pen mechanisms

[Paul Downes]

I got my pen kit in the mail the other day, but as of yet haven't bothered to thaw any tools out to attempt anything. My question is, Is there a "Rolls Royce" pen mechanism. Is there a particular brand that stands above the 'rest' as far as quality and reliability. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks

[Scott Greaves]

My question is, Is there a "Rolls Royce" pen mechanism. Is there a particular brand that stands above the 'rest' as far as quality and reliability.

Hi Paul,

Your question is still a little general. There are a lot of different kinds of pen kits, with many different "mechanisms". As a beginner you may have some of the venerable Slimline kits. These are based on the twist mechanism originated by Cross Pens. These are very basic mechanisms, but if I were pressed to say one that might be better, I would lean towards Berea, and maybe Craft Supplies, simply because they have high standards.

If you're looking for a pen kit that has the most reliable mechanism, then I would point you towards a fountain pen or rollerball, because they have NO mechanism!

If you're just looking for a good reliable source for good quality kits, then again Berea and Craft Supplies are recommended. But realize that there is more that can go wrong with a pen than the mechanism! More likely you will have a pen returned because the finish will wear off of the metal parts. For this reason I do not use kits that feature a gold finish anymore. If you like the color of gold, then get the Titanium gold kits, which will not wear.

I hope this helps!

Scott.

[Paul Downes]

To be specific, I have some Ideas about making some 'high faluten' pens and pencils with inlay and such and would prefer to make them using the best mechanisms available. I've had 2-3 expensive mechanical pencils fail to work after a # of years and would like to avoid this problem if possible. It would be a bummer if your expensive mammoth ivory pencil would'nt write, for instance. Maybe I worry to much, but I like reliability.

[Scott Greaves]

To be specific, I have some Ideas about making some 'high faluten' pens and pencils with inlay and such and would prefer to make them using the best mechanisms available.

Paul,

I am encouraged to hear you are going after the "High Faluten" end of pen turning! And you're right, the last thing you want on a special pen is any question of whether it will write or work!

I would still stick with my recommendations above. Both of these companies are trying hard to make the best pen kits possible. I personally think the Gentleman Junior kit in the Platinum from Craft Supplies is the best kit out there right now. But the new El Grande from Berea is right there as well. If you have special needs, call up and talk to Jim at Berea. He knows more about pens than any other person I know.

To inspire you I would like to point you to a gallery of special pens made by the members of the Pen Makers Guild. Here's the link:

http://www.turtlewoodworks.com/pmggallery/galindex.htm

Have fun! And please feel free to contact me offline if you have any specific questions.

Scott.