Alternative Casein

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broitblat

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Feb 9, 2006
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Bellevue, WA, USA.
El Grande in Alt. Casein.



Nothing all that special about the pen, but I really like the look of the alt. casein. It's fairly easy to work with (similar to alt. ivory) and polishes up nicely (although you wouldn't know it from the picture).

-Barry
 
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drgoretex

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Aug 14, 2010
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Very nice indeed. Like the combo of white, black and silver.

I have heard that the alt casein is very chippy, like inlace acrylester - did you find that?

Ken
 

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
I too love the look of that material and it does turn easily and polishes to a nice shine. That is a great combination of kit to material. Nice job and thanks for showing.
 

ed4copies

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Mar 25, 2005
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Racine, WI, USA.
I've turned this material several times and I agree it is like alternative ivory. Not near acrylester, but it is "chippier" than good PR blanks.

One piece of advice, the ends of ALL resin pens are important. Whether you sand to the brass or use a sharp mill, the ends are where all plastics are MOST LIKELY to chip. Round them over EARLY in your turning and be more careful as you approach the end. When the blank is finished, if the ends are not smooth, or there are smaill imperfections, (chips, if you will) the pen is likely to crack, starting at the point of the "chip".

This is true of ALL plastics I have turned but, recently, I have seen more evidence and formulated this "deduction".

I welcome discussion--here or by PM or in a new thread so we don't hijack this one.

EXCELLENT looking pen!!!! More frugal and more stable than real casein!!! Also polishes easier!
 

broitblat

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Bellevue, WA, USA.
Very nice indeed. Like the combo of white, black and silver.

I have heard that the alt casein is very chippy, like inlace acrylester - did you find that?

Ken

I find all the plastics somewhat chippy, but this was somewhere in the middle. This as not as bad as inlace, but not as forgiving as Alumilite.

-Barry
 

Kaspar

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Aug 1, 2006
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Ahead of the curve. Waaay ahead.
Excellent work! The Black Ti works well with the whiter alt casein.

There is a difference in hue between the alt casein and the more yellow tone of the real stuff. Also, I compared a blank of alt. and real and noted that the alt. casein does not have a many radial lines as the real stuff (24 vs. 39 in the two examples I counted.) It's a nitpick, I know, and it probably won't make much much difference once the pen is turned down. But it might make some. ;)

There are no solutions; only trade-offs. At least you won't have to worry about the alt casein shrinking or cracking on you.
 
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