Wahl-Eversharp Pen Company Lives!

[Wahlnut]

Syd, celluloid?

The Skyline was polystyrene. Wouldn't that be the historic choice?

 

The new pens in this series use modern resin just like the MontBlanc "Precious" resin. That's what I meant when I said classic design with modern, (read: reliable, durable materials). If Eversharp were to have continued in business until today they would not be making their pens with 1940's materials either. That's was what was so cool about the "golden era" they used whatever the latest material was to make their pens. Everything was rubber or metal and boring, then came nitro cellulose on the scene in 1925ish and suddenly everything was colorful plastic. And so it goes.

Syd

[AltecGreen]

 

OK, but that dont make sense to me as they are using the old tooling apparently so there is no huge capital outlay here - one of the reasons for the resurrection as the entry barriers are somewhat reduced.

 

 

They are not using old tooling. The toolings and molds are made in Switzerland (see Syd's answers above).

 

 

Another way to look at things is to work backwards.

 

 

Say a pen costs $50 (street price). To make money on a high volume low cost item, you need to get the merchandise into as many retail outlets as possible. i.e. FPN sales are not going to cut it. Wherever you find Lamy, you need to find your pen.

 

 

The retailer takes their cut. I'll be generous as say the retailer only makes $10 on each pen. (Normally, they make more than this). So that leaves $40. You will need distribution. Say another $10 to cover distribution (includes getting your products to where they need to be and the services of a distributor). That leaves $30. You don't make the nibs so you must buy. Looking at the JoWo steel nibs, they run $18-22 retail. The wholesale price depends on the volume you buy. Say you can get the price down to $5 (I'm being generous here). Say you put $15 to make the rest of the pen. This includes labor, electricity, payroll taxes, insurance, a place to make the pens, amortization for the production line, packaging, the actual materials, etc. That leaves $10. This still does not cover a service department when there are problems and money for future development. You might be down to $3-5 actual profit per pen. So the question is whether you can move pens in the tens of thousands to make this worthwhile. If you cannot get the price of the nib and feed unit down and have to pay something like $10 per unit then this becomes a losing proposition unless you can get your production costs down or make your own nibs.

[AltecGreen]

Syd, celluloid?

The Skyline was polystyrene. Wouldn't that be the historic choice?

 

The new pens in this series use modern resin just like the MontBlanc "Precious" resin. That's what I meant when I said classic design with modern, (read: reliable, durable materials). If Eversharp were to have continued in business until today they would not be making their pens with 1940's materials either. That's was what was so cool about the "golden era" they used whatever the latest material was to make their pens. Everything was rubber or metal and boring, then came nitro cellulose on the scene in 1925ish and suddenly everything was colorful plastic. And so it goes.

Syd

 

 

In that case, let's go with some of the modern super plastics. I vote for Primospire SRP. It would be killer on a Doric.

[JonSzanto]

I said I think it would be in the best interests of W-E to introduce or re-introduce themselves to the VAST numbers of people who would never get one or don't even know about them, b/c of their incredibly long absence from the market.

I disagree. It is not in every company's "best interest" to appeal to a VAST number of people. In fact, a very good case can be made for companies that purposely target a smaller, knowledgeable market that will already have an interest in their product, and can tailor production and quality for that level, and price point, of sales.

 

I just came home from a wonderful and intimate meal at a very fine local northern Italian restaurant. Family owned, right in our neighborhood. Nailed every course, the waiter paired a perfect wine, and to think it was all nearby, created for a smaller neighborhood clientele was all the more smile-inducing.

 

The name over the door was NOT "Olive Garden".

Edited January 2, 2013 by JonSzanto

[watch_art]

Why has no one else said it?

 

CERAMIC NIBS? What???

 

This I have to see.

 

[Wahlnut]

Why has no one else said it?

 

CERAMIC NIBS? What???

 

This I have to see.

 

 

And you will. At the LA en Show, if you can make it.

Syd

[watch_art]

I won't be able to make it - but I look forward to hearing about it.

 

And lots of pics, too, I hope.

[JonSzanto]

Shawn, I'll put it on my list of tasks to take some pics for you!

[Harlequin]

I said I think it would be in the best interests of W-E to introduce or re-introduce themselves to the VAST numbers of people who would never get one or don't even know about them, b/c of their incredibly long absence from the market.

I disagree. It is not in every company's "best interest" to appeal to a VAST number of people. In fact, a very good case can be made for companies that purposely target a smaller, knowledgeable market that will already have an interest in their product, and can tailor production and quality for that level, and price point, of sales.

 

I just came home from a wonderful and intimate meal at a very fine local northern Italian restaurant. Family owned, right in our neighborhood. Nailed every course, the waiter paired a perfect wine, and to think it was all nearby, created for a smaller neighborhood clientele was all the more smile-inducing.

 

The name over the door was NOT "Olive Garden".

 

Your example is not appropriate, nor is it truly comparative. The experience you describe is not specifically targeted at a certain segment of the market- e.g. people from Italy who have experienced "real" Italian cooking and shun mass-market imitations. It Is an example of craft and service, which apparently the restaurant provided to your satisfaction. BUT, that is my exact point. It is in that restaurant's best interests to provide THAT service to as many people as they can. Service and craft win over customers, engendering loyalty and a willingness to pay for and appreciate the craft. But if no one eats there b/c they are 5x more expensive than Olive Garden (to use your example), then it doesn't matter HOW MUCH CRAFT or SERVICE they may pride themselves on.

 

Here at FPN, I have learned that W-E at one point was a truly great brand, which represented great pens and great design. If this new incarnation wants to recapture that and trade on the legacy, they need to reintroduce people themselves to people like us. And to be successful overall, they need to attract people who don't give a damn about FP history at all. The people who want a birthday or graduation gift, a retirement present or a gift to the boss, whatever. When the new W-E goes up against the kinds of pens in the range that was quoted earlier, having been absent from the market for some 60 years while those others have been building brands and legacies of their own across all segments of the market , they are not going to get those people. That type of awareness is built from the ground up, not the sky down (or even the middle of the roof down, as it may be). And while it may be reclaimed after a company exits the market, usually it isn't easily done if that time is exceedingly long. It would be like introducing a Studebaker hybrid in 2013 and expecting people give it a second thought instead of looking past it to the Toyota Prius that's been around for the last decade, built by a company that has many much less expensive vehicles that have outstanding reputations that everyone has heard of.

 

If W-E wants to remain a niche pen producer and only cater to those with too much money to care or who REALLY just want to own one, regardless of when it was produced, then they are certainly entitled to that position in the market. I just think that if they do want to trade on the legacy and reputation of W-E, they owe it to themselves to expose as many people as they can, across all segments of the market, to the (hopefully) great pens and designs that people who DO remember W-E know should be coming.

[JonSzanto]

I still disagree, and I don't think you know as much about the Wahl-Eversharp company, its history and its long line of pens as you may think. Honestly, pick up Andreas Lambrou's book, or any other book on the history of pen lines.

 

Harlequin, you also have to be very careful when you say things like "If W-E wants to remain a niche pen producer and only cater to those with too much money to care". Syd very much placed the pens - at least their initial offerings - in a very modest price bracket. They aren't Platinum Preppies, that's for sure, but they aren't multi-thousand dollar pens by any measure. The idea that people who have more money than you - or me, for that matter - to spend on pens do it with no thought, with no consideration to build quality, historic importance, etc, betrays a lack of understanding of the depth and breadth of the pen buying/using public.

 

I'm a modest guy, with a modest budget. I've become good friends with people throughout the pen world who can, and do, afford themselves pens costing sums more than I could muster. I don't hold that against them, and I don't expect that those pens should propagate to every single person who would want one.

 

My restaurant experience example was a simple one, and either failed in explanation, or you took it the wrong way. All I am trying to say is that not every commercial endeavor needs to, or should, be based on appealing to a wide audience. In fact, many products would suffer for that strategy, and I'm glad that niches do exist for other arenas of creativity and development.

Edited January 2, 2013 by JonSzanto

[watch_art]

Shawn, I'll put it on my list of tasks to take some pics for you!

 

YAHOO!!

[Drone]

Syd, Can you tell us a bit more about these Ceramic nibs? When I envision a ceramic nib, in my mind I see a rock-stiff nib that will shatter if dropped. After a cold shudder - I quickly put that thought out of my head.

 

But perhaps there's more to it. Perhaps (wishing) ceramic turns out to be the holy grail of flex nib solutions and the ceramic material is wonderfully inkophilic so flow is always guaranteed. Again, wishing...

 

So what are the high and low-points regarding these ceramic nibs?

[JonSzanto]

Drone, you may want to check out ceramic knives. This technology has been around for a while, and it is exciting to see it being translated into nibs (though I'll wager flex nibs aren't right around the corner...).

[Drone]

Drone, you may want to check out ceramic knives...

 

Ah yes. I've never seen or handled a ceramic knife. But from the article you reference there are issues with the material being brittle - and yup, it doesn't look like flexibility is a feature either.

 

Another issue might be in that the ceramic material is so hard. I'm concerned about what will be required should one want to custom tune his or her nib. Will fine grit Carborundum followed by Mylar buffing still work?

 

From an aesthetic stand-point, I'm not so sure how I feel about white nibs. I guess I'll leave that until after I see some pictures.

 

What happens to the color of the nib when covered in ink? Does it stay white or does it stain to the color of the ink? What about nib creep and ceramic nibs?

Edited January 2, 2013 by Drone

[GallBladder]

Why has no one else said it?

 

CERAMIC NIBS? What???

 

This I have to see.

 

 

And you will. At the LA en Show, if you can make it.

Syd

Hi Syd,

Thanks for the great news. I'm one of those for whom the new pens may be out of my immediate budget, having spent way too much this Christmas, but I would definitely put one on my major want list, and would encourage family members to pool their resources for my birthday or even next Christmas so I could definitely get one.

One request I'd like to make is that you get different pens out to Stephen (Hello! 2 fingers pointed at the camera), FP Geeks and to the Goulets so they can do video reviews of different models. I'm in Canada so have no chance of getting to LA and only a small chance of getting to any other of the USA shows.

I own a couple Skylines, and several other 'entry level' Eversharps, so am especially interested in what you have to offer.

Looking forward to the fruits of this exciting endeavour.

David

Edited January 2, 2013 by GallBladder

[Salerno_AFG]

Ceramic... Interesting

 

Based on my knowledge of knife making materials I would conclude the following

 

The nib would become a constant based on manufacturing technique since ceramic is not affected by heat, does not bend but may slightly flex based on its cross section thickness.

 

Adjustments could only be made utilizing material removal process

 

I would assume the nib would have to be coated/glazed since most ceramics are generally pourus in nature

 

Ceramics are inherently very tough, wear resistant and hard, thier drawback as mentioned is brittleness which could be rienforced with a fiber lamenent (Knife technology)

 

Just my thoughts

[Freddy]

Syd..Congratulations..I look forward to the new line... .

Will you be adding as an option "Personal-Point" nibs..

and in addition to the plastics {example: Equi-Poised..Red Danish/Green Bronze}..

What about Wahl metal pens in gold / silver filled..sterling .925 in various

engraved patterns {example: Dart..Ripple..Console..Colonade}..

 

Thank you..

 

Fred

[Federalist Pens]

Great news Syd!!

 

Congrats on the new venture! Looking forward to seeing the pens!

 

Regards,

Frank

 

 

[Wahlnut]

Syd..Congratulations..I look forward to the new line... .

Will you be adding as an option "Personal-Point" nibs..

and in addition to the plastics {example: Equi-Poised..Red Danish/Green Bronze}..

What about Wahl metal pens in gold / silver filled..sterling .925 in various

engraved patterns {example: Dart..Ripple..Console..Colonade}..

 

Thank you..

 

Fred

 

Thanks

Many of such options are being considered. Given the modern feed systems, Personal Points may have a new approach like Personal Sections. One of our suppliers is DuPont (which made those colors you are mentioning). Of course the colors and metals that are being suggested belong on the next wave of pens...the Gold Seals/Deco Bands, and later on the Dorics, and that is about a year off for the first of those. Right now we are into plastics and aluminum. Other metals may follow. It is just so cost-of-manufacture versus retail price related. Some things on the wish list push the consumer price in todays world beyond the price point we were hoping to stay within. But we will see.

 

We plan to do Like Apple and bring new things out in an orderly fashion about annually or so. There is a lot of planning, engineering and production set up involved and we have to get it right.

[Freddy]

Syd..Congratulations..I look forward to the new line... .

Will you be adding as an option "Personal-Point" nibs..

and in addition to the plastics {example: Equi-Poised..Red Danish/Green Bronze}..

What about Wahl metal pens in gold / silver filled..sterling .925 in various

engraved patterns {example: Dart..Ripple..Console..Colonade}..

 

Thank you..

 

Fred

 

Thanks

Many of such options are being considered. Given the modern feed systems, Personal Points may have a new approach like Personal Sections. One of our suppliers is DuPont (which made those colors you are mentioning). Of course the colors and metals that are being suggested belong on the next wave of pens...the Gold Seals/Deco Bands, and later on the Dorics, and that is about a year off for the first of those. Right now we are into plastics and aluminum. Other metals may follow. It is just so cost-of-manufacture versus retail price related. Some things on the wish list push the consumer price in todays world beyond the price point we were hoping to stay within. But we will see.

 

We plan to do Like Apple and bring new things out in an orderly fashion about annually or so. There is a lot of planning, engineering and production set up involved and we have to get it right.

 

Syd..I understand the manufacturing end of this..I have patience beyond the norm..

Will wait..

 

Thank you for the reply..

 

Fred