How important is triple start cap?

[jhiggi83]

I've been debating whether to invest $300 in an M13 triple-start tap and die set. Up until now, I've only used a single-start tap and die, but I'm curious how much customers actually value the triple-start feature when buying bespoke pens. Some advice I've gotten (including from ChatGPT) suggests that once you're charging more than $200 for a pen, a triple-start cap is almost expected.

What's been your experience — do customers really notice or care about this feature, or is it more of a "maker's detail" than a dealbreaker for buyers?

 

[BHuij]

I'm not trying to sell my pens right now.

So for me, the answer is "not important enough to spend $300 on."

 

[Dieseldoc]

For my customers Triple-start is a very important item, great sales tool, they are willing to pay for the future.

 

[jhiggi83]

For my customers Triple-start is a very important item, great sales tool, they are willing to pay for the future.

Thanks, I appreciate the insight.

 

[leehljp]

If I were buying, I would not buy a single start. Once that level of quality is achieved in a pen, single start holds the price back considerably.

 

[Todd in PA]

With triple, the cap goes on/off in one twist, like other commercial pens.

 

[Penchant 4]

The more familiar a potential customer is with fountain pens, the more important/critical triple start is likely to be to them; and there fore, to you as the maker.

 

[Chriscb]

Umm... I disagree.
I think this is a case of the emperor's new clothes.

A pen with a single start thread has no less quality than a pen using a triple start thread. The quality of the pen is dependent on the skill of the craftsman making the pen - not the thread.

A single start tap and die allows you to set the alignment from cap to body precisely - a triple start gives you a choice of 3 starting positions, only one of which lines up the pattern. If that's not a critical factor for you then fine. For me a misaligned pattern would look how a discordant chord sounds - horrid.

I only use a single start tap/die and can remove the cap within 1.5 turns. I have a waiting list of 8 weeks for my pens, and have sold 40 so far this year. The deal breaker for my customers is not a triple start thread, is only about the design and materials that I've used.

Is half a turn worth £600 plus to setup for triple start - 12mm, 13mm, 14mm and 15mm sets (for #5, #6, and #8 nibs)? Nah, I don't think so.

At the end of the day it's an opinion.

 

[NJturner]

Umm... I disagree.
I think this is a case of the emperor's new clothes.

A pen with a single start thread has no less quality than a pen using a triple start thread. The quality of the pen is dependent on the skill of the craftsman making the pen - not the thread.

A single start tap and die allows you to set the alignment from cap to body precisely - a triple start gives you a choice of 3 starting positions, only one of which lines up the pattern. If that's not a critical factor for you then fine. For me a misaligned pattern would look how a discordant chord sounds - horrid.

I only use a single start tap/die and can remove the cap within 1.5 turns. I have a waiting list of 8 weeks for my pens, and have sold 40 so far this year. The deal breaker for my customers is not a triple start thread, is only about the design and materials that I've used.

Is half a turn worth £600 plus to setup for triple start - 12mm, 13mm, 14mm and 15mm sets (for #5, #6, and #8 nibs)? Nah, I don't think so.

At the end of the day it's an opinion.

I somewhat agree - but limit my agreement to pens with a strong pattern that requires a match. I think a well done single start, allowing a minimum amount of turns from start to finish for the cap to be placed when there is a definite need to match a pattern on the blank is totally acceptable - and reflects the skills of the maker as the pattern is way more important than the threads. Otherwise, I'm definitely aware of any pens I pick up that that are single start - and think the makers concern on quality is also reflected in the threading - and if they wouldn't spend the funds to buy the taps and dies, makes me think where else did they cut corners?

 

[jhiggi83]

I appreciate all of the insights. I went through all of my commercial fountain pens a most are some variation of a single start or a snap close. My favorite is a triple start vintage Montblanc broad nib though. I'll go ahead and order an m13 as I currently only build with Jowo #6 nibs and wait for a group order on others if I start using different nibs.

 

[Chriscb]

I somewhat agree - but limit my agreement to pens with a strong pattern that requires a match. I think a well done single start, allowing a minimum amount of turns from start to finish for the cap to be placed when there is a definite need to match a pattern on the blank is totally acceptable - and reflects the skills of the maker as the pattern is way more important than the threads. Otherwise, I'm definitely aware of any pens I pick up that that are single start - and think the makers concern on quality is also reflected in the threading - and if they wouldn't spend the funds to buy the taps and dies, makes me think where else did they cut corners?

Umm.... as I said if you don't need the precise alignment then fine, but to suggest that corners are cut because a triple start tap and die wasn't used is ludicrous.

 

[BHuij]

I'm with @Chriscb on this - as someone who has been a user of numerous fountain pens ranging from <$10 to multiple hundreds of dollars over the course of the last ~15 years, a triple start is just not required for me.

If the pen looks great, fits my hands and balances well, and writes well, then the number of rotations it takes to get the cap off is basically immaterial.