I'm on the hunt

[Ron Mc]

For a very nice pen style that includes a "snap" cap instead of a threaded cap. I want to make one for myself to try it for several months before I start offering it.
Has anyone found one that holds up to daily use? I really don't care if it's from one of our suppliers or a style store bought that can be taken apart and used.

 

[webmonk]

The one that comes to mind for me is the Americana Rollerball. I've done quite a few of these and really like them.

I get mine through CSUSA: http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?search=action&keywords=americana-rollerball

 

[stevers]

Thats what I was going to suggest also. I don't do a lot of diff styles, but I like the Americana. Of the dozen I have made, I only had problems with the clip mechanism on 1 or 2. Overall I like them.

 

[alxe24]

Ron the Americana is a nice one I have made several and I'm done with them besides the rhodium one as posted here. The regular ones have a black coating where you see rhodium here that scratch and or gets dull over time when putting the cap on and off. The Tube for the cap has an inner bevel to help prevent scrapes if removed when trimming the barrels prior to turning that will definitely scratch the coating on the tip so make sure to recreate that bevel.
Making the pen is pretty straight forward 10MM hole for both barrels and the tenon for the center band goes all the way to the brass. The only thing to be careful when turning the wood down to the tube for your center band is right when you get to the tube depending how you are holing your parting tool in relation to the tube you might wedge a long piece of wood of the tube. (My experience it happened to me a few times)[][]
Anyway that is my report for that pen. Any more ???? feel free to PM or E-Mail me
Alex

 

[alamocdc]

Ron, I've had a CSUSA snap cap FP in the field for almost two years now and he still says it's the best FP he's ever owned. He uses it everyday (and I witness this).

 

[kent4Him]

I agree with Alex. If you go with the Americana Rollerball, go with the rhodium. The black enamel comes off way too easily.

 

[Randy_]

CSUSA has another snap cap kit that they call the Artisan. The catalog picture shows it coming with two different styles of clip.....neithe one of which do I care for as well as I like the American. Another potential drawback of the Artisan is that it only comes in 10 & 24k platings. PSI also makes a snap cap pen. I have one and the snap mechanism works just fine; but it is not pleasant to the eye as the Americana.

 

[bjackman]

You might also want to look at CSU's "Gold Standard".