Gifts for the ladies...

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DaveM

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I am making a large batch of pens for all of the people I work with this year for the Holidays. I need about 20 men's pens, and about 40for the women. Right now, I am set up to make Flat top double twists, sierras, cigars, slimlines, Flat top Fountain and rollerballs, and Europeans (Switching from 7mm to 8mm Euros) I also do Baron/sedonas, but those are a bit pricier than my others, so I will leave them aside for this project. (Is this a good balanced lineup for selling at shows?)
The slims will be TG or other premium platings, while the others will be mostly chrome to keep the costs about equal.

Is there another good pen to add on for the women, or should I give them all slims and euros? I could also give out some cigars in bright acrylics too. Are the Americans too big and clunky for this? I do make a lot of the slimlines with larger cap ends (Like the KC or Russline) and others get contrasting center bands and wider, streamlined contours. I was wondering about streamlines and olympias. I work in a supermarket, so we have a large cashier and office staff. I want to make each pen different. My largest sellers right now are the flat tops. (Mostly in acrylic colors much brighter than I would make for myself)


Thanks,
Dave
 
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hrigg

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The pens I've given to women have all been streamlines, Euros, or Atlases. The Atlas seems to be at the top end of the desirable size range. My wife thinks the cigar is too big.

I have no selling experience to draw from, yet.
 

DaveM

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Thank you for the advice. I never thought of the Atlas. Is that a decent seller overall? I already have the Sierra, so I didn't think of adding on another 1 blank pen. How deep a hole do I need to drill for that one? My drill press only hits 3-1/2" or so.

Do you use the roundtop streamline, or the flat one?

Thanks!
Dave
 

hrigg

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I can't comment on the selling part, as I said, but the Atlas turned blank is just under 3" so you should be fine from that aspect. I have to move the blank up the drill bit to get the final ½" but I just have a tabletop DP. It's pretty easy to make a bunch of them quickly, too.

I use the flat top Streamline as a contrast to the round top Euros.
 

toolcrazy

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Port Orchard, WA
My wife and a few other ladies I've showed pens to they like the Slims and the Toni (streamline). My wife don't like anything big and even prefers the slims to be B2B. (which I have trouble doing. [:D])

Oh, and they seem to like the bright acrylics in the reds, pinks, purples and the pens I stain with water color pens.
 

AFTim

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Canton, Ohio, USA.
A nice type I have found that some ladies like (LOML included) are the "combo pens" from CSUSA with a pen and pencil in the same unit, made using the colored BEB.
 

gerryr

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Billings, MT, USA.
I don't think you can make blanket statements about what women like in pens. I've sold El Toros, Barons, Cigars and even a Havana ballpoint and a full size Statesman to women for their own use. It depends on the person, but I would definitely add Olympias to your list. The 8mm Euro is definitely top heavy and not many women seem to like them. The Olympia is slimmer and has a fancy CB. I've sold a lot them to women.
 

winpooh498

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Junction City, Oregon, USA.
I have sold a ton of the Mini-Euros from woodcraft to women and men with smaller hands. But I modify them some. I use the woodcraft ones because they do not need a step drill bit and I can also get bigger nibs for them at woodcraft. They take a 7mm drill bit, and slim line bushings. Instead of the small nib that comes in the kit I use a standard slim line nib. You said that make the "KC twist" this is like that but has a round top like a standard Euro, there is a center band, and the bottom tube is quite a bit longer then the slimlines.

But out of the list that you said you already make, I personally prefer the sierra.[:D]

Hope this helps
Dawn
 

GaryMGg

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McIntosh, Florida, USA.
My wife likes a B2B slimline; my 22 yr. young daughter likes the full size Cigar pen I make.
My female neighbor requested a large Cigar. An artist bought a cigar for her mom for a gift.
Ya just don't know 'til ya see what they like.
Gary
 

hrigg

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I think the over-riding fact is that they're gifts to people you know. Watch them and see what they like to use now. Show 'em a couple different sized pens, tell them they're some different styles you're practicing on, and ask for their opinions. I mentioned earlier that my wife thought cigars were too big. I showed one to my sister this morning and she mentioned the size, also. Then she wrote a couple of lines with it and said the balance was nice and made it feel comfortable to use. You can speculate and ask our advice, but everyone is an individual. There isn't really a general answer that is correct, in my opinion.
 

DaveM

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Mar 2, 2007
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Houghton Lake, Michigan
Thanks for all of the input. One thing I realized after reading this is that I make slimlines, and huge pens, with very little in-between stuff. I will add some streamlines and Olympias to my order this week. I already have most of the drill bits, so I just need some bushings. I will plan to expand to include the Atlas in the future too. I am glad to hear the different ideas on this subject. I will also consider holding off on the change from 7mm to 8mm Euros. I didn't realize that the weight was that different, but I held a 7mm Euro, and a flat top, and they were really different in weight, despite being the same physical size. The 8mm should be about the same size as the flat top.

Thanks again,
Dave

(Now the next question should be what plating women prefer [}:)] )
 
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