Woodcraft pens and pencils

[Bill Dunn jr]

I would like to know everyones thoughts on the pen and pencil kits sold at Woodcraft. I live a couple of miles from a store and like the convenience of buying from them. I have never bought from an online supplier so I do not know if their quality is better.

Any and all thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Bill

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Bill,

Woodcraft pens...the ones I have bought...they were okay. They weren't anything to write home to Mom about. I will add that the ones I bought from Woodcraft were their cheaper pens because I was in the store outfitting myself to turn my first pens. I couldn't see spending more money on the learning process at the time.


Pens like everything else it seems, have different price levels and quality. I
have bought from CSUSA, Woodcraft and Arizona Silhouette. If you buy the better quality, usually more expensive (unless you catch them on sale) they are all about the same. The more expensive finishes seem to also have better quality pen inserts. Though, one can buy replacement inserts at your local office supply places.

[David Walser]

Bill,

It may depend on which pen kits your local Woodcraft store chooses to carry. The biggest difference in quality among pen kits is the plating used. Despite what you might think at first, gold plating -- particularly 24kt gold plating -- is not what you want. Gold is a soft metal and will quickly wear off a pen with repeated use. (24kt is softer than 10kt because 10kt has more nickel in it. 10kt is more expensive because it requires a thicker plating to produce the desired color.) Instead of gold, look for titanium or rhodium as an indication of higher quality.

Craft Supplies USA has a good summary of the different types of plating used for pen kits. It's on page 101 of the current catalog. This link should take you there (if not, scroll to page 101). Zoom in to read if your eyes are bad like mine.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/print_catalog/8?Args=

[Daniel Heine]

Hello,

Woodcraft sells pretty much the same kits as Arizona Sihoutte, some of them just have different names, and the platings are not the same variety. For example, Woodcrfat sells a kit they call the Navigator. It is identical to AS' Baron. Woodcraft only offers gold and chrome as plating options. Same thing for the Sedona kits. Woodcraft also charges a bit more. For example, and chrome rollerball Sedona kit from AS is $9.75 when you buy between 2 and 10. Woodcraft is $11.99. Woodcrfat is great if you need one or 2 kits, but you will save money buying from AS, especially when you take advantage od their weekly specials.

http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/index.html

Good Luck,
Dan

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have found like the others that Woodcraft is generally higher on their prices and they don't carry the selections others do. I have a great experience with Bear Tooth Woods. Ernie is good to deal with.

[David Drickhamer]

Last year I did a Freedom Pens Turn-a-Thon at a local high school. Woodcraft donated 200 assorted slim line pen kits. Of all the pen kits we didn't have any problems with any of them.
Just a side note that after doing all the prep work, drilling the blanks etc, the students were able to finish all 200 in a 9 hour period.

[Greg Ketell]

What everyone one says is accurate. WoodCraft, AzSilhouette, CSUSA all sell the same kits from Berea Hardwoods. CSUSA also sells kits from other manufacturers that they import directly. But unless you have a strong pen maker working there and pushing the company hard, they only supply the lower end kits. You need to go to AzSilhouette, CSUSA directly to get the better kits at good prices. CSUSA has a really good write up on finishes that will tell you the wear-expectancy of the different platings. (second page of http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/print_catalog/1?Partnerid=vcs1?Args= )

GK

[Bill Dunn jr]

Thanks to everyone for the input.

[Montgomery Scott]

There are only three importers of pen parts in the US. CSUSA, Berea Hardwoods and PSI. Evryone else is a reseller of the pens these guys import. Woodcraft and AS and others resell Berea kits. I've quit purchasing PSI stuff as theirs seem the lowest quality and the epoxy finish they advertise is a gimmick that really doesn't work. Berea makes some good kits but I won't buy gold plated kits from them any more except for the art deco 7mm kits as the finish wears or tarnishes easily. I prefer the high end kits from CSUSA. They are nicely designed and if you get in on a group buy through IAP members you can save up to 25% and on a $68 pen kit that's significant.