Pen Supplies?

[WoodWrangler]

Where do you buy your pen turning suppliers (i.e. pen kits, exotic blanks, etc)?

 

[DaveO]

Woodcraft
Pens of Color http://www.pocwoodworking.com/
Woodturningz http://www.woodturningz.com/SlimlinePenKits.aspx
Craft Supplies USA http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/
PSI http://www.pennstateind.com/

Most of my blanks come from local sources (Jeff and other members on the site) and the rest come from buying boards and cutting my own or figured scrap.

HTH, Dave

 

[nelsone]

So far most of my pen kits have come from Woodcraft, but a lot of people say CSUSA and Arizona Silhouette are both real good.

 

[ebarr]

All the above.

I also ordered from http://www.hutproducts.com/

I noticed some of the kits they have a woodcraft come from Hut also.

 

[rherrell]

Try Ernie at Bear Tooth Woods. Very honest and VERY fast shipping. He also personally emails you about every order. Has a huge selection of acrylic blanks. I know,I know,plastic?? BLASPHEMY!
http://www.beartoothwoods.com/catalog/

 

[Splinter]

Some other sites I have seen.

http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/

http://www.pennstateind.com/

http://www.woodnwhimsies.com/

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

 

[Wildwood]

http://www.packardwoodworks.com

http://www.woodturningz.com

http://www.penkits.com

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com

http://www.hutproducts.com

Have bought supplies from Hut Products, they’re a reseller of Berea kits & supplies. Would like to try their duck call kits, but wouldn’t know if made a good one or not. I don’t hunt.

Don’t think anyone resells Craftsupplies stuff, many resellers of both PSI, and Berea stuff out there. Find a kit you like to make, then search for best price including shipping. Dosen't hurt to have a Berea, Craftssupplies, and PSI catalog which are free to look at.

Same can be said for blanks, almost! There are lot more tips, trick, and techniques to buying blanks. JMHO, with few exceptions, most domestic woods will rival exotics in workability and finished product. Your mileage may vary!

 

[Eaglesc]

As you go farther down the hole you will be able to identify different sets of components from the different suppliers.
Berea has resesllers in the national chain category.
Woodcraft and Rocklear being two of them.
There is a difference though.
Woodcraft offers a style called the"Navigator".It is available in a regular gold plating.
That style sold by Arizona silouhette is called the BAron and is only available from Arizonal Silouhette in different platings TG, Platinum,chrome, Black Ti,possible sterling silver.
At one time the navigator was selling at Woodcraft for $9.99 and the same kit from Arizona Silouhette was $6.99.Of course there was shipping involved.
It still comes out cheaper to buy from Bill at Arizona Silouhette.
Ernie at Beartooth woods is also a BErea reseller but cannot offer the BAron style nor the Sedona.
Craft Supplies has no resellers.
Woodturningz is a reseller for PSI but you get better prices From Ryan and Fritz at Woodturninz and you cannot beat their service if you want PST products.

Klingspoor handles HUT so there is a double resller issue there.
It is confusing I will admit but after a couple of years I have learned to identify the kits by design.Usually a clip will give it away or in the case of CSUSA ridiculously high prices for tacky two toned kits that look like the pen could have come from the dollar store.
They do have some tasteful ones I use though.
This pen sold this weekend at a show in Montana for $250.00.
The pen was turned by GerryR, who got the blank from me.
The style is called a gent and is a large bodied fountain pen.
This is one CSUSA kit I use.I did NOT turn this pen.
For those of you selling pens here is an example what the right blank and kit can do for your sales.
This blank is made of bloodwood,maple and dyed veneer,the pattern repeats (the wave) six times. the blank costs $50.00 shipped
the Gent kit is around $22.00 for a single kit.
It has a stock nib and sold for $250.00.
Pretty good markup, don't you think?

 

[Gary G]

No one has mentioned this yet soooo .....
When you decide which kits you want to buy, the guys over here http://www.penturners.org frequently run group buys for kits from AZ or CSUSA. Savings typically run about 24% off list price.
I stock up when they do that.

For inexpensive slimlines, cigars, diamondwood, and nice acrylic blanks, as well as accelerant and MicroMesh, I've bought from Tim & Tracey at http://woodnwhimsies.com. Real easy to deal with and fast shipping.

Eagle -- Gerry's pen turned out gorgeous!

Gary

 

[WoodWrangler]

WOW! Thank you for all of the links and information ... yes, a bit overwhelming, but more information the better! :-D

 

[nelsone]

Hey Jeremy, thanks for posting the question. I never even thought to ask it when I started. Lots of good info here. I've already saved the thread!