Dominik's Pens
Updated:
Wednesday, May 12, 2004 12:00 PM -0500
A writing instrument is a rather personal choice. Some collect them from checkout lanes and counters, while others use whatever our employer feels is cost-effective. Few of us put a lot of thought into what's in our hand while writing. Sometimes writing is a simple "get it done" act. Other times, it is an intensely personal connection to our friends, family, or those we care about.
Nearly everyone writes. These pens, however, are not for "nearly everyone." You will easily find cheaper pens. You will not find a better, more unique pen. Of this I am certain. And yes, that includes those really REALLY expensive pens. Yes, the Mont Blancs and the $700 writing instruments. And these are cheaper, too! (well, cheaper than the $700 ones).
These pens are hand-crafted with considerable skill and care - by me. There's no kid down the block who does these for me - there's no factory in Taiwan that I import them from. I start with blocks of material (usually wood), and cut, drill, and shape them, before installing the pieces that change a block of wood or plastic into a fine writing instrument. I use materials - brass, steel, and yes, some plastic bits - that are designed to last for years. Simply put, they are not "cheap". They are well-crafted, carefully built, and carefully assembled. If I wouldn't show it to my father, I won't sell it to you.
Every single pen or pencil sold here can be refilled - usually for only a few dollars - by buying refills at office supply or better stationery stores (yes, this includes OfficeMax and Office Depot). They use Cross™, Shaeffer™ and other high-quality refills, so that the output of the pen is equal to that of the look. After all, your pen may be on that paper for only a few seconds - the ink and your writing should last a lifetime - or longer.
Each one of these pens is unique. Due to the variable nature of the medium (wood and some acrylics), each blank is different, and therefore the final instrument is, as well. The most variable of woods are the burls, which vary in grain, composition, and color. Dyed burls control this somewhat, but variations will always exist. The least variable, the Acrylics, are also more delicate than the wood, in that exposure to high heat can cause them to melt.
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The prices of these pens come from three basic things - the type of pen, the type of wood, and how difficult each are in combination. For example, a Slimline Pen in Walnut is fairly easy to do - Walnut, however, is rather pricey. A Tiger Maple Cigar pen is made from relatively inexpensive wood - but the shaping required for the Cigar pen is more difficult.
That's how I've determined the prices for the pens. Now, the bad news. There are over seventy potential materials, nearly 100 variations in pen style, and all of that combines for something like 22,000 different potential combinations...
For a general idea of pricing, however, you can check here.
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- GENERAL:
- All pens ship in a shipping-safe metal box that is black velour-covered and lined.
- Each pen will come with a card explaining a little about the wood and note the type of refill needed - along with disassembly instructions, if needed.
- As with any custom-made product, you can combine the various available options. You can review them here, and if you have any questions, e-mail me.
- All pens are one-piece units except for the Rollerballs.
- The slimline pens extend the actual writing point by twisting.
- Slimline pens disassemble (for refill) simply by pulling them apart.
- The slimline pencil has a refill under the brass cap opposite the writing end. The standard slimline pencil uses .7 mm leads.
- The Cigar pens extend the actual writing point by twisting.
- Cigar pens unscrew to replace the refill.
- The cigar pencil advances the leads using a twist motion. The top portion of the pen (opposite the writing end) can be removed for access to the eraser.
- The rollerball pens have caps which can screw on both ends of the pen.
- There is NO WAY to "latch" the cap onto the pen in either the open or closed position - so be careful. I've not yet found a supplier for pocket protectors...
SlimLine:
Cigar:
Rollerball/Fountain:
I want to be up front with you folks, so I need to let you know this stuff right up front.
- None of these pens, nor any I'll ever make, are "perfect". Part of that is the nature of the medium - wood is variable, and some woods (like burls) are terribly difficult to work. Voids, knots, and all the rest make it interesting - to say the least. They also make it very, very difficult to get "perfect".
- That said, if I can see a fixable flaw, I won't ship the pen. A "flaw" isn't a pore in the wood or a knot or filled defect in the grain. A flaw, in my book, is something where I could have done better - and didn't.
- For that matter, if I can do better on a pen, I will. I will not send out anything less than my best. If it means I've got a boatload of pens around here (unlikely, I'm good at what I do), so be it. There's always Christmas, and some relatives aren't nearly as critical as I am.
- I have a good eye for wood. I also have a good eye for what will work in a particular pen style. I do not have X-ray vision. Some woods, notably burl, contain voids and gaps which can hold all manner of unusual things - including dead bugs. For that reason, I carefully brush clean and seal any voids I find using Cyanoacrylate glue (SuperGlue) before finishing.
- These pens are made out of wood, and the internals from brass and steel. If you regularly do Buddy Rich imitations on your desk with your pens, please do so with a cheaper instrument. For the most part these woods are quite strong - I'm more concerned about the look of your desk when you're done with that "Ina-gadda-da-vidda" drum solo than with the condition of the pen, but wood can be broken.
- Some wood dust, notably cocobolo, can cause allergic reactions in people. For that reason, I'm careful to blow clean each pen (not just cocobolo) before assembly. The wax and polymer coatings I use will keep any dust that clings to the finished pen barrel from releasing.
- I will NEVER ship a pen or pencil I haven't written with at least once - no point in sending you a non-functioning pen or pencil, right?
- Unless otherwise noted (or special ordered), all pens come with black ink.
With all of that said, the order process (at this point in time) is pretty simple, really.
For the moment, (still), just go ahead and shoot me an e-mail at John_Dominik@hotmail.com and we'll work out the details. For most orders, I'll insist on payment up front. For some more expensive pens or larger orders, I'll require at least half up front and half upon completion.
Completion can take anywhere from 2 to 10 weeks - depending on suppliers, etc. Typically, 3-5 is normal. I can do faster if the time is free, but if it's booked, we're out of luck.