Better blank materiels

[Displaced Canadian]

I'm thinking of using better blank materiels instead of using flashier kits to make a more valuable product. I guess my question is what creates more value the blank or the kit?

 

[Dave_M]

Just my opinion but I think it's a combination as long as the kit is made from quality material. The key is pairing the two.

 

[George Watkins]

I agree with Dave its a mixture of the two plus the attention to detail and a flawless finish.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I understand the combo of the two is important, But what is better a Statesman with a nice piece of curly maple or a Gent with true stone? Just the direction my mind has been going in lately.

 

[Russianwolf]

Id say neither. Some of the best ibe seen are simple materials (readily available resin blanks )without any kits. Take a look at the minimalist pen that was posted a day or so ago. No kit, simple blue flaked blank, excellent execution. Gorgeous pen

 

[SDB777]

I'd say it is more the blank then the kit.

After all, if you put a piece of plain old spruce(2x4 material) on a Lotus, it'd probably sit in your inventory until 'you' used it.
But if you were to put a piece of Black Gum Burl on a SlimLine...well that is going to move quick!


Some high-end kits are just plain ugly to look at with all the 'bling' on them.....




Scott (YMMV...everyone's does) B

 

[jttheclockman]

I agree the blank means alot to a kit. There are times a blank properly matched to a kit is just more appealing too. I also think using burl woods, truestone, and things like carbon fiber blanks, and alternate casein and alternate ivory make for classier blanks. Here is a couple examples. If they had plain grain wood the kit would look out of place in my opinion.

 

[ctubbs]

Take the above photo into PS and change the blank to a variety of other blanks / woods and then you can see the actual difference that the blank will make. some hardware just plain doesn't go with certain blanks. That experiment will give you some idea of what goes together IMHO.
Charles

 

[Brooks803]

There's always going to be exceptions what we all say, but I think the blank outweights the kit in most cases. I also agree with Mike that simplicity is key. Overly ornate kits distract from the overall elegance that you try create with matching kits with blanks. That's why I always alter my majestics bc they are just so ugly with that stupid crystal and the finial design. And since I have something for show & tell here's my example of simple yet elegant. Amboyna burl with Ebony accents:

 

[bitshird]

I think it's the blank that grabs the attention and then the customer looks at the hardware. A beautiful blank like Brooks 803 showed I think would sell quickly on a Euro, or Americana or just about any of the under 15.00 sets of components.

 

[jttheclockman]

There's always going to be exceptions what we all say, but I think the blank outweights the kit in most cases. I also agree with Mike that simplicity is key. Overly ornate kits distract from the overall elegance that you try create with matching kits with blanks. That's why I always alter my majestics bc they are just so ugly with that stupid crystal and the finial design. And since I have something for show & tell here's my example of simple yet elegant. Amboyna burl with Ebony accents:

That is a matter of opinion. I am of the other thought that that is what makes that kit. It is a matter of choice to alter it if you so choose so but I am sooooooooo tired of reading about how people hate the so called pimp crystal. Don't use the kit. Find another kit or alter it but everyone stop calling it ugly. It is the kit. Sheeesh. Just had to voice an opinion on this thing already. Enough.

Sorry to take it out on you Jon but it has become such a pet peeve of mine when people put the majestic kit down because of the ornateness or the pimp crystal. People who hate ornate kits stick with the plain old slimlines and stop with this nonsense of the putting these kits down. Now people can take shots at me but I am not backing down on this at all.

 

[seamus7227]

I too think that the blank is what makes the pen. Its the first thing that people typically look at when they see the pen, it is basically the subject in a paragraph so to speak. And again as said already, then people notice the rest of the pen. I also think though that not all people are as critical about some of these issues as we may be. But I think that is what makes our work stand out from the rest. Its the attention to detail that people look for when spending the kind of money that they do on these pens. Anyway, so for the rambling, I totally lost my train of thought.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I'm thinking that my next goal is to make blanks that really make the pen.

 

[broitblat]

If nothing else, it's the blank that makes it unique, and the penmaker that "blends" the blank with the components to craft the result ;-)

-Barry