Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I consider this forum to be at balance in regards to new vs experienced pen collectors and users.
So here's a question in my mind:
Would you ever consider a kit pen in your collection alongside your Parker's, Visconti's, Noodler's, JinHao's (etc.)?
If yes, why?
If no, why not?
Make your case, be as passionate as you want, but don't be snippy or nasty to each other, ok?
Let's discuss.
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I feel I don't have a collection but rather an accumulation. What gets accumulated really depends on how it came to me.
Would I buy a kit pen? Probably not.
If given a kit pen then it would really depend on the giver what happens to it. If the giver is a significant figure in my life then certainly, the kit pen would become a prized possession. If the giver is not a significant figure in my life then I would likely work on the pen to make sure it is functional and reliable and then give the pen to someone else who might enjoy it more.
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
Yes. If I like how it looks and writes...or if it has personal meaning to me. For example, I know two people who make pens out of kits, so I would be happy to have one.
fountainpenkid (December 27th, 2016), KKay (December 27th, 2016)
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
My collecting is largely based on use, with some exceptions, and I see no place for buying a kit pen. However, if a pen kit maker convinced me to try a beautiful writer and it fulfilled my needs, it could happen, but I've yet to see at a pen show a kit pen that I wanted to buy.
Fred
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I would not be averse to having any pen join the throng if it appeals to me on its merits. But I'm almost certainly never going to build a pen from a kit myself. As for ones built by others that they might try to sell, my impression is that these kits concentrate more on the materials for the body, and are often provided with inferior nibs. I don't care what a pen looks like if it doesn't have a decent nib.
Of course, I may be wrong or overgeneralizing. Maybe some kits do come with better than usual nibs, or maybe some of the people who build pens from these kits substitute better nibs than the ones they came with. But unless I happen to see such a pen at a yard sale or flea market, I doubt that I'd even be considering one.
As others have said, if I got one as a gift from someone close to me, I'd treasure it for that reason, even display it prominently. But that's not likely to happen.
"If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."
G.K. Chesterton
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I think I'm largely a ditto with above commenters, although at times I think I'd like to buy a kit and build one for myself just for the experience... just haven't found any kits that are interesting enough to bother with.
shiftysquirrel (January 10th, 2017)
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I love vintage pens.
I love new issue Pilot, Aurora, Platinum, etc. pens. I probably have the least interest in kit pens. Not sure why.
Even manufactured pens that seem too much like a kit pen sort of turn me off.
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
Depends on the kit. The kit pens I have been able to identify as such usually have metal sections, which I don't usually prefer. If the kit blends harmoniously with the work of the maker, I don't see why not. It doesn't really matter much to me if the maker wasn't responsible for the manufacture of every part of the pen. If it's just a barrel and a kit, it has to be a pretty charming barrel.
Lady Onogaro (December 28th, 2016)
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
My pens are for writing and for that, the nib and the ink mechanism are top priority. I don't think I would purchase a completed kit-pen easily but I would like to try kitting one together around a suburb nib. The question is, where to buy parts? There are not many suppliers for these things, at least in Europe.
here men from the pennet earth
first set nib on the moon
we came in peace for all penknid
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
What I dislike about kit pens:
1. Metal sections, I only like metal section on a pen that is completely made out of metal.
2. Heavy and off-balance brass innards.
I don't necessarily agree with the bad quality nib reasoning, simply because I can upgrade any fountain pen kit with a much better nib and feed than the one that came with the kit.
Another thing that makes it hard for me to like kit pens is that typically the pen maker don't realize let alone appreciate the depth and nuances of fountain pen design history. Therefore all the things that matters to us fountain pen collectors and users, are treated as afterthoughts, since the primary focus is the barrel material and shape, that's it.
Now, a counter to that argument is that most -- significantly more expensive -- custom made fountain pens today use Bock/JoWo/Schmidt nib and c/c filler, which can also be considered a "kit" for the internal parts. So what do you guys think of that?
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I pretty much agree with everything else in your post prior to the above statement. Essentially, nothing of a kit pen really works for me, and the fact that the only differences between them are the 'cover' materials means it would have to be something extraordinary, and I've frankly never seen anything that pulls me in.Originally Posted by penwash
As to your statement above, only a few days ago I made a public comment on the review of a pen from a well-known custom pen maker on this issue. I find it very disheartening, though completely understandable, when I see a beautiful hand-crafted pen, only to see a bog-standard Jowo/Bock nib sitting on it when opened. It immediately looks like any other pen, and I'm simply not one to buy pens exclusively, or even primarily, as eye-candy. I mentioned to the maker that it would be wonderful if there was a resource for them, where newly minted nibs could be crafted even a little (something beyond a basic laser engraving?) to make the nib more of a piece with the pen. And I'm aware there are no easy answers in this one, but it doesn't change how it strikes me when I see that same nib poking out from any number of pens.
Oh well, plenty of pens to go around, though...
"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."
~ Benjamin Franklin
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I have bought and will continue to buy pens with Bock/JoWo/Schmidt nibs and c/c. They tend to be quality parts and if steel are inexpensive and easy to replace. They don't have excellent variety like some Pilot nibs for instance but nib customizers seem to be familiar with them and able to work with them to achieve most of what people want.
I am not sure what the reject rate is for the pen maker, but most pen makers seem to mostly just ship the good ones in their pens, so customers usually win here, not sure about the economics for the pen maker. But what is the alternative? Making your own nibs sounds like a really specialized, expensive proposition. Buying from a pen manufacturer that makes their own nibs is maybe an option if that manufacturer sees great value in working with you I guess. You can do as Ranga does with their Peyton Street Pens collaboration and fit for NOS vintage nibs. They also have pens that use JoWo and their older pens use nibs from Wality pens.
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
You will note that I didn't say I had an answer at the moment, but that doesn't, in the least, take away the boredom of yet another identical, unadorned, standard issue nib. Especially when every other visual aspect of the pen has been carefully crafted with regard to some basic artistic standard.
"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."
~ Benjamin Franklin
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I've purchased 2 kit pens. One was made by Dr. Ken Cavers (aka drgoretex) when he was starting out. I later purchased one of his custom "Bamboo" pens. The other I purchased from a guy in Dallas. While a common kit, it was made with carbon fiber. It just really appealed to my eye. I also have a third and fourth that were given to me as gifts. One, from my brother, is made from the oak deck wood of the USS Constitution (Old Iron Sides). The other was given to me Christmas 2015 by a good friend. The nib really surprised me as it is really smooth and wet. It was made locally by a hobbyist and I am guessing the pen maker tuned the nib.
Last edited by KrazyIvan; December 29th, 2016 at 09:14 AM.
Fountain Pen Sith Lord | Daakusaido | Everything in one spot
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I doubt that I should buy a kit pen, but on the other hand I actually have quite a few - they are my Frankenpens. As one poster remarked above they are proper working pens with excellent nibs. Here are a couple:
L845_60 Onoto.jpgMorning Dress.jpg
The Blackbird "morning dress" sadly has a nib that is just too flexible at least for its feed and thus is apt to tramline as maybe seen.
Rgds
Cob
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I don't get it. Those are vintage pens aren't they?
Those are not kit pens, at least not the kit pens that I had in mind when I asked the question
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
Yes I apologise - just a bit of Christmas fun - they are made up of bits and so could just about qualify I thought!I don't get it. Those are vintage pens aren't they?
Those are not kit pens, at least not the kit pens that I had in mind when I asked the question
Rgds
C.
Jon Szanto (December 29th, 2016)
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
Aha, I see now.Yes I apologise - just a bit of Christmas fun - they are made up of bits and so could just about qualify I thought!I don't get it. Those are vintage pens aren't they?
Those are not kit pens, at least not the kit pens that I had in mind when I asked the question
Rgds
C.
I work on bits and pieces of vintage pens all the time,
and I thought in one sense it's the opposite of the predictable nature of kit pens, hence my confusion
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
Timing is everything! Cleaned out a drawer today and found a pen set my wife brought back from a conference, never opened, assumed it was a ballpoint & pencil. Took a look today and saw it is a ballpen & fountain pen! Typical kit pen stuff, leather wrapped cartridge pen, German made, generic #5 sized IPG nib. I may just toss in a converter & a FPR or Nemosine stubby nib and see how it writes.
Re: Question: Would you consider a pen made out of a kit in your collection?
I might -- I have a lathe and it's fun turning different acrylics and woods, and plan on trying urushi on the tubes. If something turns out particularly nice, I might keep it.
Pens and Perspective for all hands, great and small (including pen reviews by the small handed!)
datainadequate (December 30th, 2016)
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