JohnU
Member
How does a feather blank come to be ?….
Hello my IAP family!
I often get questions from customers about feather blanks and how they come to be. Thanks to the IAP and Exotic Blanks, I was afforded this opportunity to tell you a little bit about me and the birth of a feather blank.
First a little about me…
I was born and raised in Illinois (corn country). My " love of the outdoors" are attributed to my family and the time I have spent hunting and fishing with them, along with being the son of a taxidermist. High school shop class helped me find my love of woodworking. Since then I've ventured (as a hobby) in arts and crafts, painting, scroll work, furniture building and lastly pens. My full time job has been in law enforcement for more than 20 years and I'm looking forward to retirement to expand on my wood working and family time.
My turning adventures started back in the first few months of 2008 when I began making pens for my wife (the pen aholic) after she gifted me a lathe. Most of the pens I made were from wood or antler and were given away to friends and family. My first pen sales were to fellow coworkers, where I sold about 50 cherry wood slimlines for $5 each ( just to pay for the kits and supplies) to get the practice. I was greatly inspired by everyone here and their beautiful creations, spending hours and numerous visits on the IAP daily. After several months of turning I stepped into the world of casting, which first started with just about anything you could cast, from money collages, spices, fabric, shells, snakeskin and worthless wood. I had ideas of casting feathers and other articles of nature but no idea how to pull it off. After some research, I found Shane Whitlock's work, with his beautiful jungle fowl pen and floss. It inspired me to find what would work for me.
Failures and Success…
My first feather blanks were of Ringneck Pheasant feathers. I chose them because of their multiple colors. Not to mention being more readily available. Some of you may not know, but it is illegal to use any wild bird feather for anything other than fly tying. Make sure you check with your local DNR before you pursue any wildlife parts. State birds like turkey, pheasants, and grouse are state enforced but more often available from breeders and hunt clubs. Ducks and geese on the other hand are federal and come with more restrictions. Permits and tags must be kept on the feathers to prove they are domestic raised and to keep you out of jail.
Many of my birds come from a local hunt club. The problem with that is you have to skin, flesh, dry and clean the birds yourself. Since I usually get 50 to 200 birds at a time, this can take hours or days to complete, not to mention the weeks of drying and room to process them. Sometimes I think it's money well spent to just buy them. Lol
When I first began my attempts, I would make up five or six tubes. Back then it would take all evening to get that many glued up. Because I was still ironing out the process, I had about 50 to 100 failures , in about three months, before I ever got a good blank. Even then they were darker and not as neat and precise. I can honestly say I never thought I would get a successful blank. After five years I can say I still have failures. Sometimes stuff just happens, I've just learned to laugh about it a little more. Lol
From start to finish, every feather blank I make goes through a minimum of a three day process. First there's the arrangement of feathers on the tube, the drying process, cleaning, casting and then demolding and trimming. When your casting as many styles of blanks as I try to so, things can easily get mixed up, so if you have a potential mix up with what blank tube size you have, look inside the brass tube. At one end there will be the abbreviated name of kit inside.
Thank You…
To date I don't really sell pens or advertise that I make them. My blank sales fund my pen making and allow me to donate pens to local fund raisers and charities, the others go to my family and friends.
I'd like to thank all of you, along with Exotic Blanks, who have supported me in my journey with the feather blanks and for helping me make them what they are today. I truly believe the IAP is one of the BEST web sites on the internet and I've always taken pride in being a member. I've made many friends here and hope to continue with that opportunity to meet and make many more.
I'm always up for suggestions and ideas, so feel free to get with me or Ed and Dawn at
Exotic Blanks.
Thanks Again,
JohnU / John Underhill
Here are a few pictures of some of my favorite finished feather pens. I'll post new pens and ideas as I make them.
Hello my IAP family!
I often get questions from customers about feather blanks and how they come to be. Thanks to the IAP and Exotic Blanks, I was afforded this opportunity to tell you a little bit about me and the birth of a feather blank.
First a little about me…
I was born and raised in Illinois (corn country). My " love of the outdoors" are attributed to my family and the time I have spent hunting and fishing with them, along with being the son of a taxidermist. High school shop class helped me find my love of woodworking. Since then I've ventured (as a hobby) in arts and crafts, painting, scroll work, furniture building and lastly pens. My full time job has been in law enforcement for more than 20 years and I'm looking forward to retirement to expand on my wood working and family time.
My turning adventures started back in the first few months of 2008 when I began making pens for my wife (the pen aholic) after she gifted me a lathe. Most of the pens I made were from wood or antler and were given away to friends and family. My first pen sales were to fellow coworkers, where I sold about 50 cherry wood slimlines for $5 each ( just to pay for the kits and supplies) to get the practice. I was greatly inspired by everyone here and their beautiful creations, spending hours and numerous visits on the IAP daily. After several months of turning I stepped into the world of casting, which first started with just about anything you could cast, from money collages, spices, fabric, shells, snakeskin and worthless wood. I had ideas of casting feathers and other articles of nature but no idea how to pull it off. After some research, I found Shane Whitlock's work, with his beautiful jungle fowl pen and floss. It inspired me to find what would work for me.
Failures and Success…
My first feather blanks were of Ringneck Pheasant feathers. I chose them because of their multiple colors. Not to mention being more readily available. Some of you may not know, but it is illegal to use any wild bird feather for anything other than fly tying. Make sure you check with your local DNR before you pursue any wildlife parts. State birds like turkey, pheasants, and grouse are state enforced but more often available from breeders and hunt clubs. Ducks and geese on the other hand are federal and come with more restrictions. Permits and tags must be kept on the feathers to prove they are domestic raised and to keep you out of jail.
Many of my birds come from a local hunt club. The problem with that is you have to skin, flesh, dry and clean the birds yourself. Since I usually get 50 to 200 birds at a time, this can take hours or days to complete, not to mention the weeks of drying and room to process them. Sometimes I think it's money well spent to just buy them. Lol
When I first began my attempts, I would make up five or six tubes. Back then it would take all evening to get that many glued up. Because I was still ironing out the process, I had about 50 to 100 failures , in about three months, before I ever got a good blank. Even then they were darker and not as neat and precise. I can honestly say I never thought I would get a successful blank. After five years I can say I still have failures. Sometimes stuff just happens, I've just learned to laugh about it a little more. Lol
From start to finish, every feather blank I make goes through a minimum of a three day process. First there's the arrangement of feathers on the tube, the drying process, cleaning, casting and then demolding and trimming. When your casting as many styles of blanks as I try to so, things can easily get mixed up, so if you have a potential mix up with what blank tube size you have, look inside the brass tube. At one end there will be the abbreviated name of kit inside.
Thank You…
To date I don't really sell pens or advertise that I make them. My blank sales fund my pen making and allow me to donate pens to local fund raisers and charities, the others go to my family and friends.
I'd like to thank all of you, along with Exotic Blanks, who have supported me in my journey with the feather blanks and for helping me make them what they are today. I truly believe the IAP is one of the BEST web sites on the internet and I've always taken pride in being a member. I've made many friends here and hope to continue with that opportunity to meet and make many more.
I'm always up for suggestions and ideas, so feel free to get with me or Ed and Dawn at
Exotic Blanks.
Thanks Again,
JohnU / John Underhill
Here are a few pictures of some of my favorite finished feather pens. I'll post new pens and ideas as I make them.
