Something to think about

[Smitty37]

Writing with a pen - while discriminating writers who write a lot with a fountain pen might be able to tell the difference in writing with a superb nib and a mediocre or poor nib. It is highly unlikely they will be able to discern who manufactured the pen that did the writing or even who manufactured or made the nib. With roller ball pens they might or might not even be able to discern who made the tip.

What I am pointing out is that people who purchase "high end" (meaning high priced) pens are probably not buying the pen strictly for it's writing qualities. No one seriously doubts that lots of pen turners are capable of creating pens that write as well as the name brands and frankly for a lot less money.

We have today more nouveau riche people then we have ever had in the past, and they seem to be more willing to emphasize "brand" than at any time in the past. $750 a pair sneakers with the brand logo showing being a case in point. They are in my opinion trying to show that they are "with it" in the world of the wealthy. That kind of person is probably not a good prospect for us as pen turners. They are the ones who feel that buying their spouse something special, means expensive. We a looking for the ones who think buying their spouse something special means unique - made for them and them alone.

 

[leehljp]

We a looking for the ones who think buying their spouse something special means unique - made for them and them alone.

For me, I really did not understand this "concept" until a somewhat well known Japanese man said something to me along these lines several years ago. (I didn't know that he was well known at the time.)

Through a series of strange events that began with a lady from the USA involved in a car wreck on a tour outside of normal tourist areas in Japan, I was called to see if I (and my wife) could help her since she couldn't speak Japanese and she was in a hospital where there were no English speakers in the whole hospital. One lady who lived near and who could speak some English heard about the situation and began to visit and interpret. We lived about 60 miles away and went to visit and intrepet on a daily basis. We met the Japanese interpreter lady and she was very friendly and down to earth. We met her husband and he was also friendly and very unassuming. They lived in a normal house, not unusual like a wealthy person might have.

We became friends and visited back and forth over a year. One day we went to a parade in their town and he got to park in a special company parking lot that was closed to everyone else. I asked him about that and he said "Oh I know them, I used to work there." Later I asked him where specifically did he work. He told me. I knew the large building in downtown Nagoya. He liked the pen that I carried around and asked if I would make him one just like it. "OK" I said "but it takes me several days to do it". "OK" he replied. I made it and gave it to him. Then one day when LOML and I were visiting his wife, she said something about a chauffeur for her husband. "That is 60 kilometers from here", I replied. "A chauffeur takes him there and brings him home every day?" She said "yes". Me: "What is his position?" Her: "1st VP". (That was a company that had 20 million customers.) I was blown away.

Then one day he said, "I like this pen. It is 1 of only 2 in the world like it." (I had the other one - he thought.) I had to tell him that I had made 5 like that. He was somewhat deflated over that bit of information.

 

[Penultimate]

Greetings

I just read a book about innovation. And the premise was that we all "hire" a product to perform a job to make progress. The job has three aspects, one is the function it performs, the other is the emotional and finally the social. Developing a product that fits all three jobs is difficult without understanding the customer motivation. Designing a product that meets those can bring a lot of revenue to the manufacturer.

I've started thinking about pens this way. I believe a that buying a high end pen fits the social and emotional needs of having something that other people won't have. Also, a high end pen may have a better feel than less expensive pens. Actual writing i.e. putting ink on paper may be secondary to the rarity and feel.

I have an MB roller ball that while it is expensive is the most comfortable pen I ever used. There is something about how nicely it fits my hand an works with my grip. And it does put ink on the paper smoothly.

Regards
Mike


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[jttheclockman]

I just can not do this again and debate this highend thing again. Highend is in the eye of the beholder on both the making of it and also the buying of such pens. Unless a pen is loaded with diamonds and other precious stones and materials will it be called highend (of the retail world)without question. At times the name attached to these pens make it even more highend. There is not one person here that I see makes highend pens that fit that catagory and that includes the ones that make their own kits. What one person perceives as highend is just normal to others. As far as more wealth in the world that is without question.

I see Phil just posted this one for you Smitty and it is just an example of what I am talking about. This pen was put up for auction here and among all the members here you came through with the highest bid of $500. To me this is a highend pen and put in the right setting with people with money to burn this would command alot more than $500. One of a kind. But it is highend in a different sense of the word. Take Skiprats Twin Towers pens, again highend but in an artistic way and not a precious stones sort of way. Not sure if i am making sense with this or I maybe missing the mark all together. But when I read that word highend it just draws the itchies out of me.

www.penturners.org/forum/f258/zcollaborative-creative-challenge-winner-won-smitty-119753/

 

[oldtoolsniper]

I just can not do this again and debate this highend thing again. Highend is in the eye of the beholder on both the making of it and also the buying of such pens. Unless a pen is loaded with diamonds and other precious stones and materials will it be called highend (of the retail world)without question. At times the name attached to these pens make it even more highend. There is not one person here that I see makes highend pens that fit that catagory and that includes the ones that make their own kits. What one person perceives as highend is just normal to others. As far as more wealth in the world that is without question.

I see Phil just posted this one for you Smitty and it is just an example of what I am talking about. This pen was put up for auction here and among all the members here you came through with the highest bid of $500. To me this is a highend pen and put in the right setting with people with money to burn this would command alot more than $500. One of a kind. But it is highend in a different sense of the word. Take Skiprats Twin Towers pens, again highend but in an artistic way and not a precious stones sort of way. Not sure if i am making sense with this or I maybe missing the mark all together. But when I read that word highend it just draws the itchies out of me.

www.penturners.org/forum/f258/zcollaborative-creative-challenge-winner-won-smitty-119753/

What exactly makes a diamond or precious stone valuable? How is that high end? What useful purpose do they serve?

Sitting in Baghdad after we "liberated" it, here is what I saw that had value. Cigarettes, liquor and bottled water. You might say it was highend because you could get anything you wanted for any one of these three highend items.

"But when I read that word highend it just draws the itchies out of me."
Why because people use it to describe things that have no practical use for anything as highend. Diamonds and Precious stones. You can't even eat them.



Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[Scissortail Pens]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think someone said that sometime. I haven't made a ton of pens up to this point in my short time in this hobby(73 so far), but the one thing I've noticed is that no matter how many times I use the same pen kit, each and every one is unique. Due to the chaos in nature, add us into that mix, each and every single piece of wood is unlike any other ever created. Thus the uniqueness and the perceived quality of each one can really only be quantified by the person that picks that pen out. Yes, some like to go for high cost items just because it costs a lot of money and they want to think in their mind that they've got a highend item. It's also that a person that buys a lot lower end item, can view it in the same way just due to it's uniqueness or that maybe it reminds them of something from the past. Beauty and value are perceptions in each one of our own minds and they mean something different to each of us.

 

[Smitty37]

I just can not do this again and debate this highend thing again. Highend is in the eye of the beholder on both the making of it and also the buying of such pens. Unless a pen is loaded with diamonds and other precious stones and materials will it be called highend (of the retail world)without question. At times the name attached to these pens make it even more highend. There is not one person here that I see makes highend pens that fit that catagory and that includes the ones that make their own kits. What one person perceives as highend is just normal to others. As far as more wealth in the world that is without question.

I see Phil just posted this one for you Smitty and it is just an example of what I am talking about. This pen was put up for auction here and among all the members here you came through with the highest bid of $500. To me this is a highend pen and put in the right setting with people with money to burn this would command alot more than $500. One of a kind. But it is highend in a different sense of the word. Take Skiprats Twin Towers pens, again highend but in an artistic way and not a precious stones sort of way. Not sure if i am making sense with this or I maybe missing the mark all together. But when I read that word highend it just draws the itchies out of me.

www.penturners.org/forum/f258/zcollaborative-creative-challenge-winner-won-smitty-119753/

JT I mentioned specifically that "high end" meant in this case "high priced". The pen you are talking about fits my point - it is unique - perhaps the only one in the world, also, the payment went in large part to support an organization (IAP). So I was motivated to buy it for the kind of reasons I said we should be looking for.

 

[Cwalker935]

In my mind "high end" is in the eye of the beholder. For most people high end likely means that it is expensive and has name recognition. Name recognition is probably one of the more important elements associated with "high end." For example, I made some pens using jewel beetle wings, one of those pens was made using one of the more expensive kits and IMO had outstanding fit and finish. As far as I know, I am the originator of using jewel beetle wings in this fashion. My pen is unlikely to be considered high end by many people. However, one of the well known names in our pen making world has started making pens using my approach and comparable kits. He gave the pen a fancy name and is marketing it in Pen World and in "high end" pen shows. His pen is likely considered "high end" since he has established himself as a premier pen maker and he can charge a premium for it while my identical pen would command a much lower price even though I can claim that the blank design and concept is mine but have no legal protections of the concept. That is just the way of the world and "high end" may simply be a different way of saying better marketing and advertising.

 

[Smitty37]

I just can not do this again and debate this highend thing again. Highend is in the eye of the beholder on both the making of it and also the buying of such pens. Unless a pen is loaded with diamonds and other precious stones and materials will it be called highend (of the retail world)without question. At times the name attached to these pens make it even more highend. There is not one person here that I see makes highend pens that fit that catagory and that includes the ones that make their own kits. What one person perceives as highend is just normal to others. As far as more wealth in the world that is without question.

I see Phil just posted this one for you Smitty and it is just an example of what I am talking about. This pen was put up for auction here and among all the members here you came through with the highest bid of $500. To me this is a highend pen and put in the right setting with people with money to burn this would command alot more than $500. One of a kind. But it is highend in a different sense of the word. Take Skiprats Twin Towers pens, again highend but in an artistic way and not a precious stones sort of way. Not sure if i am making sense with this or I maybe missing the mark all together. But when I read that word highend it just draws the itchies out of me.

www.penturners.org/forum/f258/zcollaborative-creative-challenge-winner-won-smitty-119753/

What exactly makes a diamond or precious stone valuable? How is that high end? What useful purpose do they serve?

Sitting in Baghdad after we "liberated" it, here is what I saw that had value. Cigarettes, liquor and bottled water. You might say it was highend because you could get anything you wanted for any one of these three highend items.

"But when I read that word highend it just draws the itchies out of me."
Why because people use it to describe things that have no practical use for anything as highend. Diamonds and Precious stones. You can't even eat them.



Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

At times of disaster, whether from war or nature, common everyday items often become scarce and can actually assume the nature of money. But that applies only in that place, at that time. And as you pointed out cigarettes and liquor were two of the items - since neither is necessary to sustain life so they had simply become the medium of exchange. Nothing odd about that.