How would you price these pens?

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davidj40

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How much would you charge for these pens? They are about 3" long and have a Lamy 22 refill in them. I am not sure if there is a market for them. And please give a price number, not a formula, thanks.
 

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MedWoodWorx

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How much would you charge for these pens? They are about 3" long and have a Lamy 22 refill in them. I am not sure if there is a market for them. And please give a price number, not a formula, thanks.
You need to provide more details; are these kitless pens? What material are they made from? You also need better pictures to illustrate the work done on each model. Lamy is a reputable company and its an advantage to use their refills but without more details i cannot judge. Cheers
 

davidj40

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From top to bottom the materials are : brass, aluminum, coriander, ebonite, and ironwood. They would be kitless pens. All are made from solid materials, I drilled each piece to accommodate the refill, drilled and tapped the post which is the top piece, and I made the tenon and screws with a die for the screw pin, shaped the body and put some ridges to help grip.

I love these little pens but not sure I can sell them to cover material costs.
 

darrin1200

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David, there is no way to just give a number. Partially because this is not a type of "kitless" pen that is usually made. The Lamy Pico, your inspiration, is $75.

How much I price my work is very dependent on the value of the materials and myself.
First I add all the costs of all parts that go into the pen. This includes everything from materials, refill, screws or other hardware, box or sleeve, stickers I include in the package, everything.
Then I pay myself. I personally add $30 per hour.
Then I add another 20-25% for my businesses profit.

Example
Materials $18
2.5 hours time $75
$93x 25%. $23
Total= $116

For me, this is the minimum. If the market can bare more, then you can ask more, but you shouldn't ask less.

Hope this helps a bit.
 

MedWoodWorx

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As Darrin said it is a very difficult question to answer. In my opinion, since it is a kitless model with a high end mechanism/refill you could ask for a premium price. Of course this depends upon many factors, one of which is finding a person who appreciates your skill and taste. I think the same thing is true when we talk about any handicraft that is for sale. This conversation has so many buts and ifs that could last forever, cheers.
 

davidj40

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Oct 21, 2018
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Yeah, I hear you. I'm not sure I could sell them for $40. So I may just give them away. I have a show coming up in a few months so I will test it out.
 

mmayo

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Before you think about selling you might get rid of those radial scratches in some of the pens. If removed you should get $50-$100 each.
 
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