Random Thoughts

[MothersMilk]

On 2/18/2022 at 5:30 PM, snafu said:

Is there a difference among being “odd”, “weird” and “strange”?

I think there is.

I’d consider myself odd.  Not weird or strange.

 

You left out bizarre... 

[snafu]

36 minutes ago, MothersMilk said:

You left out bizarre... 

 

I should start an “OSWB Rights” movement.

We wouldn’t have a flag.  Everyone makes their own.

 

 

[Foxx]

44 minutes ago, snafu said:

 

I should start an “OSWB Rights” movement.

We wouldn’t have a flag.  Everyone makes their own.

 

 

That is downright peculiar.

 

[snafu]

32 minutes ago, Foxx said:

That is downright peculiar.

 

Let’s not get kooky about it.

 

[devnull]

2 hours ago, snafu said:

 

I should start an “OSWB Rights” movement.

We wouldn’t have a flag.  Everyone makes their own.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Foxx said:

That is downright peculiar.

 

 

1 hour ago, snafu said:

Let’s not get kooky about it.

 

 

That sounds kind of queer

 

OSWBPKQ+

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

On 2/11/2022 at 10:45 AM, devnull said:

 

 

 

So about this?  Same guy overworked two people he wasn't supposed to have authority over, causing one to quit and driving someone else in to the hospital.

 

Looks like he's being removed from the project today.  And quite a few people telling me "Well, I guess you weren't paranoid, were you?"

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

So I've mentioned before, I make pens as a hobby.  This one: 24kt gold.  East Indian rosewood, old growth (recovered from destroyed antique furniture.  Impossible to get more - no old growth Indian rosewood forests anymore.)    

 

 

 

Wife's reaction: "Why are all your wood pens wood-colored?" 

[devnull]

15 hours ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

So I've mentioned before, I make pens as a hobby.  This one: 24kt gold.  East Indian rosewood, old growth (recovered from destroyed antique furniture.  Impossible to get more - no old growth Indian rosewood forests anymore.)    

 

 

 

Wife's reaction: "Why are all your wood pens wood-colored?" 

 

You should respond with a bad Scottish accent...

 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

On 3/4/2022 at 7:38 PM, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

So I've mentioned before, I make pens as a hobby.  This one: 24kt gold.  East Indian rosewood, old growth (recovered from destroyed antique furniture.  Impossible to get more - no old growth Indian rosewood forests anymore.)    

 

 

 

Wife's reaction: "Why are all your wood pens wood-colored?" 

 

Well, this one isn't wood-colored.

 

 

Acrylic, polished with industrial-grade abrasives to 15000 grit.  This might be the best thing I've ever made.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

20 hours ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Well, this one isn't wood-colored.

 

 

Acrylic, polished with industrial-grade abrasives to 15000 grit.  This might be the best thing I've ever made.

 

So this is the best thing to happen to me in a couple years.  Just went to a specialty pen store to pick up some ink reservoirs and springs for some of my pens.  Brought the above to show what I needed.

 

The owner of the store, which deals in high-end three- and four-figure pens, couldn't believe I made it (literally, "Wow!  Where did you get this?")  He invited me to set up a table at the DC Pen Show in August.  

 

(Yes, my first reaction was "There's pen shows, and people attend?")

[snafu]

On 3/11/2022 at 6:06 PM, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

So this is the best thing to happen to me in a couple years.  Just went to a specialty pen store to pick up some ink reservoirs and springs for some of my pens.  Brought the above to show what I needed.

 

The owner of the store, which deals in high-end three- and four-figure pens, couldn't believe I made it (literally, "Wow!  Where did you get this?")  He invited me to set up a table at the DC Pen Show in August.  

 

(Yes, my first reaction was "There's pen shows, and people attend?")

You should design some sort of “brand” mark. 

 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 hour ago, snafu said:

You should design some sort of “brand” mark. 

 

 

Seriously considering getting a laser engraver.  If I could brand these for businesses, I could probably sell more than I could make.

[Foxx]

3 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Seriously considering getting a laser engraver.  If I could brand these for businesses, I could probably sell more than I could make.

If you don't mind my asking, what is market value for things of such nature?

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 minute ago, Foxx said:

If you don't mind my asking, what is market value for things of such nature?

 

I have no idea. 

 

I make them for the sheer pleasure of making them, so I don't market them, and usually just sell them at cost when I do sell them.  Often as not I just give them away.

 

The acrylic one above, I'd probably let go for $50-80 (not that exact pen - that's mine, I love it.)  The rosewood one above that, not for less than $150, because of the scarcity of the wood.  But a walnut pen of the same style?  I'd probably take $20 for it, and I'm almost certainly under-pricing it - not even billing for the time it takes to make, for starters.  

[Foxx]

1 minute ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

I have no idea. 

 

I make them for the sheer pleasure of making them, so I don't market them, and usually just sell them at cost when I do sell them.  Often as not I just give them away.

 

The acrylic one above, I'd probably let go for $50-80 (not that exact pen - that's mine, I love it.)  The rosewood one above that, not for less than $150, because of the scarcity of the wood.  But a walnut pen of the same style?  I'd probably take $20 for it, and I'm almost certainly under-pricing it - not even billing for the time it takes to make, for starters.  

I suspect you are undervaluing them. Just a quick look around the interwebs gives this.

 

If you do set up a table, your guy at the store might have a good idea to help with pricing aspects.  

[snafu]

1 hour ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Seriously considering getting a laser engraver.  If I could brand these for businesses, I could probably sell more than I could make.

just make a random mark the same way every time. Be vague so as to have cachet, and unobtrusive so as not to distract from the pen. 

or make tags with twine and slide that under the clip. 

and I don’t know what quality implement you put in the pen, but if it is scratchy or bad then it is useless.

 

Edited March 13, 2022 by snafu

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

7 hours ago, snafu said:

just make a random mark the same way every time. Be vague so as to have cachet, and unobtrusive so as not to distract from the pen. 

or make tags with twine and slide that under the clip. 

and I don’t know what quality implement you put in the pen, but if it is scratchy or bad then it is useless.

 

 

They're kits from https://www.woodcraft.com/.  The refills are standard Parker refills, so they're good retail quality.  

 

I went to the Baltimore Pen Show today.  Learned a lot.  Mostly, learned that my craftmanship can compete with some of the people there, but not my implements.  And learned about some other sources for kits and parts.

 

Maybe next year, I'll put up a table at the next Baltimore Pen Show.  The DC Show in August...that's a faintly ridiculous proposition.  

[snafu]

4 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

They're kits from https://www.woodcraft.com/.  The refills are standard Parker refills, so they're good retail quality.  

 

I went to the Baltimore Pen Show today.  Learned a lot.  Mostly, learned that my craftmanship can compete with some of the people there, but not my implements.  And learned about some other sources for kits and parts.

 

Maybe next year, I'll put up a table at the next Baltimore Pen Show.  The DC Show in August...that's a faintly ridiculous proposition.  

Yeah. To me, pens are for writing. No matter how good they look.

 
 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

5 minutes ago, snafu said:

Yeah. To me, pens are for writing. No matter how good they look.

 
 

 

The other thing I learned today is that there is a whole subculture of enthusiasts who think the opposite.

 

I hope Rule 34 doesn't apply.

[snafu]

1 minute ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

The other thing I learned today is that there is a whole subculture of enthusiasts who think the opposite.

 

I hope Rule 34 doesn't apply.

Idiots. Posers.

But you might as well make pens that look fine for those morons, and at the same time make good looking pens that write well for normal people.

That way you’re not cutting off any possible customers (except people who just use basic bic pens and don’t care - but they’re not your customers anyway).