Then and Now

[jttheclockman]

An interesting thought came up in another thread by someone who made a statement about pen turning / pen making. The jist of the thought was, without quoting anyone, that we have become robotic in our approach to pen making. To claify what I mean, we buy the kits, we buy blanks that other people make and cast, we buy laser cut blanks, we buy Tonis clay blanks. We then take the pieces and and sometimes just assemble or at times turn a small fraction off and polish and assemble. There was the thought placed in the conversation that the person has become bored with pen turning and will move onto other woodworking projects. Nothing wrong with this and so be it. But the thought ran through my head as to where has pen turning gone.

Has pen turning/pen making ( call it what you want) changed over the years and if you see it that way, how? What would be the biggest differences in pen turning of years gone by to what we do today??? Do you see it as inprovement or lost art??? Is the art of making pens heading in the right direction or are we becoming robots and putting pens out on the market just for $$$. Are we flooding the market and the value of owning a nice writing instrument decreasing??

Not sure if this is a fair question because to me pen turning is relatively new to the point of its popularity.

Thanks.

 

[DavidSpavin]

I recently made a couple of circuit board pens and started carrying one around, well some one saw it and asked me if I would make him one. The problem came when I had finished it and sold it to him I felt guilty how little work I had done my self to make the pen. I am mainly in pen turning as a hobby, so infuture unless asked by a close friend I will avoid 'ready made' blanks. It takes the fun out of it for me.

 

[workinforwood]

I think the complaint about boring assembly is absurd. We are humans capable of deciding if, how and when we do something. Its ok to be bored by something but you have the power to stop or to change. Who says a pen has to be a kit, who says u have to purchase blanks?

 

[prophetmkr]

Being pretty new to pen turning, I have to say that ALL of it is new and exciting to see here and elsewhere. 6 months ago I was totally unaware of this wonderful hobby/art/business. Today, in conversations with friends and co-workers, when I mention that I make pens I get this blank stare and a "really?". Then when I show them one, boy does their expression change. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we are all at different levels here and at my level I am constantly amazed and inspired by all the talent and help concentrated in one place. I have so so much to learn.....

 

[renowb]

I just love all the aspects of pen making. I can create with my hands something that another person would love to have, even though to me, it is a pen that I created with joy. I think pen turning can be a hobby that can make money if you wish. It all depends on what you are in it for, a hobby or a business or both. To me, it is both.

 

[Akula]

It's the same no matter what circle you travel. We as pen craftsman (or whatever) talk and see what others in our circle make/do. The same is true if your into fishing. That group talks and sees what others are doing. We have people who do this as a hobby for fun. Same with fishing. We have some who are running it as a business, same holds true for fishing guides or ones who run a bait camp. We have some that are true pros in workmanship, same as in the fishing pros. Now if I could only find me a wood turning sponsor LOL

We shine when we leave our circles. When someone looks at one of my pens and says "Wow, that's beautiful" is along the same lines when I see someone catch a 12lb Bass.

We are the ones who place limits on ourselves.

 

[MorganGrafixx]

Being pretty new to pen turning, I have to say that ALL of it is new and exciting to see here and elsewhere. 6 months ago I was totally unaware of this wonderful hobby/art/business. Today, in conversations with friends and co-workers, when I mention that I make pens I get this blank stare and a "really?". Then when I show them one, boy does their expression change. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we are all at different levels here and at my level I am constantly amazed and inspired by all the talent and help concentrated in one place. I have so so much to learn.....

I think this statement pretty much sums it up. To those outside our "little guild" there still remains this stigma about all of it. But to those who have been at it for a while, it becomes less magical. Kinda like growing up and over time coming to the realization that Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are not real. We the pen turners (like parents) try to keep up the "Man Behind the Curtain" stigma for those outside our world. All the while, we THINK it's not as great as it really is. We become complacent over time doing the same things so much that they become second nature. But to the new turner or casual pen collector, it is otherworldly.

I think the true nature of it lies somewhere in between both views. It is not as fantastic and magical as the casual observer thinks it is, but also it is not as simple and vanilla as the pen turners think it is either.

I think my perspective is the perfect one for this question. I have been a turner for almost 4 years now. So I'm that 6-7 year old that starts questioning the fact that a fat guy can deliver gifts to the entire world with the help of magical reindeer but still gets excited that Santa just might be landing on my roof on Christmas Eve. I have turned enough to know that most of what I see as far as pens is run-of-the-mill stuff. But I'm also new enough still to see a complex segment or a closed-end or custom finial and still feel that excitement of the unknown and anticipate that one day I might be able to learn that part too.

Just my $ .02.

 

[gwilki]

John. I believe that I inadvertently started this discussion when I posted pics of my woodturner and woodworker pens, saying that I really didn't do much more than assemble them.
Larry then put out his thoughts on the matter, and it's gone from there.
I have no quarrel with what Larry said, nor with your opinions. I agree that if we become bored with something that, until now, was fun, we should move on. I guess it's easy for me to say that since I didn't get into this for the money. For someone who did, it must be tough to realize that the money was likely not all that great, and that he is now bored with doing it, on top of everything else.
I'm not bored with it. I just want to try other approaches and I am doing that. That keeps it fun. I do sell the odd pen, but so far, only to friends and acquaintances. I've no stomach for the craft show circuit, so, short of word of mouth, my incredible talents will go unnoticed.
For those who are content with buying all the parts, including the blank, and assembling them, I say "go for it". I've sold a couple of money blanks to just such people, and if they tell their customers that they did it all by themselves, I don't care.
My only quarrel, if that's what it is, is with those who have sent me nasty messages because I didn't post an immediate tutorial - with pictures - on how I made a design that I posted. Again, if someone wants to buy kit pens, including the already-turned and polished blank, assemble them, and sell them, that's fine by me. But, I don't believe that I should be jumped on if I choose not to provide them all the tools to do that.
This soap box is getting wobbly, so I'll stand down.

 

[Dave Turner]

It's easy to become complacent with the pens we make. We consider it simple to take a pre-made blank, turn it down, finish it, and assemble it into a pen using "kit" components. But I can show someone my very worst pen and elicit exclamations of amazement. Compared to what most people think of as pens, the ones we make are in a completely different league. Add to this the fact that most people don't have the equipment or skills required to craft a pen and what we do becomes pretty special. And I do mean "craft". I don't know about the rest of you, but I really have to exercise a lot of care and precision to get a pen that is acceptable to me.

Even after mastering the basics, the opportunities to advance are endless. Casting seems like a complete field in itself, one I'm anxious to try. It seems like we've only scratched the surface in alternative materials to wood. Polymer clays, decals, dyes, painted surfaces, carving, pyrography - there is no end to the possibilities. The bottom line is that the pen itself is only a hand-held canvas and it's our job to fill it with any kind of art we can imagine. I'm looking foward to some exciting times ahead and I think the IAP has a lot to do with it.

 

[76winger]

It's easy to become complacent with the pens we make. We consider it simple to take a pre-made blank, turn it down, finish it, and assemble it into a pen using "kit" components. But I can show someone my very worst pen and elicit exclamations of amazement. Compared to what most people think of as pens, the ones we make are in a completely different league. Add to this the fact that most people don't have the equipment or skills required to craft a pen and what we do becomes pretty special. And I do mean "craft". I don't know about the rest of you, but I really have to exercise a lot of care and precision to get a pen that is acceptable to me.

Even after mastering the basics, the opportunities to advance are endless. Casting seems like a complete field in itself, one I'm anxious to try. It seems like we've only scratched the surface in alternative materials to wood. Polymer clays, decals, dyes, painted surfaces, carving, pyrography - there is no end to the possibilities. The bottom line is that the pen itself is only a hand-held canvas and it's our job to fill it with any kind of art we can imagine. I'm looking foward to some exciting times ahead and I think the IAP has a lot to do with it.

Well said, and I concur!

(And that's not just sticking up for a fellow Dave!)

 

[MesquiteMan]

Let's see, 10 years ago, you still had pen kits, just not as much variety. You also had pen blanks but they were mostly wood. You also had to apply a finish, usually just friction finish. Seems that if you want to go back 10 years to have more excitement, then all you have to do is only buy slimlines and euros, only use wood, and only do a friction finish. Problem solved! The excitement is magically back!

The only difference today is you have MANY more choices of what to use in kits, blanks, finishing techniques, etc. 10 years ago, you did not have the choice to use a laser cut blank. Today you do but it is still a choice that no one is forced to make.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

:good::good::good::good::good:

Let's see, 10 years ago, you still had pen kits, just not as much variety. You also had pen blanks but they were mostly wood. You also had to apply a finish, usually just friction finish. Seems that if you want to go back 10 years to have more excitement, then all you have to do is only buy slimlines and euros, only use wood, and only do a friction finish. Problem solved! The excitement is magically back!

The only difference today is you have MANY more choices of what to use in kits, blanks, finishing techniques, etc. 10 years ago, you did not have the choice to use a laser cut blank. Today you do but it is still a choice that no one is forced to make.

 

[Andrew_K99]

I read that pen turning started in the eighties using bic refills on completely kitless pens. As time and demand evolved the manufacturing world noticed and started selling kits and fancy blanks to fill the demand. Circuit board pens were once someones home cast, bullet pens were someones creation and now those get mass produced as there is demand. If we go crazy enough for one type or new material it'll be mass produced in years to come. Is the thought process or creativity level changing? Yes, I think so. Could you still make a slimline a million different ways? Yes, it's up to the turner to make them their own.

AK

 

[Smitty37]

Maybe - maybe not

I have nothing against kits - I use them and sell them. I am not a metal worker, nor do I have any expertise with plastics. I can turn wood or acrylic blank and I can apply various finishes. That is what I enjoy, taking a block of wood that might otherwise endup as a door stop or get burned with the trash into something that can make a pen look a little special.

I made most of the furniture in my house. Dresser's, night stands, dry sinks, computer centers, tables, shoe racks, cupboards etc. I didn't invent any of them I just made them...some I copied from what someone else made - he probably copied them too because his are also modern made to look old. I didn't use hand cut nails or make my own screws to do the jobs I did recycle some of the lumber from pallets and found boards.

The point is that I do this stuff because it is something I like doing. No I will not buy blanks that are ready to use - that doesn't mean I don't like the pens that can be made with them, it just that if I'm going to use a kit then use someone's hand prepared blank and all I'm doing really is finishing and pressing together - I might as well let someone else make that pen. It's no big deal of others feel differently about it.

And if we're going to go backwards I would much prefer that we did so in communications and got rid of the dog gone appendages that so many people have hanging from their ear or walk around pounding at with their thumbs.

 

[PenPal]

Good Morning here,

Debate is great, expressing yourself a right by law, making pens a rare privilige.

EG..... Medical Doctor A Batchelor called Doctor an Honorary Title, within the Profession so many trained Specialist branches.

Then we have Naturopaths,Chiropractors, Chinese Herbal Practitioners add to infinitum.

There are ostensibly thousands of words that cover Wood Workers. One of the defining words is Craftsman, the inference a Worker is a Master of his or her Craft an advanced
practitioner in WOOD.????

Purists demand rules of engagement EG No departure from Timber, Hand Tools ONLY or what the to new products, Space Age materials.

Now where I come from my ACT Wood Guild has the main body and SIG,s (Special Interest
Groups) that meet at our main Venue during the month at another time to follow their interests defined by such Titles as Turning, Between Centres, Miniature and Pens,Furniyure, Scroll Saw, Carving, WE have our own Forge, Tool Restoration, Furniture Restoration,Timber Recovery and many others.

This diverse population of hundreds tend to Specialise much like the Professions and follow their preferences. So there is room for and expected for everyone and anyone.

The Operative Word Is Wood for the Guild. The second Word Craft.

Now in the here and now we have the INTERNATIONAL read anyone anywhere regardless of colour or creed.ASSOCIATION read loosely together guided by rules we all agree to,
of PENTURNERS assuming pens are TURNED in some way.

Within the IAP we are allowed freedom of choice in materials, predudices reasonably and politely expressed, the oportunity to share (IF WE CHOOSE OUR METHODS AND OUR CRAFT
EXPERIENCES)

No one member is more important than the whole (read the mission statement) We are owned by a benevolent OWNER and assisted by VOLUNTEER people of like mind in the true spirit of sharing.

Concientious objectors abound, we have religeous text quoted under contributions, Business names and addresses flow freely, under a heading of general we talk of our ills, wives, children, friends, wholesalers, retailers, are fortunate to have members who sell to us and above all the individual oportunity to live in this community of basically like minded folks


I value my association on this forum refuse to denigrate anyone with a different opinion,method of expression,lack of photography skills,English as she is spake and writ.

Now the subject is mine to interpret thank you one and all for going beyond escapeism one word or one liner replies and I look forward to robust sharing in all things by all people to
further help us determine which way , direction to travel, forward, backward, in or out.

Kind regards Peter.

 

[MartinPens]

I agree with Curtis' reply concerning the possibilities and varieties adding excitement to the craft.

For me it's about creativity. I do this because I enjoy being creative. I get much less satisfaction, personally out of, say, a snakeskin blank that I can throw on the lathe and have completed in 15 min. I still enjoy it and it isn't long before someone takes an interest in it and it's out the door. I recently did a snakeskin Zen pen - which took very little work - but I altered the kit a little bit and made it into a lanyard (see Snake Zen into Lanyard in Show Off section). This little bit of creativity made the process more enjoyable and satisfying.

Purchasing a beautiful piece of wood and making it into a custom pen - maybe just using some kit parts or altering the kits - or doing a closed-end pen - has more creative satisfaction than a beautiful piece of wood on even a high end kit - for me.

Finding a special piece of wood and cutting it to capture the best grain or spalted pattern and making a custom pen is REALLY satisfying.

Doing something really out of the box and having it come out is very satisfying. Seeing some of the "out of the box" work on this forum is very inspiring.

I think where many people get off track is when the focus is on making money. Maybe there is a small percentage who do fabulous work and make enough money to pay for the hobby/business or even make a little bit of profit - but the numbers are small. Most of us, it seems, are spending money to make pens because we love the craft and creativity. And most of us are spending more than we are making!

I make pens and other wood-turned items and I do it because I love being creative. I get more creative satisfaction if I choose a material or wood with special meaning and make something a little out of the box or maybe "out of the kit." If I were in this for the money I would be very dissatisfied and disenchanted REALLY fast. If a precast pen which I could make in 15 min sold really well and I made hundreds of them for the purpose of making a profit - to me - that would get boring.

Yesterday was a busy day. I had one kid home sick from school, a meeting I had to go to and was in charge of getting dinner on the table. I was thankful that I had a precast snakeskin blank that I could throw on the lathe and turn in under 30 min. It was just what I needed and just what I had time for.

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[jttheclockman]

Just stoped back to check on this thread and have to say there are some really great answers here ( also one I did not understand, sorry Peter:biggrin and also wanted to make sure that it is clear that no one was signaled out and I just thought as Grant said the topic just appeared in that particular thread and I found it very interesting and ionstead of hijacking that thread I would start this one.

I would like to thank Curtis because he nailed my point that I tried to make in that other particular post and will agree with him here. I do not see alot of difference in pen turning today VS yesterday. The amount of kits and styles along with the materials are what have changed. Along with the amount of new turners.

I like this response alot.
I think this statement pretty much sums it up. To those outside our "little guild" there still remains this stigma about all of it. But to those who have been at it for a while, it becomes less magical. Kinda like growing up and over time coming to the realization that Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are not real. We the pen turners (like parents) try to keep up the "Man Behind the Curtain" stigma for those outside our world. All the while, we THINK it's not as great as it really is. We become complacent over time doing the same things so much that they become second nature. But to the new turner or casual pen collector, it is otherworldly.

I think the true nature of it lies somewhere in between both views. It is not as fantastic and magical as the casual observer thinks it is, but also it is not as simple and vanilla as the pen turners think it is either.

I think my perspective is the perfect one for this question. I have been a turner for almost 4 years now. So I'm that 6-7 year old that starts questioning the fact that a fat guy can deliver gifts to the entire world with the help of magical reindeer but still gets excited that Santa just might be landing on my roof on Christmas Eve. I have turned enough to know that most of what I see as far as pens is run-of-the-mill stuff. But I'm also new enough still to see a complex segment or a closed-end or custom finial and still feel that excitement of the unknown and anticipate that one day I might be able to learn that part too.


Love to read more replys. Thanks

 

[ctubbs]

I am a Master Electrician. What I do on a daily basis is normal and mundane to myself and most of my fellow electricians, however, to an outsider, working with live voltages well over 1000 Volts or working in a control cabinet with a thousand wires where even moving the wrong wire could stop a plant costing many thousands of dollars per hour would be unbelievably nerve racking and something they would never even consider doing. Our making, building, creating pens is in the same category. No I am not talking of the dangers or training required, but all the same, there are certain skills and equipment required to do it correctly. To the uninitiated it is somewhat magical to be able to talk to someone who actually constructed with their hands the thing of beauty they hold in their hands. Think about just a moment. Does it make us special? Not really, but just like when we played Santa for our kids, the respect and adulation we receive does feel good. Call me what you will, but I still enjoy showing a pen from my pocket and hearing, "Where did you get this beautiful Pen?" Oh, I made that. "Really? WOW!" Now the feel good comes out all over again. Not bored yet, hopefully never. Just my $0.02 today.
Charles

 

[prophetmkr]

I've really enjoyed seeing the responses in this thread. Looking forward to getting better and better with the help and advice from a great group of people. But, I want to get ONE thing straight! The IS a SANTA CLAUS! I'm a little iffy on the tooth fairy and I'm pretty sure the Easter Bunny is a fabrication, but not SANTA!!

 

[PenMan1]

Another side of a forum such as this is that many times one person's idea leads to another building on the "basic" idea that someone else started.

If you look back at the membership here, it appears that the more members we get and the more ideas we share, the faster all of our skills improve, resulting in a much better, more sophisticated product that even the very best here couldn't have produced without the sharing, as recently as five years ago.

Sure, there is some duplication, but, at least to me, the advances of the group as a whole outweighs the copies.