Cartridge pen

[Krash]

Hello all,

Now that the Cartridge Challenge is over, I thought I'd ask for input on my submission. I finished last in the freestyle category and I would like some feedback on my pen so that I might do better next time.

I appreciate your comments, good and bad. Don't be shy, you won't hurt my feelings. I really want to hear if you didn't like it and why.

Thanks,

 

[southernclay]

Hey Kelly,
I really like the pen, I thought the iron site for a clip was a great idea, shaping the wood like a casing was great too. It had a ton going on and a lot of ideas put into one pen, really creative. To size down the rings like you did at the finial end was cool too. I liked your pen based on a historical perspective if that makes sense. I voted for another pen based on first impression and overall flow only. Your pen is awesome, you should be proud. Hope that helps!

 

[Karl_99]

There is a lot going on with the upper end, so much so that it took time to realize that you turned a casing of wood - very cool wood! The sight pocket clip seems too large for this pen.

 

[mmyshrall]

Hi Kelly,

Here are my thoughts on your pen and why I voted for a different one. First, I want to say that I thought your fit (for the most part) and finish were great! I really liked how you did the turning of the wood blank to mimic the shape of a real cartridge.

Now, here is what I saw as issues with the pen. I count at least three, possibly four, metals in the construction of this pen. The color combination was a little jarring on my eyes. The center band and rings on the cap didn't match very well, but I did like the matching materials on the clip and center bands. The banding at the top of the cap was uneven enough to be picked up with a casual glance. The wood blank appears to be a little overturned where it meets the copper part of the center band. Lastly, I thought the clip to be a bit bulky for the pen but I did like the overall design of the clip.

It is obvious that you put quite a bit of thought and care into the design and construction and you did a better job that I could have. I congratulate you on your submission and look forward to seeing future entries from you.

Michael

 

[Krash]

There is a lot going on with the upper end, so much so that it took time to realize that you turned a casing of wood - very cool wood! The sight pocket clip seems too large for this pen.

Karl and Michael.

Yea, I kept shaving that iron sight down because it seemed too large. I gotta figure out a better sight to use that isn't so ginormous. I really wanted to use some actual gun parts in the pen. Given that there aren't many small moving parts and that most of the other parts are pretty big, my choices were few. But it was fun to dream up and try to execute and I am better for the experience.

Man those rings from the cartridge tops were a pain to drill and slice and file and sand and glue. It took forever and I was also disappointed with the uneveness. I had envisioned a beehive type of look using various caliber cartridges. It resembles that but I realize that any offset or thickness difference sticks out like a sore thumb.

The over turning was intentional, although it looks like a mistake. I had meant for it to be more pronounced so that it looked planned but diameter the difference between the Maxi-ball and the wood-turned casing profile didn't allow it.

This pen took me the equivalent of 5-6 segmented pens to pull off. It's very doubtful that I will try to do this again, at least in its entirety. But, that's how you learn, through trial and error, but mostly by error!

Thanks for the comments. They help a lot!

 

[Dale Lynch]

Honestly,when I first saw it I thought it was fugly.That being said I can tell it took alot of work to put allthose different elements into it.It looks forced,like how many different things can I use in one pen,I like that but doing so does not always lead to a pleasing outcome.

If you were to do it again might I suggest a few things.Thghten upt the seamd between the maxi,copper,and wood.Instead of cutting the casing tops with the groove as a spacer,cut them flush and use a spacer material inbetween the turn the profile with all of them laminated together.And finally while I like the idea of the iron site there is way too much of it.It needs to be half as wide and half as tall to be more in proportion with the rest of the pen.

It's easy to be an armchair pen critiquer when I don't enter a pen myself.

 

[Krash]

Honestly,when I first saw it I thought it was fugly.That being said I can tell it took alot of work to put allthose different elements into it.It looks forced,like how many different things can I use in one pen,I like that but doing so does not always lead to a pleasing outcome.

If you were to do it again might I suggest a few things.Thghten upt the seamd between the maxi,copper,and wood.Instead of cutting the casing tops with the groove as a spacer,cut them flush and use a spacer material inbetween the turn the profile with all of them laminated together.And finally while I like the idea of the iron site there is way too much of it.It needs to be half as wide and half as tall to be more in proportion with the rest of the pen.

It's easy to be an armchair pen critiquer when I don't enter a pen myself.

You're right by the way. It is pretty homely. I tried to do too much ... be too creative with too many ideas. My usual is to do just a little so as to complement the pen and not dominate. I guess I broke my own rule!

Thanks for the honest feedback. I'll be the better for it!