Twist vs Click

[DanielPasono]

Which sells better, twist pens or click pens?
I know there are a lot of variables that aren't being addressed in such a simple question. I'm just looking for ballpark type answers.

 

[jttheclockman]

Depends on what type you make most of. If it is a click pen you want a good quality click and it wasn't till recently they started making a good quality click mechanism so twist easily won that one.

 

[Jans husband]

I find that people who carry a pen round in a top pocket and have to make regular notes on, say, a clipboard they are holding, prefer a click pen rather than a twist because getting it out of the pocket and exposing the nib is a one handed operation.
Nurses and stock checkers are examples.

A twist pen in such situations is more fiddly because it needs both hands.

Mike

 

[calabrese55]

I find that people who carry a pen round in a top pocket and have to make regular notes on, say, a clipboard they are holding, prefer a click pen rather than a twist because getting it out of the pocket and exposing the nib is a one handed operation.
Nurses and stock checkers are examples.

A twist pen in such situations is more fiddly because it needs both hands.

Mike

I look at this click vs twist thing as an element of purpose. Example if you are at a dinner outing and about to throw your weight around by picking up the big check you are going to like having a powerful pen that you can whip out and operate in front of all your friends.
The check shows up, you one hand pull out your power pen, add the second hand and apply an authoritative twist and swash buckle you john hancock to the tab.
On the other hand, punn intended, you have a job to do. The use of a pen is completely secondary and unimportant except to record information . Exposing the nib is a one handed operation that most likely takes place somewhere on the journey form the pocket to the paper and most likely goes unnoticed. Add police officers and doctors to the click list
calabrese55

 

[Woodchipper]

What Mike said: Nurses and stock checkers (I have seen retail businesses use hand held scanners) and others who have a notebook or clipboard need one hand to "activate" the pen. As for selling pens, offer both.

 

[ed4copies]

It is quite possible to open a twist pen with one hand.

Until recently, click pens were not reliable--since the industry started using the Schmidt click mech, they are far better pens. Yes, offer both!

 

[derekdd]

I find that people who carry a pen round in a top pocket and have to make regular notes on, say, a clipboard they are holding, prefer a click pen rather than a twist because getting it out of the pocket and exposing the nib is a one handed operation.
Nurses and stock checkers are examples.

A twist pen in such situations is more fiddly because it needs both hands.

Mike

This has been my experience, also.

Nurses want click pens. Unfortunately, there aren't any good quality click kits that are inexpensive.

 

[SteveG]

Your best answer would come from your own personal sales experience. In my experience, I found there is a demand for both types, and buyers select one over the other for a variety of reasons. So your results will vary depending on your sales venue and the type of buying clientele that show up. Be careful to NOT bias the result. For example, if you guess that twist style will sell better, and then present a higher percentage of twist vs click, you will likely sell more twist. That will lead to the conclusion that twist is the winner. Same discussion can be made for the other factors, such as quality level of kit used, and wood vs non-wood, etc. Point is, if testing the popularity, test with a level playing field. That way you get accurate results, and greater overall sales, as you refine your product mix to match your buying public.

 

[ed4copies]

Quote: "Nurses want click pens. Unfortunately, there aren't any good quality click kits that are inexpensive."


A pen is a tool the nurse will use several times a day. What can they afford???

$76,850

• The average annual RN salary in Wisconsin is $76,850, the 22nd highest among all states. The median RN salary in Wisconsin is $76,560, below the national median annual salary of $82,750, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

You be the judge.

 

[jttheclockman]

This has been my experience, also.

Nurses want click pens. Unfortunately, there aren't any good quality click kits that are inexpensive.

You get what you pay for in all walks of life. Quality is in the eyes of the beholder also. Today the Schmidt mechanism seems to be the gold standard of the click industry till something better comes along. Pen kits today in general have increased in price for various reasons. This is an expensive hobby. I never look at price of kits, materials or other tools when it comes to a hobby. You have the choice to stay in it or not. Every hobby has its price point when you take all counts into consideration. I strongly and mean strongly look at the Dayacom line of all kits and that is as good as you get in this hobby. To they are the gold standard of quality in kits in this hobby. But again you get what you pay for. keep making slimlines and you will never be able to judge what is good quality but spread your buying power around and try different kits. Just some thoughts.

 

[egnald]

Time for a new invention from PSI, the Schmidt click-twist pen.
It would be much more useful than the Piston Pen.
Dave

 

[BayouPenturner]

My experience with the twist pens are the transmissions are not always reliable. I enjoy the twist pens for the Freedom Pens effort but the slimline pens my club normally makes have transmissions which have a lot to be desired. Are there some better quality twist mechanisms I have missed.

 

[derekdd]

You get what you pay for in all walks of life. Quality is in the eyes of the beholder also. Today the Schmidt mechanism seems to be the gold standard of the click industry till something better comes along. Pen kits today in general have increased in price for various reasons. This is an expensive hobby. I never look at price of kits, materials or other tools when it comes to a hobby. You have the choice to stay in it or not. Every hobby has its price point when you take all counts into consideration. I strongly and mean strongly look at the Dayacom line of all kits and that is as good as you get in this hobby. To they are the gold standard of quality in kits in this hobby. But again you get what you pay for. keep making slimlines and you will never be able to judge what is good quality but spread your buying power around and try different kits. Just some thoughts.

I don't have any problem spending money on the hobby (as my wife would attest) and have several Majestic Jr rollerball and fountain pens with pricey hybrid and dyed/stabilized blanks in my inventory.

The Schmidt mechanism does seem to be the answer for dependability. It simply is not cheap, which means it's a challenge to make a click pen for folks who don't want to spend too much money.

 

[Darios]

Nurses want click pens. Unfortunately, there aren't any good quality click kits that are inexpensive.

Cops too.
If it helps, the McKenzie Coyote comes with a Schmidt P900, which saves me a buck or so right there. I haven't worked with the other McKenzies (yet) but I would /guess/ they do the same courtesy by default on them as well.

And their click mechanism has the advantage of being steel (or at least metal) all the way through, so in case you happen to short your barrel by a touch too long on the sander while squaring it, a wee touch of the sander on the end bar of the mechanism is all you need.
(ask me how I know).

But I get your point - I just now popped open a capital click kit I got from woodturningz last week and not impressed. Plastic parts and a weird thread-the-cap-on-to-the-mechanism-while-fighting-the-spring action going on.

 

[Woodchipper]

Let's not forget, there is always the $$$$ Tree.

 

[jttheclockman]

I don't have any problem spending money on the hobby (as my wife would attest) and have several Majestic Jr rollerball and fountain pens with pricey hybrid and dyed/stabilized blanks in my inventory.

The Schmidt mechanism does seem to be the answer for dependability. It simply is not cheap, which means it's a challenge to make a click pen for folks who don't want to spend too much money.

Good Luck.

 

[sorcerertd]

For normal every day use, I prefer a click pen and advise anyone who asks to get something they are going to actually use and enjoy. The super easy one handed operation of a clicker is hard to beat, especially for jotters rather than writing letters or journaling. I believe that pens get the most use making grocery lists, reminders on post-it notes, and signing receipts or documents. As Ed said, you can operate a twist pen with one hand, but it's not as convenient in my opinion.

A fancy pen is great to have. The rollerball pens seem to be the most popular thing in my Etsy store. Clickers and twist pens seem to sell about the same. I can definitely reinforce that the durability of the Schmidt click mechanism is attractive to people, but I've had personal click pens (mostly PSI Compsons) that have lasted me for several years without problems. The duraclicks are expensive, but people seem willing to pay the extra for them.

Slightly off topic, but I just have to say it. I'd sure love to see some different finishes on that SKM-88 besides stainless steel. Even just having a black option would be great. A black stainless finish is available on the Apollo, so it's certainly possible. Maybe McKenzie will offer that option sometime in the future?