Joe Pack
Member
If you make pens to sell at shows, you have probably considered this same question. If you have, I am curious how you have dealt with this dilemma...
I have been making pens and other small turnings and selling at craft shows for going on 4 years now. The pens are my biggest concern. I started with basic Berea 24kt and "upgrade gold" platings for all pens, but was disappointed in how quickly the plating wore off on the pens I carried in my own pocket. In just a couple of months, the nib end of a 7mm slimline was showing base metal instead of gold.
I currently use several other 24k "upgrade gold" kits from Berea. I have not noticed as much wear on them in my own pocket as I did with the 7mm, but wonder if my customers do. I have had no complaints about wear yet, but do wonder if I have any upset customers out there.
I switched to titanium 7mm pens from Berea, but the price quickly went up to $7+, even at the 100 price, so I went to Penn State @ $4.95 or so. Both give extremely good wear, and are attractive kits. Prices on other titanium kits (Sierra, Churchill, Rolllerball, Fountain, ...) range from $8 - $15, either at Penn State or Berea.
If I was making just a few pens to give away, or for high end customers, I wouldn't worry about the cost of titanium or platinum or such, but I am making them, hopefully, in fairly large quantities to sell at a reasonable profit at craft shows. The price point for a slimline pen is $20; the same pen priced at $25 just does not sell. Made of titanium that will keep its color almost forever or made with a cheap gold plating that will wear in no time at all, the price point is the same. The customer expects a gold pen to stay gold.
You get the idea. Gold plating vs. titanium; reasonable price and sell a bunch vs. higher prices and sell a couple. Making an outstanding product mainly for fun vs. making a good product for profit. A dillema.
I'm curious how you have dealt with this situation. Do you sell mostly titanium or mostly the typical gold plated pens?
If you do find titanium kits at a good price, would you be willing to share your sources?
I have been making pens and other small turnings and selling at craft shows for going on 4 years now. The pens are my biggest concern. I started with basic Berea 24kt and "upgrade gold" platings for all pens, but was disappointed in how quickly the plating wore off on the pens I carried in my own pocket. In just a couple of months, the nib end of a 7mm slimline was showing base metal instead of gold.
I currently use several other 24k "upgrade gold" kits from Berea. I have not noticed as much wear on them in my own pocket as I did with the 7mm, but wonder if my customers do. I have had no complaints about wear yet, but do wonder if I have any upset customers out there.
I switched to titanium 7mm pens from Berea, but the price quickly went up to $7+, even at the 100 price, so I went to Penn State @ $4.95 or so. Both give extremely good wear, and are attractive kits. Prices on other titanium kits (Sierra, Churchill, Rolllerball, Fountain, ...) range from $8 - $15, either at Penn State or Berea.
If I was making just a few pens to give away, or for high end customers, I wouldn't worry about the cost of titanium or platinum or such, but I am making them, hopefully, in fairly large quantities to sell at a reasonable profit at craft shows. The price point for a slimline pen is $20; the same pen priced at $25 just does not sell. Made of titanium that will keep its color almost forever or made with a cheap gold plating that will wear in no time at all, the price point is the same. The customer expects a gold pen to stay gold.
You get the idea. Gold plating vs. titanium; reasonable price and sell a bunch vs. higher prices and sell a couple. Making an outstanding product mainly for fun vs. making a good product for profit. A dillema.
I'm curious how you have dealt with this situation. Do you sell mostly titanium or mostly the typical gold plated pens?
If you do find titanium kits at a good price, would you be willing to share your sources?