Sylvanite
Member
Well, a pretty piece of antler, anyway.
A nice rack
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redfishsc
Member
That is nice antler, but even nicer craftsmanship. I love the clip finial!
The antler almost looks like marble. Nice selection of materials and kit.
The antler almost looks like marble. Nice selection of materials and kit.
alamocdc
Member
I agree, Eric, but not at all what I was expecting. [}
][] So you got me. BTW, that looks like an unspent primer in the end of the casing. [?] Or did you replace it with something else?
][] So you got me. BTW, that looks like an unspent primer in the end of the casing. [?] Or did you replace it with something else?
Sylvanite
Member
It's an empty primer cup. The customer wanted a pen of this style made from his antler and ammo, so he gave me a piece of each. I disassembled the ammunition, disposed of the powder and priming compound, drilled the bullet, cut the case, turned the antler, and reassembled everything.
Rifleman1776
Member
I really like your treatment. Regular cartridge pens do not appeal to me even though I have made them. BTW, your "disposing" of the priming compound sounds like a very dangerous operation to me. That stuff is so sensitive looking at it can set it off. I hope you deactivated first with oil or something.
GaryMGg
Member
That's swell. Really well done.
Sylvanite
Member
Thanks for the concern. I don't believe that primers are anywhere near as sensitive to contamination as claimed and would never trust oil to "deactivate" one. The only sure way to render a primer inert is to fire it. Therefore, I put the primer behind a lexan shield and cooked it off. There's no pellet nor anvil in the primer cup anymore.
I go back and forth on whether to use a struck primer (with an indent from a firing pin), or unstruck (as shown). I like the unspent look (because the bullet is still present) but I spend a lot of time explaining that it isn't a live primer.
Regards,
Eric
alamocdc
Member
Whew! You had me a bit worried there, Eric. I agree that the unpent primer looks better, but try taking the pen through the airport. [:0][B)][!] I don't know anyone who would be pleased to have an $80 pen confiscated b/c the rocket scientists hired by TSA are incapable of logical thought.[]
!] I don't know anyone who would be pleased to have an $80 pen confiscated b/c the rocket scientists hired by TSA are incapable of logical thought.[]jtate
Member
This is the first cartridge or bullet pen that I've ever seen that I actually like, aesthetically. This ons is appealing as a pen not just as a clever use of a cartridge.
This is a really nice pen, and a really nice execution! There would certainly be a market for this if you managed to package the kit!
airrat
Member
Nice job it looks great. Let her know to not try taking that one through airport security. They told me as long as the primer is removed they generally don't have a problem with pens, keychains, ect. I go through it everyday going to work with about 5 bullet pens. All of the primers are out and have not had a problem.
R2
Member
As I've said in this forum before, I'm not a great fan of bullet pens, but that is one out of the box- or perhaps the clip.[][]
][]
Sylvanite
Member
I appreciate the sentiment, but a lot of credit should go to Don Ward (aka its_virgil) who has been making pens like this longer than I have been making pens at all. If you look at http://www.penturners.org/oldalbums/its_virgil/4 bullets Nov 03.jpg you'll see that this design is mostly derivative. About the only original thing on this pen (meaning I haven't seen anyone else do it before) is using the case head as the finial. Even that was just a matter of doing a hidden clip, which has also been described elsewhere.
But hey, it's still nice to get a compliment.
Thanks,
Eric
workinforwood
Member
It's another beauty. I somehow must have missed or maybe I just forgot how you made that clip happen. Any idea where that was?
Ligget
Member
Fantastic work![]
]
Sylvanite
Member
I hid the clip using a technique similar to that described by Bill Jackman (bjackman) in http://content.penturners.org/articles/2006/recessedpf.pdf. The main difference is that the clip is held in place by a snug fit between a tenon on the antler, and the inside of the case head, rather than by a modified pen kit part.
Mike Vickery (VICK) also gives a method in http://content.penturners.org/articles/2005/invisibleclip.pdf.
Both credit Russ Fairfield for the idea and I understand he has tutorials over on the Pen Maker's Guild (et. al.).
So, thanks to Don, Bill, Mike, Russ, and the countless others who's lessons have been invaluable to me.
Regards,
Eric
Just excellent. I too am not really a fan of casing pens or even antler, but that is really great and superbly made. Well done Eric.
If you don't mind, please let us ( or me ) know how you cut the slot in the casing for the clip. It looks very neat and a perfect fit.
Cheers
If you don't mind, please let us ( or me ) know how you cut the slot in the casing for the clip. It looks very neat and a perfect fit.
Cheers
Sylvanite
Member
I've thought about that. I already sell 30-06 and 308 cartridges with bullet nibs drilled and sized for slimline/euro kits. I've also made and would consider selling versions drilled and sized for cigar or perfect-fit kits.
I just got a mini cut-off saw, and plan to make jigs for cutting rifle cases. If that works out, it might save me the step of truing and facing the brass on the lathe (which would be necessary to offer a kit at a reasonable price).
Still, it wouldn't be a kit for beginners. This pen has tenons on both ends of both barrels and takes a good bit of care and test-fitting to get right. That brings me to my main concern. Just how much of the pen do you want me to supply, and how much do you want to craft for yourself? So far, I've limited myself to the things that require special tooling, or special care beyond the means of a typical penturner. That is, I buy the components in bulk, drill them out, and assemble to appropriate dimensions. I don't provide slimline kits, glue in tubes, or install transmissions. These are things that I think we all are capable of and most would prefer to do for ourselves.
A cut-case pen takes a bit more skill than one using a whole cartridge. I could reduce that requirement somewhat by providing the cut pieces, but would you really want me to?
wood-of-1kind
Member
Eric,
from a personal standpoint, I would be interested in a casing 'kit' that contains the bullet nib end, lower body casind and an end cap. You are quite right in assuming that most turners will want some personal input and thereby call it a pen that 'they' helped create.
-Peter-[]
from a personal standpoint, I would be interested in a casing 'kit' that contains the bullet nib end, lower body casind and an end cap. You are quite right in assuming that most turners will want some personal input and thereby call it a pen that 'they' helped create.
-Peter-[
]
M
Mudder
Guest
Originally posted by alamocdc
<br />Whew! You had me a bit worried there, Eric. I agree that the unpent primer looks better, but try taking the pen through the airport. [:0][B)][
Don't think it would matter if the primer was spent or not. It has a bullet and it looks like a cartridge, the fed flags would instantly go up.
Originally posted by alamocdc
<br /> I don't know anyone who would be pleased to have an $80 pen confiscated b/c the rocket scientists hired by TSA are incapable of logical thought.[
I could take this comment many places but I don't want to start WW III.
Sylvanite
Member
Cutting the slot for the clip was the second operation on this pen (modifying the clip was the first). I put the case in a vise oriented so the headstamp "R-P" would line up with the clip. Then I cut a line into the case using a regular hacksaw marking where the slot would go. Next, I plunge-cut through the brass with a small cut-off wheel on a Dremel tool - just deep enough to expose a hole. Then, using a hacksaw blade that I had ground down the end to little more than teeth, I widened the cut to form the remainder of the slot.
I hope that helps,
Eric
Many thanks Eric. I'm sure it is not as easy as you made out and skill and a steady hand are required. [] But I'm gonna give it a bash now. Thanks for sharing that.[]
Cheers
] But I'm gonna give it a bash now. Thanks for sharing that.[]Cheers
Sylvanite
Member
You're welcome skiprat. I've seen some pics of your previous work -- this should be a walk-in-the-park for you.
its_virgil
Member
Nice work on the pen Eric. You're welcome and I'm sure the others you thanked will have the same reply. I really like what you did with the hidden clip. Well done. I will be changing my cartridge pen to incorporate that clever use of cartridge and hidden clip. I trust you won't mind if I steal that idea from you. Thanks for sharing.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Do a good turn daily!
Don
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