Need some advice

[jpford]

I've recently been given the opportunity to create a pen that is a gift for an author and speaker that is quite famous. I will keep the name to myself, but the request is for a rollerball that is of excellent quality, made with wood or a natural source that is rare and/or unusual, and of excellent quality. They also want the name engraved.

I was thinking of a using a kit; Venus, Statesmen, Cambridge, or Sedona. I'd welcome your thoughts about that, but I'm most interested in any recommendations you might have about truly unique blanks that embrace the love of wood, but are also "very unique and/or rare". The buyer loves wood, but would not be opposed to something else that is natural (cactus, seed pods, worthless wood, etc.) they have emphasized that they do not want anything purely acrylic or a rainbow of color. They really like wood, so wood seems important. What would you suggest?

Thanks!

 

[Magicbob]

A fine highly figured burl is hard to beat

 

[mredburn]

Besides a burl or crotch section of wood. Kao in its higher grade Is stunning.

 

[Rick_G]

A nice piece of bog oak would also look good. Engraved and infilled with gold or silver would look good.

 

[mg_dreyer]

For my two cents - a well crafted simple segmented blank on a Majestic is the top.

 

[Herb G]

Some highly figured Bethlehem Olivewood would really pop, as would Amboyna Burl, or even Kingwood. Anything with a strongly grained pattern on it would look really nice with most any pen kit.
I can't speak to the kits though.

 

[Cmmarshall]

I would go with something spalted. It isn't something most people see very often and it makes truly unique pens and no spalting is ever the same.

As for the kit, I think any that you mentioned would work well.

Good luck, don't forget to post a pic!

 

[Hambone]

I have completed several of the black titanium navigator roller-balls that look great with about any type of burl. I have used the thuya burl and the pen came out very nice. The navigator pen kit used the same bushings as the Sedona. The pen size is great as well.

 

[magpens]

Amboyna burl on a rhodium and gold Emperor ... a remarkable pen to keep and cherish.
Thuya burl would also do it.

Both woods suggested are becoming rare. . The Emperor kit is unsurpassed in class and quality.

 

[MTViper]

Thuya is my go to "fancy wood" because it's beautiful and has a great back story. Kingwood and Olive follow closely behind. In addition to the pen kits you mentioned, I love the American Patriot (PSI) series - twist, rollerball, or fountain pen. Also Vertex Supreme.

 

[Herb G]

I keep a bit of Kingwood on hand and a bit of Olive wood as well. It's getting hard to find Kingwood in any bigger sizes these days without paying a king's ransom for it.

 

[Akula]

Amboyna Burl on a Cambridge or even the hybrid

Olivewood looks great with engraving

 

[jpford]

I am, yet again, awed at the responsiveness of this group... I am so grateful for all these responses and I have to agree with MagicBob when he says

A fine highly figured burl is hard to beat

I also love a nice Amboyna and Thuya. One thing I didn't mention was that the recipient is devoutly religious, so Jerusalem Olive Wood has the potential to be special. It also helps that the engraving stand out on it as well. So, I decided to recommend a nice quality piece of Jerusalem Olive Wood in the buyers choice of an Emperor, Majestic, or Cambridge model. Personally, I prefer the Majestic. Now, where can I find a really nice, quality piece of highly figured Holy Land Olive wood?

Thanks again to all who posted!

Joel

 

[Herb G]

Look down in the classified section. There's a recent post for Olive wood.

 

[magpens]

These people (in Israel) have a very nice product, and they ship fast. You will have it in a week.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f15...thlehem-olive-wood-pen-turning-blanks-140555/

 

[jpford]

Look down in the classified section. There's a recent post for Olive wood.

These people (in Israel) have a very nice product, and they ship fast. You will have it in a week.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f15...thlehem-olive-wood-pen-turning-blanks-140555/

Thanks to both of you for the links. It looks like the same seller from both of you. Their products looks nice, but standard. I'd like to have a highly figured, AAAA, ++++, exhibition quality blank. I'm happy to pay out the nose for it (within reason, of course). I need for this to be beyond the norm.

Does anyone know if they or anyone else has higher end blanks for a custom request? (I'll send them an email to ask). I also found another Jerusalem source that seems to have nice stuff and I'll have to follow up with them as well.

Thanks again!!

Joel

 

[Wct3]

If you absolutely can't find something in a burl from Jerusalem, check out the wild olive burl from Woodturningz
No indication from where-- but the olive tree itself is very sacred in many cultures.... And this burl is gorgeous. Wish I had noticed it before making my last order!

 

[jpford]

If you absolutely can't find something in a burl from Jerusalem, check out the wild olive burl from Woodturningz
No indication from where-- but the olive tree itself is very sacred in many cultures.... And this burl is gorgeous. Wish I had noticed it before making my last order!

Thanks for that link. I just ordered some from Mike on ebay, but the burl on woodturningz.com actually looks better and the ones I looked at were certified as coming from the Holy Land. I may order a couple of those just because...

 

[SteveG]

If you are familiar with, or would like to learn about Houn Pine (Not actually pine), you might settle on that particular wood. It shows itself well on a pen that is rhodium with gold (22k, not gold titanium) accents. It has a nice story. Search it here on IAP for some beautiful examples. It is the wood Dayacom uses in pics of some of their high end kits. An unfinished small block of the wood to accompany the finished pen presents another facet of the wood...it's unique and pleasant natural aroma. Simple, yet beautiful.

 

[jpford]

If you are familiar with, or would like to learn about Houn Pine (Not actually pine), you might settle on that particular wood. It shows itself well on a pen that is rhodium with gold (22k, not gold titanium) accents. It has a nice story. Search it here on IAP for some beautiful examples. It is the wood Dayacom uses in pics of some of their high end kits. An unfinished small block of the wood to accompany the finished pen presents another facet of the wood...it's unique and pleasant natural aroma. Simple, yet beautiful.

Thanks for that. First i've heard of it. It does look good, simple, but nicely figured in birdseye and burl. I like it. Bet it's delicious with black titanium.

Joel