Barrel contour

[Cwalker935]

Is the shape of your pens simply a matter of preference. I see lots of pens by obviously highly skilled turners that have too more curvature than I would prefer. For posted pens, I like a very slight (almost flat) shape. That having been said, I typically put a lot of contour on slimlines because I like the feel and am attracted to a shapely female like body. I have started making a few closed end pens using the navigator or orion kits and feel like I am leaving them too thick on the end. I have also left a lot of contour on some of my antler pens in an effort to save more of the natural edge or color.

Are there rules (written or unwritten) regarding how to shape your pens? What do they look for in a judged competition?

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

Is the shape of your pens simply a matter of preference. I see lots of pens by obviously highly skilled turners that have too more curvature than I would prefer. For posted pens, I like a very slight (almost flat) shape. That having been said, I typically put a lot of contour on slimlines because I like the feel and am attracted to a shapely female like body. I have started making a few closed end pens using the navigator or orion kits and feel like I am leaving them too thick on the end. I have also left a lot of contour on some of my antler pens in an effort to save more of the natural edge or color.

Are there rules (written or unwritten) regarding how to shape your pens? What do they look for in a judged competition?

I think its a personal choice as to the shape of a pen. As to competitions I have no idea.
Kryn

 

[kingkeyman]

I agree with you on your pen shaping philosophy. Why anybody would want to make a fat pen even fatter is beyond me. Sometimes you have to with the tube on type castings, and I understand trying to capture a natural flaw in the blank material, but making a cigar pen or fountain pen bulbous just seems lazy too me.

 

[panamag8or]

Yep, personal preference, but I'm with you in the "less is more" camp.

 

[WriteON]

Your pen. Your creative style. Do what your eyes and hands tell you.

 

[SteveG]

Classic styles and shapes tend to have enduring appeal, be it pens, furniture, architecture, etc. So if you take some time to study vintage pens, you will find a lot of useful tips as you set out to determine your own style. Look at past years competition results of the IAP birthday bash as an excellent resource. If you are selling pens, you will see patterns as to what sells vs what gets a lot of interest, but at the end of the day is still sitting on the table. As a starting point, it is common to see new pen turners add a lot of shapes (coves, dips, bulges, overly thick cross section) because it feels like they are putting more into the pen.The results seldom yield a truly attractive pen. All of that said, you should do what satisfies...that will be the best result for you. So go have fun fun, turn lots of pens, and keep track of how your own style evolves with time and experience.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

All I know is that when I see it I know if it's good or not.

There is a difference between a pen being basically slender and turned bushing to bushing also.

Pens with a substantial variance in bushing size need contour - bushing to bushing on a cigar can yield a terrible result.

There is one pen for which straighter is almost always better and that's the Zen.

 

[ed4copies]

I agree with you on your pen shaping philosophy. Why anybody would want to make a fat pen even fatter is beyond me. Sometimes you have to with the tube on type castings, and I understand trying to capture a natural flaw in the blank material, but making a cigar pen or fountain pen bulbous just seems lazy too me.

Or you could be deferring to the "easiest writing tool" for a person with arthritis.

 

[BSea]

I like basically a straight, or slightly tapered pen. On slimlines I never use the centerband anymore, and make mine look more like euros with a custom centerband. For 2 piece pens, I like the cap almost straight, and the barrel straight or tapered. I like doing closed ended barrels to give the lower barrel a noticeable taper.

But in the end, it's really all personal preference.

 

[Russknan]

And to accommodate that personal preference, a suggestion, if I may. When you have turned a pen that pleases your eye, as to maximum diameter of each blank, take out your metric or English wrenches. Find the one that just barely clears the girth of that blank. Then take the paper with turning instructions that came with that kit, and write on it the one or two wrenches that defined the maximum diameters. I used to find that, for whatever reason - beauty of the blank, fragility of the blank, personal neurosis, etc. - sometimes a blank would become too "precious" near the end of the turning. So I would leave more meat on it than otherwise so as to avoid screwing it up. Turned a few "footballs" that, after assembly, I hated. So, had to take out the pen disassembly tools and do over. This method helps prevent that. Want to kick it up a notch? I routinely print out the kit instructions from the supplier's site on the Internet. That way, I get a full, normal sheet of paper. Write whatever notes, suggestions, warnings, wrench sizes, etc. on it. Then run it through the laminating machine which we bought a number of years ago. Punch holes in the result, and put it in a 3 ring binder. Easy to find, durable, and convenient. Russ

 

[Russknan]

Oh, I forgot. Most of the time, when printing kit instructions, use the Duplex Printing capability of your printer, so you will have only one sheet to laminate. Much easier. Russ

 

[mchech]

I'm just 2 years into this pen turning passion. Usually I shut down a couple times as I am working the blank to check for defects that might cause problems down the line. If I see figure or pattern that shows more character I tend to leave the finished form a bit larger. Most of my pens have been wooden and most are given away so I'll do as I please. I do not see the point of making the natural beauty in the wood into a pile of shavings and sawdust. Shape wise, I do not think a Slimline pen should look like a #2 Ticonderoga pencil or be too onion shaped. I like balance, sort of like 36-24-36.

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

Shape is determined by the turner, and the pens potential end user. If you are making pens for your own use, who cares what anyone else likes? If you are turning pens to give away, turn what you like, and MAYBE adjust to comments from the recipients. If you are turning to sell, look at the guys on here that make a living selling their work. Look at what's on the market. Definitely consider the comments of those that actually see your work in person. Those are likely the people you will start selling to.

 

[mikespenturningz]

I like nice straight lines in my pens. This is my preference so that is what I do. I am not a big fan of pens with what some have called the wasp look. That is my preference. So it is foolish to tell someone else what their preference should be.

I know that when I fist started turning, my pens had fatter barrels than they do now. Sometimes when a new turner gets down to what they think will work they don't want to risk going further so they stop. After awhile they learn how to control the tool that is sitting on the rest and gain confidence in taking those small passes that actually sculpt the piece. This is simply part of learning.

I know that when I started out here on IAP experienced turners were gentle with comments and tried to steer you in the right direction. But after you start learning and move beyond the basics they would be more critical as they should be. You cannot learn by just hearing oh that is a great pen. The more experience you get the more critical the comments should be otherwise how will you grow.

I thank all of the fine turners here that have helped me with gentle and sometimes not so gentle help.

Mike

 

[kovalcik]

If you and whoever receives the pen either through gift or sale, like the pen, you did it right. Personal preference and taste.

 

[beck3906]

Two thoughts.....
Larger bodied pens assist those with hand ailments as Ed said.

I'll make anything that sells, even if I personally don't like it. And larger body pens sometimes sell. You need a few on display or available to show customers what could be custom made.

 

[mick]

There are so many ways to shape a slimline. I like they because them because they are so versatile. I make most of my slims the same way. I turn it down to size at the nib first then at the centers I turn it to about 1.75mm oversized.That doesn't sound like much but it's enough to be noticeable. Then I'll round that end diameter into the the body of the pen in a slight curve about the diameter of the rounded centerband. It gives the pen an elegant shape with being wasp waisted. Then once in awhile I'll turn one and at the nib end I'll make a very slight swell and taper into the same angle as the nib. It's not very much but my customers that buy them say it feels nice as it keeps their fingers from sliding down toward the paper. LOML tells me I need to make a lot of them as they never fail to sell. If you sell your pens form should come after function. It's ok to turn beads and coves and all kinds of shapes. It will appeal to someone....and it's great practice...and fun! YMMV

Sent from my HTC One

 

[Jim Burr]

Curve with in reason is one thing. A pet peeve is a fat lady slim when it's so easy to make a custom band and appropriate shape...JMHO.

 

[Signguy]

For whatever my two cents are worth, I feel that it is very much the same issue as exists with bowl turning. What matters most is not the exact shape and skinny vs not, but rather how the line of the blank flows and transitions into the metal parts.

To me, it's either elegant and cohesive, or it is not.

To me, it's kind of like the often seen issue with the base of a turned bowl - unless it flows seamlessly from the shape above, and is correctly proportional, it weighs down the design and looks terrible.

I have made some kits in both skinny(er) and fatter profiles and liked both even though they were different. Other times I have made one or the other thinking it was good, and once I put it together I hated it.

I reckon we all keep learning as we go, and get better with each one we make.

And the even better news is that most of the time someone likes and wants the finished pen no matter how ugly we might think it is!