Irish Peat Bog Oak

[mik]

On our travels we came across an Irish man who told us that bog oak is "stacked up and burnt" - "Oh no" Mike said, "perhaps I can rescue some, I will make a pen" - the rest is history!

Our Irish peat bog oak is from Coleraine, Northern Ireland and is up to 7,000 years old. The Queens University in Belfast have recorded 4,000-bog oak and other ancient oak timbers that spans some 7,000 years.

I later recieved a commission from Canada for a "special" - the pen had to take a jet-tec .2mm rollerball refill!! After much deliberation and head scracthing - the front section was drilled out to not enlarge the nib exit - the refill was trimmed and it worked.
The shape had to be exact and the clients logo - bit difficult to see - but it is an H and a K entertwined.

Bog oak is very unforgiving and will tend to crumble if overheated.

I hope you enjoy!

 

[ryannmphs]

ok, I can see the pics now. Great job on the pen.

what is the 2nd pic of?

BTW, I can I get some of the peat bog oak?

Ryan

 

[mik]

The second picture is trying to show the clients logo - on the band - not a very good shot - sorry!!

 

[woodscavenger]

Neat looking. I love the history. Taking a picture of curved metal is very difficult.

 

[tipusnr]

Great pen. I was just reading in John Lehman's book "On Seas Of Glory" about how many of the bog lands in Scotland and Ireland were once forest covered until stripped to build the Navy of the British Empire (40 acres of trees for one ship of the line) and that many of the stumps of those trees still exist - rotting under the surface. Wouldn't it be great to get a hold of some of that wood!?!

 

[KKingery]

Wow - Stunning work! Absolutely beautiful.

 

[Gary]

Very nice work, Mike!

 

[DCBluesman]

Beautiful, Mike, as are the other pens on your website!

 

[PenWorks]

Very fine looking pen Mike, almost looks like black wood or ebony.

Anthony

 

[jwoodwright]

Beautiful Pen and Wood...

 

[leehljp]

Beautiful pen, wood and finish!

 

[rtgleck]

That is a fantastic story and pen. You did a great job on it.

 

[Tom McMillan]

Very pretty pen!! Nice work Mike!!!

 

[jkirkb94]

Great looking pen; unusual material!!! Kirk[8D]

 

[terry q]

A very classy and elegant pen.

 

[Fleabit]

Great job! I like the wood too.

 

[mik]

Thanks for all your generous compliments. I have some new bog oak I dug up recently from ANTRIM in N Ireland but it is far to wet at present, when its ready, I will share some with those who are up for the challenge - OK!

 

[woodscavenger]

Bring it on.....let us know. If it was down there for a few hundred years I should be about 165 before it dries enough to turn. I hope I can still see my hands and have all of my fingers attached by that age!

 

[Darley]

Mik very nice pen and work.

Serge

 

[Gregory Huey]

Mik VERY VERY nice pen and I will get in line for some of that wood.

 

[mik]

Now now , it has been under there for some 7,000 years, since the Ice Age - did you say you want to be frozen in one of them special chambers and woken some time in the distant future[]
Seriously though I reckon around three months, it has been resawed to 3" planks.
Cheers

Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />Bring it on.....let us know. If it was down there for a few hundred years I should be about 165 before it dries enough to turn. I hope I can still see my hands and have all of my fingers attached by that age!