Jim Beam cigar

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JasonC

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Apr 27, 2014
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286
Location
Honolulu, Hawaii
First time using one of the Jim Beam blanks. Bought a mini bottle, heated the label and stuck it on wax paper, then turned/sanded the blank, gave it a few of coats of CA, sanded/polished, then applied the label and several more coats of CA. I'll send the leftover piece from the blank in a small zip-loc bag with the pen.

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And the contents of the Mini Bottle...:wink::bananen_smilies027:

Oh... Cool Pen! I do love the label blank! NIce job.
 
Beautiful pen, Jason. How did you compensate for the different diameter bushings on the upper barrel to ensure you got a smooth fit all the way around when you applied the label?
 
Thanks, guys.

BURLMAN said:
Beautiful pen, Jason. How did you compensate for the different diameter bushings on the upper barrel to ensure you got a smooth fit all the way around when you applied the label?
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I turned it down to bushing diameter then sanded slightly undersize.

Switched to nylon CA bushings, applied two layers of thin CA then applied the label.

Applied several more coats of medium CA. Took what seemed like forever.

I sanded with 600 and went to micro mesh.

The end result is that the cap portion of the blank is a few thousandths over the bushing size (and, as a result, the component parts) and normally I'm too much of a perfectionist to be OK with it, but I decided that this isn't bad considering the number of layers of medium CA it took to get a glass-like finish on that upper blank.

I posted the picture on Facebook yesterday and had a guy contact me wanting to buy two of them. :smile:
 
sbell111 said:
How did you obtain the permission to use the label on an item that you are going to sell?
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I didn't.

I figure I'm making a pen from certified Jim Beam blanks that are being sold specifically for this purpose and the blanks/pen will come with a certificate. By that nature they're already being sold based on the name. If the blanks are being sold to Woodcraft based on the name, then sold to me because they're from used Jim Beam barrels, there's no reason I can find that would prohibit me from selling them once I make a pen from them.

The label from a mini bottle just adds to it. Otherwise it just looks like a piece of Oak.

Of course I had to find a way to empty the mini bottle...for science, of course. :smile:

I was born in Lexington, KY (Versailles, actually) and bourbon was always a thing. Woodford Reserve, Jim Beam, Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Maker's Mark...all close by. If nothing else I'll pay them a visit (pen in hand) on my next trip home and see how that goes.

I'd love to take a batch of Maker's Mark pens in and get the caps wax dipped. :smile:
 
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Jason, I love the bourbon label pen. I too grew up near Bardstown; nothing like a drive past the distilleries and smelling the fresh air. :smile:
Not to hijack the thread, but maybe someone with some legal background can clarify if this is any different from using a professional or college sports logo on a pen. True, the sports logo is licensed, but would the bourbon labels fall in a similar category?
It would be great if it's not an issue. The label paired with the wood from the barrel would be a great seller.
 
bjbear76 said:
Jason, I love the bourbon label pen. I too grew up near Bardstown; nothing like a drive past the distilleries and smelling the fresh air. :smile:
Not to hijack the thread, but maybe someone with some legal background can clarify if this is any different from using a professional or college sports logo on a pen. True, the sports logo is licensed, but would the bourbon labels fall in a similar category?
It would be great if it's not an issue. The label paired with the wood from the barrel would be a great seller.
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The Japanese are buying up the bourbon makers.

Jim Beam, Maker's Mark to be sold to Japanese company: Consumers told

I just called the Beam distillery and the woman I spoke with said there should be no problem but she gave me the number to the corporate office in Illinois and I ended up having to leave a message.

Guess I'll know for sure soon.
 
JasonC said:
sbell111 said:
How did you obtain the permission to use the label on an item that you are going to sell?
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I didn't.

I figure I'm making a pen from certified Jim Beam blanks that are being sold specifically for this purpose and the blanks/pen will come with a certificate. By that nature they're already being sold based on the name. If the blanks are being sold to Woodcraft based on the name, then sold to me because they're from used Jim Beam barrels, there's no reason I can find that would prohibit me from selling them once I make a pen from them.
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I'm mostly in agreement with you up to this point, with a few caveats.

First, the fact that Woodcraft has been authorized to sell wood from the barrels doesn't necessarily license us to sell pens made from them. (It should be noted that I have happily sold hundreds of pens made from JD barrels that I bought in Lynchburg.)

Second, how you market these pens becomes the issue. Stating that the pen is made from a JD barrel is a simple statement of fact whereas calling it a "Jack Daniel's pen" could get you into trouble. Using the Jack Daniels logo on the pen or it's COA will result in your getting a suitable-for-framing letter from the JD lawyers telling you to knock it off.

JasonC said:
The label from a mini bottle just adds to it. Otherwise it just looks like a piece of Oak.
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The label certainly adds to it. It looks awesome. It seems to violate their trademark, however.

There have been a number of trademark-related threads in here over the years that might be useful to you. If you wish to discuss the issue, perhaps a thread in the 'Penturning' section of the forums would result in a sufficient number of people viewing to generate a good discussion.
 
Talking to some of my co-workers about this, one guy asked me how this is any different from placing a cigar band on a pen. Seems like it's the same situation really.
 
bjbear76 said:
Talking to some of my co-workers about this, one guy asked me how this is any different from placing a cigar band on a pen. Seems like it's the same situation really.
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What Steve is talking about has been a topic discussed here recently... No real resolution. 50 on one side, 5o on the other, all with logical arguments!

Its an open issue and some care on presentation may be warranted (as Steve indicated).

However... NICE PEN!!! (If you send it to me I'll keep it safe). Yea G. Dickels.

(Wife and I have a cottage booked for Sept 13-20... Kentucky Bourbon Week. She has been wanted to do this for 5 years. She's the taster... I'm her sober "Limo" Driver...). Need to locate some turner's showrooms in KY while I wait in the parking lots :smile::smile::smile:
 
bjbear76 said:
Talking to some of my co-workers about this, one guy asked me how this is any different from placing a cigar band on a pen. Seems like it's the same situation really.
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It is the same situation. That doesn't mean that either are legally defensible. That being said, I bet the real difference between the two is how much effort each company puts into defending its brand.
 
Still no word from corporate but I did leave a detailed message so it's not like I haven't tried to clarify things in advance.

Good thing is that I have a record of the calls.
 
JasonC said:
Still no word from corporate but I did leave a detailed message so it's not like I haven't tried to clarify things in advance.

Good thing is that I have a record of the calls.
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I doubt that showing a record of calls would provide any protection against a trademark infringement action. I suspect that the delay that you are experiencing is related to their passing the issue off to the legal department, their researching exactly who you are and what you are doing, and drafting the cease and desist letter.

It should also be noted that it has only been two days. Plus, it's the weekend.
 
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Fantastic job on the pen! Form, fit, & finish look perfect. The label idea really sets the pen off!
 
sbell111 said:
JasonC said:
Still no word from corporate but I did leave a detailed message so it's not like I haven't tried to clarify things in advance.

Good thing is that I have a record of the calls.
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I doubt that showing a record of calls would provide any protection against a trademark infringement action. I suspect that the delay that you are experiencing is related to their passing the issue off to the legal department, their researching exactly who you are and what you are doing, and drafting the cease and desist letter.

It should also be noted that it has only been two days. Plus, it's the weekend.
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From one of the other threads you directed me to:

sbell111 said:
Ulises Victoria said:
So.... let's say my nephew asks me for a pen with the Superman logo, symbol, whatever you name it.... may we get into trouble?
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The best way to go about that is to buy a comic and use an image from it, rather than to print a logo.
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I bought a Jim Beam blank and a Jim Beam bottle.

How is putting this label on this pen any different than casting a watch face into a blank? Or a cigar label?
 
JasonC said:
From one of the other threads you directed me to:

sbell111 said:
Ulises Victoria said:
So.... let's say my nephew asks me for a pen with the Superman logo, symbol, whatever you name it.... may we get into trouble?
Click to expand...

The best way to go about that is to buy a comic and use an image from it, rather than to print a logo.
Click to expand...

I bought a Jim Beam blank and a Jim Beam bottle.

How is putting this label on this pen any different than casting a watch face into a blank? Or a cigar label?
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First, I'm not at all sure that using the logo from a comic isn't a technical violation of their trademark, since I am not a trademark attorney.

Second, the key word in the referenced post was 'nephew'. In my opinion, DC Comics is not very likely to go after somebody for making a pen and giving for free to his nephew. That is quite different from marketing a pen with Beam's logo on it.
 
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