*OLD* pen from 2006, when good pens go bad, very bad.

[edstreet]

This is a pen I made for my mom back in 2006, SIX YEARS AGO. It has been in her purse this whole time and god knows what it has been in contact with in that time. She recently told me it had turned white and I ask to see it and this is what the pen is like now. Decent macro shots showing exactly the problems. This is a bloodwood slimline in black titanium.


Ok here goes.

I was curious at first what/why would CA would cloud over time and from these I think now it is a multitude of problems, delamination, chipping, warp/twisting of the blank and wood cracking.

 

[tim self]

Almost looks like it went through the washing machine a couple of times.

 

[PaulDoug]

Looks to me like the CA finish didn't adhere well to the wood. Maybe caused by oils in the wood.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

Looks like it went to HELL and back, that'll do it!
Now, your a good son and will make her a much nicer one this time.

 

[ALA]

Almost looks like it went through the washing machine a couple of times.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Justturnin]

Looks like the CA was too thin at the ends and peeled off allowing moisture to slowly work its way into the wood until BAM!!!!! the finish fails.

 

[Hendu3270]

The last photo almost looks like sanding dust has filled the small openings and the CA that was mixed with the dust, cracked over time. But maybe it's just the wood.

I've always wondered how the pens I've made will look in several years. I like to hope the one I've sold are actually on someones desk and not rolling around in the bottom of a purse. I've seen what all is in my wife's purse and the thought of one of my pens in there kinda scares me

 

[76winger]

The mother of a girl that works at the Bob Evans restaurant I frequent every Sunday morning makes pens. One day when talking to the girl about them, she brought out several that she carries around in her purse to show off to people. About 6 of them, all banging into each other in her purse... I was amazed at how many nick and scratches and stuff could get on the pens! WOW!!!

I always provide a felt cover with the pens I sell, but who know how long they last or if they even get used, but I sure hope they are!

 

[underdog]

Judging from the scratches on the hardware, I'd say the finish is in pretty good shape, considering...

I've got daily carry pens that have worn all the finish off the hardware, and the CA finish looks like it's been through a war. Of course I've been using them in the shop, at work, at home, out running errands...

Just knock it back apart, strip it, and re-finish it. It's going to happen if it's used daily. Makes you respect the durability of a cheap stick pen, yeah?

 

[Phillikl]

Women + fine wooden writing instruments = disaster. Give it enough time it will fail. And I won't say all women, just the ones that wear makeup, hand lotion, and use copious amounts of hand sanitizer.

Proof of the pooding. Your wife use the 3 said products?? Have her own car?? Get an alcohol wipe and go to her car, get the radio buttons, window buttons, and behind the steering wheel. You will see a lot of gunk come off. Most of the gunk is buildup of makeup and hand lotion. Hand sanitizer is devistating to any type of finish.

As for the pen, it looks it may have multiple issues, not just one causing it. If it could be proved, bet hand sanitizer is what ate the CA off and moisture/hand lotion/make up finished up the destruction.

On a final note; 6 years with everyday use is quite impressive.

Thanks for the photo!

Merry Christmas!

~Kendall

 

[edstreet]

Also have spots in the middle of the blank with nothing connecting to it, that is not related to the peeling at the end.

As for the ends peeling I am leaning towards maybe the ends were not good and flush and allowed snags which chipped the CA. The lathe I had at that time I was hard pressed to turn round things.

I also do not think that a CA finish is a good durable finish for rough abusive environments and stabilized wood should be used in those cases. Had this blank been stabilized and polished we would not be having this forum post right now.


Little does my mom know but I have already made her a pen for Christmas! She is also getting one of those 7/8" clear tubes to store it in so this will not happen.

Oh, also pen bags, either plastic/felt/etc that are flexible would likely not have saved this pen. One of the clear hard pen tubes would have. I also have been saying for some time to look at the usage of the pen and plan the pen around that as some things will not hold up that well.

 

[Akula]

easy fix, strip it back down and give it another good finish...6 years is a lot to be banged around everyday, got some more life left inside the pen (refinished plus the new one would be nice for Christmas)

 

[Jgrden]

Yikes. Your work was really good. Tolerances were perfect.

 

[mpex]

Did your mom purchase the extended warranty?:biggrin:

 

[edstreet]

HA! extended warranty good one. She told me tonight it was in a side zipper pocket, with other things to, she rarely used it and it was just sitting in there.

 

[Phillikl]

On my drive into work, this pen was the focus of my mind.... Belay my last comment about makeup, hand lotion, and hand sanitizer.....

It was MOMMY SPIT!!! We all know mommy spit is the worlds most powerful cleaning agent!! LOL

 

[triw51]

Like you said "It has been in her purse this whole time and god knows what it has been in contact with in that time". If she carries fingernail polish remover (acetone) that could cause problems but I agree make her a new one and keep that one as a reminder of how far you have progressed

 

[Haynie]

Just make a new one or fix it. Moms get the lifetime warranty. Just ask how much pain and suffering you caused over the years. This is your chance to make up for a small fraction of it.

 

[dexter0606]

Looks more like it's been in contact with makeup / chemicals than just been tucked away in a purse pocket. The second pic of the nib end shows some pretty significant erosion of the plating.
Just toss it and make her a new one!
But give her something better than a slimline!! After all she is your Mother :biggrin:

 

[nava1uni]

I think that your statement is sexist and I find it offensive. Both genders trash pens. Carried in pockets, backpacks, purses, jacket pockets. Used with greasy hands, hands with lotion, keys in pockets, change, etc. are all things that probably make pens damaged. I do not think that anything but plastic can handle the torture that pens endure and even acrylics get scratched, dinged etc. The oil from your hands, mixed with body acid can damage any surface, even metal. I have seen it eat through the bells of french horns, leaving small pin holes.
I think 6 years of use are probably the cause of the damage. It is also not known how well CA holds up. Until recently CA was not formulated as a finish for pens so there is no information known about how well it will hold up.

 

[edstreet]

Well several things.

She got this pen for xmas today.

This is a purple gent the blank is my Toni Ransfield.

and this bowl

I have posted both before. I also gave her a clear tube and a pen pouch. This one will hold up way better I think.

If you do a search here you will quickly find that many have reported problems like this and worse. I have yet to see one that was any clear definitive answer as to what happens.

nava1uni, the comments that was made is really not sexist as the mommy spit is a very old classic line. I bet if you looked you can find references going back a good bit of time. Also the other reference was to various chemicals that is put in purses like nail polish remover, which is very fatal to CA. The point of that post was humor and should be taken that way, it was never intended to be insulting or abusive.

 

[Phillikl]

WOW!!! She will definitely like that set!!! That extended warranty is AWESOME!!!

I think that your statement is sexist and I find it offensive. Both genders trash pens.

I do apologize, my intent was not on a sexist nature, more of a fact basis on the typical types of chemicals that we often overlook being harmful to some objects. I tried to edit the post, to modify it to be more gender generalized; however, it wouldn't allow me to do so.

As for Mommy Spit... remember when baby wipes were for babies and towelettes really didn't exist?!? Mom could lick her thumb and clean (what felt like at the time) a tattoo off our faces??? Without fail, what ever our faces had on them, it was gone! Presto! Like magic!

Merry Christmas!

~Kendall

 

[Kenny Durrant]

As said before the pen looks good for the wear and tear except for the finish on the wood. All things look different with age. I would take it apart and refinish the wood and let her go another 6 years. Most people can't keep one that long.