Necklace pen kit

[LouisQC]

Penn State offers a 24k gold necklace pen kit. Anyone knows of a source of such necklace kits in more durable platings?

 

[Randy_]

I think PSI is the only vendor of a kit like that.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Arizona Silhouette carries one, in Upgrade Gold.
http://www.arizonasilhouetteinc.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=1840

Woodcraft carries something similar, probably Woodturnings or WoodNWhimsies carries them as well.

You could always order from the source at Berea Hardwoods.

 

[jimmyers]

I have made two of these from different kits.

1. PSI kit is a small pen using the small refill so if you like a full size pen shy away from this.

2. Woodcraft picked it up one day and it seems to be a full size slightly bigger around slimline.

Both have the standard gold plating but looked good.

 

[hughbie]

i have made 5 necklace pens for my wife. she's a nurse and having her pen close at hand is perfect for her. she loves them. i just made sure when i ordered the pen kits, i also ordered several packages of refills. i believe i got all mine at PSI

 

[LouisQC]

Same for me hughbie, except my wife's a teacher.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by hughbie
<br />i have made 5 necklace pens for my wife. she's a nurse and having her pen close at hand is perfect for her. she loves them.....

Well, I see there are more folks selling these things than I thought. Guess I need to study my catalogs a little more closely??

I have seen comments before associating nurses with these necklace pens and frankly they puzzle me??

First off, it seems like nurses are always in a hurry and are carrying something in one hand. I would think that a click pen that was quick to deploy with one hand would be the ideal choice for a nurse. All of the necklace pens appear to be twist pens so they will require two hands to put into action.

Secondly, it would seem that the pens would have to be detached from the necklace to be usable unless the necklace was very long, in which case it seems like it would always be in the way when dealing with patients. And if you detach the pen from the necklace, then it is no different than any other pen and you are just as likely to leave it laying around as a normal pen. Additionally, if you are in a hurry, detaching the pen from the necklace is one additional step required before the pen can be used.

The NP sort of seems like a gimmick to me. To my way of thinking a click pen in a uniform pocket is the way to go…….what am I missing??

 

[angboy]

Randy makes some very good points and I'll just add to this from my practical experience. First of all, a lot of hospitals now are going to or even requiring nurses and anyone else who wears something around your neck to use breakaway lanyards. This isn't just for safety in psyc where I am, but anyone can grab onto something like that around your neck and choke you. Even an elderly demented patient might do that, totally unintentionally. So I'd question someone being able to use this type of pen in a healthcare setting. At best, you'd probably have to switch out the lanyard/cord part for something breakaway. This is a safety issue that's becoming more of a focus in healthcare settings. And even if your hospital still lets you use the non-breakaway kind, for your own personal safety, if it were me, I'd switch- and have even though where I work now doesn't require it.

Second of all, having worked with lots of drug reps, both that have come to places where I worked and also for some contracting work I did until my most recent <s>flight</s>, uh, make that move, I know that pens like this are usually not a hot item. Some companies do make their promotional items to include pens on a string/lanyard, but they're just not as popular as you might think. I think probably some of the reasons are for what Randy describes, the hassle of having to unscrew it.

I'm certainly not doubting the experiences some of you have had with people wanting them, but I tend to think Randy may be right and they may be more of a gimmick... That being said, I do have to admit I have some kits myself![]

 

[gerryr]

These sound a lot like keychain pens. I had a guy approach me at a show last year telling me I should make them because everyone would want them. I told him he was the first person to ever ask for one but I would look into it. I did and figured I couldn't sell them for less than $25, which is below my minimum of $30. I did the same show this year and the came back, demanding to know where my keychain pens were. I asked him if he would pay $25-30 for one. He about fell over. He said he would only pay maybe $5 at the most. I told him that was the problem and he again said "but, everyone wants one." I informed him firmly that he was the only person who wanted one and that he should just go to Las Vegas and buy 5-6 dozen. He told me last year that Las Vegas was the only place he had ever seeen them. This kind of thing really is a gimmick IMO.

 

[Glass Scratcher]

I got some before the nifty quick-snap release thing was added. I took a jump ring and a 18mm "gold" claw hook and attached them through the lanyard hole. So the pen can be used with or wihtout the lanyard.

Reason was I got tired of being asked for my pen everytime I took my elderly mum to the grocery store and made the thing to clip in her purse.