# New Pen Kit!



## lucywoodturner (Aug 20, 2010)

CSUSA put a new pen on their website today. Its called The Venus Pen. Maybe they are going to get some replacements for all the pens they discontinued. Personally, I cannot afford to get many of these but its nice to have an option.


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## Seer (Aug 20, 2010)

Now we need a Mars pen  :biggrin:


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## jtdesigns (Aug 20, 2010)

looks like a statesman that got into the prostitution business.........very "Majestically" pimped out


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## dtswebb (Aug 20, 2010)

Just took a look.  With all the crystals - no thanks.


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## DCBluesman (Aug 20, 2010)




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## phillywood (Aug 20, 2010)

Lou that's a good one.


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## tim self (Aug 20, 2010)

Why would they want to try to sell something like that.  It's been proven we do not care for the pimping.  Maybe they need to do some market research before.


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## animefan (Aug 20, 2010)

I agree pimping out a pen is just wrong.


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## ed4copies (Aug 20, 2010)

Tim,

We SAY we don't like it.  Have you noticed the number of Majestics that get posted??

People are buying them.


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## Gregf (Aug 20, 2010)

At least they didn't name it Uranus pen.


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## hewunch (Aug 20, 2010)

If it wasn't for the centerband 

Also if you look at the close up of the postable end... can you say OOPS!


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 20, 2010)

Ed, your right there are a good number of Majestic both full size and Jr. but more and more are changing the clear SINGLE crystal for a colored one matching the blank used. The Venus has multiple crystals in the C/B and on both final and end. And besides the price at $43.99 is just $2.00 less than the Full sized Emperor was in Black ti..Just not in line pricing wise but I'll try some on my next buy to prove to myself if I can sell them for the bucks I'll have to get.


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## hewunch (Aug 20, 2010)

Roy when you do, email CSUSA some decent pics of awesome work.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks for the complement, I think I can at least not under turn it as the picture shows:





hewunch said:


> Roy when you do, email CSUSA some decent pics of awesome work.


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## hewunch (Aug 20, 2010)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> Thanks for the complement, I think I can at least not under turn it as the picture shows:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



your welcome! 

looks like the bottom is overturned so my money is on a bent mandrel or someone who doesn't know how to account for runout.


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## thetalbott4 (Aug 20, 2010)

I actually like this better than the Majestic. The majestic has WAY too much going on in the casting itself. This is a cleaner look, but not something most guys would like. I do, however, think the ladies might be interested. This MAY be an in to selling higher end pens to women. Until now, most kits geared toward women have been cheapish. I dont suppose that 'glass' is a brand of real diamonds?...lol


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## ironman (Aug 23, 2010)

tim self said:


> Why would they want to try to sell something like that.  It's been proven we do not care for the pimping.  Maybe they need to do some market research before.



I dont think you understand that there are more pen turners than just what there is on the IAP.  If they are carrying it probably sells or they will drop it and that is probably why they also dropped those high end kits.  I think we should all step out of the IAP BUBBLE for a sec and think rationally.


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## tim self (Aug 23, 2010)

ironman said:


> I dont think you understand that there are more pen turners than just what there is on the IAP.  If they are carrying it probably sells or they will drop it and that is probably why they also dropped those high end kits.  I think we should all step out of the IAP BUBBLE for a sec and think rationally.



No, I am not so gullable as to believe we could be the only folks making pens.  I have met MANY pen turners who have never heard of this site.  I just believe it would be more beneficial to them financially before spending that kind of cash.  Assuming they're paying $25 per and buying 500 min. quantity, that's $12500 for a maybe.  Of course, they've got the cash to lay out and take that chance but if they don't sell, how long are they gonna set on them before dropping them.  

Anyhow, just my .05 (inflation)


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## dexter0606 (Aug 23, 2010)

Not to move away from the original intent of this thread but I haven't been able to get my head around the dislike of the Majestic crystal. Listening to posts on this site makes it seem like no one even remotely likes the Majestic for the simple reason of the "pimp" crystal. I for one (apparently) don't mind the crystal. There are some kits out there that aren't to my liking but I don't put them down or berate them. I just don't buy them.
The other thing I don't understand is how people dislike the pimp crystal but then remove it and "repimp" it with a different colour. Although I really like that repimped look and respect the work of the people doing it, is it not just that? Repimped.
Guess that's why we have so many wide and varied kits out there. Thank goodness


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## Rmartin (Aug 23, 2010)

Gregf said:


> At least they didn't name it Uranus pen.


 

Thank you, you just cheered me up!


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## scotian12 (Aug 23, 2010)

This is a nice looking conservative pen with clean lines. Yes, it is costly but it will fit in nicely with the other high end pens I sell. CSUSA is to be congratulations for stepping up to the plate again and offering us quality pen kits. I'm not put out by the end crystals and I'm sure they will appeal to many. Some of you may wish to change the crystal for another color or material and I look forward to seeing what you do.   Darrell Eisner


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## arioux (Aug 23, 2010)

With a nice white pearl acrylic blanks with silver tubes, yep... wedding pen at it's best.

Or for signing guest book at the reception. 

Definitely a winner in my market


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## cnccutter (Aug 24, 2010)

ed one reason we are seeing more Majestics is we are picking the least disagreeable direction. we all want good quality kits and that the majestic is. great plating, nice fit. its draw back as we are seeing here is the stupid pimp stone. 

I worked in upper retail for a while and I found a lot of what hits the shelf has lest to do with what customers want and more to do with what the sales people push when they visit a buyer

Erik




ed4copies said:


> Tim,
> 
> We SAY we don't like it.  Have you noticed the number of Majestics that get posted??
> 
> People are buying them.


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## Dudley Young (Aug 24, 2010)

tim self said:


> Why would they want to try to sell something like that. It's been proven we do not care for the pimping. Maybe they need to do some market research before.


 
I have an order for three pink Princess pens for the up comming breast cancer awareness month gifts. I guess the lady is a PIMP.:frown:


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## Mapster (Aug 24, 2010)

I am not sure about the pen kit itself, but that silver glass fiber blank is pretty cool. If they had those, I would definitely buy a few.


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## Pens By Scott (Aug 24, 2010)

I wonder if this will cause Venus Envy?


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 24, 2010)

dexter0606 said:


> The other thing I don't understand is how people dislike the pimp crystal but then remove it and "repimp" it with a different colour. Although I really like that repimped look and respect the work of the people doing it, is it not just that? Repimped.
> To match or blend with the blank, the clear crystal for the most part throws the male buyer off, and as you said you like  in your words "the repimped look". So do my customers.
> Guess that's why we have so many wide and varied kits out there. Thank goodness


The only problem is at the moment we don't. In the size pen the Majestic is we only have the Majestic and some have made a good income off of these type pens. So we are forced to buy the Masjestic and try to change what is to most customers not wanted. 



arioux said:


> With a nice white pearl acrylic blanks with silver tubes, yep... wedding pen at it's best.
> 
> Or for signing guest book at the reception.
> 
> Definitely a winner in my market


 
Yes I agree it would make a nice wedding and reception book pen, but how many wedding and reception pens do you sell a year, now give me 75-100 other ways I could use it for another 75-100 sales a year and then I'll be able to agree it's a winner.


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## aweiss44 (Aug 24, 2010)

arioux said:


> *With a nice white pearl acrylic blanks with silver tubes, yep... wedding pen at it's best.*
> 
> Or for signing guest book at the reception.
> 
> Definitely a winner in my market


 
my thoughts exactly.


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## Mapster (Aug 26, 2010)

Right when I say they should get the silver glass fiber they do! They listen to us after all!!!!!


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## Whaler (Aug 26, 2010)

I received a Venus kit today and I like it. I am going to turn it tomorrow and will see if I still do after it is finished. I'll post a pic whether I like it or not.


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## maxwell_smart007 (Aug 27, 2010)

Looks like the photo was retouched to show a less 'underturned' look!


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## Greg O'Sherwood (Aug 28, 2010)

You want to know who this is targeted to?? Teen and twenty-something girls. You've seen the cell phone cases with all the bling??? These will match those. Girls that age WILL spend their daddy's $$$ and buy a pen like this for $50+. They'll ask their boyfriends for them also. Heck, some of those girls make their own cash and buy jeans with holes in them for $100 at Ambercrombie and Fitch!

Yes, there is a market for these, just gonna be tough getting them in the target audience's faces, most of them don't go to art or craft shows.

.


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## Marc Phillips (Aug 28, 2010)

Gregf said:


> At least they didn't name it Uranus pen.



ROFL!!!!


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## Smitty37 (Aug 28, 2010)

*Price*

Looks like it's priced right in line with Majestic....I'd say that's because that's the market they are aiming at and they are pricing accordingly.   At $40 odd they are looking to augment or compete with Majestic. Since price is not the only feature that products compete on, they are not choosing to compete on price.   I worked for 32 years for a company that didn't get into competing on price until the last 4 years I worked there --- we never said ours is cheaper, we said ours is better.  Enough folks agreed with us to make us at one time the most profitable company in the world.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 28, 2010)

Greg, it's going to have to be a big + the cost of the kit alone is $43.99, the blank they were useing was $15.00 and as you said if that's the target audience, we better have a know rock personality at the show:wink: to draw them, with daddy's CC:biggrin:.





Greg O'Sherwood said:


> You want to know who this is targeted to?? Teen and twenty-something girls. You've seen the cell phone cases with all the bling??? These will match those. Girls that age WILL spend their daddy's $$$ and buy a pen like this for* $50+.* They'll ask their boyfriends for them also. Heck, some of those girls make their own cash and buy jeans with holes in them for $100 at Ambercrombie and Fitch!
> 
> Yes, there is a market for these, just gonna be tough getting them in the target audience's faces, most of them don't go to art or craft shows.
> 
> .


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## DurocShark (Aug 29, 2010)

Just adding to the comment about the number of penturners...

The current American Woodworker #149 on page 58: "According to industry sources, there are currently tens of thousands of active pen turners in the U.S."

That's a heck of a market for what I would think is a pretty specialized craft!


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## DurocShark (Aug 29, 2010)

Perhaps, but if they're truly active, they're buying at least 10 kits a year I would think. 

There's been no marketing effort (that I've seen) to get those "Christmas Penmakers" using something other than slimlines. To them, an upgrade is to the Euro with it's "challenging" tenon. If they realized that not only are higher end kits MUCH more attractive, but actually EASIER than even the slimline, I think we'd see more demand for the better kits. 

I wonder what CSUSA and PSI would do if they started selling 10,000 Jr's a year...


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## TellicoTurning (Aug 29, 2010)

DurocShark said:


> There's been no marketing effort (that I've seen) to get those "Christmas Penmakers" using something other than slimlines. To them, an upgrade is to the Euro with it's "challenging" tenon. If they realized that not only are higher end kits MUCH more attractive, but actually EASIER than even the slimline, I think we'd see more demand for the better kits.



I agree with you on the upgrade comment... I think the slimline is one of the more difficult pens to get to look right... my first pen was actually a Euro style pen so I started with the tenon... still would rather make those over a slimline any day... I prefer to make the bigger pens though... The bigger pen kits show off the blank much better... more surface to look at.


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