Double Closed End Blackwood

[gerryr]

This pen took way too long to complete. It began as an El Toro and I still have most of the parts. The biggest problem was the clip. It is a one piece clip and much thicker and stiffer than almost any other clip I've encountered. It took about 3 hours of fitting, filing and grinding to get it inside the cap. The wood is African Blackwood I got from Darrick, part heartwood and part sapwood. The sapwood actually has a little curl in it, so if you see a line in the cap, it isn't from sanding. The CB is Desert Ironwood. The finish is Tru Oil, probably 10 coats. I've been looking for a different finish on Blackwood since I haven't been pleased with CA lately on it. The finish is nice, but I think more time consuming even than Enduro would be, so I will probably go back to lacquer for Blackwood.

Comments welcome, good or bad. And thanks to Bill Jackman for some tips on how he does his recessed clips.

 

[wags54]

Well I like it, I like it a lot. The shape and the clip look really nice. The wood, kit and finish all seeem to go together real nice. I like the finish it has a natural wood look to it. I bet if has a nice wood feel to it as well. Good Job!!!

 

[RussFairfield]

Veeerrrry nice pen, and a well fitted clip. I am glad to see someone else taking up the challenge of the closed caps with the clips. The pen looks like it was well worth the effort. Don't let the trials of the first one discourage you. They do get easier with practice. That 3 hours will become 30 minutes, and you will wonder why it used to take so long.

 

[woodman928]

Now thats a well done pen nice job.[^]
Jay

 

[broitblat]

It sure seems to have been worth the effort since, in the end, you ended up with a very nice pen.

 

[Tanner]

Very, very nice! I don't have the gnads or the skills to try one of those yet.

 

[Skye]

Very nice, I wish the clip was just a tad longer though. Other than that, great looking pen.

 

[Jim15]

Great pen, nice work.

 

[Stevej72]

Hey Gerry, Great job, I like it.

 

[wdcav1952]

Dang, Gerry, can I get your autograph before you get famous and start charging for it?!?!

Beautiful job.

 

[jscola]

Great job, I think the clip looks great! Joe S.

 

[Dario]

Extremely well made!

 

[NavyDiver]

Great job! I like the look of the recessed clip.

 

[skiprat]

Very good Gerry. It seems to have a 'handsome' look to it.
Tell us the trick to get the grain lined up with the screw on cap please.
To be honest, I've never really fancied the hidden / recessed clip. I feel that no matter how well it's done, you just don't get any extra 'visual' value out of it, esp after all the effort to do it.
On this pen, because you left off the stock CB and the pen end is closed, I think the standard clip would have worked.
Maybe with the same wood as a finial on top.
Still very nice though[]

 

[bjackman]

Very nice flow and shape Gerry! I'm pretty sure that's the first Havana/El Toro/etc that has been done with a double closed end and recessed clip. I know there were difficulties in doing the clip on that model, I hope you share a little more of your process and challenges. Thanks for letting us see it. []

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Can you show me a bit more on the center band? I messed up a cap today on this kit and "if" I made a custom CB I might be able to save the wood on the cap. (turned it too thin) How did you get around the threaded insert? Does the CB it in place or did you make it so that the insert could go thru the CB??

 

[johncrane]

Looks lmpressive Gerry! the kit matched up great!Russ hit the nail on the head l reckon.[]

 

[twoofakind]

Great execution. Excellent looking pen.
Andy

 

[gerryr]

Thanks for all the kind comments.
Lining up the grain on the El Toro and El Presidente is actually quite easy, maybe on the Havana also. They only have one set of threads, unlike the Baron and similar pens which have 3 or 4. The threaded insert for the cap is about the last thing I do. I screw it onto the nib end threads, and then with the grain lined up, I just push it into the cap enough that it stays in place. Then I unscrew it and finish pressing the threaded inset into place. Future El Toros and El Presidentes that I make will probably all be closed end, but they will have wood finials instead of being closed on both ends. The clip for these is very difficult to work with. Might be easier on a Havana since the clip is somewhat different.