Which kit? A, B, or C (other)

[Rmartin]

Here's the senario:

You have a very boring pen blank. Light color with little or no grain. The type of blank you might use to practice with. Yet, this dull lifeless piece of wood was given to you by someone who cherishes it highly, and expects you to make a beautiful pen out of it. What do you do?

A. Modified Slimline, with beads and coves and a handmade center band.

B. Closed-end higher end kit(Jr.GentII/Baron/Emperor)As B2B as a closed end pen can be.

C. Other (Please Specify)

A simple A or B answer is all you need to do to reply to this thread, however, should you wish to elaborate, by all means, please do so. I would make this a poll, but I don't know how to do that.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Aderhammer]

What about inlay bands or something to accent it? And i would got with the closed end hight end kit, maybe even to a gent and do a wooden grip.

 

[redfishsc]

Depends on your skills. I'm not a YoYoSpin when it comes to making nice beads and coves and such, so I'd lean toward option "B".


Also beware using rhodium or chrome with lighter woods. The silvery color tends to wash out any color that's in the blank (personal opinion).

I would use a TiGold kit, and use BLO to bring some color to the wood, which will match the TiGold very, very nicely. You would be surprised.

 

[wdcav1952]

Show the kits you use to the person who treasures the wood. Let them choose.

 

[stevers]

Take the best kit you have, or even an average kit and do something above average with the "blank". Segment it, like he mentioned above, make the blank the unique thing.

 

[scroller99]

C. How about segmenting some pick material, wouldn't change the wood content by adding different woods to make the pen attractive, then when I was done turning I would aniline Dye one of the segmants in the owners favorite color makong a custom pen out of otherwise dull materials? Howard

 

[broitblat]

I'd say it depends on the tastes of the "customer". If you and they like the more elaborate hardware, that is often a good counterpoint to plain grain. How about something like an Ultra Cigar?

-Barry

 

[turned_for_good]

Don't give the cistomer a rollerball when they want a ballpoint and vica-versa. I would say pick out a few different kits and let them choose. But if you have total free reign over it, I would consider a Sierra. If the wood is really that boring I would at least use some BLO on it to pop the grain.

 

[monkeynutz]

In my limited (so far) experience, I've had good luck on plain, light colored material by adding some creative wire burns, such as a full set of 10 in the grip area of a slimline. On either side of the CB and just below the plug on the top end works well, too. I'd add a pic here, but these pens were actually picked out by a few of my friends soon after they were added to my "inventory". If you use many burns, such as the 10 I used in the grip area on one pen, getting uniform spacing is a must.

 

[GaryMGg]

Originally posted by Rmartin
...this ...piece of wood was given to you by someone who cherishes it highly, and expects you to make a beautiful pen out of it.

How 'bout sitting down with them and the computer and go through some albums here to allow them to see different pen styles and allow them to give you more specific guidance.
Find out what makes the wood special -- was it part of Grandad's favorite chair?
Find out what they like to write with; ballpoint, rollerball or fountain pen; large pen or small pen?
So long as you work to fulfill their dream, you'll have done well.
And, you will make it into a beautiful pen.

 

[1JaredSchmidt]

My dad's grandpa has a barn with douglas fir walls and he wanted me to make some pens out of it. It's not very pretty stuff just a cream color. I made about 3 satin slimlines with it and my cousins have bought all of them. Right now I'm making a rhodium cigar out of it for my grandma. I had to send it in to get stabilized though.

 

[randyrls]

Originally posted by Rmartin

Here's the senario:

A simple A or B answer is all you need to do to reply to this thread, however, should you wish to elaborate, by all means, please do so. I would make this a poll, but I don't know how to do that.

Thanks in advance!

The other suggestions are good ones! If it is the wood that is valued, then no adornment might be the way to go.

I would present the person with a ball point, roller ball and fountain pen, and ask which they prefer?

Also do they want a small, medium or large pen?

Will they use it everyday, or put it in a case or display?

A good compromise between a slimline (small) and a medium pen is the Comfort pen from PSI.

What ever you go with, use one of the higher-quality platings.

PS. I got into pen turning when a neighbor asked me to make something out of the shade tree (maple) cut-down in their back-yard. He wanted some things for his three grown kids. This tree was always home for tag. Home for hide-and-go-seek. The rope swing hung from it. The tree house was in its branches. The BBQ grill was under it. You get the idea.

I took a couple of "rounds" and did cutouts for photos showing the kids playing around the tree. Unbeknown to Henry, I asked his wife for a few photos of him around the tree.

The items were well received, but Henry asked if I could make the kids something that could be used on a daily basis. All three of the kids had professional jobs, so I suggested pen and pencil sets. Those were my first pen and pencils. Not well plated, as the kits then were limited in scope.

 

[wudnhed]

I think you can make the wood more interest by segmenting a few pieces with picgaurds. Won't change the integrity of the wood but add a little something.

 

[Dave_M]

Originally posted by broitblat

I'd say it depends on the tastes of the "customer". If you and they like the more elaborate hardware, that is often a good counterpoint to plain grain. How about something like an Ultra Cigar?

-Barry

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Rmartin]

Thank you for the excellent suggestions. The results are partly a result of unintended concequences. In my attempt to be vague, I created a fictious customer. The wood is plain and it is valuable, but in a historic way. I didn't want to say exactly what it was as to not predujudice responses, but this caused many to focus on a customer.

I've added up the replies, and added my own opinion. Because I'm what you might call a super delegate, I've decided not to decide, and sleep on it.

Thank you very much!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Cav hit it on the button. Let the customer choose. Show different styles and (quality) platings. Explain price differences and let the customer make selection. If the customer selected the wood in the first place, you really don't even have the right to make a decision on whether or not it is attractive, the customer already did that.