Teak Pen

[hrigg]

No...not yet.

I've started to use a teak blank in a Sierra kit with either copper or titanium fittings. I've done a little flat work with teak so its working properties are not totally foreign to me, and I've decided to go with a buffed natural finish. I'd appreciate any insight into the difficulties someone with more experience may have encountered, and how you solved the problems. I did a search, with unusable results.

Thank you.

 

[leehljp]

I can't speak for anyone else and what I say is my own personal opinion. Teak is a great wood for flat work as its color and grain are just plum beautiful. The wood that is often overlooked or bypassed in flat work because of irregularities are the very thing that stands out in pens. And vice versa - wood that is beautiful on flat work because of its uniformity will often look bland on a pen.

I made a couple of teak slimlines about a year ago and was disappointed in the blandness of them. To me, there was no difficulty in turning teak for the pen. I finished them with CA/BLO. Beautiful finish and color but bland in comparison to some other woods with contrasting grains, irregularities and or burls.

These are my opinions only. For some people who have a valued teak table or furniture, a teak pen will have a special value.

 

[pete00]

howdy

a while back i did a teak pen from some "extra" teak i had while remodling my boat.
If i remember right i didnt have any problems.

What ever process you use for your flat work (cuting and gluing) should be fine. I wiped the inside of the drilled hole with acetone before gluing to get rid of some surface oils. I think i just used CA glue. (I may have used a water prof glue)dont remember. Finish was teak oil then some paste wax.

Dont forget to show us the results...[]

pete

 

[ilikewood]

My first pen was Teak. It was bland, but I loved it! It never needed a finish, but just a good polish. Easy to turn and a good nice pen!

 

[hrigg]

Hmm--universally bland. Sounds like a good pen for me, 'cause I am also universally bland. Thank you, folks, for the information.

 

[Mikey]

Plantation teak is generally bland, but the natural stuff often has streaks and other color variation. It is hard on steel tooling, so make sure you hone or sharpen after you make that pen.

In regards to Teal Oil, some of the formulations will soak in, turn the wood a beautiful brown color then harden while other stuff is basically an oil that soaks in and does not harden. For the pen, I would get teh stuff that hardens as it produces a nice finish. I am thinking the Watco Teak Oil or whatever they sell at Home Depot is the stuff I have gotten used to using for refinishing the patio tables I do each year.

 

[hrigg]

If I put any finish on it at all, it will just be tung oil. And that's because I've got some and I'm curious about how well it will work. Still planning on no finish, but going through the buffing stages.

 

[Dario]

I had the pleasure of making pens from salvaged teak wood of a Luxury Cruise Liner...and the ones I got are SPALTED cross-cut teak (first I've seen). The blank looked bland at first but after they were finished (CA of course), they just shined! I believe the oil in it made all the difference.

How I wish there were extras...would love to have a few of those in my stash.

 

[hrigg]

This one is certainly living up to the "bland" title, although it's got some prominent grain lines on about half of it. There's also a spot that looks like some of the epoxy from gluing in the pen tube wicked into the surrounding wood. I put some tung oil on the blank and I'll buff it tomorrow. If I make another one I may take the time to cut it into a herringbone pattern, or just let it soak in salt water for about six months before I work on it.

 

[hrigg]

This generated enough interest I put it here instead of the SOYP Forum. Here is what I wound up with. I managed to hide most of the flaws.

Closer look:

My curiousity is satisfied. I may make another and try a different look, but not for a while.

 

[leehljp]

That looks nice. With the straight grain of a teak, it could probably benefit from a designer body or rings. It is a good wood to turn.

 

[tone]

I turned a artists pencil from teak burl and just used tung oil as a friction polish on the lathe. It came out beautiful and had a warm, silky smooth feel to it. It felt sooo nice in the hand. I plan to make a pen for myself from another blank like that one finished the same way.

Tony

 

[crashgtr]

I made a teak cigar pen with a matching letter opener and cigar punch form PSI and it came out great.

lIZ