Kit vs Custom Fountain Pens
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- At some point in your pen journey, you will probably order a custom pen. It's fun, and you get to customize just about everything about your pen. Pick the materials, depending on the maker, you can choose the nib, filling system, and style of the pen. Dimensions may be customizable too. There are two main types of custom pens out there. Kit pens and full custom pens. Kit pens will generally cost less because the maker does not have to turn so many parts. Full custom pens will be more costly. Let's take a look at the differences.
Cheers Ivan, thanks for showing these pens. I am considering making pens in the new year so its nice to see other's.
Grandmia Pens Thank you Steph!
I'd be curious to know how they compare when you're riding with them.
The nibs are good. The one in Rose Wood has a nice subtle stub-like character, as does the carbon fiber pen. I don't think I've had problems with any of the nibs but I also adjust and grind my own nibs. If I do have an issue, I can usually take care of it myself.
That bulb filler looks nice. Who was it made by?
That was done by Brian Gray of Edison Pens before he was doing his more "mass produced" pens.
Metal working lathe vs wood working lathe. Metal working lathes can cut threads and make precise parts which can not be made on a wood working lathe. Those who only have wood working lathes use kits because it is the only way. Check out Matthew Martin pens, he uses a bunch of exotic metals/materials (timascus, mammoth tooth, etc) and fully machines most parts. As with most things, you pay for time. I can build a “kit” pen in 15-20 minutes (not including stabilizing the wood or bone) where manually machining the parts for a pen on a metal lathe take 4-5 hours to complete. Tolerances can be kept much tighter with custom made parts, where most mass produced kits are not as well machined.
Thank you for that clarification and insight.
I couldn't seen to find any information surround piston or vacuum filler in bespoke. If I would like to start such project, do you know where I would be able to purchase piston or vacuum mechanism or would it be needed to be custom made?
Richard greenwood.com has them. richardlgreenwald.com/shop/plastic-piston-filling-system/
Do you know of any pen maker that makes the feed too?
There are a handful but the only one that comes to mind right now is Desiderata Pen Company. Look for pens that have ebonite feeds and those, especially if they are modern pens, will have a higher chance of being made in-house. A lot of Indian pen makers also make them in-house but the key is ebonite.