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Common Questions
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Last Updated
18 May 2006
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Here are some of the more common questions that we've received:
Please contact us via E-mail at info@inspiredwoods.com for other questions.
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What refills are used in the different pen types?
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| Gentlemen's Rollerball Pens |
Our Gentlemen's Rollerball Pens all use a standard rollerball refill. They are of the Shaeffer RB II style and are available at office supply stores.
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| Gentlemen's Fountain Pens |
Our Gentlemen's Fountain Pens all use an international standard ink cartridge refill (not the Cross-style). These cartridges are available at any office supply store.
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| Deco Rollerball Pens |
Our Deco Rollerball Pens all use a standard rollerball refill. They are of the Shaeffer RB II style and are available at office supply stores.
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| Deco Fountain Pens |
Our Deco Fountain Pens all use an international standard ink cartridge refill (not the Cross-style). These cartridges are available at any office supply store.
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| Polaris Ballpoint Pens |
Our Polaris Ballpoint Pens use a standard "Parker"-compatable refill. These are available at any office supply stores.
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| Slimline Ballpoint Pens |
Our Slimeline Pens use a standard "Cross"-compatable refill. These are available at office supply stores.
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| Teacher's Ballpoint Pens |
Our Teacher's Ballpoint Pens use the mini style refills and are available from us, or from specialty office supply stores.
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What are the different types of metal used?
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Some general comments about durability and wear - there is no good way to quantify durability in terms of years of use. The best way to answer this is that "it depends". The amount of use, the environment, even the user's body chemistry will affect the durability. We use the highest quality metal parts that we can get. With that said, not every style of pen is available in all platings.
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| Solid Sterling Silver | On selected pens we offer Solid Sterling Silver (0.925), this is not simply a plating. A special treatment has been applied to these parts to prevent tarnishing.
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| Platinum | A very durable hard plating, expected to last for many years with normal care.
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| Gold Titanium | This is a multi-layer plating. The base layer is titanium nitride, an extremely wear-resistant material, of a thickness to give the color of 24K gold.
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| Black Titanium | This is a multi-layer plating. The base layer is titanium oxide, an extremely wear-resistant material. The coloring seems to change when moved under light, from black to smoky gray to silver.
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| 24K Gold | This is pure gold and gold by itself is soft. The 24k gold parts we offer are thickly plated to give years of wear, but they may eventually show some brassing.
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| 10K Gold | This is a gold alloy, with better wear characteristics than 24k gold, but they may eventually show some brassing.
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| Black Chrome | This is a high-qulaity chrome plating, but may eventually show wear. This is a high-gloss black finish that provides a rich contrast against many woods. |
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What prompted you to start Inspired Woods?
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Is it real wood?
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Yes, the wood is real! The reason that it appears as it does is
the finishing process that is used on the wood. The wood is first
turned to shape on a lathe, then it is sanded using progressively
finer grits of sand paper (up through 12,000 grit) until the wood
is completely smooth. The wood is then sealed, polished with a
shellac-based friction polish, and then a micro-crystalline wax is
applied. It is this combination of finishing steps that gives the
wood its mirror-like surface and durable protection.
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How should I care for my Bible Wood?
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Your Bible Wood gift item is made from real wood and, as such, should be cared for
as you would any other fine wood product.
The wood on your pen has been sealed, polished with a shellac-based
friction polish, and then a micro-crystalline wax has been applied. We
recommend that you, as the owner, maintain this wax finish throughout
the life of the pen. You can use a soft cloth to buff it to
maintain its luster, and/or apply additional wax to ensure complete coverage. Please make sure to never use any type of abrasive cleaner
or wax, as this may cause undue wear. Do not use any automotive waxes
or polishes, as these do indeed contain abrasives.
A good furniture paste wax would be an excellent candidate to
maintain the luster of your pen. If you have any questions regarding the care of your pen, or would
like for us to repair your pen, please let
us know.
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Where do you get the
wood you use to create these products?
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Getting the wood can be, and has been, quite a challenge. I have
found some of the
wood here in the United States and have ordered it from a variety of
sources, who in turn have received from their global suppliers. I have been known to visit fruit growers, nurseries, and
other locations to try to gain access to the specific species that are
referenced in the Bible. I've also directly imported wood from Israel,
Australia and Canada in the quest to deliver the most authentic,
species accurate, wood possible.
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Will you sell just the wood?
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We have an established policy that we will not sell the wood alone. We do not offer collectors samples either.
Many of the woods that we use are from one-time sources, and there is not a renewable supply available.
With that all said, there are numerous woods that are available through suppliers.
If there is a specific wood that you want to try to get a supply of, we would be happy to provide a source (if one exists).
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Who are you?
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My name is Randy Salo, and I live in San Diego, CA with my wife and two children.
We, as a family, attend Faith Community Church  , and are active members.
I have loved working with my hands, and with wood especially, ever since my first wood shop class in high school (a LONG time ago) -- coincidentally, just about the same time I became a Christian.
In the few years prior to starting Inspired Woods this appreciation of fine wood had escalated into a full-scale woodworking hobby that I enjoyed a great deal.
By educational background I am a computer scientist (Yes, I built the web site myself ;-), and have most recently held the position of Vice President of Engineering for a smart antenna company.
Any profits received from the sale of any of the items offered here are tithed.
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