First Kitless FP

[Twissy]

Kitless is what I have been wanting to achieve since I started making pens last year.....almost there!
My nibs and bits turned up from IPD last week (thanks...speedy delivery) and I've spent the last few days making holders etc. And now I've made this.
Parted off the main body, and the nipple broke the wrong way and left a hole in the end so I had to plug it...shame.
Not happy with the cap thread....M12x0.75 single start. I'm going to have to invest in a triple start set.....too many turns of the cap to take it on and off. The finial is unscrewable but I ended up using a M10x1 as the 9x.75 was a bit sloppy.
Please give as many criticisms as you can as I want to get this right.....cheers.
No reflection on you guys but I'm also going to post on another forum so I can get more ideas.

 

[frank123]

Well, no one else has said anything yet so I'll jump in (and keep in mind that I'm really green at pens and kitless is still my future goal and not my achievement yet).

I actually like that pen, it looks very good to me as it is.

Style is strictly a matter of personal taste, but if I were looking for a pen to buy this would look just a slight bit too feminine to me, I think a straighter and somewhat narrower cap would give it more of a masculine touch but still one that would appeal to either sex. But this is me and not necessarily something anyone else would consider.

Since the finial can never be exactly matched to the rest of the cap unless it is a simple solid color, I think either adding an accent ring between it and the cap or making it from some different but complimentary material might make it look a little more appealing (to me, but not necessarily to anyone else).

As for the cap thread - I find multiple turns of the cap to actually be a desirable thing as long as it's around one and a half or two turns max.

Multi start threading is nice and fast, but to me it sort of takes away from the mystique and elegance of using a fountain pen, particularly if you're doing it in front of someone. Who doesn't like to subtly show their pen off? Maybe a coarser thread?

But as I said, overall I really like that pen and have to actually strain to find anything to suggest about it. It's a beautiful thing you've made there, both fully functional and nicely artistic without being overly complicated. You are already where I someday want to be in pen making.

 

[Twissy]

Thanks for your candid post Frank. It's nice to get another point of view and another way to look at things.
I agree with the feminine look, but the colour seemed a bit feminine. I too would personally prefer the plainer shape.
I made a typo in the initial post, the cap thread is in fact M13x0.75 which to some extent governed the size of the cap. It is too may turns though, about 5 complete revolutions. I have just found an M12x1 which I may try next.
I like the idea of an accent ring and when I've got this more down pat I will experiment there. I just wish that there were more types of clips available!
Once again, thanks for your comments.

 

[mredburn]

Great start, you can cut the thread area shorter to reduce the amount of twists to put it on and take it off. You can also cut some of the threads off inside the cap so it sits lower before it starts threading.

 

[Twissy]

Cheers Mike. Just been looking at "Bigsheds" gorgeous all black and saw how short his threads were.
Looks like I'm going to be taping it up and sticking it in the collet chuck tomorrow!

 

[BigShed]

Very nice looking pen, great effort.

On my black pen I cut back the number of threads after threading the barrel until I achieved about just over 1 full turn. The threads on that pen are made with the M12x0.8x3 tap and die set, which I got from Mike Redburn.

I find it easier to start with about a 10mm tenon, then cut the threads, then cut a small recess (3/32 on that black pen, but I now have 1/16 parting tool) and then cut the threads back to give the required number of turns.

To this end I have a threaded collar which I use for this, as well as for strengthening the threads when drilling and tapping the internal threads for the section.

 

[drgoretex]

That's a very nice pen there. I really like the shape - unique and cool. I don't think it's particularly feminine (though there's nothing wrong with a feminine pen anyway - many, many of my own customers are female, and dig feminine pens).

Five turns to screw the cap on is fine. Yes, many prefer a quicker on and off, but many brands (including Onoto, maker of very, very nice pens) make caps with threading that takes about that many turns to secure. My very favourite pen is like that. However, as noted above, just inset the cap threads a bit, and you solve that anyway. Personally, I wouldn't tape that up to put it back on the lathe. It looks great, and you just risk messing it up. Chalk it up to experience, and make any desired changes with the next one.

look forward to seeing more!

Ken

 

[dgscott]

You're well on your way! A remarkable first piece -- congratulations!
Doug

 

[Twissy]

Very nice looking pen, great effort.

On my black pen I cut back the number of threads after threading the barrel until I achieved about just over 1 full turn. The threads on that pen are made with the M12x0.8x3 tap and die set, which I got from Mike Redburn.

I find it easier to start with about a 10mm tenon, then cut the threads, then cut a small recess (3/32 on that black pen, but I now have 1/16 parting tool) and then cut the threads back to give the required number of turns.

To this end I have a threaded collar which I use for this, as well as for strengthening the threads when drilling and tapping the internal threads for the section.

I've spent so much time looking at the fantastic array of info on here, and saw the use of a threaded collar to support the tapping, but never thought of using one as a stop gauge.
I ground down an old wood chisel to make an "ish" parting tool that's about 1mm wide. I think that extra half mm would actually help!
Thanks for the input.

 

[Twissy]

That's a very nice pen there. I really like the shape - unique and cool. I don't think it's particularly feminine (though there's nothing wrong with a feminine pen anyway - many, many of my own customers are female, and dig feminine pens).

Five turns to screw the cap on is fine. Yes, many prefer a quicker on and off, but many brands (including Onoto, maker of very, very nice pens) make caps with threading that takes about that many turns to secure. My very favourite pen is like that. However, as noted above, just inset the cap threads a bit, and you solve that anyway. Personally, I wouldn't tape that up to put it back on the lathe. It looks great, and you just risk messing it up. Chalk it up to experience, and make any desired changes with the next one.

look forward to seeing more!

Ken

I think you're right Ken, I won't tempt fate. I tried a "tweak" on the first section for this pen and had to make another, so I will leave well alone!
Thanks for reigning me in!

 

[GrantH]

I like it! Next step is to get some light on it for the photos to really show off your work. I use a 5 or 6 light standing lamp as well as an off camera flash.

Pen work looks great and I think you got some great honest opinions of how to improve.

 

[mikespenturningz]

Very nice, maybe someday I will give something like that a try..

 

[OLDMAN5050]

Personally I like the shape more so than some I have looked at.I think it would suite male or female. I do not see anything feminine..

 

[Dalecamino]

It's a very nice pen there. It amazes me, that some can do some studying, and then just go to the lathe, and create something. What you have done with this pen is quite an accomplishment. Nice work!

 

[johncrane]

Your 1st what a great job,the pen looks really good, your shape is different which is a good thing,

 

[soligen]

That's a nice pen with an interesting shape. I like it.

I'll comment on the proportions and composition as I'm been thinking a lot on this topic lately. A lot of personal taste comes into play here, so in the end, do what looks good to _you_. I don't usually provide this kind of feedback because it can be taken the wrong way. Please take it in the helpful spirit in which I am offering it.

I think you could slim down the cap so there is less of a step between body and cap. You can step drill the cap so you can still taper down near the clip to get your shape.

I think the cap could be slightly shorter in relation to the body. If you like the overall length of the pen, then shorten the cap slightly and lengthen the body slightly.

 

[Robert111]

Congrats on a terrific first kitless. You're on the way!

Here are my two suggestions:

• Try to get the transition between cap and body more gradual--less of a step down.
  
• Get rid of the shadow or dark area right at the join between the cap and finial. The curve of the cap accelerates into the finial nicely but the shadow takes away from a seamless transition.

Congratulations again. Looking forward to your next one!

 

[triw51]

beatiful work hope I am that good some day.

 

[Curly]

Right now it has skinny hips.

That's a great first! Subsequent pens are going to rock.

You asked for some criticism so here is mine. I see things a little differently than those before me. I think with the curves and flair that you were going for it is all good with the exception of the barrel. It should have been thicker or fuller by perhaps a millimetre so that it was closer in diameter to the cap. That would, to me at least, given more pleasing proportions (voluptuous :wink for that shape.

 

[Twissy]

I thank you all for your comments.
I've tried to use some of them in my second pen (new post). A mixed bag of results!!!

 

[Stevej72]

I think that is a great looking pen.

 

[McBryde]

Very nice job!

E