Hello from Alaska and Michigan

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chemfun

Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
Messages
24
Location
Michigan
I am currently teaching in Alaska, and travel to MI in the summer. Two years ago I wanted to make a shaving brush handle. I found a old wood worker with a lathe and he showed me a few things. All summer I made some shavings and got a few good handles. I LOVE the brush, but I only need one (and extras didn't get any good hits on straightrazorplace.com).

I started making pens last summer. What a blast. I have seen my pen quality greatly increase and my finishing skills also getting better. My son found it interesting, and through the correspondence school in AK, we got a small $200 lathe in Alaska. Thus far we have ordered some kits from PSI, and my son has been selling some pens (slimline) for about $20 with cocobolo or goncalo alves. I asked a made a christmas present for a friend up here. Upon looking at the pen/pencil set I was amazed at how I was unhappy with the finish now that I've improved a bit. I told him I needed to make a new pen, and he requested bethlehem olive. Upon ordering some, I also got some vertex starter kits from PSI with my son's last kit order. LOVED THEM! Since I don't have an outlet for pen sales, I was going to list on ebay.

Is there another pen kit type I should consider for selling on ebay? I like the zen (only have seen pictures thus far, never ordered a kit), and my wife LOVED the magnetic vertex fountain.

Are there other websites I should consider? (either for ordering or sales) There are so many options, and I've seen questions about quality. It all seems subjective. I would love some advice on how to recover costs for my hobby (as I'm sure you all would as well), or other sources for buying high quality kits.

-Scott
 
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Tom T

Member
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
1,883
Location
Sanford Florida
Welcome to the IAP there are beautiful pens around here all the time. Wait and look you will see plenty you will love.
 

Charlie_W

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
5,918
Location
Sterling, VA USA
Welcome from Virginia!

There are several venders here on IAP as well as others to choose from.
Just to list a few: Classic Nib, Exotic Blanks, Smitty's Pen Works, Lazerlinez, Craft Supplies USA, PSI, Berea Hardwoods, Arizona Sillhouette, Bear Tooth Hardwoods, Woodcraft, William WoodWrite. Timberbits, Wood Turningz, Golden Nib, B G Artforms, Silver Pen Parts,..........

That should get you started!
 

healeydays

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2012
Messages
1,057
Location
Bedford NH
Welcome from NH. Interesting time to be in Alaska. I think I'd rather have the Michigan winters over whats up there...

Mike B
 
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