Since I'm the one who lit the fuse here, I will comment on some of the responses to my opinions. Then I'll bow out before it all gets too personal. I like to use words to make a point. I stated my opinion(s). Those statements were not personal attacks. To call the pen in question "ugly and bizzare" was an honest expression of what that pen looks like to me. For the third time, I will stick with that characterization. Chuckie asked me, "After going through <b>
all</b> the submissions......which one would get your vote?" I am only able to view the winners, not all the submissions. But of those shown in the 7mm category, I like the plain slim by John Grounds and the two entries by Don Ward. All simple and in good taste. At the same time, I am puzzled by the standards used by those who voted. For example, John Grounds had another 'winner' made of metal. It shows obvious machining rings on the barrel, the two sections do not join neatly and the clip is rather large and clunky. How a winner? [?] Moving on, Eagle said my comments were "polite and funny". I tried to be and thank him for that. Others think differently. That's O.K., y'all are entitled to your opinions. Now, perhaps the best observation and opinion on the subject was by one of the rocks of this forum (for those who jump to conclusions: that was a compliment, as in solid foundation), DCBluesman a/k/a Lou. I'll paraphrase part of his statement regarding the pen I consider U&B. "innovative and daring". Gee! I said something like that too. [:0] "...accuracy of angles....glue ups....wide variety of materials....mini engineering and craftsmanship marvels." Yep, pretty much what I said too. The difference is that I don't see the total package as attractive. Some of the more innovative and talented craftsmen here look at the pen in question with a far different perspective than I. I'm looking at the pen. Not seeing through their eyes, I surmise they are seeing the components and talent that went into the creation. More anologies, and I'm sure to get zinged for these too. That's O.K. I would liken the Gisi pen to a concept car. Wild, ugly, bizzare. But a demonstration of what can be done with some elements that might actually become incorporated into a production vehicle. Or the difference in beauty between a show-girl in a wild dress and heavy makeup compared to a naturaly beautiful woman in a classic, simple small black dress. Or the wild and bizzare fashions shown by major designers to get the attention of buyers. Elements of those dresses are later incorporated into simpler and genuinely attractive clothes that customers will really wear. I tried to convey this idea with the anolgy about the school girl sampler stitching. And, truth be known, I believe that is what Gisi was doing with the pen in question. Demonstrate his talents, which I acknowledge are considerable. And I bow to those talents. There were a lot of posts, I have lost track of who said what on some. I do believe that brother Gisi challenged me to demonstrate what I consider as "classy and elegant". O.K., one is pictured below that I made. I acknowledge that it is no better and, for the most part, not as good as some made by the real talents on this forum. But, in my eyes, the styles offered by our vendors are well-designed and allow for creation of "classy and elegant" pens without a great deal of 'outside the line' innovation on the part of the makers. I'll close by quoting Eagle, with thanks for his support. He is innovative, I am not but we seem to think on the same wavelength. He said, "Not everybody has the same idea of what is classy. What is wrong with that?" Thanks all for reading and responding, I request that if you have problems with my stated opinions from here on that you communicate with me off-forum.
<br />
]), these are some of the most innovative and daring pens you will ever see. Accuracy of angles, glue-ups of 1mm and 2mm thicknesses of an extremely wide variety of materials...the kind of stuff I dream about but truly don't imagine ever being able to replicate. In terms of beauty, some like Picasso, some like Pollock, some like DaVinci, some like Norman Rockwell. To each his own as far as taste, but these things were mini engineering and craftsmanship marvels. In my (never humble) opinion. BTW, every pen submitted along with the hundreds more that were displayed in the instant gallery added a great deal of sparkle to the Rendezvous. Again, thanks to all who displayed their works. [8D]
