I'm kind of at a loss here --- What do you think isn't going to last?
Where is the hobby going?
- Thread starter Smitty37
- Start date
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Carl Fisher
Member
This hobby is going wherever you as a pen turner/maker/artist or whatever you want to call your self is willing to take it.
The quality triangle comes into play here. Speed/Cost/Quality. You can only pick 2.
If you want to view this from a pen sellers perspective, you can chose to go the PSI route and turn fast product out the door at the expense of quality control. Your costs are less and a large portion of the work is already done for you to the tune of them even sanding your tubes for you now.
Alternately you could also choose to go the route of buying from suppliers like Richard Greenwald, Indy~Pen~Dance, or The Classic Nib and integrating their offerings of clips, bands, nibs, sections, transmissions, etc... into your own designs. But going this route takes time and your selling prices will go up accordingly and you're now selling to a different demographic and likely at a different quality of show.
For me, the PSI pen kit of the month club got old for me within my 2nd month of turning pens. I have settled on about a half dozen staple "kits" for my general lineup and use those to get my foot in the door and segway into higher end offerings. I do buy kits to fill orders and I do buy kits to populate the show table, but they are a segway offering for me to fund the custom work until the custom work becomes self sustaining.
Now if you're doing this purely as a hobby, then I don't believe there is a right answer other than to do what you enjoy.
The quality triangle comes into play here. Speed/Cost/Quality. You can only pick 2.
If you want to view this from a pen sellers perspective, you can chose to go the PSI route and turn fast product out the door at the expense of quality control. Your costs are less and a large portion of the work is already done for you to the tune of them even sanding your tubes for you now.
Alternately you could also choose to go the route of buying from suppliers like Richard Greenwald, Indy~Pen~Dance, or The Classic Nib and integrating their offerings of clips, bands, nibs, sections, transmissions, etc... into your own designs. But going this route takes time and your selling prices will go up accordingly and you're now selling to a different demographic and likely at a different quality of show.
For me, the PSI pen kit of the month club got old for me within my 2nd month of turning pens. I have settled on about a half dozen staple "kits" for my general lineup and use those to get my foot in the door and segway into higher end offerings. I do buy kits to fill orders and I do buy kits to populate the show table, but they are a segway offering for me to fund the custom work until the custom work becomes self sustaining.
Now if you're doing this purely as a hobby, then I don't believe there is a right answer other than to do what you enjoy.
JohnU
Member
I get a catalog or email from just about every large supplier out there. I usually spend some time looking through and trying to notice what's new or different. On one hand...with PSI in mind... Lately I haven't been that impressed with the new stuff out. Maybe its because I'm drawn more to classics with less bling, giving more attention to the pen material rather than the clip or nib although I do believe that there are some out there that need to be classed up. I understand the marketing strategy of trying to appeal to the interests of others but lately it just seems like they are giving a Polaris pen kit a face lift. For now I'm eagerly awaiting to see something truly different that will work with a broad variety of material, without getting overly pimped out.
On the other hand, or the suppliers hand, I get wanting a variety to offer. There are more hobbiest pen makers out there than professionals making a living at it, so I bet they sell a lot of anything new, just because its new.
On the other hand, or the suppliers hand, I get wanting a variety to offer. There are more hobbiest pen makers out there than professionals making a living at it, so I bet they sell a lot of anything new, just because its new.
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beck3906
Member
Maybe I'm not the innovator.
But my question I ask myself.....
How many of any one variety can I sell before the market is lost?
Ideally, my last sale depletes my inventory and I know when not to order more.
I didn't get in on the bolt action when they came out and definitely lost sales.
But my question I ask myself.....
How many of any one variety can I sell before the market is lost?
Ideally, my last sale depletes my inventory and I know when not to order more.
I didn't get in on the bolt action when they came out and definitely lost sales.
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ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Maybe I'm not the innovator.
But my question I ask myself.....
How many of any one variety can I sell before the market is lost?
Ideally, my last sale depletes my inventory and I know when not to order more.
I didn't get in on the bolt action when they came out and definitely lost sales.
Hey Rick,
You are unlikely to sell as many of any one style as Mont Blanc, Schaefer or even Parker. Yet they all sell the "same" style, year in and year out.
Should you add the gimmicks? Why not? But, plan to change to the next gimmick---we rode the circuit board and early 30 cal--made hundreds of sales. I wouldn't be putting a lot of them out now. Meanwhile, I'd still be selling the triton (having replaced the jr. gent series when they stopped being predictable).
I suspect that nearly every successful "hand made pen seller" has sold a large number of juniors, barons, sedonas, atrax, tritons or some other very similar body.
FWIW,
Ed