New Pen Company Has Roots in Ohio - Literally
Liberty Township, OH (PRWEB) July 15, 2013 -- Many companies claim that their "roots" are in a particular city or state. It gives them what is called "local appeal." A new company has taken the meaning of the phrase to a new level. That's because Ohio based Buckeye Pens, creates all their pens using wood from the Buckeye Tree - the Ohio State Tree. So their product literally has its roots in Ohio.
What started as a father and son hobby, has grown into a part time business for Len Kaltman and his son Michael. Introducing his son to pen turning was an attempt to lure him away from the hours usually spent on video games and lead him to more creative and productive use of his time. Luckily, his strategy worked. Michael is paid for every pen he turns, and that money is being saved for his college tuition. The young pen turner has great hand-eye coordination and an appreciation for the smallest details. And he has turned his attention from his computer and video games to a small wood lathe in their basement workshop.
Kaltman would bring his son's hand crafted pens to local chamber of commerce meetings where they were quickly purchased by business owners as client gifts. "Once people learn about the Buckeye Tree and see it's unique color and look, the pens sell quickly. They also like that the pens are made locally." As demand for the pens grows the small company plans to hire other pen turners throughout Ohio. "We want to keep everything local in the Buckeye State," Kaltman says.
The actual wood used in making the pens comes from a small part of the Buckeye tree called a "burl." This knotty part is usually found near the roots and when viewed from the outside is hardly attractive. But once the burl is trimmed and cut into smaller pieces, the beauty of the wood is revealed. It has a very unique swirly grain with color ranging from beige to dark gray. No two pieces are alike which is why it is one of the most sought after woods by pen turners and other artisans.
As sales of their pens increased locally, they decided to put up a website and market their pens through gift stores throughout Ohio. Although Michael enjoys making the pens, the 14 year freshman at Lakota East hardly has time to sell them. His father took on that responsibility and is hoping to have the pens sold throughout the state. They created a unique point of purchase display and have a booth at the Ohio Gift Show in Columbus this August.
Their first series of pens is called The Artisan Line and consists of three models each based on popular styles of art. The Art Deco Pen, The Art Nouveau Pen, and The Art Moderne (pronounced "MOE-dairn") Pen are already in production. In the fall, they are creating a line of smaller pens geared primarily toward women.
More information about Buckeye Pens can be found at their website: http://www.buckeyepens.com.
Len Kaltman, [email protected], http://www.buckeyepens.com, +1 513-313-9324, [email protected]
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