The most awesome looking pen material

[Chasper]

An excellent thread about the definition and virtues of poly resin, acrylic, urethane, epoxy and several more pen blank materials has been hot recently and somewhere in the thread an interesting question was posed.

"If you wanted to make the most awesome looking pen possible, what material would you use?"

Nevermind if it is difficult to turn, expensive, hard to find, or the source of other headaches; what material from the man-made materials family makes the most awesome pens. Lets not get into all the overcasting and embedding options.

What material do you think, based on your pen making experience, makes the most awesome pens?

 

[tjseagrove]

Technically there is no such thing as a man made material...
210211

 

[EBorraga]

The most awesome pen blank is the one people buy! More than likely it's in their favorite color. For me, it's usually a blue and white variation, as everyone around here is a UK fan.

 

[mark james]

I'm a "Wood" fan mostly, but a Niece and Nephew asked for some Dragon Scale pens (they both have dragon tattoos...), so I wanted to pair them with a "flashy/bright" blank. I ordered some of the Lava (Alumilite) blanks and was very, very impressed by the depth and colors.

Exotic Blanks :: Pen Blanks :: Lava (Alumilite) Blanks :: Lava Explosion Blanks :: Lava Explosion Blank #14 - Inferno

 

[brownsfn2]

Well if you are not including embedding then Abalone is out? I of course really like Blue tinted Abalone.

If that is out I would pick any Poly Resin Blank by Jonathon Brooks. I have never been disappointed.

 

[carlmorrell]

Vintage cellulose acetate.

 

[mark james]

Well if you are not including embedding then Abalone is out? I of course really like Blue tinted Abalone.

Yea ! One of the Abalone sets lasted, oh maybe 15 seconds before SWMBO deftly pick-pocketed it. Sly critter... (But I do have the second...).

 

[jttheclockman]

I think I answered this in another post just recently but will declare it here as well. Cebloplst and some or the Tru-Stone materials. You can add casin to the list. If talking wood then just about any burls and no I hate those partial woods and acrylics They do not count.

You will be hard pressed to beat those. That includes anyone who cast colored blanks or the like. Can not compare.

 

[SDB777]

Most awesome? Solid diamond!



Scott (turn that one) B

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

I'm kind of with jt. I used to make a lot of Tru-Stone pens until the price skyrocketed. There were some that I absolutely loved (red Jasper, sodalite, wild horse Jasper to name a couple). Pain in the butt to work, but when done right - wow.

 

[Chasper]

Most awesome? Solid diamond!



Scott (turn that one) B

Given the way prices have gone up for TruStone they must be using diamonds now.

 

[Chasper]

I think I answered this in another post just recently but will declare it here as well. Cebloplst and some or the Tru-Stone materials. You can add casin to the list. If talking wood then just about any burls and no I hate those partial woods and acrylics They do not count.

You will be hard pressed to beat those. That includes anyone who cast colored blanks or the like. Can not compare.

I would be difficult to top cebloplst/cellulose acetate, and some of the TruStone colors are right up there as well.

 

[firewhatfire]

Solid piece of Musk Ox horn for me for a capped pen. Kitless preferably, but Jr. Emperor FP in rhodium and gold as 2nd choice.

Pen would not be for sale

 

[stonepecker]

I am still learning ..... so much I haven't a clue about.
But, as of this date.......Wood is still my favorite thing to turn.

But after this last weekend........That could be changing. (Thanks Chuck)

 

[Akula]

one I'm a big fan of is the alligator jawbone, filled with turquoise or other material

 

[grueinthedark]

"If you wanted to make the most awesome looking pen possible, what material would you use?"

Nevermind if it is difficult to turn, expensive, hard to find, or the source of other headaches; ...

antimatter ($62.5 trillion per gram)

 

[putnamm]

Dilithium crystals

 

[skiprat]

Dilithium crystals

Done that:wink: ( Really !!) Given them by an old Trekkie friend.

I think you will need to go a long way to beat Argent Blue's Guilloche silver barrelled pens or Mr Boones amazing coloured titanium ( masked jigsaw)
Our new member with the completely un-pronouncable ( or spellable) Manapurio....iki wari shiki ...or something is also way up there.

Apologies....bad few days for remembering names and stuff.....:redface:

 

[Akula]

agree...simple maki-e

 

[mikeschn]

Where's a good place to get cebloplst pen blanks?

Mike...

 

[jttheclockman]

Where's a good place to get cebloplst pen blanks?

Mike...

Not many of them around. Check the big name vendors here. No need for advertising. Colors are limited.

 

[mrburls]

At the top of my list would be Cebloplast then Celluloid Nitrate (the real thing) no material feels as good in the hand as this stuff. But very difficult to find. And then there is Cellulose Acetate which was used by pen making companies back in the 1920's and for a number of years after that. All these have beautiful depth and color like no blanks made today.
Keith "mrburls"

 

[Chasper]

I suggest that over-catalized polyester resin is worth considering. Get three friends and each of you have a cup of over-catalized poly resin in a different color. Time it perfectly just before gel and pour them into a mold big enough to cut down into 8-10 blanks. Pour the cups of resin around, on top of and well mixed with each other. Seconds after they come into contact with each other they gel then harden with very little if any blending.

Of course it will be like glass when you turn it, but it can be turned. If you get the colors and timing right it should be incredible and the shine will rival cebloplast.

Put a good top coat of CA on any of the spectacular blends of urethane resins and you get a very good looking finished product as well. I'm always looking for all the sheen I can get.

 

[nativewooder]

Wood!