First Kitless

[Butlerwalt66]

...That I'm willing to show. I'm primarily a vintage pen collector, so I went for a vintage look, using brass and black ebonite. The clip (if you can call it that) is supposed to look like the early accommodation clips on old Waterman's safety pens....and it needs further refinement. The section is from Kara's, and I pared off some of the front cheek of it, so you could read the nib size at the bottom (it's a 1.1 italic). It's a slip-fit, and posts to 6 5/8"....everything I make will be friction-fit until I can muster up the scratch for one of those spiffy triple-lead gizmos.
WHAT I LEARNED: clips are hard.

 

[Gwatson50]

Very nice!


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[magpens]

That's really attractive !

I actually like the clip and I think you have done a good job of it.

 

[Jim15]

Looks great.

 

[Curly]

You can use single start taps that are a lot cheaper than a triple and get the benefit of learning how to thread. Doing good friction fit parts is something few seem to try so getting one on the first is a pat on the back accomplishment.

 

[Penultimate]

I agree with Curly. Get a set of taps and dies from Victor Machin, you could get probably two sets for the price of one triple start set.

Very nice job, I like the clip design.

 

[OZturner]

Excellent Pen Walter,
Superb Ebonite Blank, Great Proportions and Profile.
Photograph #2, shows what appears to be some small Circumferential Scratches, these can be corrected by using the a fine abrasive along the body of the Pen, or they can be buffed out and the Finish enhanced at the same time.
Are there any scratches around the Clip / Finial Cap with the Photograph?, it is difficult to determine.
Excellent Work,
Congratulations,
Brian.

 

[Gregory Hardy]

Tell me about your clip - did you solder the clip to the finial? Silver solder? I like the lines of the pen...but I also tend to use more "traditional styles" with custom pens so I ma a little biased! Fine looking pen, Walter! Ready to see the next one...


(And you're measuring in inches! Good for you...don't let metric-ians beat up on you!)

 

[Bryguy]

Very nice pen! I got started in this hobby through the collecting and repair of antique FPs. I think you've done a great job on the clip. The design is classic. Well done.

 

[MikeL]

Impressive. Great job!

 

[Butlerwalt66]

Hooboy...long story about the clip. Ideally, the leaf of the clip should be soldered, spot-welded or riveted to the ring....things I am ill-able to do competently. I threaded both the leaf and the ring with #4/40 tap, and just screwed them together with #4 brass machine screws and a touch of epoxy. I then filed off most of the head of the screw, leaving enough swaging to hold the pieces together. My next attempt will have a more secure joint.

So...the final assembly of the clip was done on the barrel, since the machine screws protruded into the inner circumference of the ring, and I lack a file (and the patience) to file down the protruding screw ends.

^^This, of course, means that the cap has to be long enough to house the nib without the screw ends hitting the nib.

Nevertheless, I do think it's a handsome enough effort, and actually prefer a slip-cap to a single-threaded one. Thanks for the input...on to the next one!

 

[Rolandranch]

Very nice! It looks great. It reminds me of this ebonite Parker pen that I got a while back except without a clip. Can't wait to see what other pens you make!