Thanks for taking the trouble to respond everyone. I realise that nibs are never going to get early retirement for me - its just that I want to be able to offer them as a service, so that people have somewhere to go on the occasions when they do need a nib. On the few occasions I've needed a nib, they've always been bloody hard to find.
For the kitless or higher quality kit/blank pens, I can see that a high quality nib is required, and I can also see there is merit in having an already recognised brand such as Bock. We've also been looking at producing them under our own name, made in Europe, not China. If they were available and the quality was high, do you think there is any merit in that (David?) or do you still think that there would be an uphill struggle to get them established. (I like to think that by now the Beaufort name has a reputation for the highest quality but I fully appreciate there are more people who have never heard of us than those who have)
Is there any call at all for a "like for like" nib available as a spare? (I must say I have never needed a spare, just a different one)
In general, whether they are spares or best quality, how much call do you think there is for different finishes - Billy, you've mentioned steel, gold and two-tone. (I think more or less all kits come with two tone don't they?)
As far as the very best nibs are concerned, if you were wanting one for say a kitless pen (Jim) how does price alter your opinion? I'm not talking about profiteering here, just about paying for the very best. Would you want to pay for a "pretty good nib" or would you want to pay as much as you have to for THE creme de la creme? Where is the line drawn? (no pun intended)
Is there mileage for you as pen makers to be able to charge more for your pens with an upgraded nib, or does that fall in to the realms of "special request only"?
Phil
