Which Pen Suppliers do you Purchase Pen Kits from? (Revised 10-9-2024)

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  • Total voters
    446

Wayne

IAP Library Manager
Staff member
Joined
Dec 14, 2006
Messages
884
Location
(East) Troy, Wisconsin, USA.
Revised 10-9-2024

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Many members ask the simple question, Which Pen Suppliers do you Purchase from?

Added points below 5-7-2022

Here are some things you should consider, when choosing a kit supplier.


• Where are your friends and IAP members getting their kits?


• Does the supplier have a web site?


• Is the web site well organized, user friendly.


• How easy is it to locate items and accessories?


• Do they sell through Amazon, Facebook, Etsy or Ebay?


• Are the kits, bushings, and replacement tubes in stock?


• How promptly will you receive your order?


• How Can you contact the supplier, Phone, Email, text, web form email or web chat?


• How prompt are they in responding to your questions?


• Missing parts or kits, how will the supplier correct this?


• What particular style of pen kit are you looking for?


• Who has the kit style/plating that you want?


• Suppliers often sell the identical kits as others but rename them and identify parts with different numbers.


• Be careful mixing similar/different named kits from more than one supplier as parts may be different.


• It''s best to buy the kit, with bushings and extra tubes from one supplier.


• Some manufactured kits have had quality issues, most do not.


• Some suppliers have few offerings of kits.


• Some suppliers have large offerings of kits.


• Some suppliers only offer the lower priced kits.


• Other suppliers only offer the higher priced kits.


• Many suppliers offer kits from both low to high priced kits.


• Pricing for kits does not suggest quality.


• Pricing does often increase based on the intricacy of a kit.


• Many suppliers sell other suppliers/manufacturers kits priced differently.


• Some suppliers offer different plating's.


• Are the instructions included with the kit, downloaded from the supplier's site or do you have to request them.


• Many of the suppliers also offer blanks, artisan, wood and cast, which is beneficial.


• Remember, there are suppliers that specialize in blanks only.


• Some suppliers include extra goodies with your order.


• Where in the world do you live, US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, etc.?


• Can you drive to the supplier? Big benefit!


• Shipping, taxes, etc. are other items that you need to be concerned with.


• Most pen kits are manufactured in China, Taiwan, UK, also USA, among other locations.


• Does someone know something that you don't?


• Some suppliers buy directly from a manufacturer and often require large orders of a single kit/plating.


• Often suppliers get their kits from other suppliers because of minimum ordering requirements/quantities that they don't meet.


• Not all kits with the same name are identical in quality/dimensions.


• Purchase your kit with the bushings and extra tubes from one supplier.


• Mixing parts from different suppliers, even if the kit has the same name, does not guarantee compatibility.


• Ask around for opinions and the satisfaction of dealing with suppliers.


• Find a supplier that meets your needs and stick with them if possible.

I once met a gentleman that was in the states from France at a pen suppliers store.
He buys a suitcase full of kits and accessories and takes it back as luggage. Claims he saves a large amount of money doing this.

So, what have I missed here?

Above is a Poll initially created from the data of the Chart in the library.

The chart below is continually updated to include World Wide Suppliers from this poll.


It also has live links to all of the suppliers.

Current Version 4-4-2024

Revised 10-9-2024

I am sure there are many others.
Please add those missing from the chart/poll, that you may use in your post below.

Take a look and vote in the kits members prefer to turn Poll. ->
 
Last edited:
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Olivers wood turning (uk), Penn state (usa mainly when on hoil day or via friends), Turner's retreat ( uk), Axminster ( uk). Turners workshop (uk)
 

NOTICE: IF YOU ADD OR CHANGE A VOTE YOU MUST RE-ENTER ALL PREVIOUS VOTES!

Just revised and added another 30 or so suppliers at the bottom.
 
Last edited:
Not sure what the poll will prove but the list is great. I wish that the vendors links were highlighted and able to easily click onto but that can be done through the pdf Wayne has provided in the library. I know myself I have bought from many different vendors and all were great to deal with. But at times you go back to ones that have the particular kit you like. Now there are some vendors that carry many brands and there are some vendors that are still growing and will become even more of a player. I think it comes down to doing your homework and on occassion just a simple question here can help. Wayne's list of things to consider when buying is a very good one and surely comes into play. Will look it over and add my vote when I have some time to study.
 

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I've added the above suggested suppliers, near the bottom of the poll.
 
Last edited:
After a 7 or 8 year hiatus from turning, I've just checked the three in the list I've purchased from recently.

Missing is Amazon that, like many small businesses, just stocks materials from other companies..
 
I stumbled across Prestige Woodworks last week. They appear to be small family operated business, and I ordered some kits from them found only one other place. They are at the excellent end of the customer service bell curve. Prices are fair, shipping is as expected.
 
I stumbled across Prestige Woodworks last week. They appear to be small family operated business, and I ordered some kits from them found only one other place. They are at the excellent end of the customer service bell curve. Prices are fair, shipping is as expected.
New to me as well. I'm not familiar with all of the pen kits out there but Prestige Woodworks list a kit called "Rockin" Pen Kit - https://prestige-woodworks.com/collections/pen-kits/products/rockin-pen-kit - that is guitar themed. Don't think I've seen that anywhere else. And, yes, prices do seem quite reasonable.
 
I stumbled across Prestige Woodworks last week. They appear to be small family operated business, and I ordered some kits from them found only one other place. They are at the excellent end of the customer service bell curve. Prices are fair, shipping is as expected.
Yea I searched a lot of them but the Full size Statesman spring is bigger.
CSUSA had a couple but I need 10 more.
 
Above is a Poll initially created from the data of the Chart in the library.

The chart below includes Updated 10-9-2024 World Wide Suppliers from this poll.


It also has live links to all of the suppliers.

Revised 10-9-2024
 
Last edited:
Added:

MK-Kleinkunst (Germany)
Wood Blanks & Pen Kits (Netherlands)
Houtdraaiwerken Pen Kits (Netherlands)
Greenvill Crafts (UK)
Isn't Prestige Woodworks is in Alabama (USA)? When I ordered from them that's where the materials were shipped from.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

NOTICE: IF YOU ADD OR CHANGE A VOTE YOU MUST RE-ENTER ALL PREVIOUS VOTES!

Many members ask the simple question, Which Pen Suppliers do you Purchase from?

Here are some things you should consider, and ask others for their experiences.


• Where are your friends and IAP members getting their kits?​
• Does the supplier have a web site?​
• Is the web site well organized, user friendly, easy to locate items and accessories?​
• Are they selling through Facebook, Etsy or Ebay?​
• Are the kits, bushings, and replacement tubes in stock?​
• How promptly will you receive the kits?​
• How Can you contact the supplier, Phone, Email, text, web form email or web chat?​
• What if the orders are shorted? How quickly will the supplier respond to this?​
• What particular style of pen kit are you looking for?​
• Some manufactured kits have had quality issues, most do not.​
• Some suppliers have few offerings of kits.​
• Some suppliers have large offerings of kits.​
• Some suppliers only offer the lower priced kits.​
• Other suppliers only offer the higher priced kits.​
• Many suppliers offer kits from both low to high priced kits.​
• Pricing for kits does not suggest quality.​
• Pricing does often increase based on the intricacy of a kit.​
• Many suppliers offer the same manufacturers kits priced differently.​
• Some suppliers offer different plating's.​
• Are the instructions included with the kit, downloaded from the supplier's site or do you have to request from them.​
• Many of the suppliers also offer blanks, artisan, wood and cast, which is beneficial.​
• Remember, there are suppliers that specialize in blanks only.​
• Some suppliers include extra goodies with your order.​
• Where in the world do you live, US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, etc.?​
• Can you drive to the supplier? Big benefit!​
• Shipping, taxes, etc. are other items that you need to be concerned with.​
• Most pen kits are manufactured overseas in China, Taiwan, and UK among other locations.​

I once met a gentleman that was in the states from France at a pen suppliers store.
He Buys a suitcase full of kits and accessories and takes it back as luggage. Claims he saves a large amount of money doing this.

So, what have I missed here?

Above is a Poll created from the data of a Chart in the library, a link is displayed below, of current world wide suppliers that I am aware of.

The Chart below has live links to all of these suppliers.



I am sure there are many others.
Please add those missing from the chart/poll, that you may use in your post below.

Take a look and vote in the kits members prefer to turn Poll. ->
The woodshed Templepatrick (uk)

I think that the list is good but would be nice in countries......
 
Arizona Silhouette and The Classic Nib have merged, within the coming months you will probably start getting directed to a new page with the new company name/logo as those details get finalized. I know this because I spoke to owner of Classic Nib, who is taking control of AS, at the Mid-Atlantic Pen Turners Gathering.
 
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