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[DaveTTC]

So I've made a number of slimlines and matching pencils. I've got some idea for doing some without the band.

After looking at a number of other pens including the ones in the challenge competition I can't say that fountain pens and the like particularly appeal to me. Im not saying I won't give these a try at some point.

Here is what I would like -
1) a pen that has good surface area of timber or what have you.
2) preference for a retractable ink cartridge of some kind
3) a kit that can take a quality ink

4) if it not retractable and therefore a separate cap, a cap that goes on the end of the pen to reduce likely hood of it being misplaced

If you have suggestions and pics that would be appreciated. Maybe average price of recommended kits as well.

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

Good evening Dave,
I have seen many nice pens with a postable cap (removable cap you put on the end of the pen) from many different suppliers. But I don't think I have ever seen any of them that have a twist or click mechanism too.

I am going to try and do a couple fountain pens with some nice burl blanks when the weather warms up here. I also have some kits with the postable cap kind, not sure what kit at the moment I have but I think they might be good sellers, kind of higher end type of pen.

Good luck on your search,
Tim.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I understand what you mean. Fountain pens cool but not something that I get excited about making. There are kits with bigger bodies to them. Most have a place to post the cap on the other end while writing. For ink either buying a better ballpoint refill or using a rollerball. As for retractable, there are some kits out there and there are lots of opinions on how reliable they are. You may at some point look towards working without kits and go custom. that way you aren't limited by what kits you can buy.

 

[DaveTTC]

Good evening Dave,
I have seen many nice pens with a postable cap (removable cap you put on the end of the pen) from many different suppliers. But I don't think I have ever seen any of them that have a twist or click mechanism too.

I am going to try and do a couple fountain pens with some nice burl blanks when the weather warms up here. I also have some kits with the postable cap kind, not sure what kit at the moment I have but I think they might be good sellers, kind of higher end type of pen.

Good luck on your search,
Tim.

Sorry I did not explain well I'd rather no cap but if it has a cap for it to clip on the other end while pen in use.

Thank you Tim I have edited my OP so it reads better

 

[76winger]

There's a wealth of different twist type pens that use the Parker Style ink Cartrige. And there's a wealth of different brands and colors of that cartridge, so it's probably the area you'll want to explore next.

I don't know if any removable cap type pens that have a twist action, but the caps "usually" are postable (be sure it says so in the description. These are where you usually start getting into Rollerball type pens, which is what I consider the next step up from the Parker refill pens. There aren't as large a variety of choices for Rollerball, but I have seen a variety of colors in some of them as well.

When you start getting into these larger removable cap pens, most are a little top heave when the cap is posted during writing, so I find it more comfortable to set the cap on the desk while I write with them, thus negating the need to be postable.

 

[76winger]

Probably for your next step you may want to look at Slimine Pro, Cigar, etc for dual tube pens using Parker style refills.

If you prefer to try single tube options as your next step, there's TONS of models (Sierra/Gastby, Polaris, Executive, Vertex just to name a few) to choose from and most all use the Parker style refill as well.

 

[DaveTTC]

I understand what you mean. Fountain pens cool but not something that I get excited about making. There are kits with bigger bodies to them. Most have a place to post the cap on the other end while writing. For ink either buying a better ballpoint refill or using a rollerball. As for retractable, there are some kits out there and there are lots of opinions on how reliable they are. You may at some point look towards working without kits and go custom. that way you aren't limited by what kits you can buy.

You say kitless, what exactly do you mean by that. I'm guessing you would still need hardware - nib, tube, mechanism

 

[DaveTTC]

Probably for your next step you may want to look at Slimine Pro, Cigar, etc for dual tube pens using Parker style refills.

If you prefer to try single tube options as your next step, there's TONS of models (Sierra/Gastby, Polaris, Executive, Vertex just to name a few) to choose from and most all use the Parker style refill as well.

Single tube, would these be click style pens?

I think I like 7mm tube as it gives you more meat to work with of you want to get creative.

 

[mikespenturningz]

Take a look at a cigar pen. It uses a parker style refill and has lots of timber showing. Also it has a thicker wood making it a nice pen for newer turners. I wish I had tried them sooner. They are also great for trying segmenting with.

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

I like the cigar style pens too. They are a two piece pen with a twist mechanism, uses a parker style refill and are quite a large pen, they show off the blanks well. I sold two recently to a couple of ladies who have arthritis in their hands and they said the larger pens are easier to use because of their affliction. I have sold quite of few of them over the last couple of years, also some cigar pen and pencil sets. FWIW.
Tim.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

If you are going to make a capped pen without a kit you will need to buy a refill, blanks and most probably a clip. You don't really need the tubes. If you are going to make a click or twist pen you will need a mechanism. What you will need is tooling. What you save on kits you will spend on tooling and probably a bit more. My last pen in my photo album is threaded together, doesn't have a tube. The secret to kitless is threading. You have to be more careful when you turn to size, you will be holding calipers more than your turning tools. I haven't made a scratch built twist pen yet so I don't know how that goes. Clickers aren't that hard. If you are looking for a good click pen kit I like the slimline pro. A nice twist pen is the Atrax. Other than that look at the kits you have and think about what parts you could make yourself. I hope to have my next one done by the end of the weekend and I'll have pictures of all the separate pictures to give you some ideas.

 

[DaveTTC]

If you are going to make a capped pen without a kit you will need to buy a refill, blanks and most probably a clip. You don't really need the tubes. If you are going to make a click or twist pen you will need a mechanism. What you will need is tooling. What you save on kits you will spend on tooling and probably a bit more. My last pen in my photo album is threaded together, doesn't have a tube. The secret to kitless is threading. You have to be more careful when you turn to size, you will be holding calipers more than your turning tools. I haven't made a scratch built twist pen yet so I don't know how that goes. Clickers aren't that hard. If you are looking for a good click pen kit I like the slimline pro. A nice twist pen is the Atrax. Other than that look at the kits you have and think about what parts you could make yourself. I hope to have my next one done by the end of the weekend and I'll have pictures of all the separate pictures to give you some ideas.

Sounds great, can't wait to see it. So does that mean your nib is timber too? Threading - do you mean threading timber to timber or parts to timber.

This really interests me, I'd like to learn more.

I'll see if I can find your photo album. I'm on an app and have not done that yet.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I haven't tried to thread wood. At this point my "journey" is more resin and steel. Some have done it, others say put a plastic sleeve in it and thread that. You can also make the nib and lower barrel out of the same piece of wood. Someone here has made the whole pen and clip out of wood as well. Sky is the limit.

 

[DaveTTC]

I haven't tried to thread wood. At this point my "journey" is more resin and steel. Some have done it, others say put a plastic sleeve in it and thread that. You can also make the nib and lower barrel out of the same piece of wood. Someone here has made the whole pen and clip out of wood as well. Sky is the limit.

Got onto your album, cool pens. I'd like to try a kitless wood pen

 

[Lucky2]

Dave you should try the Vertex click pen, they have a nice surface amount that shows and they are easy to make. I purchased my kits from a seller in Canada, but most large sellers carry them. They aren't all that expensive, I think that I paid around $6.00-$7.00 per kit. They are the easiest kit to put together, that I've ever seen.
Len

 

[DaveTTC]

Dave you should try the Vertex click pen, they have a nice surface amount that shows and they are easy to make. I purchased my kits from a seller in Canada, but most large sellers carry them. They aren't all that expensive, I think that I paid around $6.00-$7.00 per kit. They are the easiest kit to put together, that I've ever seen.
Len

Thanks Len, I'll look them up

 

[Phil Hansen]

Executive click from Timberbits.
Plenty of length to display your timber.
Phil

 

[BSea]

Executive click from Timberbits.
Plenty of length to display your timber.
Phil

I agree with Phil. My favorite click "kit" pen is the long clicker/executive clicker style. It has a very robust click mechanism, and I've been using the same one for about 2 years.

And as far as kitless click pens, there is a great article in the Library on doing a kitless click pen.

Here's the link: http://content.penturners.org/library/pens/kitlessclickpen.pdf

The pen in my avatar is a kitless click pen. In fact I made it for a trade with a person from Australia. So if you want to see it, you're closer to it than I am.:wink:

 

[Ben1212]

You can find a tons of pen with cap, but i did not see it with click or turn mechanism. i can recommend for you JR Gentleman's Pen kits from
Pen Making
they have it on sale for Price: AUD $4.00. it is only a little more than USD $ 4.00. they have it in gold or chrome, rollerball or fountain. it will take 10 - 15 days to get it from Australia. I made last month 10 pens and order 20 more kits. it easy to make and [FONT=&quot]quality[/FONT] is good for this price. I haven't tried to thread wood. i did it on plastic but i came back to use the kits.
Good luck.
Ben.

 

[BSea]

You can find a tons of pen with cap, but i did not see it with click or turn mechanism.

I don't think he's looking for a retractable pen with a cap. At least that's the way I saw it based on #4 of the post.

Here is what I would like -
1) a pen that has good surface area of timber or what have you.
2) preference for a retractable ink cartridge of some kind
3) a kit that can take a quality ink

4) if it not retractable and therefore a separate cap, a cap that goes on the end of the pen to reduce likely hood of it being misplaced

If you have suggestions and pics that would be appreciated. Maybe average price of recommended kits as well.

i can recommend for you JR Gentleman's Pen kits from
Pen Making
they have it on sale for Price: AUD $4.00. it is only a little more than USD $ 4.00. they have it in gold or chrome, rollerball or fountain. it will take 10 - 15 days to get it from Australia. I made last month 10 pens and order 20 more kits. it easy to make and [FONT=&quot]quality[/FONT] is good for this price. I haven't tried to thread wood. i did it on plastic but i came back to use the kits.
Good luck.
Ben.

I agree with this. The Jr Gent I is a nice progression from the slimline. It's about the same amount of turning, and like most larger pens (at least larger than a slimline), I think it assembles easier than a slimline. In fact I think the slimline style pens are the hardest to assemble just because the parts are so much smaller.