When does it become a Frankenpen?

[scrivelry]

This is clearly an opinion question, and "Frankenpen" is hardly an official term with a written definition, but I was wondering where people line up on this question.

As far as I can figure, if you have a pen, and it needs parts, and you get those parts from another pen(s) of the same color, model and era, or you get NOS parts, or just plain new parts if still in production, that is not a Frankenpen.

It is obvious even to me that my pen with a Lamy Safari body, section and feed with a Hero 359 nib and a Jinhao 599 cap is a Frankenpen.

But where, exactly, do you draw the line? Are there people who feel that an Esterbrook with a new nib inserted is a Frankenpen? What about an Esterbrook with the wrong color cap?

If you replace a Jinhao 450 nib with a Goulet nib, does that make it a Frankenpen? What about if you replace a Sheaffer lifetime nib with one of their other nibs - providing it fits the same feed, is it or is it not a Frankenpen?

Does it make a difference if you buy a pen more or less meant to be fiddled with and change out the flex nib to a non flex nib by the same manufacturer? By a different one?

If you replace a j-bar, is it a repair if the part is new and a Frankenpen if it it came from another pen?

Is your answer different for a cheap pen than for an expensive one? Different for a vintage pen as opposed to a current production pen?


Unless you are selling the penI am not sure this question matters at all, but as I go about fixing things here on the Island of Misfit pens, I have time to wonder these things...