Kitless Contest Poll

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

2017 Birthday Bash Kitless Contest Poll

  • Pen 1

    Votes: 3 2.7%
  • Pen 2

    Votes: 30 27.3%
  • Pen 3

    Votes: 16 14.5%
  • Pen 4

    Votes: 5 4.5%
  • Pen 5

    Votes: 7 6.4%
  • Pen 6

    Votes: 17 15.5%
  • Pen 7

    Votes: 3 2.7%
  • Pen 8

    Votes: 12 10.9%
  • Pen 9

    Votes: 8 7.3%
  • Pen 10

    Votes: 9 8.2%

  • Total voters
    110
  • Poll closed .

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
We have 10 entries in the kitless contest this year. There will be one round of voting and the poll will stay open for 3 days. You get to choose one pen. Please base your votes on the following criteria, which were posted in the contest forum:

Originality of design
Workmanship - The Overall fit and finish. It should be flawless.
Use of material - Composition and originality.
Over all looks – We want the most beautiful pens.
Apparent writing comfort.- Does the pen look comfortable for writing.
Durability- How well does it look like it will hold up to use.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 1

My entry into the Kitless Pen Contest happens to be my first successful kitless pen. Using two acrylic acetate short blanks in blue/white swirl, I created a section following a tutorial on IAP. This involved some valuable lessons, and it definitely will not be my last kitless pen, as I thoroughly enjoy writing with it!
 

Attachments

  • 1-3.JPG
    1-3.JPG
    64.1 KB · Views: 394
  • 1-1.JPG
    1-1.JPG
    74.7 KB · Views: 389
  • 1-2.JPG
    1-2.JPG
    67.3 KB · Views: 314
Last edited:

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 2

This is my entry for the kitless contest, specially made for it:
A fountain pen entirely made of snake wood, including the threads (double-start barrel to cap). Rollstopper and both ends adorned with a golden mother-of-pearl cabochon, only parts glued. Jowo #6 feed and nib. Overall weight with empty converter : 22g.
 

Attachments

  • 2-1.jpg
    2-1.jpg
    256.3 KB · Views: 581
  • 2-2.jpg
    2-2.jpg
    326.4 KB · Views: 399
  • 2-3.jpg
    2-3.jpg
    270.7 KB · Views: 461

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 3

My pen is made from 13.8MM diameter French galalith with 6061 aluminum machined and polished to a very nice shine. I machined the cap finial to accept a lapus lazuli polished stone. The clip was bought with a chrome plated finish. The nib is a medium #5 polished steel nib. The cap to barrel threading us m12 triple start. I hope you like it, I really enjoyed making it!
 

Attachments

  • 3-1.jpg
    3-1.jpg
    362.4 KB · Views: 370
  • 3-2.jpg
    3-2.jpg
    467.7 KB · Views: 419
  • 3-3.jpg
    3-3.jpg
    316.8 KB · Views: 338

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 4

Custom roll stopper and finial made with torch fired fine silver precious metal clay, Edison nib, and lava explosion blanks.
 

Attachments

  • 4-1.JPG
    4-1.JPG
    42.8 KB · Views: 371
  • 4-2.JPG
    4-2.JPG
    46.2 KB · Views: 364

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 5

Please find attached picture of my kitless entry. First time contestant! Thanks for the consideration.
 

Attachments

  • 5-1.jpg
    5-1.jpg
    87.3 KB · Views: 374
  • 5-2.jpg
    5-2.jpg
    85.5 KB · Views: 357

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 6

This is my kitless contest entry. It is a piston filling fountain pen made from vintage gold cellulose acetate, gold pearlized lucite, transparent red acrylic, and bronze. This was a fun and challenging pen to make because it entailed not only utilizing relatively fragile vintage material, but making the filling mechanism from scratch as well. The body of the pen is made from the gold cellulose acetate, and features a transparent red ink window to match the red flecks in the cellulose acetate. The section is made from the gold lucite, and is fitted with an 18K gold #6 Jowo nib. The finial on the body doubles as the piston filling knob. To fill the pen you unscrew the knob several turns to extend the piston inside the body. Once the piston has reached the end of its travel, the knob locks up and will not turn anymore. You then submerge the nib in a bottle of ink and screw the finial back down, retracting the piston while drawing ink up into the ink reservoir. One of the pictures illustrates the mechanism mid-filling, with the finial unscrewed and the piston extended.

The cap is made from the gold lucite, which has a nice bit of translucency to it. The cap finial is made from the gold cellulose acetate to tie the cap and body together visually. The clip and all accent bands on the cap and body are hand fabricated from bronze. Thank you for looking!
 

Attachments

  • 6-1.jpg
    6-1.jpg
    143.4 KB · Views: 823
  • 6-3.jpg
    6-3.jpg
    187.7 KB · Views: 393
  • 6-2.jpg
    6-2.jpg
    173.9 KB · Views: 369

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 7

Spindle shape fountain pen, brass body with amber/epoxy decoration.
Special features: adjustable clip position (open vs closed) and syringe filling system with telescopic shaft.
Materials used: brass sheet (body, clip), brass bar (threads, shaft), natural crushed amber and epoxy resin, plexiglass pipe.
All elements made myself except for Jowo 6 nib/housing.
 

Attachments

  • 7-1.jpg
    7-1.jpg
    115.5 KB · Views: 357
  • 7-2.jpg
    7-2.jpg
    53.3 KB · Views: 296
  • 7-3.jpg
    7-3.jpg
    67.7 KB · Views: 331

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 8

This is a demonstrator fountain pen made from Blue Topaz Water Mesh acrylic. It uses a #5 Jowo nib and a nickel plated clip. It uses M12x0.8x3L threads for the cap and M9x0.75 for the finial and section.
 

Attachments

  • 8-1.jpg
    8-1.jpg
    137.3 KB · Views: 323
  • 8-2.jpg
    8-2.jpg
    217.5 KB · Views: 392

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 9

My kitless pen includes a Casein material that has been dyed with a green color creating a cool pattern. I have had this material for over a year now and have not felt comfortable drilling or working it until now. The cap and section are made from black ebonite. The nib is a #6 heritance nib. Thanks for your consideration.
 

Attachments

  • 9-1.jpg
    9-1.jpg
    61.6 KB · Views: 349
  • 9-2.jpg
    9-2.jpg
    60.8 KB · Views: 318
  • 9-3.jpg
    9-3.jpg
    80.4 KB · Views: 333

SteveJ

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
3,370
Location
Grand Junction, Colorado
Pen 10

Made from a laminated vintage Conway-Stewart blank . It's the second kitless pen I have made from this material. This one was more difficult as it is half the size of the previous one and holding the laminate together was a challenge. The layers can be seen through to the next producing a depth to this material that I have never seen. The section is made from black german ebonite and has a gilded fine Bock nib with a gold accent ring at base of section. One of the pictures is the back of the pen. I was pleased at being able to line up patterns.
 

Attachments

  • 10-1.jpg
    10-1.jpg
    117.2 KB · Views: 359
  • 10-2.jpg
    10-2.jpg
    99.5 KB · Views: 317
  • 10-3.jpg
    10-3.jpg
    85.1 KB · Views: 291

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,083
Location
NJ, USA.
Wow the kitless field sure does have some talented people. Every one of these pens is a winner. Once again there is no loser. Good luck to all.
 

stuckinohio

Member
Joined
May 3, 2015
Messages
1,695
Location
Columbus Ohio
That's a tough choice. I just started trying a kitless clicker and the nose cone is giving me fits, so I have a but a glimpse of how difficult this is. The work on these pens is truly amazing! Congratulations to all that competed. Good Job!
 

duncsuss

Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2012
Messages
2,151
Location
Wilmington, MA
It was very difficult to pick just one of these pens as a favorite.

Congratulations to all, they are beautiful writing instruments.
 
Top Bottom