The very nicest, most elegant pen kit made??

[WoodnPecker]

Hello everyone,
I am thinking of trying to sell a few pens and I am wanting to get the very nicest, most elegant pen kits I can buy. I am actually thinking of making a matching set, 1 rollerball and 1 fountain, and use them to photograph as my main advertising picture as well as have them to display. I know one set will be all I can afford right now so I am wanting a set which will REALLY stand out and catch everyone's attention and make them all want to have their very own. I don't know that I really want to start selling a lot of pens right now because I cannot do it full time due to some health issues and the fact I spend most of my time being father and mother to our 4 year old son while my wife is deployed. But, it would sure be nice to sell a few to help pay for my new addiction (I mean hobby). I figured a really "EXTRA" nice set with some eye popping "eye candy" on them might help me to start selling a few.

I guess this could have been a poll but I didn't want to limit it to just a couple of kits I think is nice so I just wanted to make it an open discussion and get everyone's personal opinion.

Thanks very much for your opionions and I would also appreciate any advice you want to add which might help me get started selling a few pens.

Take Care!

 

[pen-turners]

Bryant,
If price is not a concern, I would go with the Sterling silver Baron rollerball and fountain pen by ArizonaSilhouette. Just my opinion but these kits are awesome looking and VERY high quality.

My second choice would be a set of Jr. Statesman pens by Craft Supply USA. These are also very classy.

Chris

 

[Gregory Huey]

Bryant
I am going to agree with Criss but what ever kits you decide on. Turn them to the best of your ability and use a super finish. High quality work makes any kit look outstanding.

 

[Old Griz]

Bryant, I have to agree with the above about the Sterling Silver Barons.. they are absolutely classy looking...
The only other I would add is the Statesman or Jr Statesman in Rhodium with gold fittings... another classy kit, but a lot more expensive
Here is a pic of a Sterling Baron I did in Spalted Texas Pecan

 

[woodscavenger]

I think the Gentleman is a better choice. It is large so it really shows off the grain and it has the taper non-thread post which I think is very classy. The sterling silver is a great kit but I have done several as well as many chrome barons. For the price, and for photography purposes I don't think you will really be able to tell the difference between the two to justify the cost difference just for some photos. I don't claim my photos to be stellar but you can look through my gallery and see if you can tell the difference between the chrome and sterling kits. Most of my lighting is all pretty statndard and I don't adjust the photos much so you should be able to compare some of the kits. I shoot with a Sony F828 with no auxillary lights. Just overheads, and my flash. Good luck.

 

[nilsatcraft]

I would definitely say the Statesman is the way to go. With the hand casted engraved insets and ring, it really stands out as one of the finest pens available. Below is a pic of one of mine- a fountain pen would look even better. It's also available with gold trim rather than titanium. I've cast my vote []

 

[Old Griz]

Beautiful Pen Nils... But I can't help but think you might be just a little bit prejudiced (sp) about that kit... LOL...
It is real sweet .. especially with the gold trim... it is a classy pen..

 

[PenWorks]

I would do the matching Statesmen in either trim.
It just doesn't get better than that, at least for now. []

 

[Daniel]

Bryant, that really is a tough question. I wish there was jsut one outstanding selling pen. the problem is what ever you make you will then have to "Find" the customer for that pen. for me my best seller is the slimline or other close to that profile type. followed closely and I mean very close by the Gentlemens, Statesman, type pens. I would vote for the Statesman as it has more details to appeal to a customer with all the Engraving it simply presents better as a really elegant pen. but I would also incourage you to stretch your budget for a half dozen slimmer pens as well. this allows you to offer more of a selection. they are much lower cost to you per pen as well. I would say the comfort pen and slimline are two of my most popular styles with the comfort pen having a slight edge. note I make all my comfort pens without the rubber grip. the slightly wider profile really appeals to people.

 

[TheHoneymooners]

Mike made a couple of beautiful Statesman pens this weekend-- my first comment was "what do you do with the top when you're using the pen"...to which he replied that wasn't a problem. First customer I showed the pen to on MOnday-- said the very same thing. He doesnt like the threaded top on that style, yet-- are people REALLY willing to give up convenience for style? I know that its probably meant to be used as an executive or desk type pen-- but still-- wouldn't that limit your customer base? I like the first photo that Griz posted--and will hope the rest of our statesman kits are of that style--but I'm just one half of this operation LOL Oops, that would be "Baron" kits, right??

I DO agree that the size shows off the grain more AND just says "Look at me! Touch me!!" Which of course, is what will sell our wares.

 

[ed4copies]

Griz, I believe Nils may have a certain vested interest, but that is one nice looking pen!! I have never done that kit, but will be ordering over the summer, so Nils, it WORKED!

Bryant, if you are hoping to sell pens you first need to determine HOW you will reach your prospect. If you are going to try to stay cheap (no disrespect, just a fact), you will probably be going to church sales ($50 to get in is good). Are the people in the congregation well off or more of a "blue collar" crowd? One of the continuous objections is "All my pens disappear". So, they are not likely to spend $50 for a pen if they are real "workers" as opposed to desk bound.

In short, the people who work with their hands will appreciate a nice $20-25 pen (slimline, comfort, etc). IF you are lucky enough to have a "high end" clientele, they WILL buy high end pens- the higher the better (snob appeal).

In any event, try to gear your approach to your customer, not to YOUR preferences or OURS.

GOOD TURNING AND GREAT SELLING!!!

 

[nilsatcraft]

I confess! I am biased- no doubt about it, but I think most people will agree that it is a really nice pen and it just seems to tell the customer that you can make a really fancy pen that will grab their attention. As for the lid issue- I'm constantly amazed at the varying opinions on the subject. Some people swear that any good pen can not have a mountable cap. Others say just the opposite. With a pen of this stature, however, mounting the cap would cause extreme inbalance and this is definitely designed as more of a desk pen than a pocket pen. Many high end pen users say they don't feel like they're writing with a nice pen unless they're holding the lid in one hand. Others disagree. I guess you can't please 'em all, right? It really is a matter of taste.

 

[DCBluesman]

I think there are really three distinct issues here. One is which pen is the most elegant. I'd have to vote for the Statesman. It's got all the right embellishments.

The second issue is which is the most visually appealing. I'd have to switch to the Baron as many people are over-powered by the size of the Statesman. The nice thing about the Baron is that it comes in more finishes than most pens. Also, you can swap out the posting end for a taper which will probably display better in a picture.

The third element is showing off something that will sell. Dresden TN is not exactly a suburb of a major city, so I think the opportunity for selling $150 pens will be severely limited. The Baron can be assembled, including buying some eye candy, for about $10-12. That means it can be profitably sold for $40-50. I would think the market for pens in that price range would far outstrip the market for $150 pens.

 

[Queso]

After the beating I took for selling corncob cigars and PSI rollerball kits for $62, I think that selling a baron for $40-50 would get you kicked out of the shrine

 

[Old Griz]

<b>Nils, etal... I hope you all realize I was just teasing Nils</b>...
The Statesman and Jr Statesman are magnificent pens... albeit a bit pricey for the area I am in... I do keep a Jr Statesman in stock and offer it as a "Special Order" pen for those who really want something unique...
I will say that the sale of fountain and rollerball pens is right now split between Barons that post and Jr Gents that don't... It is just a matter of personal preference for the customer... I will keep making both..
On the larger pens like the full size Gent or Statesman, I believe attempting to post the cap will make the pen unbalance and top heavy... not at all comfortable to write with...

I also believe in the concept of "Perceived Value", under price your work and the customer will think it is worth that you price it for... Start high, you can always lower a price later.. but start high... customers who purchase hand crafted items expect quality.. they also expect to pay for quality (within reason) ... so when they see an item low balled they tend to believe that the quality is lacking... in the realm of hand crafted merchandise "Price=Quality".. this obviously does not mean that all high priced items are high quality... but I doubt anyone here is going to try to sell garbage to a customer...

 

[WoodnPecker]

WOW, you folks are <b>AWESOME</b> and this is just what I was looking for!!! Please, keep your suggestions coming. I must confess the Statesman with the 22k Gold trim and the Baron Sterling Silver are the two pens I had written down as my top choices but I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a kit out there I didn't know about. Also, I am trying to get quite a selection and variety of pen kits and woods pre-made before I even start trying to sell them so I will have several different pen kits from the Slimlines all the way up to the Statesman and Baron kits for customers to choose from. Hopefully this will appeal to and please everyone's personal preferences and not limit me to any one style. As much as I would love to create only the Statesman and Baron type pens everyday with some of Bill's "eye candy" on everyone of them, I guess I need to cover the full spectrum of pen kits so I don't miss any part of the market around my area. Since the main reason for these two pens will be for photography and advertisements purposes, I really want them to be "eye catchers" and although I actually try to do my very best to make all of my pens "eye catchers", I figured the extra style and finesse of one of these kits would certainly help out my efforts. I think you could put a corn cob on either one of these pens and still have a very beautiful writing instrument due to the fine craftmanship put into the kits from the manufacturers. I was also kind of looking at it thinking customers could look at these pens and know if I can make a pen of this caliber, style and level of difficulty to make, then I will also not have any problems making them a really nice pen from the less expensive pen kits which sell for a little less money and are also less challenging to create. This may not be the right way to look at it and it is certainly not the only way I look at it but that is kind of the way I would look at it if I was purchasing a pen from an artist.

Thanks again to every one of you for your comments, opinions and suggestions and PLEASE keep them coming because they are ALL very helpful to me as a new pen turner and hopefully I will also someday be an "Artist of Fine Writing Instruments" as I consider you folks.

 

[coach]

Excuse my mental short comings, but who makes the Baron? I saw it once and thought that it was a little bit cheaper than the Statesman. Just don't want to spend too much on a kit yet. Although, I plan on getting there eventually. I currently make Slimlines, Euro/Designer, and Cigars.

 

[JimGo]

Coach,
Bill Baumbeck has it, and from what I understand it is an exclusive, though some others have similar designs (he has more plating options though, I thinkink).

 

[driften]

I thought the idea here was to have a flagship pen that showed off the best possable work and style for photos and display. The idea of having a high end pen that maybe never gets sold but sells your other work is a good idea. How many people buy $50k+ sports cars when they walk into a car dealer? The sports car draws them in though to buy the cheep sedan. The Dodge Viper was never to make a mass selling car but to add an "halo" effect to the rest of the cars they offer.

I think the Statesmen Jr would do that job. Its got the details but is not massive in size being about the same size as the Baron. I love the Baron kits and will building four in the next couple of days but the Statesmen pens have more eye candy. I think the Baron is one of the best kits on the market. I have not made any Statesmen pens so am going by pictures about them.

One other thing to think about, Every maker needs a pen to carry with them as advertising. This should be that pen. So you have to decide what you like to use and how you use it. For me I think one of my Barons will become that pen. That or this Blue Box Elder Burl Black Chrome Atlas I just made last night from a BB blank []

 

[Daniel]

Actually specializing in just a few or even one pen style would have advantages. you could focus all yoru energy and resources on just the markets for that pen. for me the primary objective in making pens is not to sell them, Yet. I enjoy making them and spending all my money on the equipment to do so. really that was not a joke. I don't take alot of vacations. I enjoy staying at home and and working with my hands. a good friend at work spends $5000.00 a year going to Hawaii. I spend about the same on my shop and tools kits, wood etc. I want to make everything. and therefore offer most everything. hopefully I will get things turned around and actually make some money at this some day. but right now the pen sales are way behind. the shop is getting upgraded and I should have a real shop by the end of the summer. next is geting lined up so people will actually know about my items so they can buy them. the pens will definitly sell. I sold one yesterday on my front porch. but a pen every other week does not support this habit. Plus if I actually get orders coming in regularly it will conflict with the other prep work I need to do like building my shop. I guess what I am saying is I see a plan in my progress. and would recommend you do the same. plan your work and work your plan. If your first pens are Barons and they have to sell to get to the next pen. keeps the plan pretty simple. and it's pretty clear what you have to get done next.

 

[write-n-style]

Do you think an "elegant kit" will be the clincher that grabs the prospective buyers attention?

What catches your eye in this pen, the materials or the kit?

I use a particular type of pen for an attention getter but that is not necessarily the one the customer buys.
Materials, fit and finish are what grabs attention along with the over all appearance.
A distinctive or memorable pen does not have to be made with the most " elegant" kit.

So there isn't any confusion,the link to the thread for the above pen is herehttp://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4528&SearchTerms=driftwood
Dmadis is the artist.
The material and execution far outweigh the fact it is a powder coated slimline kit.
Is the kit "elegant? That is up for debate
Is the pen elegant? I don't know.
Did it grab my attention?
I knew I had seen it and knew how to find it in a search.
I don't believe an "elegant" kit will be an "eye catcher" for everyone.
I do think people remember the materials more.
Yes the kit adds to the overall look of the pen, functionality for the user is also important.

 

[MDWine]

Well, in a picture, it is the wood that gets the attention. Actually, I think that would be the first thing you'd notice at any time. What will KEEP me there is the fit, finish, and the quality of the pen.

That one is a great attention getter!

 

[JimGo]

I agree with Mike!

 

[wayneis]

If you want to carry a pen with you that will attract attention then it would have to be the full size Statesman or Gentleman. Thats what I do and I used extra fancy wood. The Gentleman's pen I used some extra fine red amboyna that I bought from Que Components. The Statesman I used black stabilized curly box elder with my Enduro finish on both. The only thing that grabs more attention is either a pretty lady or a sports car. Use the big full size version, then when you have their attention you can explain that you have a size smaller if that would be more fitting for them.

Another tip, some of you have already figured this out but the nice nib from the Baron will fit the Jr. Statesman or the Jr. Gentlemans pen. That takes the Jr. model up even another step especially if you use the Jr. Statesman.

Wayne

 

[WoodnPecker]

WOW!!! This really turned into an interesting post and I really appreciate each and every one of your opinions, suggestions and advice. This has been great and I actually hope it keeps going for awhile because I have found the diversity of it very interesting.

Actually, I had the order form for my pens and supplies already filled out when I wrote this post but being so new to pen turning and having never really photographed my pens before, except for posting my first few on here, I definitely wanted to hear from the experts before I placed this order or made my final decision as to which ones you feel are the best to photograph for advertising purposes to really pull potential customers in for a closer look. It does seem like I was pretty close though because the order form I have filled out is for a Statesman Rollerball and Fountain pen set in the Rhodium w/22K Gold finish with a matched set of Bill's stabilized Amboyna Burl blanks. I am also planning to somehow incorporate some of the solid black Ebony I have in with the Amboyna Burl. <b>AND</b>, I also have a Baron Rollerball and Fountain pen set in the Sterling Silver finish with a matched set of Bill's stabalized Buckeye Burl blanks on my list. I was also planning on doing some Turquoise inlay in the Buckeye Burl. If anyone has any ideas (or especially pictures) they don't mind sharing with me of how to do a nice design with the Amboyna Burl and Ebony on the Statesman set and with the Turquoise and Buckeye Burl on the Baron set I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you have. I just want to mix the two materials is a subtle, classy sort of way on both sets because I just think the Amboyna Burl and Ebony would look really rich together and I also think the Buckeye Burl, Sterling Silver and Turquoise would make a great combination. Anyway, I am just dreaming out loud right now but I really do enjoy hearing all of your opinions because I know the experience and knowledge available on this forum is more than I could gain in 10 lifetimes of turning and trying to learn it all by myself.

Thanks again to all of you for your input into the thread. It has really been AWESOME to say the least! []

Take care all!