 | What kind of wood do I use? I use several carefully selected burls -- cherry, California redwood, and California buckeye.
Primarily, though, I use a colorfully dyed, laminated birch
-- a hardwood found throughout Canada and the Northern Hemisphere.
Birch is neither a tropical rain forest wood, nor is it endangered. The
lamination process, along with the finish (French-polished and buffed to a
high luster), combine to produce a product that is extremely durable and
virtually waterproof. No special care is required to maintain its
original condition. |
| Where are the pens made? I share a woodworking shop with my husband,
in Sebastopol. |
| Where is your next show? Read about my plans on my Craft Fairs
page. |
| How long does it take to make a pen? I work my pens and other
turnings in batches (usually a couple dozen at a time) so that I don't have to
constantly reposition rip fences or change drill bits or mandrels. So it's
very hard
to say how long it takes to make just one pen...a whole lot less time than it did to
make the very first one! Probably between one and two hours, start to finish,
for the simpler styled pens. |
| Is the gold going to fade? If the pen description
includes the words "titanium gold," it
will not fade. The metal on some pens is 10K gold plate with a lacquer coating, which
may eventually show some wear. See individual pen information on my Just
Pens page. |
| Where can refills be purchased? Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, any
good stationery store. Nowadays, even stores like Target carry generic
mini-pen refills that fit (their brand name is "Sterling"), as well as Cross- and Parker-style refills. I also sell the refills listed on this website on
my Just Pens page. |
| What nib does your fountain pen use? They are
German-made, with an iridium tip on a
gold-coated steel nib. |
| Are fountain pens coming back? Well, yes! Their popularity
in the U.S. is resurging, however, they have retained a constant presence in
Europe. Many of my customers from overseas have commented that they
use fountain pens all the time "back home." |
| What is a space pen refill? It is a pressurized ink cartridge developed
by the Fisher Company for NASA and the astronauts in the space
program. It writes upside down, under water, and on most surfaces --
and in a vacuum! It's the most reliable refill I know, and it's
available in shapes that fit both Cross and Parker style pens. |
| Which is better, Cross or Parker refills? I like them both, but
it's a personal choice. Parkers are bigger, so they hold more ink, but
they also require a thicker pen to hold them. But Parker has recently
introduced a gel pen refill which writes like a rollerball -- very dark and
smooth. |
| How many shows do you do in a year? I do about twenty local shows
each year, and A.B. brings my work along when he goes on the road
to shows across the country. |
| Do you have any pens that write in blue or in fine point?
Most
refill manufacturers provide a selection of colors and thickness.
You can switch from my standard medium black when you buy a replacement
refill. |
| How strong are your clips? Generally, the thinner pens have
thinner clips, and they occasionally might break if you often force them to
hold onto thick pockets or papers. However, repairs are free of
charge, and it happens so seldom that you needn't worry. |
| Where is Sebastopol? It's in the wine country (Sonoma
County) north of San Francisco, California. |
| What kind of lathe do you use? My first lathe was a 1-hp
Craftsman. After replacing the motor twice, I switched to a JET (Mini-Lathe) which is
steady and quiet. |
| Do you make any calligraphy pens? My quill dip pens have a
universal nib holder that will take any
Speedball calligraphy nib. Also, my burl Fountain pen can be special ordered
with a calligraphy nib. |
| Can you make a pen for me from a piece of wood that I give you?
So often I am asked to do custom work, and while it's tempting,
unfortunately I just
don't have the time. Maybe when I retire! |
| Is there a quantity discount? I keep my prices as low
as possible, given the cost of doing business these days. (Travel and craft
fair fees are expensive!!) But, apart from establishing a wholesale
account, I will give you a 5% discount on five
or more
pens, 10% discount with ten pens, and 20% off with a purchase of 20 pens or
more. (But you will need to remind me of this offer in a separate
email...Let's Talk!) |
| Do the pens come in a gift box? I ship all pens in cotton-filled gift boxes,
with an information card that explains about refills, guarantees, etc. |
| Why do some of your pens feel heavy? Depending on the style, there
may be quite a bit of metal inside my pens. They are usually the ones designed for big
hands. But I also turn the pens slightly thicker than other pen makers
to help prevent the wood from cracking. |
| Do you have any pens for people with arthritis? I
carve an ergonomic
grip on some of my one-piece pens that is very popular with people who have
trouble gripping thin, straight pens. It gives their fingers a broader
form to
press against and makes writing easier. |
| Why isn't your phone number on your website? Considering the amount
of time I need to spend working in the shop, it is easier to answer
your questions by email, which I usually check daily. Besides, it takes a
lot of struggling to hurry out of my dust-gear to answer the phone. I could
pull a muscle!! |
| Can I order without using the shopping cart? Of
course! In fact, for years I didn't have the know-how to provide one
anyway. Why, some of my items are still not logged into the
"automated" system! So just send an email and we can
communicate that way. Or snail mail an order with your check. See my Custom
Order page for more details on this. |
| Is my credit card information safe? It's just as safe to
e-mail
your card number to me
as it is to use it in my booth at a show or over the phone. Maybe safer. (I
don't share my password with anyone.) But if you are concerned, simply
divide the number into two "chunks," and send the last four digits
with the expiration date to me in a second, separate e-mail, for example. Don't
forget to tell me the exact name printed on the card. |
| Are your pens in any stores? Very few stores carry my pens at this
time. I simply can't make enough to stock my craft booth and
supply wholesale accounts. But I'm working toward that goal. Perhaps this
year (2004) will see some more growth... |
| What pen do you recommend for a man? Men have bought all of my pen styles
for themselves. However, I do recommend the space pen, simply because it is mid-weight, very durable
chrome, writes at any angle and through all sorts of grime and grease. Many
men also enjoy the feel of my ergonomic pen, especially if they have a touch
of arthritis. |
| What pen do you recommend for a women? Women buy all of my pen
styles, too, but in general they buy the smaller and more colorful pens for themselves. The Cross-style twist pen in purples and
rainbow colors have been very popular with women. |
| Can I get a space pen refill for the Cross pen? They are available
directly from the Fisher pen company in Boulder City, Nevada. Phone
702/293-3011. If there is
enough interest, I will put them
on my refill page. |
