My favorite black trustone cracked

[rblakemore]

This is a PSI Trustone in black with gold web trustone. Trustone is one of my materials, I find it easy to turn and finish. I went to a meeting on a Wednesday night and Thursday morning this section at the cap was cracked. I do not know how or when this happened.
Has this happened to anybody else?

 

[SteveG]

It is sad to see that on a nicely finished pen. I have not experienced that after many Tru-Stone pens I have completed. It looks to be caused by a combo of two causes: poor glue contact (tube-to-blank) at the point of failure plus the motivationressure perhaps by residual glue inside the tube or too tight of fit on the hardware, which may have prompted the chunk to want to leave its rightful spot in the first place.

 

[mark james]

I agree, too tight of a fit from the mechanism eventually causing the matrix joints to crack.

I have a similar pen with gold matrix and a small crack along the matrix line is barely evident (still very nice however). I do know the fit was tight, but I thought... Gee - It's Tru-Stone! What could happen

I also really like turning Tru-Stone.

 

[ed4copies]

Two observations:
1) Trustone will usually break at the "lines", since these are the weakest point. I recommend using thin CA as "final binder" before whatever sanding and finishing regimen you use>

2) When you "face" the blank, be certain you get down to the brass. These days, we are all aware of the tube length being critical. BUT, if you are press fitting the clip holder into the pen and you are pressing on the trustone, rather than brass..........

This is not meant to be all inclusive, nor is it meant to say that is what caused this problem----just thoughts and suggestions to avoid problems when making trustone pens.

Ed

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

You've heard many reasons the crack could have happened. Can you find the chunk that cracked and fell out? If you can find it you should be able to glue it back in with thin CA. The joint may not be too evident to anyone else. Just my opinion.
Tim.

 

[Peter Durand]

This is a PSI Trustone in black with gold web trustone. Trustone is one of my materials, I find it easy to turn and finish. I went to a meeting on a Wednesday night and Thursday morning this section at the cap was cracked. I do not know how or when this happened.
Has this happened to anybody else?

Oh my, this is very timely indeed. I decided to try Truestone (both black and red with gold web) and yesterday received the 5 blanks I ordered from ExoticBlanks (along with a neat little giftie of TootsiRolls). I am quite new at pen making, only about 15 so far, and am wondering if there is anything particular to turning them.

Thanks,

Peter

 

[mark james]

Check the website for the differences in the Blanks you ordered. Some Tru Stone is softer than others. I have turned all four of the gold matrix' and they each were different. The black is beautiful, but be prepared to be covered in a fine dust.

I did like all four though - I like the Gold Matrix!

Mark

(Oh my, this is very timely indeed. I decided to try Truestone (both black and red with gold web) and yesterday received the 5 blanks I ordered from ExoticBlanks (along with a neat little giftie of TootsiRolls). I am quite new at pen making, only about 15 so far, and am wondering if there is anything particular to turning them.

Thanks,

Peter[/QUOTE])

 

[Swagopenturner]

I work with Tru-Stone quite a lot and still am amazed at its beauty. I also have had more than my share of cracks, chips, blemishes, and cussing, too. You mentioned you went to a meeting then came back to fine the crack. Is it possible there was a temperature difference between the times? Tru-Stone cracks for all the reasons mentioned above as well as too hot or too cold when pressing together components. That is the main reason it is recommended that you SLOW DOWN when drilling. Heat is a Tru-Stone killer. Only a customer dropping a beautiful pen on concrete tops heat for cracking the body!

 

[rblakemore]

Closeup of the crack

I have re-read everyone's responses, thanks.
I still like tru-stone a lot and will keep turning it. But, I will be a little more cautious.

The cracked piece is long gone unfortunately.
I have a link to a closeup in my dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/aa5ly09e69j2wna/9T4A7417_black_trustone_cracked.jpg

I was still using CA glue for tubes at the time, looking closely, it appears that there was an incomplete glue seal and the tru-stone pulled away (too tight??).

So, be careful with tru-stone; but, still use it. As a side note; I now have a crack in a maroon and gold web tru-stone and had a maroon and gold web blow out on the drill press just as the drill bit was exiting the bottom of the blank.

 

[carlmorrell]

Don't drill all the way through the blank. Cut the blank longer than you need. After drilling, cut off the end to reveal the bore.

 

[ed4copies]

Sharpen your drill bit.

AND don't drill all the way through, as stated above!

 

[BeSquare]

When I'm worried about blanks splitting at the end like that I will usually run a need of instant CA around the end of it and let it cure before I face it to the tube and assemble. The glue will wick down the end and make sure it has a solid adhesion to the tube.

-Rich

 

[mick]

That crack isn't a bad thing, it's an opportunity to enhance a beautiful pen. Get hold of some brass fillings, disassemble the cap fill the crack with them and refinish. Or use a contrasting color stone. That pen cries out for Jasper or turquoise. The piece is gone, might as well try something interesting to make it even better.

Sent from my HTC One