What did you choose?

[TomG]

So I have given away every pen I have made so far. Everytime I make a pen that is going to be for me it either does not fit me or someone wants it.

For those of you who have a pen of choice that you made for yourself what wood blank did you use? And why?

Tom

 

[LostintheWoods]

Right now, "my" pen is a Baron, Sterling Silver fittings, in Claro Walnut Burl. The reason I chose it is that I've always liked walnut, almost no one else in the world seems to, and the piece I used is absolutely DROP DEAD BEAUTIFUL, and the Baron has just enough heft that when someone says they don't care for walnut, a judiciously-applied smack on the forehead assists them in rethinking their assinine comment! Yep, its a real attention-getter!

 

[johnnycnc]

I especially like desert ironwood.
A nice medium range color,maybe some
subtle striping,a bit of a color shift
from lighter to darker here and there.
Then,after turning and starting to sand
and on to polish,it has to have a nice
chatoyance for me.If not,it's not mine for a while.[]
Notice no coating type"finish".
Just wax as a dressing after polishing.
(Renwax,TSW,..pick your poison).
Why? I love natural,smooth wood.And most everyone
I show these to cannot believe it's a no coating
finish and so smooth and "shiny" and "glows" as
I've heard it put.
Also this stuff wears very well and for me,highly dent
resistant.I think after a several dents,a pen looks
well..less attractive.I want a nice pen in my pocket
to show potential customers as well.
These stay mine until someone
parts with cash or is really high on my appreciated
list.[]
And many times,if it is still like new,people seem
oddly fascinated to buy/receive as gift;YOUR pen.
SOOOO..What do you really like?!

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Well, I have a selection of 7 on my desk. Of these, 6 are fountian pens and one is my cigar from the PITH. Four of the FP's are acrylic and two are wood. I love the look of the acrylic and how durable they are as I use them a LOT all day. My favorite of them all is a cranberry flake gold ti Churchill which is inked with Noodlers Tiananmen red.

 

[GBusardo]

Hi Tom, I use a cherry burl comfort with out the rubber thing. The comfort fits my hand perfectly (I have small hands) and the cherry burl was a gift. The cherry has darkened with age and it's 10x more beautiful than when I turned it. My wife uses a purpleheart comfort with the rubber thing (she also has small hands). I cooked the purpleheart in the microcwave and after 8 months, it still has a real nice purple color. The pen I least like to write with is a designer, it always feels way too top heavy for me.

 

[jeffj13]

When you say pen of choice, you really mean pens of choice don't you? I have several pens, all fountain pens with the exception of one cigar (first pen I made).

I choose blanks based upon woods that I like, typically something highly figured or burled. Right now my pens consist of curly maple, curly koa, burled redwood, figured maple. I am currently in the process of turning an amboyna churchill.

jeff

 

[alamocdc]

Mine was a Churchill RB in Snakewood. I ran into an old pastor (and a great friend) of mine not long ago and he just had to have it. So I gave it to him. Now I need to make a FP version of it to carry.

 

[Rifleman1776]

My current personal pen is a full-sized Gentleman rollerball in Diamondback rattle snake skin with gold Tn plating. Prior to that it was a gold Tn Baron in antler, before that another gold Tn Baron in Afzelia burl.

 

[richstick1]

Well, I've finished a grand total of 4 pens But, my pen now is a comfort pen without the rubber thingy, satin nickel, in a really nice oak burl.

 

[Texatdurango]

Originally posted by alamocdc
<br />Mine was a Churchill RB in Snakewood. I ran into an old pastor (and a great friend) of mine not long ago and he just had to have it. So I gave it to him. Now I need to make a FP version of it to carry.

Funny how that happens isn't it? I left the house several times with a nice pen in pocket, only to return home without it because I ran into a friend and gave it to them.

My personal favorites are a few closed end Jr Gentleman rollerballs where I used amboyba burl and I'd rather not part with them so now I carry two pens... in case I run into a friend who doesn't have one of my pens! []

 

[heineda]

Hello,

I really like the Baron and Sedona kits. They do not require any tenon cutting, dual tubes, or any other complicatation, yet when finished, they look fantastic. My favorite wood is a stabilized highly figured Bubinga I get from a gentlman in Canada. Gorgeous figure in the wood, and finishes really nice. I also like to Afzelia Xylay. Nice grain pattern.

Happy Turnings,
Dan

 

[Tanner]

My personal use pen is not even a pen I made. It's one of Chuck Key's Tactical pens. The thing is indestructible, it looks cool, feels good in my hand and makes a nice conversation piece.

 

[martyb]

At my desk at home, I just use a slimline click pencil in Canarywood. When I travel to client sites for work (my real job), I've got an Imperial rollerball made of some not so burly Amboyna (from Nolan) with some malacite and blackwood bands on on all ends (this one is in my album here). I've gotten quite a few people's interest with it, but hasn't turned into any sales. I found the Baron just too small for my hands, I really like the size and weight of the Imperial.

 

[woodbutcher]

My favorite now is an old style Wall Street TN Gold in Snake Wood.