Straight or Bulge?

[mikeschn]

So when you guys make the PSI Classic Elite 2 Fountain Pens or RollerBall Pens, do you turn the blanks straight, or do you let them bulge out a little bit? The PSI catalog shows most of them with a slight bulge. Is that what you do?

The first one I made was pretty much straight, and it looks fine, but I wonder if that was the design intent?

Mike...

 

[CREID]

It's a personal preference.

 

[Drewboy22]

I have not made the pen in question, but I have done some sierras both straight and bulgy. I prefer the straight...

As said above, it is personal preference.

Drew

 

[Mortalis]

The first pen I made was from a Rockler slim line and I turned it straight. The wood I used was a well figured Elm with a BLO/Shellac concoction that was similar to a semi gloss and ever so slightly darkened the grain of the wood. It feels just like a Cross pen when you hold it and I didnt think I would like cause it I dont like the thin Cross pens but the grain of the wood makes it very different from a Cross pen and allows me to hold it without needed to crush it. I made that pen 3 years ago and use as my daily writer.

I only tell you that story as I didnt know to turn a bulge at that time but it turned out just fine. I now turn bulges as the pens look different than a store bought pen and the character of the wood has more chance to come out.

 

[qquake]

Like CREID said, it's personal preference. For me, the criteria is the design of the pen. For longer, thinner pens, I generally turn them straight. For shorter, especially single body pens, I generally turn them with a bulge. One thing I don't like at all is too big a bulge, or a "fat" pen. But that's just me, a lot of people do like them.

 

[qquake]

For some pens, though, I neither turn them straight nor with a bulge. One style that comes to mind are the Cigar and Big Ben pens. Since the bushings are different sizes, I turn them with a profile that transitions the smaller diameter into the larger diameter.

 

[qquake]

To throw another twist into the works, with some pens I'll turn a bulge in the upper body, but a profiled or straight lower body. Some that come to mind are the Graduate, Post Graduate, Rinehart, and Apollo Infinity. Once in a while, though, I will turn bulges into pen bodies for a specific reason. The last pen, another Post Graduate, I turned bulges in both bodies to accentuate the stripes in the SpectraPly blank.

 

[TattooedTurner]

I'm still pretty new but quickly found I prefer straight, especially on a larger diameter pen. After seeing that last post by qquake though, a bit of a bulge on the top barrel only looks really nice.

 

[OZturner]

I must admit my Bias, I am the only Fat One, when it comes to my Turning Pens.
I believe I carry enough Weight for both of us, that is Me and the Pen.
Another Aversion of Mine is the Skinny Waist, I haven't had one of those for more years that I can remember.
Brian.

 

[Brian G]

I prefer a subtle camber over a bulge, but don't mind a straight profile. When there's a large gap under the upper end of the clip, I think a camber looks better to fill the space.

I noticed the new Faith Hope Love rollerball and fountain pen kits in a recent PSI catalog. The examples look dreadful.

I dislike wasp thorax profiles on slimlines.

 

[campzeke]

Whatever appeals to you is what you should do. That said, I have found that with some acrylics you get a totally different look when finished straight or with a slight curve. I think the curve lets more light in and reflects differently giving it a different appearance.

 

[Rockytime]

No matter how nice the blank, how good the turning or how good the finish, bulging pens with the narrow waist are a turnoff for me.

 

[mmayo]

I turn a bunch of sierras. When the blank screams female buyer I try to make it straight so it is not too fat. For pens intended for men I make a slight bulge or make it straight. Sexist yes, but it seems to work. I do not like bulgy pens.

This simstone is as bulgy as I get.