****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I have been making custom pens for 9-years. I started this hobby (as I've always done in learning anything), by buying books - before I ever buy any specialized tools. Rich (the author) and I have been friends since I first became interested in making custom pens, through a pen-making organization on the web. We have never met IN PERSON. He lives in N.Y state and I, in Texas. I purchased this book BECAUSE HE WROTE IT! He said to me, "Don't buy this book - you don't need it - it's a basic book on pen-making." Now, I have collected probably a dozen or so paper-back books on pen-making over the years, by some of the very best pen-makers in the country. I personally have life-long experiences in publishing, photography and DIY instruction on a number of arts and hobbys. I know the difference between "Junk", "Good", "Great" and "Get Outa Town". THIS BOOK IS "GET OUTA TOWN"! Hands down, the best written, the best photographed (probably did all of the shots himself), the best line diagrams and dimensional drawings and finally, crystal-clear directions through every step in the process of making your first pen to advanced pen technique. I earlier said that pen-making wasn't "rocket science"; when you get to the "Pen Gallery" and see his selection of current pen-makers' masterpieces, perhaps you'll understand that just maybe . . . . it CAN become rocket science - at least, it appears that way. . . .WOW!Don't ask, but in paper-back manuals like this (particularly when I have a working knowledge of the subject matter) I take the new book into my left hand to start my initial examination. I "leaf" from the back of the book forward! I said, "Don't Ask!" Anyway, in the last 20 or so pages, I saw exactly how to construct a half-dozen pen concepts that I was well aware of, but hadn't actually tried, because I just hadn't been able to figure out certain physical peculiarities each possessed. NOW, I CAN! And now, I'm beginning to understand why he told me NOT to buy the book! . . . because NOW I will be able to do anything he can do - and I will then write MY pen-making book - and MINE will have a FOLD-0UT CENTERFOLD OF ME!!! Seriously - GET THIS BOOK - There's nothing better out there. - Jay Pickens-
