Penn State, Craft Supplies, Dayacom, Woodcraft? Which are the best?

[timberbits]

David:
Additionally, I don't know how true the story may be, but I was told that about 2 years ago, that Rizheng took a stab at the Artisan line and failed. Therefore, The Artisan line went back to Dayacom.

They are moving down the path of the EB, Up-range Cigars, Full size Gents (Chairman) and JR Gents.

They are trying to imitate the Emperors and Lotus with different engravings but I think they will have problems with the platings side of things.

It's extremely frustrating when you spend $20+ on a kit and end up with fur and dust marks all over the plated surface.

The plating standards in Mainland China are still not up to scratch with the quality being produced in Taiwan and Japan. Japan is not doing much these days due to power restrictions.

 

[Smitty37]

Not all

Rizheng told me that they are not the supplier of at least 1 of CSUSA's apprentice kits and their catalog does not include all of the CSUSA apprentice line kits. I believe they do supply some of them.

There are several other mainland kit makers in China. At least one of them makes kits for Rizheng and won't make any of those kits for other buyers although they will make kits for them that they do not make for rizheng.

Since there is no inherent reason that Chinese workers can't make good products, I expect the quality from them to continue improving. It has certainly improved during the time I have been doing business with them.

Keep in mind that it is not the cost of labor (although it is low there) that gives China it's big price advantage in the US market place. It is currency manipulation keeping their currency artificially low against the US Dollar. Also, we should not lose sight of what the Chinese are learning...it cost's no more to do it right than to do it wrong and often costs less. As we used to say "Quality does not cost...it pays"

 

[Daniel]

Please ogh Please make this group everything I could possibly dream of it being. I don't want to have to do a single thing to make it that way myself. I have not one shred of understnading of what it actually takes to make this group anything at all. And if I did I woudl think you are insane to even consider asking such effort of me. but please let me nag and whine and bitch to the point that no one is willing to do anything at all.

I mean my candy ass piece of **** complaining makes this so much finer an atmosphere. I'm just sorry the rest of you can't see it.

 

[Wildman]

Each of the top three pen kit suppliers, Berea, Craft Supplies, and Penn State have outstanding pen kits as well some dogs. Berea and Penn State have the most resellers. The best kit is the one you like to make for fun or profit.

Same goes for who and where pen kits are made.

With so many vendors selling pen kits and pen making supplies makes the craft interesting.

 

[arw01]

Would this be something we could crowd source together into a google docs spreadsheet or something similar, like a IAP Wiki?

Personally, the tube and bushing pdf out of the library has been a handy name cross reference. If it quacks like a duck, fits like a duck, tools like a duck, then it's probably a duck!

Alan

 

[sbell111]

Would this be something we could crowd source together into a google docs spreadsheet or something similar, like a IAP Wiki?

Personally, the tube and bushing pdf out of the library has been a handy name cross reference. If it quacks like a duck, fits like a duck, tools like a duck, then it's probably a duck!

Alan

As Wildman suggested just above, I don't think it matters. Some are convinced that anything from mainland China is bad, but don't realize that some of the kits that they use from the big sellers are from China.

I'm not so concerned with which factory my kits were made in. I'll buy kits that are of good quality and that sell well.

 

[DurocShark]

Would this be something we could crowd source together into a google docs spreadsheet or something similar, like a IAP Wiki?

Personally, the tube and bushing pdf out of the library has been a handy name cross reference. If it quacks like a duck, fits like a duck, tools like a duck, then it's probably a duck!

Alan

We have a wiki: http://www.penturners.org/wiki/Main_Page

There, I created the page to start things off: http://www.penturners.org/wiki/Kit_sources

 

[Grizz]

Okay... this thread has taken so many zig zags and 'Johnson measuring' I've totally lost if there was ever an answer to the original post.