The "ethics" Of Breaking Down A Completely Functional Pen For Parts?

[The Blue Knight]

I use the term ethics ambiguously. One thing I've seen a lot more is seller breaking down completely functional pens into parts simply because of the consistent parts having a far greater value and selling those parts. Ultimately what someone does with what they buy is up to them however I can see from a different viewpoint limiting the supply of whole pens just for short-term gains

 

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I'm on the fence regarding this practice, however, I thought it would be interesting to discuss.

 

 

[northlodge]

If you need a spare part and cannablise a black pen to obtain it, that is entirely up to you (and reasonable in my view).

 

If you visit the ebay store with a huge pile of 100 Parker 51 jewels for sale, then good luck but I think you are both paying over the odds and encouraging vandalism.

 

When I hear the said seller claiming with pride that he obtains £110+ for every black parker 51, I shake my head.

[fabri00]

I use the term ethics ambiguously. One thing I've seen a lot more is seller breaking down completely functional pens into parts simply because of the consistent parts having a far greater value and selling those parts. Ultimately what someone does with what they buy is up to them however I can see from a different viewpoint limiting the supply of whole pens just for short-term gains

 

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I'm on the fence regarding this practice, however, I thought it would be interesting to discuss.

 

professional seller has to maximize the profit ....

[Qoan]

I use the term ethics ambiguously. One thing I've seen a lot more is seller breaking down completely functional pens into parts simply because of the consistent parts having a far greater value and selling those parts. Ultimately what someone does with what they buy is up to them however I can see from a different viewpoint limiting the supply of whole pens just for short-term gains

 

.

I'm on the fence regarding this practice, however, I thought it would be interesting to discuss.

 

 

 

If they aren't protected object and there's a demand, it's logical for there to be an offer too. Some people may want a whole pen but other people may want a spare part for their specific pen and the seller has to get it from somewhere. If they thus can even maximise their profits then all the better for them. I understand that they don't sell «IKEA pens» but spare parts to different clients and that, as long as they deal in unprotected objects, is perfectly right from my point of view.

[dcwaites]

Isn't it rather like taking a 1961 Ford Prefect, breaking it down into parts and selling the parts for more than the whole car would be worth?

 

OTOH, a Ford GTHO Phase III just sold for over $1 million, when the sum of the parts is about $10,000

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/motoring/motoring-news/ford-falcon-gtho-phase-iii-sets-new-muscle-car-mark-at-1mplus/news-story/bfb6f2fd15a7f47a9fd37fa884c66524

[CS388]

I don't mind people breaking pens to maximise profits. I'm often glad of it, if I'm looking for a particular part.

It could be seen as greedy, but not sure if it crosses into unethical territory?

 

Some years ago, I paid pennies for a bunch of old pens from a 'non pen person', who had removed the nibs to sell as scrap gold. (I wanted a cap and barrel, which was in the lot) He didn't think he had done anything wrong.

 

And there's the rub, you see, he hadn't actually done anything wrong at all, it just seems that way to us 'pen people'. (And I'd happily pay scrap gold prices for a bag of old Onoto, or Swan nibs!)

 

So, yeah, probably also on the fence - or willing to judge on a case by case basis.

Edited July 20, 2018 by CS388

[eckiethump]

Parts from the less desirable pen are making the more desirable pen complete. Many dealers will exchange a better condition part, clip etc, to increase desirability of a pen.

[Shaughn]

Kill one to save many more.

 

Sacrifying oneself to save many,many others is considered virtuous above all (greater love hath no man …), sacrifying one to save many others is only somewhat less virtous. (kill the murderer before he is a mass murderer). Ethically there is nothing wrong doing the same to a pen.

[pajaro]

Which pen would you prefer to be broken, yours or the pen taken apart by the seller who parts out the pen? I have seen this happen where a pen has parts that often break or wear out and parts aren't readily available or the manufacturer's repair cost is high or the manufacturer can only offer replacement with a new model. Repairs might be impossible otherwise. I have sometimes thought the parting out was a shame, but I thought it through, especially when I needed a part.

[Parker51]

I believe it varies from pen to pen. Some pens have damage which I see as making them good canidates for this. But if a pen is truely in excellent condition and the reason to reduce it to parts is simply it has a less valuable color, I do believe that this may be a little short sighted. There is always a risk in taking things apart, especially very old items and that is a risk I wouldn't want to take. I would rather be patient and try to sell the pen for a higher price, even if that means waiting a bit.

Now, in regard to the pulling of nibs to melt them down I have even stronger opinions, but even this I can understand doing; say with some of the simple modern cartridge convertor pens, especially the ones that are not only ugly, but uncomfortable to write with. I believe amazingly however that even these are more valuable selling whole rather than in parts and are certainly more valuable whole than the melt value of the nibs.

[gweimer1]

You will probably find this discussion taking place for all sorts of vintage collectibles. When I was playing bass, we used to have this exact discourse regarding vintage basses.

[pajaro]

You will probably find this discussion taking place for all sorts of vintage collectibles. When I was playing bass, we used to have this exact discourse regarding vintage basses.

 

Exactly. It is stuff. If it's your stuff, you decide. If there is legitimate need for parts to fix pens, why not cannibalize a working pen? I don't think everyone will ever agree until they need a part.