Lapis Lazuli TruStone

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punkinn

punkinn

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Joined
Dec 13, 2005
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461
Location
Arroyo Grande, CA, USA.
My new daily writer. I love Lapis, and the TruStone is just beautiful. It finished up so well and looks like a $300 pen (well, it does to me!). :)

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Uh oh.... I might be hooked on this "alternative materials" thing. ;)

Nancy [:o)]
 
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I like TruStone - it's not too bad to work with, and really looks nice when it's done, as evidenced by your pens. Nice job!
 
Originally posted by huntersilver
<br />Awesome looking pen[:)] I wish the tru-stone wasn't so dear!
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Thank you! I wish it weren't so expensive too!! They have a lot of new colors out too... all very tempting but I have to just pick one or two at a time. [:(]

Nancy
 
Originally posted by ilikewood
<br />I love Truestone too. I also really admire that polish you put on. With the closeups, I don't see even the tiniest hint of a sanding scratch.[:)]
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Thank you! I sanded to 12000 with a plastics sanding kit that's similar to Micromesh but not that brand, and it feels different than Micromesh too. Then used 20/20 Plastic Polish, then a final buff with just the 12000 pad again. Poof! [:)]

Nancy
 
That looks great. I don't like turning the material, but the result is definately nice. I unfortunately got some blanks with almost no Gold in them. I turned one down and was less than impressed. Yours is great!

Fangar
 
Originally posted by Fangar
<br />That looks great. I don't like turning the material, but the result is definately nice. I unfortunately got some blanks with almost no Gold in them. I turned one down and was less than impressed. Yours is great!

Fangar
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Thank you! This Lapis one was not easy to turn at all.... very, very hard. It took me forever. The Asian Pink Coral turned MUCH easier; and first blank I got of that had no white swirl in it but Nils made sure I got some really nicely patterned ones the next time. I got lucky with this Lapis blank, the gold streaking was just right. I have a turquoise blank to turn yet, that looks well-patterned too.

I guess the density or hardness of the blank depends on what they crush up to make it. Apparently, lapis is a lot harder than coral! [;)] I want to try that green Malachite... it looks very pretty.

Best regards,
Nancy
 
Originally posted by Fangar
<br />That looks great. I don't like turning the material, but the result is definately nice. I unfortunately got some blanks with almost no Gold in them. I turned one down and was less than impressed. Yours is great!

Fangar
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This introduces an interesting question and I don't know how to make it a new thread, so if I am Hi-jacking-sorry, but it is worth discussion:

When we paid a couple bucks and got a "dud" blank, life goes on.

Now, at $7-$15 per blank, don't we have a right to expect perfection in every pattern??

If you get a dud, shouldn't the vendor be willing to replace the dud and the tubes you wasted???? And pay the freight. If they are forced to take a loss on some of the blanks, maybe prices and expectations can be driven back down to realistic levels?

Interested in the Forum's quarums.[?][?][?]
 
At these prices I would expect something pretty darned special and a total dud would certainly generate a call to Nils. I'd expect something more than getting some nicely patterned ones on a future purchase. If "nice ones" can be picked, the rest should be either discarded or heavily discounted. Maybe we can get Nils to comment--or even Ben. [8D]
 
Originally posted by DCBluesman
<br />At these prices I would expect something pretty darned special and a total dud would certainly generate a call to Nils. I'd expect something more than getting some nicely patterned ones on a future purchase. If "nice ones" can be picked, the rest should be either discarded or heavily discounted. Maybe we can get Nils to comment--or even Ben. [8D]
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Hey all,

I didn't word that very well. Nils replaced my "dud" Asian coral blank most generously. I wouldn't have mentioned it to him had it not been such an expensive item, and I feel somewhat better having mentioned it to him since it appears that others would feel like that was warranted in this situation. I guess I was lucky in getting such a nice Lapis one, but I would want to get a very nice looking blank for the Trustone prices.

I too am interested in more opinions....
Nancy
 
I agree with Ed. How will they ever know they have a faulty product if nobody ever tells them, and what better message than a returned product. I used to throw away the blanks and consider it as an "experience". Not anymore. When I find a piece of stabilized wood with incomplete stabilization or other major flaw, I send it back. The same thing happens when the color or pattern is not as advertised in a plastic blank. So far, nobody has offered to pay the return postage or replace the tubes, but they do send me a new blank, and sometimes a couple extras. Too many of these exchanges, and I start looking for a different source. I know of a couple Vendors who are glad I no longer buy pen blanks from them.

I agree with Lou. If they can "hand pick" after the fact, theu should be doing that before offering the product for sale. If that requires a couple more bucks on the price, so be it. If I have to buy 3 to insure getting a good one, and then pay the time and postage to send the other two back, I have already more than paid the difference.
 
Originally posted by huntersilver
<br />I agree, I have had a few blue lapis with lots of gold and others
where you could barely see the gold.

I think at least we should do a group buy just on the tru-stones.
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I heartily agree with the Group Buy!!!!
n
 
Nancy,
You really did it now, with this one! CSUSA is going to have to stock up on tru-stone because this pen is a jaw dropper! It really is one of the most elegant looking pens I've seen, period. The blank doesn't do that, the artist does. The shape and finish and fit is just great. The photography is just as nice, thanks for the close up, the trustone didnt grab my attention until I saw it closely.
 
Very nice Nancy. It's an elegant looking pen. As for a group buy, I had posted a question about that under the group buy section just a few days ago. Someone else had posted a tru-stone pen that I really liked, but they are pricey. Anyway, he had some realistic concerns, see thread below.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=15799

One caveat though- I just looked and didn't see the sampler pack- I'm goign to e-mail Nils and ask about it. I know I had seen it before and do remember thinking it was a good discount, but of course I didn't like the combo they offered!
 
Originally posted by angboy
One caveat though- I just looked and didn't see the sampler pack- I'm goign to e-mail Nils and ask about it. I know I had seen it before and do remember thinking it was a good discount, but of course I didn't like the combo they offered!
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I don't see the sample pack listed on the their web sight any more. Guess they removed it after I called last week to order a sampler pack as advertised on the web site. It stated one of each color for, I believe $29.99. Great deal I thought. 12 Trustone blanks for $29.99. However I was informed that it was for the five orginonal colors only, there are now 12 with the new ones.
 
Originally posted by oobak
<br />Nancy,
You really did it now, with this one! CSUSA is going to have to stock up on tru-stone because this pen is a jaw dropper! It really is one of the most elegant looking pens I've seen, period. The blank doesn't do that, the artist does. The shape and finish and fit is just great. The photography is just as nice, thanks for the close up, the trustone didnt grab my attention until I saw it closely.
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Thanks Glenn! I love this one too... it's wonderful to just hold even. [;)]

Nancy
 
First of all, I have to add my compliments to you, Nancy- You did a great job and the whole pen looks terrific. I've always loved TruStone pens and your pen shows why.
In regards to the quality of the pen blanks we sell, we try to ensure that each pen blank is good enough to be in our stock. All blanks are checked for quality assurance but we are human and occasionally an 'unworthy' blank will slip by. Please understand that nearly every blank we sell is different than every other blank. Every wood blank differs from the next, every celluloid and TruStone is a little different than the rest. We want you to be happy with every product we send you. If you aren't, please let us know and we'll take care of it. As soon as we get a complaint about a product we take a look at the rest of them to see if it's a one off or a real problem. Like any company, we need to hear back from you to improve and we're more than willing to do what it takes to ensure your satisfaction. Because woods, TruStone, Celluloids and other blanks are all so different, we cannot normally hand select specific grain patterns or specific blanks from our inventory as this is unfair to others. We do our best to only stock nice blanks so that everyone is happy with their purchase. Again, please let us know if you have questions or comments. While we can't guarantee that every blank we send out will be the most amazing blank you've ever seen- we do want you to be happy with your purchases from us.
 
Nils,

I don't doubt your sincerity for a moment. CSUSA has always been "customer-centric" to the nth degree. However, as you raise the cost of our products, we are, of necessity, raising our price to OUR customers.

A slimline sold at $15 that had a scratch or two in the plating was "saleable", "hand-made" products can be endowed with "character" in the process of assembly. My customer BOUGHT that! So, if I got a 10kt Cigar and the plating wore off-it was only one of a couple hundred sold-I can live with that.


However, you are now on a new playing field. If I spend $15 for a "tru-stone" blank, mount it on a $50 Emperor kit-I've got $65 in the pen-what does Craft Supply think I should sell it for? Assuming the answer is close to $200-that pen better be as close to perfect as is humanly possible-unless CSUSA is going to launch a national ad campaign to give all turners the reputation that Mount Blanc enjoys (albeit, their product does NOT impress me-they are a "standard" to which we need to aspire)

So, anything that won't make the grade at $200, you should expect to receive back-quality control is going to HAVE to be flawless.

THIS is my point. Good luck.
 
Nils and Ed, et al....

Again thank you all very much for your sweet comments on my Trustone pen. It's getting a lot of compliments at work, too.

I've spread the praises of CSUSA's customer service far and wide as well... and the most recent interaction is no different, and even better, if possible.

But blanks *are* getting really expensive, and I'd have never mentioned my issue to Nils had it been a $2 or $3 blank. I guess I wonder why something so fairly simple should be so expensive.

In the end, I know I can always count on CSUSA if I have a problem, so I keep shopping there. [:)]

Happy Wednesday everyone,
Nancy
 
Originally posted by Johnathan
<br />With such a great looking pen I am surpised you went with that kit. That TruStone will last forever but as a daily writer, your going to see that 10k finish vanish.
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I have only one pen that I have used for a long time, with the finish wearing and I use it to show how upgrading to a better finish is worth the money. This may be one of those money makers.
 
Actually, I hadn't planned on keeping the pen, nor using it for a daily writer. That "happened" after I finished it and fell in love. [;)] This is my 'high end' pen kit for now, although I do have some TN slimlines I don't consider a slimline high end regardless of the finish.

I do need to start doing some rollerballs and capped pens... the tooling is just darned expensive and I don't sell that many, unfortunately.

Nancy
 
Nancy,

Your work is certainly high quality and could be sold at local "church" craft shows. Might be worth spending $50 for a booth at a small show to make some "pocket change". Helps support the habit.

One word of warning, a little over a decade ago, Dawn did this. We now do over 50 days a year of art & craft shows-you CAN start another habit.[:0][:0][:0][:0][:0]

We have never been happier.
 
No, it conflicted with another show. A gent we met sent us a pre-juried ap, but unfortunately, timing was poor.

Stuff happens!!!

Why do you ask???
 
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