Metal Sectioned Pens— Quality or "Slippery Slope?"

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Tachmonite

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There seems to be a conflict regarding the preferred section material for pen kits.

In the "user community" there is a sizeable stigma against pens with metal sections because they have a tendancy to be slippery. Yet, to my surprise, it seems that in the "turning community" I've noticed an abundance of dislike (expressed in reviews, mostly) for plastic sections due to their "lower quality." What are your thoughts? Do you think that this might be because the kit suppliers use cheap plastic? Does the metal product simply feel more satisfying to complete? As a beginning pen turner and fountain pen enthusiast, I am reluctant to construct a metal sectioned pen but do not want to make something that will not last.
 
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magpens

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A material like ebonite can substitute for metal, overcome the reaction to "plastic", and avoid the "metal-prejudice".

Ebonite is satisfying to complete !
 

Tachmonite

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A material like ebonite can substitute for metal, overcome the reaction to "plastic", and avoid the "metal-prejudice".

Ebonite is satisfying to complete !
Ebonite would be my material of choice for sure, and I would especially go for this if I were making a kitless pen. The hygroscopic nature of ebonite is just flat out cool in my opinion.
 

Willee

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If as a research project you go to the local office supply and look to see what pens they are offering for sale and you see an abundance of metal sectioned and plastic pens. So I dont know if its accurate to say users dont like them ... because users are buying a bunch of them.
As a pen turner I prefer as much wood and as little metal as I can get in the kits.
Most all my SlimLines have a custom wood band. The only two pens I realy like that have a lot of metal are the Serria and the Vertex.
Dont dont care for those "gun" or "Bullet" pens at all. Just my opinion and everyone has one.
 
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darrin1200

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My experience in the fountain pen community, selling and at our club, the tendancy is a dislike of metal sections. Mostly due to the "slippery feel".
I would not make a metal section on my custom pens unless it was specifically requested.
Quality, has nothing to do with the material.
 

its_virgil

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We in the turning community must work with the kits that are available. Most all have metal front section. I like the few that do not, especially for personal use. I actually think many sections are too small diameter wise. Personally, I do not think plastic sections are a bad thing. Matter of taste.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 

budnder

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I don't think a fountain pen buyer equates a non-metal section with inferior quality. Non-metal sections seem pretty common in the commercial high end fountain pens. I suspect a metal section is a no go for more people than a plastic section is.

Another fun issue is posting vs non-posting.. there are some users that won't even consider something that doesn't post. All the fountain pen kits I can think of post, perhaps because of this. I think it's a bit of a cruel joke, though, as kit fountain pens tend to be so heavy when posted that they're impracticable. So while kit pens post, realistically, you wouldn't want to write with them that way.

None of this matters, of course, if it's just a display piece and not something someone intends to write much with.
 

Tachmonite

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I don't think a fountain pen buyer equates a non-metal section with inferior quality. Non-metal sections seem pretty common in the commercial high end fountain pens. I suspect a metal section is a no go for more people than a plastic section is.

Another fun issue is posting vs non-posting.. there are some users that won't even consider something that doesn't post. All the fountain pen kits I can think of post, perhaps because of this. I think it's a bit of a cruel joke, though, as kit fountain pens tend to be so heavy when posted that they're impracticable. So while kit pens post, realistically, you wouldn't want to write with them that way.

I came directly from the "fountain pen community," and I must agree with you on the commonness of non-metal sections in high end pens. The only high end pens that I can think of that have metal sections are made by Pineider. So true on the posting part as well. I don't post any of my pens, but my fiance always posts hers. I have to consider that any time I get her a pen.

A side note, but I can't imagine buying a pen and not using it personally! The whole point is to write with it and enjoy it! :)
 

jalbert

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The larger issue, depending on who your intended market is, will be the design of the kit itself. The fountain pen community is much more polarized over the long skinny section/large barrel step/unbalanced feel in a kit than the material of the section. If you're trying to market to avid pen users, any kit that does not have adequate ergonomics is going to be an issue regardless of the section material.
 

Willee

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If as a research project you go to the local office supply and look to see what pens they are offering for sale and you see an abundance of metal sectioned and plastic pens. So I dont know if its accurate to say users dont like them ... because users are buying a bunch of them.
As a pen turner I prefer as much wood and as little metal as I can get in the kits.
Most all my SlimLines have a custom wood band. The only two pens I realy like that have a lot of metal are the Serria and the Vertex.
Dont dont care for those "gun" or "Bullet" pens at all. Just my opinion and everyone has one.
I apologize to the group. When I read the words kit pens I thought of ballpoint and rollerball ... not Fountian Pens ... of which I know not.
 

Tachmonite

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I apologize to the group. When I read the words kit pens I thought of ballpoint and rollerball ... not Fountian Pens ... of which I know not.
You're completely fine! While I did bring it up in relation to fountain pens, everything that you said still seemed relevant to me. People have to hold a pen by the section regardless of what kind of pen it is. That said, I have actually seen a majority of plastic and/or rubber grips on stuff I see at office stores near me. Maybe I should go look again to see whether I just missed the metal...
 

Tachmonite

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The larger issue, depending on who your intended market is, will be the design of the kit itself. The fountain pen community is much more polarized over the long skinny section/large barrel step/unbalanced feel in a kit than the material of the section. If you're trying to market to avid pen users, any kit that does not have adequate ergonomics is going to be an issue regardless of the section material.

Absolutely. I have dismissed pen kits that looked unbalanced without a second thought for that very reason. I don't want to build anything that I personally would not enjoy writing with.
 
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