What Are Your Thoughts On This Pen I Made?

[ModernPen]

My name is Jeremiah, and I am a designer of consumer goods. I have manufactured one of many of the pens I have designed (I have to do them one at a time due to costs associated with the process). Id like to know what the general initial impression is of the design, materials, color, etc.? Thank you for any positive and/or negative feedback!

Edited September 10, 2018 by ModernPen

[RMN]

Hi, I moved your topic to a different forum where you may get better results.

 

 

D.ick

[inotrym]

I like the color scheme. Wood and black resin go well together and are safe choices. I liked that you paired them with black trim. And that leaves you the section to add some flair. I'd say pretty good!

[Inspector]

I think that wood is actually Micarta.

 

I think it is a nice looking pen. I can't quite figure out what the section is made of though. A resin or is it a metal with a surface etch of some kind?

Cartridge, converter or eyedropper filling? Size and weight would be nice to know too.

 

Pete

[mana]

I would like to see in in a bit better lighting (kind of dark at least on my screen). Materials wise... good choices but as a combination it feels a bit too busy. As in, too much going on with all of the parts being of different color/surface treatment/material. Workmanship looks good though. Love the pattern on the section, is it the material or surface treatment?

The cap curves nicely so think about giving the barrel a similar shape, keep the width of the barrel after the section the same for a while and after that let it taper towards the end (the same curvature as the cap might work). As in, have the same curve/taper on both the cap and the barrel.

I do understand that it might make it impossible to post the cap but that could be solved with magnets... and the cap too. Have had this idea of a pen with the cap being held in place with neodymium magnets, a bit trickier to manufacture but would negate the need for threads... some day... Although I earn my living doing service and UX/digital design I originally studied product design. Designing and crafting tangible things is a pleasure all of its own.

[ModernPen]

Hello and thank you for your thoughtful replies.

 

The grip section is bronze with a hand-chased finish. The threaded portion is titanium. The barrel section is Micarta. I have several variations, as I want to have many options. I believe I will also put a totanium band around the cap since I dropped it and cracked the cap at the threads. The band could be engraved as well. I like the idea of being able to mix and match caps, barrels, grip sections, etc. I made a green one too - I think it would look better with black parts only, but I have a picture with the bronze grip section.

[Inspector]

Thanks for answering the questions about the materials.

 

Pete

[SoulSamurai]

For my tastes you have too many "unrelated" materials: micarta/wood barrel, steel-coloured threading, then a textured brass section? It's just too busy. The cap is too simple and looks "cheap": a band at the mouth and possibly a logo or "jewel" on the top would go a long way to making it look elegant or classy.

 

In functional terms I personally dislike sharp steps. The threaded section looks like it could be a lot smaller; you've got the threads a long way from the step which shouldn't be necessary and creates a very large area where contact with the pen will be less comfortable. Also this might just be the photo, but it looks like the threading itself might be a bit sharp? Which of course would be less comfortable if it actually is sharp. Some people don't like metallic sections because they tend to have less grip than other materials (especially if the user's fingers are a touch sweaty or oily).

 

A clip might make the pen more attractive to some people as it makes it easier to carry the pen around; personally I almost never buy pens without clips. If you're not going to add a clip, maybe consider a roll-stop? It's an opportunity to add a little decoration to the pen as well as being functional.

[amberleadavis]

I really like the grip. I'm not a fan of clips. Clips are for peeps who have shirt pockets. I'd love to see more pictures.

[truphae_inc]

Love that grip!

[eytim]

What will the price be?

[ModernPen]

  On 10/1/2018 at 12:59 PM, eytim said:

What will the price be?

Hi! I am hoping to have them available for the holiday season at $100.

 

I have made some revisions based on the useful feedback I have gotten here and elsewhere and will post the new version soon. Thank you!

[DasKaltblut]

  On 10/5/2018 at 5:07 PM, ModernPen said:

Hi! I am hoping to have them available for the holiday season at $100.

 

I have made some revisions based on the useful feedback I have gotten here and elsewhere and will post the new version soon. Thank you!

 

Careful with the feedback that would make it look like every other pen out there. This is an oversaturated market, and you need to distinguish yourself to be successful.

[ModernPen]

Thank you for that welcome advice! I believe, based on what I have been hearing, is that the mixed metals is not something people are fond of. I have addressed that by making the parts in titanium and bronze, and they can be mixed if someone prefers it, but will be available in one ir the other. I am also manufacturing titanium bands for the cap. One advantage I have is that I have machines that can run 24 hours a day to keep costs low in exotic materials. I also have different types of carbon fiber, including forged carbon, Vespel, and other exotic materials in stock. My original gial was to find pen makers who wanted their parts manufactured, but I couldnt figure out how to market that to pen makers. Most people seem to want to make their own parts.

[ModernPen]

[deleted redundant post]

Edited October 6, 2018 by ModernPen

[Inspector]

Making parts and you are almost into the "pen kit" market. You just need to add the brass tubes. There are thousands of turners buying kits in all quality levels. There is nobody I'm aware of making solid titanium kits. Just a few doing stainless ones. Most are plated brass. The custom market make as much as they can or it isn't unique. A clip that can be further shaped and refined might be an exception but it is still a small segment compared to the kit market.

[ModernPen]

That is good insight. Thank you. At what price point do you believe a solid titanium kit would be attractive?

[Inspector]

Probably more than the Stainless Steel kits. It would depend in part how plain or fancy they are and whether you sell them unfinished or anodized with different colours/shades. Here are a couple places that sell them. Some of the over the top fancy Taiwanese kits retail for close to $100US

 

This company make and sell them. https://pengeapens.myshopify.com/collections/inlay-kits

 

This one distributes them in the USA, they are made in England. https://www.turnerswarehouse.com/collections/fountain-and-rollerball-kits/products/shakespeare-fountain-pen-kit-british-made-pen-kits

 

You will need to make bushings to fit the tubes unless you make your parts to match the sizes of common pen kits.

 

Here is a place to get solid silver kits and he will custom make parts or kits for those that want them. http://www.silverpenparts.com I have a kit he made for another vendor that was a limited run of 20. They were a coupe hundred each. I'll get around to making it someday.

 

Pete

[Aysedasi]

  On 9/17/2018 at 3:42 PM, amberleadavis said:

I really like the grip. I'm not a fan of clips. Clips are for peeps who have shirt pockets. I'd love to see more pictures.

 

I'm with you. I'd almost always take a clipless pen......

[ModernPen]

I have changed the section material to titanium and the barrel to carbon fiber. I am currently working on the cap and clip dedign. I believe both will be titanium.