Thanks everyone for the comments. I know the picture sucks, but I've been using this pen all day today, and really like it.
I didn't think I would like the Virage when I saw them online but thought they would appeal to a more feminine crowd than some of my others. Then I did a couple. I really like them. Nice weight. Comfortable to hold. Look sharp in person. Don't know if that says more about them or me?
That was my thought too. I made one for my wife in a red dyed burl, and she loves hers, so I tried it, liked it, but needed a non-red blank for me. With the right blank, it loses its femine look!
I've never been much of a virage fan. But I'm a big fan of your blank. Good job! That black fill really sets of the blank.
I first tried filling the cracks with coffee grounds, but the ones I had weren't ground into a fine enough powder to get into the cracks, so out came the copy toner powder.
Neat pen but I have to ask...copy toner? Be gentle, I'm still new at pens!
Copy toner from the toner cartridges in a photocopy machine. We changed one out at work a while back, and some of the toner fell out, so I got the great idea that I should put some in a jar and save it for some reason. It is an extremely fine black powder (baby powder fine), and gets EVERYWHERE. I simply took a fingertip "scoop" from the jar, and rubbed it into the cracks, then turned the lathe speed on slow and applied thin CA. Sanded, and re-applied - twice more, then applied thin/medium CA to finish it off. Did I mention that this black powder gets EVERYWHERE!!
