Hi everyone,
Been making Slimlines for a real long time. Why you ask well my thought not necessarily in order are.
Cracking was an early problem not restricted to Slims caused by several problems
The kit fit at the tip, winder,clip varies as it does on many pen styles however care, measurement, scrupulous attention to details such as glue in the tube, CA overrun, square blanks, reamed ends check for fit and correct probs before pressing parts, certainly I respect the Slimline. Forcing anything unneccesarily is a recipe for present or future cracking.
Choice of timber I will never patch or retrieve or reglue any blank heck unless its a world beater, brasses are cheap as chips I have 200 extras to allow future planning, careful prep of brasses by hand with sandpaper (still have the whorls on my fingers) I often read about folks turning off reject blanks?
Mostly I love a centre band looks like a pen quacks like a pen IS a Pen much the same logic it holds some pens together as does a belt holds jeans up and accessorises I buy my centre bands in bulk for what we over here call a Streamline my supplier Timberbits bought 15000 of each colour for me as that was the run required, this allows a fatter pen, when I say for me you know what I mean.
Now I make pens for people and have pleased so many with my gifts and sales as this is subjective let me say it this way a mate of mine bought a second hand sports car recently for well over 200000 dollars he is terrified to park at the supermarket, it has become a police magnet. So pens to use from the pocket are different from those that reside in cabinets and boxes, my Slimlines can be innovative using rebar, dart bodies, lok like Spark Plugs, enable a Dental handpiece to live another life, I hex cut use shape a lot and exclusive timbers etc.
One carry pen in the despised by some African Ebony has survived two full washing machine cycles all the bashing in the spin cycles etc ok it died in the refill emptied in the body of the pen and the plating still looks beaut as does the timber.
As a fifty yr photographer of people I study my subjects carefully and I know the acceptance by people of slimlines.
Now recently I had to pass several E Exams to qualify at age 78 as a Hospital volunteer so copius note taking using wundekinder biros that bleed through pages those in other kits I was continually cramping as I test wrote these two piece kits with the skinny drop off from the centre of the pen to the tip ( not pretty by the way)
Ok so the biro for Slims is mostly thin they last me for long periods some of my refills I have had in a jar bought bulk 10 nto 15 yrs still come up fine the fast talking new biros semii flod brilliant blacks but write through pages.
Like the T Model Ford and the A Model Ford my first loved car horses for courses so in conclusion if you want to sell a Slim for hundreds of dollars then choose your kit carefully or if your desire is to please the masses, average punters for a reasonable attitude then Slims have their place in the pen world, the power of a Slimline should never be underestimated.
Go to my member stuff, look back over time to pics of many slims rather than have me chasing some samples there.
Have fun, be carefull and enjoy the journey.
Kind regards Peter.
