Abalone

[fussewc]

Has anyone ever used abalone to make a pen? I was at my first market yesterday and a guy wanted to know if I could make a pen from abalone shell. No experience with abalone. Is it thick enough? Since it is shell can it be drilled for a pen tube?
Thanks in advance if you know anything.

 

[BRobbins629]

Here's one I did several years ago from strips of shell glued to a tube.

http://www.penturners.org/photos/index.php?n=1954

Others have made some very nice pens with abalone veneer glued to a tube and cast in clear resin. They take a long time to make, but very possible.

 

[Jim Smith]

Here is one source of Abalone that can be used for pen making. http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Catalog/Inlays-Trim-Bands/Abalone-Shell-Inlay-Strips-2x-Large The sheets are large enough to use for any pen kit and the have an adhesive one the back which allows you to stick them to the tubes. You can either cut them into thin strips as show on the previous post of if you're gutsy enough, use the heat gun to wrap the tube in one piece. Either way, you will need to cast the blanks in PR to secrure the Abalone into place and protect it when used as a daily pen. I hope this helps.

p.s. I've dealt with these folks for several years and they are terrific to do business with.

Jim Smith

 

[MobilMan]

You can buy the Wall Street 111 at Woodcraft with Abalone. Item #147475

 

[witz1976]

Check with Butch on here (ibd2000) he makes abalone & other shell blanks time to time.

 

[fussewc]

Thanks, guys. It is as I suspected. I will wait to see if the fellow shows up as he said with some abalone for me to experiment with.
Many thanks for the suggestions.

 

[ssajn]

If you decide to do anything with it be careful. Dust from abalone is extremely toxic. A friend of mine almost died from it.

 

[el_d]

Check with Butch on here (ibd2000) he makes abalone & other shell blanks time to time.

Yep Got mine from Butch. I PM'ed him for a different type of tube than what he normaly makes and he set me up with out a problem.

 

[chriselle]

Yes..Butch is THE man....absolutely gorgeous blanks.

 

[markgum]

+1 more for Butch

Yes..Butch is THE man....absolutely gorgeous blanks.

 

[dexter0606]

Here is one source of Abalone that can be used for pen making. http://www.mudhole.com/Shop-Our-Cata...trips-2x-Large The sheets are large enough to use for any pen kit and the have an adhesive one the back which allows you to stick them to the tubes. You can either cut them into thin strips as show on the previous post of if you're gutsy enough, use the heat gun to wrap the tube in one piece. Either way, you will need to cast the blanks in PR to secrure the Abalone into place and protect it when used as a daily pen. I hope this helps.

p.s. I've dealt with these folks for several years and they are terrific to do business with.

Jim Smith

Jim
Thanks for the link. I think I may just give this a try!