How Can Pen Makers Distinguish Their Own Bock Made Nibs?

[Sach]

What kind of service do Bock provide? It seems like so many pen makers use Bock nibs, yet so many reviews also comment of the various properties of company specific features like the "conway stewart", or "Visconti" feel of a nib. Surely, nib material aside; Bock made nibs must be fairly similar to each other?!

That is unless of course, that Bock provide some kind of consulting process in which the pen maker brings what they want, which Bock then go on to manufacture. Any thoughts or insights?

[hari317]

It all depends on what type of customer the pen maker is, his budget, financial status etc.

 

Minimal to no customisation to existing template: lowest cost, lowest minimum order value requirement.

 

A fully custom job will involve first a full art design followed by a manufacturing CAD design, a few trials, including maybe few trial dies(frightfully expensive) and then final production which will have to be a huge number to make the NRE charges (Non recurring expenditure aka setup charges) worthwhile.

[Sach]

It all depends on what type of customer the pen maker is, his budget, financial status etc.

 

Minimal to no customisation to existing template: lowest cost, lowest minimum order value requirement.

 

A fully custom job will involve first a full art design followed by a manufacturing CAD design, a few trials, including maybe few trial dies(frightfully expensive) and then final production which will have to be a huge number to make the NRE charges (Non recurring expenditure aka setup charges) worthwhile.

Which manufacturers use this whole facility then?

[hari317]

Which manufacturers use this whole facility then?

Certainly Pelikan used it, Visconti, Sheaffer inlaid, Bexley did as per bexley's bock factory visit report.

 

You may find this interesting.

http://www.nibs.com/Jack%20Leone%20Bock%20Article.htm

[jar]

I believe that Caran d'Ache, Graf von Faber Castell, Montegrappa and likely Ferrari da Varese also start with the whole facility but then finish and write-in the nibs in house.