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What is the biggest mistake in pendom

DWL

By DWL
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DWL Extremely Rare

DWL

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Just wondering what everyone thinks the biggest mistakes in pendom were. This can be anything from the Rotring Core to Sheaffer being bought by Bic.

 

Dennis

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Apollo Vintage

Apollo

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Krone

Glenn hit the nail on the head. KRONE. High priced and UGLY! Besides, who the heck thinks up putting replicated human DNA in a pen? They give off a creepy Oompa-Loompa vibe. :sick:

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p202/Apollo3000/es-canary-islands-flag1s.gif Bendita mi tierra guanche.
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R.ticle One Rare

R.ticle One

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Ahh, the Core. The first time I saw one of those in a store in person, I thought "What the $%@&?" On the other hand, when I first saw a Lamy Safari, I thought...meh. Then I tried one. Went home, thought about it. Now I have three. :lol: Some Krone ones do get my vote. I don't think I'd say no if someone gave one to me! But to buy one? Mmmmm.....uhmm.....

 

R.ticle One

 

P.S. - Krone put DNA in one of their pens? What?

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amh210 Collectors Item

amh210

Posted
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Just wondering what everyone thinks the biggest mistakes in pendom were. This can be anything from the Rotring Core to Sheaffer being bought by Bic.

 

Dennis

I don't think the biggest mistake is an individual pen, I think the biggest mistake is the same corporation owning Sheaffer, Parker, and Waterman. Bad enough they had to sell out to conglomerates, but it is too bad they don't really "compete" any more.

"Andy Hoffman" Sandy Ego, CA

Torrey View is Andy's BlOG and Facebook me! If you visit my blog, click on the ad. I'll send all proceeds to charity.

For my minutiae, FOLLOW my Twitter.

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tonyv Rare

tonyv

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There are two. The first is general--an apparent industrywide failure to implement consistently good quality control in the manufacture of modern pens.

 

The second is Cross' relocation of substantial manufacturing operations to China. Not to turn DWL's exciting topic into a political thread, but I do feel that this deserves a mention. No offense to anyone that likes Cross, so I'll qualify this by stressing that this is my personal opinion because I'm vehemently opposed to so-called free trade and particularly US trade with China. Now I definitely won't buy one.

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Dillo Donor Pen

Dillo

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Posted (edited)

Hi,

 

The Core is a good pen by my standards, but not my style.

 

The biggest mistake should have been to make pens not to write with, but as display pieces.

 

Cross is still here by the way, but cheaper simple sub-assemblys are made in China. They, I think are planning to keep the assembly and production of the front end of the pen (Nibs) here.

 

Dillon

Edited by Dillo

Stolen: Aurora Optima Demonstrator Red ends Medium nib. Serial number 1216 and Aurora 98 Cartridge/Converter Black bark finish (Archivi Storici) with gold cap. Reward if found. Please contact me if you have seen these pens.

Please send vial orders and other messages to fpninkvials funny-round-mark-thing gmail strange-mark-thing com. My shop is open once again if you need help with your pen.

Will someone with the name of "Jay" who emailed me through the email system provide me an email address? There was no email address provided, so I can't write back.

Dillon

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krz Vintage

krz

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OT:

 

Cool scoots Apollo. :D

Years back my buddy had a Vespa about the color of the scooter in your avatar. I rode a '55 Cushman Eagle, springer ft. end, 2 speed stick shift, suicide clutch with a later 9hp Husky motor. I've had alot of 2 wheelers come and go but I should have kept that old Cushman.

 

Some of my old 3D art. Scooter.

Edited by krz

How can you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

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Titivillus Donor Pen

Titivillus

Posted
Posted
There are two. The first is general--an apparent industrywide failure to implement consistently good quality control in the manufacture of modern pens.

 

The second is Cross' relocation of substantial manufacturing operations to China. Not to turn DWL's exciting topic into a political thread, but I do feel that this deserves a mention. No offense to anyone that likes Cross, so I'll qualify this by stressing that this is my personal opinion because I'm vehemently opposed to so-called free trade and particularly US trade with China. Now I definitely won't buy one.

Yep I have to second the quality control and what is worse the congloms have started shrinking the warranty period as well as charging for repairs. So you get a better chance of a pen that doesn't write out of the box as well as one that might not be within the warranty and even then you will have to pay for the shipping & repair.

 

Don't get me wrong I think there were alot of really lousy pens sold in 'vintage times' but because they were the only way bar pencil to write there was a little more stand behind from the manufacturer and possibly the seller.

 

 

 

 

Kurt H

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Richard Antique

Richard

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I don't think the biggest mistake is an individual pen, I think the biggest mistake is the same corporation owning Sheaffer, Parker, and Waterman.

That's not the case. Sheaffer is owned by BiC, while Parker and Waterman are owned by the Sanford Division of Newell Rubbermaid. Parker and Waterman are operated independently, and they do compete. The Frontier competes with the Philéas, the Sonnet competes with the Expert II, and so on.

sig.jpg.2d63a57b2eed52a0310c0428310c3731.jpg

 

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Kelly Extremely Rare

Kelly

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There are two.  The first is general--an apparent industrywide failure to implement consistently good quality control in the manufacture of modern pens.

 

The second is Cross' relocation of substantial manufacturing operations to China.  Not to turn DWL's exciting topic into a political thread, but I do feel that this deserves a mention.  No offense to anyone that likes Cross, so I'll qualify this by stressing that this is my personal opinion because I'm vehemently opposed to so-called free trade and particularly US trade with China.  Now I definitely won't buy one.

Yep I have to second the quality control and what is worse the congloms have started shrinking the warranty period as well as charging for repairs. So you get a better chance of a pen that doesn't write out of the box as well as one that might not be within the warranty and even then you will have to pay for the shipping & repair.

 

Don't get me wrong I think there were alot of really lousy pens sold in 'vintage times' but because they were the only way bar pencil to write there was a little more stand behind from the manufacturer and possibly the seller.

 

 

 

 

Kurt H

Totally OT right now, but Kurt just had to say how much I love the avatar! Gorey rules and the Gashlrcrumb Tinies are priceless...The Doubtful Guest is also wonderful. Sorry for the hi-jack!

 

Someone should come up with a Gorey Limited FP!

A hot wind was blowing around my head, the strands of my hair lifting and swirling in it, like ink spilled in water. ~ Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin

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Titivillus Donor Pen

Titivillus

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Posted
Totally OT right now, but Kurt just had to say how much I love the avatar! Gorey rules and the Gashlrcrumb Tinies are priceless...The Doubtful Guest is also wonderful. Sorry for the hi-jack!

 

Someone should come up with a Gorey Limited FP!

I almost got to meet the man up North but time and tide were against me. I have a half dozen books and really like the uninvited guest. The Gastly is also a poster that I kept in my office.

 

 

K

 

I've read some interviews and he drew all of them with a particular French dip nib that he said was wonderful but he had to throw about half of them out because of bad quality control. That is the nibs were great if they worked at all!!

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Kelly Extremely Rare

Kelly

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Totally OT right now, but Kurt just had to say how much I love the avatar! Gorey rules and the Gashlrcrumb Tinies are priceless...The Doubtful Guest is also wonderful.  Sorry for the hi-jack!

 

Someone should come up with a Gorey Limited FP!

I almost got to meet the man up North but time and tide were against me. I have a half dozen books and really like the uninvited guest. The Gastly is also a poster that I kept in my office.

 

 

K

 

I've read some interviews and he drew all of them with a particular French dip nib that he said was wonderful but he had to throw about half of them out because of bad quality control. That is the nibs were great if they worked at all!!

Oh, what a shame it didn't work out meeting him. I've heard he was a real card in person as well. Interesting about his pen and drawing - never thought about it in that light! I have a fairly rare book by him using the pen name Hyacinthe Phyppe - says drawings by Edward Gorey but he also did the text. It's called "The Recently Deflowered Girl" - completely hysterical and, of course, the drawings are top-notch wonderful...again, sorry for the total OT. I'll be quiet now :D

A hot wind was blowing around my head, the strands of my hair lifting and swirling in it, like ink spilled in water. ~ Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin

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amh210 Collectors Item

amh210

Posted
Posted (edited)
I don't think the biggest mistake is an individual pen, I think the biggest mistake is the same corporation owning Sheaffer, Parker, and Waterman.

That's not the case. Sheaffer is owned by BiC, while Parker and Waterman are owned by the Sanford Division of Newell Rubbermaid. Parker and Waterman are operated independently, and they do compete. The Frontier competes with the Philéas, the Sonnet competes with the Expert II, and so on.

Mea Culpa on the Shaeffer, but saying two arms of the same corporation compete is sort of like saying Cheverolet competes with Pontiac. In a semantic sense it is a true statement, but in an economic sense, it is meaningless.

 

Andy

Edited by amh210

"Andy Hoffman" Sandy Ego, CA

Torrey View is Andy's BlOG and Facebook me! If you visit my blog, click on the ad. I'll send all proceeds to charity.

For my minutiae, FOLLOW my Twitter.

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Dr.Grace Collectors Item

Dr.Grace

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P.S. - Krone put DNA in one of their pens? What?

 

Yes, in their Abraham Lincoln pens. :blink:

 

http://www.kronepen.com/le/leaders/lincoln.html

As a cell biologist, I have to LOL :ltcapd: at that one!

 

What were they thinking?

 

Don

These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.--Thomas Paine, "The American Crisis", 1776

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KendallJ Vintage

KendallJ

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Mea Culpa on the Shaeffer, but saying two arms of the same corporation compete is sort of like saying Cheverolet competes with Pontiac. In a semantic sense it is a true statement, but in an economic sense, it is meaningless.

Huh? Have you every worked for a multi-division company? It depends heavily on the organizational structure. One would like to think that all the divisions pull together and ceade competitive space to each other based on some grand strategy, but the fact is that both divisions are trying to make names for themselves and if there's only so much market available, then they'll be happy to compete. This is more true if the units are entirely separate companies. There are individual score cards.

 

Also, sometimes corporations keep their divisions separate and allow them to compete in order to see whose strategy works better.

 

It is not meaningless.

Kendall Justiniano
Who is John Galt?

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KendallJ Vintage

KendallJ

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What were they thinking?

Marketing gimic. Never expect it to be rational.

Kendall Justiniano
Who is John Galt?

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KendallJ Vintage

KendallJ

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Krone

No way man. I love my Krone's. Great pens. Two reviews in the review section.

Kendall Justiniano
Who is John Galt?

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