Jr. Statesman - Snakewood

[woodpens]

Here is one of two Jr. Statesman rollerball pens I made last weekend. As expected, I lost one due to cracking. This is the survivor (so far). If Snakewood were not so beautiful, I'd throw the rest of it in the trash. The finish is a thick, glossy CA, but my cocoon makes that disappear.

 

[Gary]

Very nice work, Jim. That's a beauty!

 

[melogic]

Very nice Jim! I love the Statesman and Jr. Statesman. I have yet to try the Jr., but soon....very soon. The snakewood may be a pain in the you know what to work with, but it sure is pretty

 

[rtjw]

good looking pen.

 

[Fleabit]

Great Job.

 

[WoodChucker]

Jim, great looking pen and thanks for sharing!

 

[Gregory Huey]

Great looking pen. Ya never know about snake wood.

 

[Leather Man]

Great looking pen Jim. Does Snakewood have a habit of cracking? I have never used any of it yet, but it sure is pretty.
Ben

 

[Woodnknots]

Originally posted by Leather Man
<br />Great looking pen Jim. Does Snakewood have a habit of cracking? I have never used any of it yet, but it sure is pretty.
Ben

I've made two myself, and they both cracked. I know one other person to make a snakewood pen, and her's cracked as well. I recently boiled two blanks, as I heard that this was a way to keep them from cracking. They are drying in a plastic bag for the next couple of weeks before I try to turn them.

 

[swm6500]

Nice looking pen Jim, don't think I need any snakewood.

 

[DCBluesman]

Beautiful work, Jim. Snakewood is one you love to hate. I haven't found ANY fool proof method for keeping it from splitting. It just seems like the luck of the draw.

 

[JimGo]

Wow, that is some VERY neat wood! Good luck with it!

 

[woodpens]

I removed Snakewood, Ebony and Ivory from my wood/material selection on my website because of the experience I have had with them cracking. I prefer to make them, and if all turns out well, post them for sale. Somehow, customers still come asking for them. Snakewood is almost as requested as Bethlehem Olivewood lately.

 

[Ben]

Originally posted by woodpens
<br />Here is one of two Jr. Statesman rollerball pens I made last weekend. As expected, I lost one due to cracking. This is the survivor (so far). If Snakewood were not so beautiful, I'd throw the rest of it in the trash. [] The finish is a thick, glossy CA, but my cocoon makes that disappear.

Hi there. If you do ever decide to get rid of whatever snakewood you have left, please let me know. I'd like to play around with some, and see what it is like... Now on the other hand, if you are just going to throw it away, here is my "trash-can":

Ben Chavez
1205 Plumas St.
Reno, NV 89509
775-322-8868
bchavez@unr.edu

 

[driften]

Good Job! I bet it looks even nicer in person.

I have two snakewood blanks just waiting in wax right now. I don't want to waist them on anything less then a Baron/Statesman. If they come out it needs to be high end! I think I will turn then and wait a little while before putting the rest of the parts on so that I only waist tubes if they split after making it though turning.

 

[PenWorks]

Great lookingpen Jim. I to love that stuff. I just finished repairing two that had split, they go in the sale rack or to be given away to good clients. Even after the split is repaired, you still see the cracks, but it is still a good looking defect!

 

[Old Griz]

Very sweet.. have not done snakewood yet... but from what I have been hearing probably won't... LOL

 

[ed4copies]

I can only say, "Amen" to Jim Lambert's comments. Ebony, Pink Ivory and snakewood are on the "never again" list.

BUT it sure is a nice looking pen!!!

 

[lkorn]

Anthony,
How do you go about repairing the cracks? I turned some P.I. atomizers last Christmas and filled the cracks with CA & sawdust, but the results wee far less than satisfactory. Fortunately, one was for my wife and another for a good friend who appreciated the effort from a novice.

Originally posted by penworks
<br />Great lookingpen Jim. I to love that stuff. I just finished repairing two that had split, they go in the sale rack or to be given away to good clients. Even after the split is repaired, you still see the cracks, but it is still a good looking defect!

 

[PenWorks]

Larry, when snake wood cracks, (at least the ones I have had crack) it is just a thin line or hair line split, no real big seperation, I just super glue, resand till smooth and refinish. You can still see where the split was, but still looks real good. Like I said, I sell them for just my cost in the pen or give them away. They still are way to pretty to pitch.