What types of pens do most people like?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

snmhanson

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
12
I have been turning for a few months and now that I have my personal stock built up, I would like to start making pens for others. The few people I have talked with so far have surprisingly expressed the most interest for smaller and more basic pens such as Slimlines and maybe Sierras. I always figured that the bigger pens like Jr. Gents/Statesmen would be more favored. I haven't gotten opinions from very many people yet so maybe the people that I have talked to so far aren't a good representation. What does everyone else find that people tend to prefer? I know I enjoy turning a more complicated pen much more than a simple pen, but I also want to give people pens they are going to use. On the other hand, the bigger flashier pens tend to attract more attention and would more likely be a conversation starter. (i.e. "That's a cool pen, where did you get it?")

Thanks,

Matt
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,523
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
Welcome to IAP, Matt!!!

Your question is very broad. And your profile is no help.

What part of the country? Are your users men or women? Young or old? Chairmen of the board or shipping dock? Doctors or nurses? All of these give some indication of what kind of pen they will like and what will be "functional" in their world.

(Desk jockeys can use rollerballs, those who are moving around usually prefer no cap on their writing utensils).

The pen I sold the greatest number of was the cigar. But it was ALSO my favorite pen for a "carry pen".

That is a start---again WELCOME!!!
 

Alzey

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
369
Location
Erwin, Tennessee
I work in a computer department so I have sold a lot (40+) of slimline pens with stylus. Most people I deal with prefer the slims. I have sold a few cigars that I have modified to take a stylus. Surprisingly most of the Cigar pens have been bought by women. I have also sold a few pencils. But i generally don't stock them. I let the user pick a wood style from my portfolio then make a pencil with that species of wood.
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2010
Messages
1,830
Location
Pineville, Louisiana
Ed says his best sell was the cigar pen whereas I can hardly give them away. Higher end pens I cannot sell. I have some in nice tru-stone that I have had for over 1.5 years. I CAN and do sell a lot of bullet pens, on ETSY and at shows. I also sell a fare amount of slims and teachers pen. Note on teachers pens. They are a lot of work for little money.
 

jcm71

Member
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
1,660
Location
Chattanooga, TN
+1 on Ed's comments. Bottom line there are no rules on what pens sell the most (IMO). It all depends on your locale and client base. My best sellers have been Slimlines and Tycoon RB and Fountain pens. I offer higher end pens as well, but they haven't taken off as well as I hoped. Good luck.
 

Rick P

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,686
Location
Palmer Alaska
Interesting topic! Best advice seems to be make a bunch in a bunch of materials and see what your client base likes.

For me it's not just kits it's materials, my biggest sellers are sierras and Triton's, gents retros......the medium sized pens. I have only sold one slim and I could not give away the majestics I have. But more than that folks in the lower 48 love antler, bone and ivory. Antler sells OK here but bone or ivory dont move at all! What really moves for the locals here is dark, highly figured woods and PR. I offered my Eskimo freinds antler and Ivory but everyone of them went for PR! "Why would I want my leftovers made into anything......seriously would you carry around a pen from your chicken bones that were left from the last time you went too KFC?" That Elaine is one smart little Inupak!
 

Monty

Group Buy Coordinator
Joined
Mar 4, 2005
Messages
8,343
Location
Pearland, Texas, USA.
Welcome to the IAP from the Houston Tx area.
Like Ed said, depends on your client base. Where I sell, it's mostly Cigars, Euros, for ball point and Jr Gent and Jr Statesman for RB and FP.
 

76winger

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
2,784
Location
Lebanon Indiana
Welcome from Indiana!

And to add to the variety on what sells, I've interestingly sold as many mid-higher end pens (Magnetic Neclace, Designers, Olympians, Majestics, Nouveau Sceptres) than I have anything else in my Etsy and Ebay stores this year.
 

Tim'sTurnings

Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
420
Location
Central Michigan
I have sold many, many slims, mainly with wooden bodies (PR doesn't seem to sell as well for me). I have sold quite a few of the slim pencils too. Since I started making bigger selections for my pen case I have sold a lot of cigars, some sierra/gatsbys and bullet pens. Lately I have sold a lot of the cartridge bullet pens in gold and in chrome. By far the barrel material I have sold the most of is deer antler on the bullet pens. I have just made a pen and pencil set out of chrome from deer antler for a repeat constomer. I also give nice rosewood boxes for the pens other than the slims. For the slims I give the velvet sleeves.
Hope this helps. Different areas and clientele will dictate what you will sell. But you should start out with a collection of different types, materials and colors. (I find that the ladies like brighter colors). IMO
 

Andrew_K99

Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
1,571
Location
Waterdown, ON, Canada
IMO capped pens are more prestigious. I envision doctors, lawyers and others sitting at a big fancy desk using them. I also think that those that enjoy writing with a quality pen will choose a capped pen.

Pens without caps are quicker/easier to use (ie one handed operation) and I think lend themselves to blue collared workers, or those that use them intermittently throughout their day.

There will certainly be overlap but I think this could help narrow down what types to sell if you know your market.

Just my 2¢
 

Andrew_K99

Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
1,571
Location
Waterdown, ON, Canada
One observation, Andrew.

Doctors and nurses are constantly updating charts. They will (nearly) ALWAYS request a click pen. (You CAN convince some of them that a twist can be done with one hand).
Thanks for the information Ed. I haven't sold a pen (and am not sure I plan too), my thoughts were based solely on the 'prestige' of the cap vs. non-cap.

AK
 

Buzzzz4

Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2008
Messages
2,761
Location
Grand Rapids, Mi
ed4copies said:
One observation, Andrew.

Doctors and nurses are constantly updating charts. They will (nearly) ALWAYS request a click pen. (You CAN convince some of them that a twist can be done with one hand).

Being a nurse myself, cheap clicks are what the medical staff go for. In my opinion they not the target audience for custom made pens. I have slims in stock, but have not been able to move any in a year. Sierras and large fountains go well for me.
 

OKLAHOMAN

Member
Joined
May 17, 2006
Messages
10,228
Location
Costa Rica
Welcome, for me it's just the oppisite from most. I haven't made or sold a slim,cigar or any of the less expensive component sets, but thats because I choose not to and it has worked for me, as I choose to sell at venues that these type wouldn't sell. My best sellers are the Jr. series with the Jr. Statesman being #1. I do sell the Majestics and Emperors well with the Emperors now discountinued by some suppliers they do very well for me.
 

Smitty37

Passed Away Mar 29, 2018
In Memoriam
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
12,823
Location
Milford, Delaware 19963
ed4copies said:
One observation, Andrew.

Doctors and nurses are constantly updating charts. They will (nearly) ALWAYS request a click pen. (You CAN convince some of them that a twist can be done with one hand).

Being a nurse myself, cheap clicks are what the medical staff go for. In my opinion they not the target audience for custom made pens. I have slims in stock, but have not been able to move any in a year. Sierras and large fountains go well for me.
That was what I observed when I go to the hospital or clinic for something, bics and papermates. But never-the-less, I had one customer for kits who told me his bread and butter was selling to medical staff at the hospital where his wife worked.
 

JamesB

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2011
Messages
189
Location
South Carolina
Where I live there's alot of military that go for the 50 cal pens, the PSI ones with the fake bullet, my price on a the real bullet ones from Sylvanite is just too high for them I guess when they can get a fake bullet for half the price. Bullet pens sell here as well. Those are the ones I can count on to sell. I haven't had much success selling anything else, but then again I'm not very aggressive at selling. I sell on a local bookoo website and word of mouth.
 

snmhanson

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
12
Thanks for all of the comments - quite a wide variety of answers. A little more info: I am not planning on selling pens in the near future. I am a financial planner and would like to give them to my clients as gifts as well as to friends and family. I won't necissarily give them to every client, but probably about 25-30 a year and maybe more over time. I guess I need to think about each recipient individually and consider what they would prefer and what would be most useful to them. For example, engineers would probably like something simple, functional and durable. Insurance agents on the other hand might want something more stately and flashy. Sounds like click pens for doctors, which makes perfect sense. Maybe women prefer something with a bit of bling like the Princess or Majestic Squire, while men would want more of a guy's pen like a cigar pen or Jr. Statemen. But overall, it sounds like many people prefer function over form in their pens and are quite happy with a Slimline or other simple kit.

Thanks again for the feedback.

Matt
 

avbill

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2007
Messages
1,973
Location
San Bruno, CA, USA.
You, Matt need to determine what market you want to cater too. I like Roy have selected the high market. I did when I was a photographer and now its just a market i have worked in for a long time. Each pen component kit will determine who buys. A lawyer with a high 6 figure income is not going to be looking a $20 pen / More likely a 300 dollar writing instrument, high quality finish.

Start where you at with friends and the groups of people your around. But master every technique in pen turning. I can't stress the quality of the finish. If you are new, look up Russ Fairchild he has several dvd's on finishing the pen. There a new book out by Richard Kleinhenz.

This is just the start!
 

Rick P

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,686
Location
Palmer Alaska
Everytime I donate or give a pen as a gift I get at least one paying customer.......sometimes a very well paying customer! But a gift means nothin if it is just something you do. As you said "I guess I need to think about each recipient individually and consider what they would prefer and what would be most useful to them."
 

OOPS

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
674
Location
Spokane, WA
My brother gives away a lot of pens in his line of work. He tends to put together a small group of pens, usually all the same style. Then he says, "I was making this pen for you, then I thought you might like one of these others better." Then he lets them have their pick. They seem to love the thought (and work) that went into each pen, but letting them pick their favorite really works well for him. Just a thought for consideration when the time comes for you.
 
Top Bottom