Categories
Time Away

Back in Production Tomorrow…

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

Categories
Time Away

Recovery, Please Bear With Me….

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

Categories
Time Away

DC was a Great Show, but came with a Hitch….

Hi Pen Fans!

The DC show was quite successful, certainly one of the best shows that I’ve ever been to. 

I had an outstanding time, but a hitch came along with it.

My wife had some abdominal pain throughout the entire show, which culminated in us leaving earlier than what we wanted to on Sunday.

After a long drive home and an ER visit late last night, we found that she needs to have her gall bladder taken out.

She will have a consult with a surgeon tomorrow morning, most likely going into surgery the same day.

Since the Edison Pen Co. is a one-man-show, I need to ask my clients to please be flexible with timelines and communication as a result.

I’m sure that my responsibilities as a husband and father will need to spill into my penmaking responsibilities in the next week or two.  We have family that can help with our four-year-old, but I’m sure that I’m still going to be taken out of the shop some and will be slowed down.

So I will be working in my studio as much as I can this and next week, but I have no idea at what rate.

Please bear with me through this event, as my productivity with pens and communication might be a little slower.

So far, it seems like this should be a routine procedure, but prayers are still appreciated.

Many thanks. 

Brian Gray
Edison Pens
 

Categories
Pen Shows

DC Bound!

Hi Pen Fans!

I will be attending the DC Pen Show this coming weekend.

I will have my entire inventory, along with examples of materials.  I will bring my nib adjusting tools as well.

Also – I will have two pens that will be going to a charity auction right after the pen show when I return home.

The auction will be hosted on a website and will benefit Cherished Creations.

These two pens are very special, and both are like no other pen that I’ve done in the past.  They both turned out very nice, and I’m super-proud of them!

If you miss the show, stay tuned to the website, as the pens will make an appearance here after the show!

I hope to meet more of my clients live in DC!

Brian at Edison

Categories
New Pens

Introducing the Huron….

Hi Pen Fans!

I’m proud to introduce my newest model, The Huron.

I’d like to discuss a little about its design.

On most of my pens, the design calls for a step from the barrel to the barrel threads.  A good example of this is the Pearl.  The Pearl has a dramatic step from barrel to barrel threads.  It is an integral part of the design.

Some customers have told me that they would prefer that this step was not present on their pens.  With this in mind, I have designed the Huron.

The transition from the barrel, to the barrel threads, to the section is smooth and seamless.  The section is also longer and less dramatic in it’s curve.  The clip sits a little lower with a larger finial.  All of this leads to a pretty slender and elegant design, similar to early American pens.

When prototyping this pen, I was seriously torn between two clips. 

I did some market research by sending pictures to friends, collecting opinions on the webcam, and posing this clip dilemma to people whose opinion I trusted.

The opinions were so extremely polarized, that I was only further perplexed.

I started thinking…"I’m a custom penmaker, right?  Why not offer them both?"

So with this pen, the customer will have a choice of two clips.  There is a segmented clip, as well as a straight clip, as show below.

                           

Both of these clips are available as rhodium or gold plated, however…the straight clip with gold plating will not be here for another couple of weeks, as they need to be plated.

Obviously, the pen is available in the materials shown on the Huron Main Page, but any custom material that you and I can dream up is available.

Please go here for more details.

Thanks,

Brian at Edison

Categories
New Pens

Sneak Peek at a New Prototype…

Hi Pen Fans!

This is a quick look at a new prototype.

Most of my pens have a step going from the barrel to section threads. 

Some people have told me that they would prefer a smooth transition from barrel, to threads, to section.

This pen has accomplished this, along with a thinner barrel than my typical pens, making for a pretty elegant design.

I am still making some clip decisions, but this is a a good idea as to how this pen will look.

Email me if interested in this pen, but I anticipate an official launch in the next couple of weeks.

Also, since this is a prototype, I’ll be happy to hear critiques!  Nothing is finalized yet.

Brian at Edison

 

Categories
Time Away

Vacation…

Hi Pen Fans!

Chicago was a a blast.  I had a chance to meet more of my clients, shake hands, and sell some pens!

I’ll be on a much needed vacation this week, returning to the lathe on Monday the 11th.

I’ll be camping with my family, so internet access is doubtful.  If I don’t return emails, then you’ll know why.

The piston filler is now at the stage of a working prototype and is ready for production.

I anticipate to make an official announcement on the 11th, and then I’ll be shipping orders late May.

Take care.

Brian at Edison

Categories
Pen Shows

Chicago, Piston Filler, and (whew….vacation….)

Hi Pen Fans.

Next week, I will be attending the Chicago Pen Show.

I’ll have my full inventory there, along with at least a prototype, if not a complete version for the new piston fIller.

Speaking of, the piston filler is scheduled to be in full production after May 11th. 

And lastly, I’m taking a much needed vacation the week of May 4th.

More updates to come.  If I’m not great with emails this coming week, you’ll know why.

Brian at Edison

Categories
New Materials

Two Tone and Rhodium 18k Nibs…

Hi Pen Fans.

I recently received my new shipment of 18k gold nibs.  This includes two tone and rhodium nibs, in addition to my gold nibs.

The gold and rhodium nibs are available in Fine, Medium and Broad.

Currently, the two tone nibs are only avaibable in Fine, but I’ll be getting Mediums and Broads in a couple of months.

Coming soon – Sailor Ink and Piston Fillers!

Thanks.

Brian at Edison

Categories
Pen Shows

Pen Meeting in Harrisburg…

Road trip last weekend!

Myself and Aaron from Pentiques went to Harrisburg, PA last weekend for the Central Penn Club Meeting.

Many thanks to Fred for having us.  Check out the videos.

Brian at Edison