Is It Possible To Stretch $70 To Start Pen Repair For Profit?

[studiohead]

For the price of USD$70 and the age, my advise is that don't get into the repair business. This requires years of experience and know how, however, you should consider looking at servicing the people who are in the business or the hobby. There are needs which are not easily met and someone with the right idea or right tool can change the who concept of repairing fountain pens or the fountain pen hobby. Who would have guess that certain types of rubber corks are perfect as a 51 jewel removal. There are practical problems to be solved like what is the easiest way to flush a converter. (Flushing a nib section seems to be using a nasal aspirator but will not work for a converter) Other ideas would be to try to source for highly desirable items which people want but have obscure sources.

[ShallowJam]

I'm not 16, I'm 23, but getting into pen repair isn't cheap. I have the luxury of being able to use ebay and it has been a source of some great deals (P51 Plum for $50 just last month). I just recently started repairing pens and whatnot so I'll give you some advice.

 

1. I don't think $70 is going to be enough to get started. You can barely get a vintage pen for $70 let alone the tools you require. IMO, absolutely essential tools will run at least that much. (section pliers, dental pics of some sort, some sacs, sac shellac, silicone grease, talc, loupe) and if you want to really get the most profit you'll need micromesh of many grits to polish pens as well as some polishing compound and a polishing cloth. My initial investment was more than I needed to, and if I did it again it would be different, but I spent about $300 on tools and supplies alone.

 

2. this is especially true with a limited budget, but you need to decide on what you're going to focus on. for example, Parker 51 flipping is quite different from esterbrook flipping. the tools and materials required are almost completely different.

 

3. you also need to have expendable capital. you need to have enough financial stability to be able to risk losing the money, especially in the short term. I was about $700 in the hole before I started turning the pens around to make money. I have since earned enough from pen sales that I have paid off my initial tools and supplies investment and am now making a profit that I can use to buy more pens for keeps! my first day in the black was a happy one. I'm not sure that I'd start into pen repair with my last $70.

 

4. Knowledge. knowing how to restore pens is one thing, knowing what pens are worth paying what for in order to flip them is a whole 'nother ball game. this was something I really wasn't prepared for. I was deeply interested and researching fountain pens for 8 months before I started repairing them, and I really didn't start learning about whats a good buy and what to avoid until I got my feet wet. again, I had some money to risk on my initial purchases and still have some pens in my drawer here beside me that aren't worth the cost of repairing. I keep telling myself to fix them and Pay it forward...

 

I'll come out and say it: given your current financial situation and age, I would not recommend starting into fountain pen repair.

[orangejuiceguy]

oh well... i will have to save. if i can't afford materials and pens for 70, then mind as well not start. im not completely going for money as i want experience and to have fun with it too, but i can't lie i do need money too.

thanks for the help guys, maybe i can figure something out.

[provis]

Hi Pingo5,

 

(love the trombone, I played the tuba!)

 

You'll make more money providing dog-walking services and doing a newspaper route than fixing pens, which is time consuming and probably requires a lot more start-up cost than just a couple of rubber sacs and plain luck.

 

If you're on top of your studies, you can make some after-school cash by tutoring. The per-hour rate would be more gratifying I'm sure.

[pajaro]

The pen repair experts aren't getting any younger, and some new blood is needed for those who can't fix a pen themselves.

To help the helpless, somebody needs to be coming along. It does need to be somebody who can communicate pleasantly.

 

That said, if I can't fix it myself, I usually throw it away or let it sit in a junk drawer.

[orangejuiceguy]

i will find something to do. pajaro, you got a point, but i don't think that service would be up any time soon haha.

[Paul80]

On the other hand

 

Most of the pens that I have bought on ebay have needed little more than a re-sac, clean and polish to restore them to full use so if careful with your purchases you could make a start, but I doubt as been said you would ever make a living at it, but pocket money yes its quite possible. Some specialist tools might be needed as you progress but most specialist tools are often taken from other uses and are often cheaper going to the other use source before go to the pen repair equipment supplier. Section Pliers are the same as Spark Plug pliers for example.

 

Start small and see where it takes you and try to limit your ebay use to selling your pens as its not the best place for buying as there are far to many buyers looking for pens to get them at a good price these days, which obviously is good for sellers like you will be when you have a few restored to working pens under your belt.

 

Paul

[balson]

i think with $70 you are better off not buying any pens off ebay. the best return for your money on pens will be pens you scout out in the wild. if you find them at a tag sale you will likely get an amazing deal. antique and flea markets are another good option. go every week and get to know the vendors. if they know you and what you are looking for if they have something for you they will let you know it.

 

finding pens in the wild is much cheaper than ebay. i regularly find parker 51's in working condition out in the wild for $10 and you can find better pens out there for about the same. your young age will help a lot. antique dealers will often be able to connect with how they got into antiques and they love seeing younger people carrying the torch.

 

the key is to not buy anything you dont know the value of. you want to get it at a minimum of 1/2 what it will go for on ebay but with your limited resources i think you should aim for 1/10th what it will go for on ebay. ebay and paypal will take a big chunk out of your profit. just keep your eyes open for the crazy deals and don't overvalue what you think the pen is worth.

 

the other thing you will need is access to a good camera. if you are going to sell pens on ebay having a good photo can make all the difference.

 

you may also want to check out these links for formatting information

http://ebay.about.com/od/sellingeffectivel1/a/se_html_2.htm

http://pages.ebay.com/sell/help.html

 

 

once you build up some capital fixing up pens will be more affordable. without the right supplies its really easy to break a pen and i think the basic tools to get started will run you about $70

[N2theBreach]

Pingo5--I think Dr. Codfish made a pretty good offer to buy a pen from you if you can fix it up. It would be a way to try out pen repair. You might give it serious thought--Even if you decided not to stick with it, you can at least say you tried and I don't think you'd be out much.

 

By the way, I went to CASHS myself, a looooong time ago. I grew up out near Caledonia.

[orangejuiceguy]

Pingo:

 

This may not have been exactly what you were hoping for, but I hope it is not a total turn off for you. You've gotten valuable advice here from some of the premier folks in this industry(?) and it speaks volumes about the people who do this that they would take time to give you feedback on your questions. Imagine if you were thinking about opening up a computer shop; Do you think Steve Balmer, Paul Allen, or Bill Gates would give you feedback?

 

I want to encourage you to feed your entrepreneurial spirit. I can't tell you how gratifying it is to find someone, especially your age who is thinking about $70 in the pocket as a resource to be leveraged into something more, vs someone who complains that they only have $70 and see it as money to be spent. This valuable difference has been recognized for ages, and I applaud for being one in the former camp.

 

Buy a beater pen, fix it up and advertizse it here on the FPN classifieds and I promise to buy it.

 

For what it is worth, I thought the pet care idea for a small home based business was excellent. My sister did this more as a hobby as anything. She would visit peoples home and take care of their pets, even large animals, goats, horses etc. regulalry or when they were away on vacation. Feed, water, stall clean, out etc. Ultimately it became such a big business that she had to turn clients way. Low ovehead, a client base that obviously has money, no shortage of demand, folks willing to reward excellent service.

 

AGH! how rude(me, not you), i seemed to overlook the offer. thanks! i will keep that in mind. you encourage me, i will keep saving for it.

 

Pingo5--I think Dr. Codfish made a pretty good offer to buy a pen from you if you can fix it up. It would be a way to try out pen repair. You might give it serious thought--Even if you decided not to stick with it, you can at least say you tried and I don't think you'd be out much.

 

By the way, I went to CASHS myself, a looooong time ago. I grew up out near Caledonia.

eventually i will. it will happen. small world though, already ran into someone who has some recollection of my school haha.