Bob in SF
Member
My dear Chinese calligrapher friends have put me through the paces (strokes), and this encouraged me to make some proverb pens on some of my handmade papers. Here's my first:
"An Old Horse Knows the Way" may date back to the time of ancient Chinese civil wars when a struggling army used old horses to find their way out of trouble; ergo experience matters.
I used standard paper making techniques with 70% Abaca fiber from the Philippines, and 30% Kozo fiber from Thailand; washed thoroughly, simmered X 2 hours at a pH of 10-11 (soda ash used to alkalinize the water); rinsed well; beaten to a pulp with meat hammers; brought into a pulpy solution with a tiny bit of added sizing (alkyl ketene dimer) to make the paper slightly more hydrophobic, blending done with a heavy duty blender; pulp solution dyed with Jacquard dyes (little picture inset below was a plain sheet with no added dye); paper sheets formed with home-made mold and deckle; sheets pressed between blotter papers in a home-made 2 ton bottle jack press x 2 days, then air dried; lightly airbrushed with Createx Clear Gloss Top Coat, and rolled flat by hand with a print-makers brayer (roller) to smooth the surface for calligraphy.
Calligraphy done with India ink (after a lot of practice), using my now-favored and surprisingly versatile 55 degrees-bent-nibbed pen (low price for Sailor Fude De Mannen - Stroke Style Calligraphy Fountain Pen on Amazon).
Calligraphed paper run through the Xyron to add permanent adhesive to the back; then adhered to the acetone-washed brass tubes.
Tubes then twice-sealed with Judikins Diamond Glaze, 48 hours drying time between coats.
Cast tube-in using Douglas and Sturgess Clear Casting (PR) Resin with some flakes.
Turned and finished as usual:
I showed the pen to my buddies in Chinatown this AM - and they came up with all sorts of proverbs for future pens - fun ahead. Old horse may go for it.
Happy Monday to all - Bob
"An Old Horse Knows the Way" may date back to the time of ancient Chinese civil wars when a struggling army used old horses to find their way out of trouble; ergo experience matters.
I used standard paper making techniques with 70% Abaca fiber from the Philippines, and 30% Kozo fiber from Thailand; washed thoroughly, simmered X 2 hours at a pH of 10-11 (soda ash used to alkalinize the water); rinsed well; beaten to a pulp with meat hammers; brought into a pulpy solution with a tiny bit of added sizing (alkyl ketene dimer) to make the paper slightly more hydrophobic, blending done with a heavy duty blender; pulp solution dyed with Jacquard dyes (little picture inset below was a plain sheet with no added dye); paper sheets formed with home-made mold and deckle; sheets pressed between blotter papers in a home-made 2 ton bottle jack press x 2 days, then air dried; lightly airbrushed with Createx Clear Gloss Top Coat, and rolled flat by hand with a print-makers brayer (roller) to smooth the surface for calligraphy.
Calligraphy done with India ink (after a lot of practice), using my now-favored and surprisingly versatile 55 degrees-bent-nibbed pen (low price for Sailor Fude De Mannen - Stroke Style Calligraphy Fountain Pen on Amazon).
Calligraphed paper run through the Xyron to add permanent adhesive to the back; then adhered to the acetone-washed brass tubes.
Tubes then twice-sealed with Judikins Diamond Glaze, 48 hours drying time between coats.
Cast tube-in using Douglas and Sturgess Clear Casting (PR) Resin with some flakes.
Turned and finished as usual:
I showed the pen to my buddies in Chinatown this AM - and they came up with all sorts of proverbs for future pens - fun ahead. Old horse may go for it.
Happy Monday to all - Bob
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You've done it again, sir. Outstanding!
