, I cut the blank to the length of the longest tubes and drill them to fit the mandrel without any tube (usually 1/4 inch). Then I turn them down leaving them oversized. When I decide upon the kit to use, I redrill for the proper tubes and turn them down to size.

Labor intense, but better than a disappointment.

 

[Kaspar]

Easier still is to drill the blank, wet the inside and either shine a light down it, or if it's a translucent material "candle" it. The thickness of the material is so slight you'll have a pretty good idea of what you've got.

Of course, I'm a fanatic about straight barrels where as many of you seem to love "fat" pens. Which of course, would leave much more material and so my way wouldn't be as helpful.

 

[Stretch]

I must say, you've got a winner there.
This pens seems to grow on me, the more I look at it the more I'm impressed.

 

[huntersilver]

I think it looks nice the way it is[]

 

[Dario]

I'm happy for you [] CONGRATS!!!

 

[reed43]

Gerry the most important thing of all is the cash in the pocket. It must have been the correct blank for your customer.Very nice pen and sale.

 

[rpasto92]

Originally posted by ed4copies

Has anyone put together a list of the pen kits that use the same tubes? Last night I was strugling with this same type of question, do I make a Jr. Statesman or Jr. Gent (then realized there is also the Jr. Gent II - which IS different and the Jr. Emperor and other new kits that I have a few of but have not measured) Has someone already done this??

I put a spreadsheet on the Yahoo forum that shows what all drill bits are used for each kit. That would be a good start for that kind of comparison but it wouldn't tel you if the tube lengths were the same, only the tube diameters.