Streamline Pens

[Jim in Oakville]

Hi,

One of my frustrations as a pen maker has been finding a pen in the 7mm slim line category that I think suits my style of pen making. I know many people like the traditional slim line but I have not found it to my liking.

As a seller of my work I have also seen the need for a slim pen that looks just right. I think I have finally found the kit that works for me. A few weeks ago I was in the Burlington Lee Valley and I noticed a pen kit called the Streamline. I had not seen it before and I liked the look.

With a show coming in a week I bought 10 kits and decided I will see how they do.

So here is the result of today’s turning.

These are Flat Top Streamlines

They are all stabilized box elder burls, spalted, red, black, green and brown


These are the Round Top Streamlines,

They are a variety of colours of stabilized box elder burls and a spalted oak.


I am really happy with the size and appearance of these pens, I think they will do well

 

[jjenk02]

I like them, I'm going to have to order some of those kits..

 

[pendemonium]

Those are very nice.

 

[toolcrazy]

Nice pens!!!

Woodcraft has a pen they call the Toni, that is very similar to the flat top, I just wish they sold more than gold finish. I'll have to take a look at the streamline so I can get more finishes.

 

[LostintheWoods]

Those are all pretty nice looking pens. As others have said, the choice of plating is pretty limited. Too bad.

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by LostintheWoods
<br />Those are all pretty nice looking pens. As others have said, the choice of plating is pretty limited. Too bad.

Thank You..[]

I have gone to platinum or chrome lately for all my kits, I gave up on gold plating awhile ago![]

 

[laurie sullivan]

great pens, all of them. just to let you know thats the kit i carry in my pocket everyday. it too is my favorite kit. good luck with your show.

Laurie

 

[LEAP]

Very classy looking pens.

 

[NavyDiver]

They all look great! I love the two spalted ones!

 

[JimGo]

Jim, the pens look great, and I agree...that's a very interesting kit. I'll have to keep a lookout for them once my SL's are gone.

 

[jaywood1207]

They all look great Jim. Is the round top from Lee Valley as well. I haven't seen it before. Is the show you are referring to the Kitchener one? I am hoping to get to that one to wander around for a bit.

 

[arioux]

Hi,

Just for info, they are both Berea kits and sells very very well. I replace the slimline by this kit a while ago. If i recall, Russ Fairfield uses mostly this kit, altough he dont uses the centerband, he prefer the stremline clip over the slimline.

An other good slim replacement is the confort kit and now comes in a whide variety of plating.

Alfred

 

[RussFairfield]

The Toni is also available in Chrome from Woodcraft.

 

[gerryr]

Great looking pens, Jim. I really like that spalted Oak. Let us know how they sell for you, since I have the same feelings as you about the standard slimline.

 

[jclark58]

The clip on the spalted oak seems to have been pressed in incorrectly. From my vantage it appears to be twisted to the right about 90*. []

Great looking pens, I may have to look into this kit too.

Jason

 

[badwin]

Jim
Great looking pens. I have built a few of the round top ones from lee valley. They allow the builder to show off a lot of wood in a simple good looking kit. I have sold a few of them. Good luck with your show.
Brian
http://www3.telus.net/public/goodwinp

 

[Chuck B]

Jim,
I love the look of those pens. Are they bigger in size then the SL? They look a bit larger. Where did you get them?

Chuck

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by recon
<br />Jim,
I love the look of those pens. Are they bigger in size then the SL? They look a bit larger. Where did you get them?

Chuck

Hi Chuck,

Thank You[]

They are more robust in diameter than the traditional slim line...the centre band and the round top diameters enable the pen size to be larger.

I live near a Lee Valley store and bought them there, you can order on line. The flat top and the round top use different bushing sets. Still a standard 7 MM drill for both. The lower barrel on teh Rt is longer than the FT.

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by jclark58
<br />The clip on the spalted oak seems to have been pressed in incorrectly. From my vantage it appears to be twisted to the right about 90*. []

Great looking pens, I may have to look into this kit too.

Jason

Thanks Jason,[]

I had to go back and repair that one, the spalted ones are always different eh!![:0][:0]

 

[Scott]

Hi Jim!

Beautiful pens! The streamline is one of my favorite kits. I prefer the chrome. Now if I could make pens as nice as you do, I'd be set!

Scott.

 

[GaryMGg]

Yep, that's a great lookin' set of pens. Gonna add some of those kits to the stable.
- G -

 

[broitblat]

Great looking set of pens!

I'm also not a big fan of the straight slimline and have been using the "comfort" kit without the rubber piece. I think that is about the same size but with a simpler center band.

-Barry

 

[JDPens]

All the pens look really good!
I like the look of that kit. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ewolfe]

I've recently done a number of the "streamline" pens ... and they do look nice as the photos indicate. I've done Titanium gold and black ... got 'em where I work, at Rockler.

They are nice for those who prefer the smaller pen size.

Edward Wolfe
Wolfe's Woodworks
Glen Carbon, IL

 

[wudnhed]

Love your pens, they're great looking! I have used the Streamline from the beginning. I have never really like the Slimline because it too small. The Streamline it a bit bigger and shows more character of the wood. It's a great kit!

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by Scott
<br />Hi Jim!

Beautiful pens! The streamline is one of my favorite kits. I prefer the chrome. Now if I could make pens as nice as you do, I'd be set!

Scott.

You make VERY nice pens Scott!...but Thanks![]

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Thanks AGain for the kind words..

It's nice to know there are also other plating options such as black, I will have to take a look.

I just found this kit about two weeks ago, not sure what took me so long, but I really like it, wish me luck next weekend![]

 

[johncrane]

Fantastic work Jim! as all ways also l love your finish Jim. Can you let us know how you finished your pens' also with the round tops pens do they have a longer tube nib end or is it just photo making them look longer.last [?] what platings are they, Normally with a bunch of pens l can pick out one l really like' but not with this lot' they all look so good l don't think the dust will get to settle on this lot[][][]

 

[wudnhed]

Originally posted by johncrane
<br />Fantastic work Jim! as all ways also l love your finish Jim. Can you let us know how you finished your pens' also with the round tops pens do they have a longer tube nib end or is it just photo making them look longer.last [?] what platings are they, Normally with a bunch of pens l can pick out one l really like' but not with this lot' they all look so good l don't think the dust will get to settle on this lot[][][]

John, I order mine from AS. The plates are chrome, gold and several others. If you go to AS website, click "Berea pen kits images" and I think they are listed on the 4th page. And yes, the nib end tube is longer than the clip end tube. I also use the Streamline centerband to add a little pizzaz to my bullet pens.

 

[johncrane]

thanks BECCA! l guess the only other thing is what finish did you use Jim.[?]

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by johncrane
<br />thanks BECCA! l guess the only other thing is what finish did you use Jim.[?]

Thanks Becca.[]

John,

I buy my kits from Lee Valley, so that might help (Unless you have an AS helper [8D]).

The finish is just the way I finish stabilized woods and plastics.
I turn with a skew so I make a very smooth continous final cut to eliminate tool marks (skew honed just prior to this final cut), I wet sand with Abralon (500-4000), then I wet sand with MM (4000-12000), I then use a scratch remover (Novus 2, Russ also says Brasso Works). That's it![]

 

[johncrane]

thanks JIM []

 

[BigRob777]

Jim,
Finally, a slimline that I won't have to make my own CB for. Very nice job on all of them.
Rob

 

[huntersilver]

very nice looking pens[]

 

[whiskey359]

All are most excellent.

 

[CaptG]

Nice, very nice. I am going to have to try some of those kits.

 

[Ozzy]

They all look great.

 

[darbytee]

JIm, I'm getting tired of having to say "beautiful work" every time you post something. Could you please make an ugly pen sometime?[]

 

[thewishman]

The tubes are the same as the 7mm Euro pens - they are nice kits. You pens are always pretty - or do you only photograph the pretty ones[]?

Chris

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by thewishman
<br />The tubes are the same as the 7mm Euro pens - they are nice kits. You pens are always pretty - or do you only photograph the pretty ones[]?

Chris

Hi Chris..

Only the pretty ones?[:0] Now what do I do with the ugly ones?[]

The tubed for the flat top Stream lines are equal in length...The round top are different, the top tube is the same length as those in the FT but the lower tude is longer and I suspect that it is very close to the lower tube length in the Euro pens.


Now back to my problem of Ugly pens......I turned some Father Sing's last week that make me gag when I look at them, they are Ugly![)]