What would your recommendations be?

[CreativeCanes]

Hi all, I hope I am posting this in the right section as I am still a little lost on site navigation.
My question is, if you were looking to buy polymer clay blanks, what would be your favorite kit's to purchase for?.
I am currently making sierra's and slimlines in many different styles and will keep making those, what would your other choices be for?
Looking to do a stock up on tubes to prepare for the spring shows.
Pics are some raw and finished items. Some will never make it to pens. A lot of trials in the beginning. But really looking to expand for different kits.
Thanks for any info all.

 

[tomtedesco]

I like the two piece Orion Kit from Woodturningz.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

If I'm wanting to give someone a gift to really say thanks I'll give them a Jr.Gent 2. It has a quality plating and feels like a quality pen. I would stick with the better quality kits because I think if your going to spend the money for a nice blank you need to put it on a nice kit. The pictures look awesome. I'm always impressed when I see the polymer clay with the flowers and birds. Nice Work! Since it looks like you have the knowledge to do polymer clay as well as about anyone what would be the possibility of making an outdoorsy themed blank with trees, deer or ducks on it?

 

[mark james]

If I'm wanting to give someone a gift to really say thanks I'll give them a Jr.Gent 2. It has a quality plating and feels like a quality pen. I would stick with the better quality kits because I think if your going to spend the money for a nice blank you need to put it on a nice kit. The pictures look awesome. I'm always impressed when I see the polymer clay with the flowers and birds. Nice Work! Since it looks like you have the knowledge to do polymer clay as well as about anyone what would be the possibility of making an outdoorsy themed blank with trees, deer or ducks on it?

I also like the Jr Gents, and the Baron is also nice. The Long Boy will display more of the blank and not get too bulky.

NIce Blanks!

 

[magpens]

I greatly admire your work, Melanie !!

Are you thinking to sell just the blanks, or the completed pens ?

I don't think slimlines are the way to go because the blanks are too expensive for that style of pen, in my opinion.

Standard Sierras are a really old style pen, which, frankly, I am tired of except in the form of a Virage which uses the same tube. . There is also the Napoleon (from William Woodwrite in Canada, and an almost identical pen from Smitty's Pen Works, which ExoticBlanks may now sell) - nice thing about them is the crystal on the clip which would really set off your beaut blanks.

I do like the Elegant Sierra, and the Sierra Elegant Beauty which, I think use the same tube. . I think these styles would suit your classy blanks.

The Majestic Squire is one you should consider. . It also has a crystal on the clip.

You can't go wrong with the Jr. Gent II, but that actual pen style is also getting old and tired, in my opinion. Recent variations in the form of the Jr. Anthony, Jr. Aaron, Jr. Abraham, Jr. Morgan, and others will keep those tube sizes in demand, although there are some small variations in tube lengths.

Another one to consider is the Zen, which is a single barrel with magnetic cap. I love it. . Tube size is 10.5 mm.

The Vertex Click pen from PSI is another of my favorites - single barrel.

The new Long Boy from Berea is another that I like very much - I make it as single barrel and it really shows off the blank very nicely (actual kit design is two barrel but easy to make as a one long, 4" barrel).

As a pen kit, I really like the 30 Caliber Bolt Action from PSI. . However, it is a bullet pen and I don't know if you can adapt your Millefiori blanks to suit a bullet pen !!

Consider also the PSI Vertex Supreme ... really classy two barrel pen which is under-utilized, in my opinion.

There is also the single barrel Professor (also called Exemplar) which is quite new on the market. I really like it as a kit but it might not have quite the right hardware styling for your blanks. . Nice thing about it is the size and the straight-sided barrel. . Tube is 23/64"

Oh, I nearly forgot the Aero (from Craft Supplies USA) ... It is a superb pen for ladies and would really suit your blanks ... It is a single tube with 23/64" diameter.

Lots of possibilities ... I look forward to seeing which directions you go.

I would love to commission some work from you if you are open to that, and I would be thinking of Aero blanks, and also Professor blanks (if we can come up with the right blank styling for the pen kit), Zens, Napoleons, and Vertex Clicks, Vertex Supremes, Long Boys, and others.

I think you could do well selling blanks to penturners. . If you sell completed pens you would probably have to go to shows and that is additional expense for you and quite time-consuming.

 

[CreativeCanes]

Wow thank you all so much for the suggestions.

I will definitely be getting some bolt actions and making some camo styled blanks for those.

Some of those suggestions I will need to look up as the names are new to me. So I do appreciate all the suggestions.

Mal - Thank you so much.:smile-big:
I will be doing both blanks and completed pens.
The full kits right now are quite spendy for me, I am starting slow, so a lot of blanks with some simple kits (I really do love the chrome elegant, the purple and teal blank I made looks lovely on there).
I do agree with the slimlines, they are quite a lot of work for two tubes, especially when going full millefiori, double the sanding as well lol. For the marble type effect it's not too bad though.
The Majestic Squire is one I will definitely check out as I I do like a little bling lol, goes well with the flowers, butterflies and such.
I have been looking at the Zen lately, seems a nice sleek style.
The bolt actions I will be making but keeping them a little more on the manly side (camo canes, marble effects, animals and nature inspired).
I will for sure check out those other kits as well.
As of right now, I can't get all the different kits themselves, but the tubes and bushings are easier for me to acquire, so I will start with blanks for most kinds. I will be attending some fairs and craft shows this year so I am hoping to have a nice selection available as well for those.

I would be open to discussion about commission, shoot me a message and we can chat.
Thanks so much for the confidence booster, I do love making pens and different items with my canes. I just got in some perfume kits and some necklace seam rippers in that will be fun to make as well.

 

[CreativeCanes]

If I'm wanting to give someone a gift to really say thanks I'll give them a Jr.Gent 2. It has a quality plating and feels like a quality pen. I would stick with the better quality kits because I think if your going to spend the money for a nice blank you need to put it on a nice kit. The pictures look awesome. I'm always impressed when I see the polymer clay with the flowers and birds. Nice Work! Since it looks like you have the knowledge to do polymer clay as well as about anyone what would be the possibility of making an outdoorsy themed blank with trees, deer or ducks on it?

Thank you Kenny, I don't currently have any outdoorsy canes yet, but do plan on making them over time.

 

[Rounder]

I personally like the long clicker as it shows so much of the blank with no break in it. These things are just too pretty to break in half IMHO.

 

[RobS]

The Vertex by PSI, would do well to show off your work, since it is long and continuous. Plus it is neither too thin no too thick.