A couple of boats

[lyonsacc]

The cigar style pen is made with teak from the deck of the USS North Carolina (BB-55). This wood cuts and sands very nice and smooth.



The "civil war" pen gave me some problems. This is made from wood (looks and smells like some type of pine) from the 1973-1974 overhaul of the USS Constitution. While the Constitution did not fight in the civil war it was used as a training vessel. This wood gave me fits to work with. I ended up putting this on a smaller pen because the pieces I had kept breaking. As well, the light part of the wood was rather tender, but the dark age lines are very hard. This pen is not perfectly round. Any time I put a tool to it to turn it round it started to breakup, so I did the best that I could. Actually I think it looks pretty neat. There are a couple small spots with some pine sap and some stress/crack marks. I still have a couple pieces left, I think I might stabilize them before using them.




It has been one heck of a year for us. I think these are only the 3rd and 4th pens I have made this year. Of course, like any good pen turner, I've bought enough supplies to make 4 or 5 times that amount . . .
These were made for a contact at my day job that happens to be a history nut. I hope he enjoys them.

Dave

 

[1080Wayne]

Cross cut pine can certainly be tender . Don`t know if stabilizing will help much on a sappy wood . I`m sure your friend will be very happy . But I think you need to add another zero or maybe two to your pen supply purchases .

 

[Jim15]

Great looking pens. I love pens with a history.

 

[triw51]

I agree a pen with a story has great appeal.

 

[OZturner]

Magnificent Pens, Dave.
I love Pens with a Story or History to tell.
As was mentioned, Cross Grained Pine can be a dog to work.
The timber has a grain that has hard rib section surrounded by softer tissue. If it doesn't break or chip, it is Beast to Sand as the Soft tissue is reduced while the Hard Sections resist the cut of the abrasive, so you can end up with corrugations on the Surface.
Excellent Work, I am sure he will be delighted with your Craftsmanship.
Congratulations,
Brian.

 

[lyonsacc]

I do like making pens with wood that has a history. But, while working on the wood from the USS Constitution I just kept thinking about the amount of history I was turning into dust! Of course the final product looks good, just was oddly struck about the historic sawdust I was making . . .