Edison Pen Company - Miscellaneous

Urushi Update - Gold Application

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:53:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans!

The Urushi Pearl Page has just been updated with new photos and videos of the process.

The gold dust has been applied.

Click here to see the progess.

Thanks,

Brian at Edison

A little time away...

Sat, 15 May 2010 15:47:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans.

Just a quick heads up. I'll be taking some time to myself this coming week.

I'll be doing emails, but if I'm slower than normal, you'll know why.

I'll be back in action on the 24th.

Thanks.

Brian at Edison

Waterman Ink is Here...

Thu, 13 May 2010 14:34:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans.

The Edison Pen Company is proud to offer and endorse Waterman Ink.

See this page for details.

Thanks.

Brian at Edison

Nancy Olson, Ink.

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:02:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans.

Nancy Olson, the editor of Stylus Magazine, recently began a new blog that I've found quite enjoyable.

Click here to view...
Nancy Olson, Ink
...and you will see the other reason for this post. Nancy put together a nice entry regarding a couple of Edison pens that I recently sent her to evaluate and critique.

You can see her review of two of my pens on her blog, or here is a direct link.

I recommend bookmarking and/or following Nancy's blog. She's only been blogging since February, but I've found every entry to be a great read, and I always look forward to the next one.

Thanks,

Brian at Edison

A Late-Night Penmaking Session....

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:58:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans.

I have had my webcam running since the beginning of my company, and it's been a big success.

There, customers can see me making pens live in real time and chat with me as their pen is being made. I have one camera set up to show a close-up of the work on the lathe, and also an overhead camera showing my shop in general.

This has been a great way for my customers to see their pens made, make real-time alterations to custom pens, and also get a better understanding of how penmaking occurs.

However, a limitation has been my time schedule. I'm out there Monday through Friday, 9-5 EDT.

I have developed a regular crowd, and most of these people are folks who have a computer at their workplace, and can tune in off-and-on during the day.

But I realize that I'm missing a large crowd of people. These include people who do not have a computer at their workplace, and also people on the West Coast or international regions where my time schedule just doesn't work out.

So next week, I'm going to do a late-night penmaking session.

On Tuesday, March 30th, I will do a penmaking session at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time.

This is a good time slot for people who's job will not allow viewing and also for people who's time zones do not coincide.

The best way to watch and chat is to go to this page...
http://www.edisonpen.com/webcam.cfm

However, people can also watch and chat from their iPhone or Android, using the Ustream Viewer App, which is here...
http://www.ustream.tv/mobile/viewer

Here's what will happen on Tuesday night...

I will be making a pen for my inventory that I haven't made before. This will be a Huron in Crossgrain Ivory Celluloid.

I've used plenty of standard Ivory Celluloid, but I recently found some that is cut crossgrain. This will make a very striking effect.

The stock that I will use is photographed below...

I will also do an additional pen, and I will leave the specifics of this pen up to the crowd.

I'll be happy to take suggestions. Any material, any model, even highly custom, within reason...so post some suggestions.

Then I'll be happy to take questions and chat (although I will certainly chat where I can during the making process, as well).

So if you are interested, please tune in....

Tuesday, March 30th, 7:00 pm EDT.

www.edisonpen.com/webcam.cfm or use the iPhone or Android Ustream Viewer App.

I hope to see lots of you there!

Brian at Edison

Current Inventory, and Model Comparison...

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:33:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans.

I have two new additions to the website, both of which are on the left-hand column.

First is Current Inventory, which you can see here. Current inventory is exactly that. Most of my orders are custom made, and go to a backlog that usually takes 2-3 weeks depending upon how busy I am.

All of the pens on this page are finished, and can ship immediately, if someone would rather not wait. This page will be constantly changing, so be sure to check in from time to time, if you have interest.

Next is a Model Comparison, which can be seen here.

I have received requests from many clients that they would love to see a side-by-side comparison of all my pen models.

Here is the photo....

(...and consider this a sneak peek of a new model that will be officially launched right after the LA Pen Show...more to come...)

Thanks,

Brian at Edison

Pen Raffle - A Winner Has Been Drawn!

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 09:11:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans!

A winner has been randomly generated for the free Herald Pen.

I used a random number generator, and came up with #223.

An email will be sent to the 223rd email on my subscriber list, alphebetically.

There are some subscribers on my list who's emails bounce, or are no longer valid.

In this case, If I don't hear from this recipient before the New Year, I will randomly generate another number to find another winner.

I will send an email to the winner immediately after posting this entry, so check your Inbox (and your Spam folder, just in case).

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Brian at Edison

UPDATE - THE WINNER HAS CLAIMED THE PRIZE. FRAN FROM PA IS THE PROUD OWNER OF THE PEN.

Happy Holidays From Edison....A Free Pen!

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:20:00 -0400

Happy Holidays everyone.

In the spirit of the Holidays, I am going begin an annual raffle of a free pen.

Here's how this will work.

I am going to donate a free Herald Pen in Black Ebonite with a Steel nib, retail value of $250. Cartridge/Converter. This pen is shown with gold trim, but if the winner prefers rhodium trim, no problem. The winner can have the nib size of their choice F, M, or B, and I will tune the nib to the winner's preferences.

I will randomly generate a winner from my blog subscribers between Christmas and New Years.

To sign up for the raffle, go to the upper right-hand corner of this page, and you will see a window that says...

SUBSCRIBE - Enter Your Email Address to Subscribe to This Blog

Enter your email address. Once you have done this, you will receive an email confirming your subscription. You will need to click on a link within this email to verify your email. If you do not verify your email, you will not be eligible for the raffle.

Be sure to check your spam folder for this email, just in case.

If you are a current blog subscriber, and already receive my blog entries via email, then you are already and automatically entered into the raffle.

The pen will be shipped free within the US. International friends can certainly enter the raffle, but shipping charges will apply.

If the customer wants a custom grind on the nib, I can do that at the cost of the grind.

By subscribing, you will receive my blog entries. Just so you know, I do not saturate my blog subscribers.

I only do about one entry a month. So I will not be spamming you or flooding your Inbox! And you can certainly unsubscribe if you wish.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Brian at Edison

No More Shopping Cart, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:19:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans!

A quick website update, along with some holiday wishes....

I have eliminated the Paypal shopping cart. Paypal has been making so many administrative changes this year that I just don't have time to alter my website everytime that they make a change.

Not only that, but 95% of my orders are custom. This means that hardly anyone uses the shopping cart, regardless.

So the way that the website will work now is that each pen page will have a slideshow showing variations and choices. Customers can also browse through more than 300 photos on my FlickR website.

From there, customers can email me requests.

I have also recently gained the ability to take credit cards.

On a lighter note, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

My family and I have a lot to give thanks for.

About a year and a half ago, I lost my pharmaceuticals job. At that time, I honestly thought that this pen business would simply be something to keep me off of unemployment until I found another job that I hated. I never really thought that pens could be a living for me, but here I am...Edison is growing every month and we have never been happier!

What a difference a year makes!

I'll attach a recent family picture.

Blessings, everyone!

Brian at Edison

In the Pages of Pen World...

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:27:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans!

A neat little business milestone for me...

The Edison Pen Company and Pentiques just had a feature article in Pen World Magazine.

Click Here to check it out.

Thanks to Laura Walker Chandler, Marie A. Picon, and Pen World.

Brian at Edison

Second Charity Auction Starts Today!

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:07:00 -0400

The second of two charity auctions to benefit Cherished Creations starts today!

Please visit this thread at the Fountain Pen Network for more details.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=122794&st=0&gopid=1216398&#entry1216398

Thanks!

Brian at Edison

First Charity Auction Starts Today...

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 08:09:00 -0400

The first of two charity auctions to benefit Cherished Creations starts today!

Please visit this thread at the Fountain Pen Network for more details.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=121818

Thanks!

Brian at Edison

Charity Auction of Two Edison Pens...

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:34:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans.

It is with pleasure that I'd like to announce the Charity Auction of two Edison Pens to benefit Cherished Creations. Cherished Creations is a charity that benefits seriously ill and underprivelaged children.

The kind folks over at The Fountain Pen Network have agreed to allow me to host the acution on their website.

Rather then repeat a rather long and lengthy thread that already exists at the FPN, I will simply include some pictures here and post a link to a thread announcing the auction.

CLICK HERE TO GO THE THE AUCTION THREAD AND READ ALL ABOUT THE AUCTION.

Here are pictures of the pens that are going up for auction.

Please click the link above to learn more about the auction, about Cherished Creations, and how a donation or bid can help seriously ill and underprivelaged children.

Thanks.

Brian at Edison

Back in Production Tomorrow...

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:08:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans!

Andrea's recovery is going fine. She needs help getting up and down, but everyday is better and better.

I have family coming to help tomorrow so I can get to work full time.

I'm going to try to do some very early morning hours, and maybe even some evenings after Andrew goes to bed, so that there is less burden on family.

Due to this, my webcam schedule will not be 9-5, and may be quite sporadic.

I'm hoping that Monday of next week everything will be back to 9-5. We'll see.

For those of you backordered, I will send emails with estimated dates tonight. Please allow flexibility until we're completely in the clear.

Many Thanks!

Brian at Edison

Recovery, Please Bear With Me....

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:06:00 -0400

Hi Pen Fans!

My wife's surgery went fine, and now we are into recovery mode.

Her gall bladder was actually about 3-4 times enlarged, and her stones were so big that they needed to widen the laparoscopic incisions to get them out. We're just glad that the surgery remained laparoscopic, and that they didn't need to make larger non-laparoscopic cuts.

So her recovery time might be longer than the typical laparoscopic recovery, but the outcome was fine outside of this.

Here's the plan...

Andrea should be coming home tomorrow. I will have help from family with our 4-year-old. I'm going to get a couple of pens done in the next few days with their help.

Then I'm planning on going back into full production mode on Monday, with family helping with the little one.

By Monday, I should have a good idea as to what Andrea's capabilities are (very limited, I'm sure), and also what family can do to help.

On Monday or Tuesday, I'll send emails with tentative dates to everyone who is backordered. I will ask everyone to still be flexible with these dates for expected delivery of their pens.

I'm pretty sure that family help will allow me to work 9 to 5 every weekday next week, but I'm also sure that there will be exceptions. I'm anticipating that Andrea will not be able to deal with wrangling our four-year-old for another two weeks (?) Who knows at this point?

I've received so many emails from people giving good thoughts, and I'd like to thank each of you. It's really tough to see a loved one in pain when you are helpless to assist. It seemed like I got an email on my phone every 15 minutes from one of you that lifted my spirits. I shared each of these emails with my wife, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude. Many thanks!

A lot of my clients have told me to not worry about pens, and focus on family. Don't worry, I definitely have, and I will continue. However, I love making pens, and it's quite therapeutic for me. I'm not going to neglect my family obligations by any means...don't worry, family comes first, but I also need to run the business and our family will be helping with Andrea's recovery and watching the little one. There's no paid vacations when you are self employed! My family knows this, and they, along with friends are lining up to help out.

Updates to backordered clients will remain timely.

Also - I will include a recent family picture that I like. It won't be long before Andrea will be healed up enough to hoist Andrew like this again!

Many thanks.

Brian Gray
Edison Pens