I like it; that has a lot of cool factor.
Thanks
Well done, what plating are you going to use.
Thanks. For the twist and rollerball, I'm using chrome. For the Majestic, I'm using rhodium.
I like the look of open grain. I never fill the voids on a wood pen.
Thanks, Rocky.
I agree with Rocky - Nothing wrong with open grain, and a natural feel.
You may also want to consider some easy trim rings. Not that much more complicated, but a bit more planning, but a nice appearance for plain grained woods:
View in Gallery
View in Gallery
Thank you, Mark. I hadn't thought of that, but it's certainly an option. I'll do some more experimenting.
First of all, those old woods can be cut at various angles to increase the grain structure and colours and you can also try making them with the finish you use on this straight grain pen and a gloss finish that way you will have 2 options on finish instead on only one, for repeated pens, the ones that will sell the most will be the ones you need to make more of, regardless what the finish or wood angle, is...!
For me, making a pen out of a "historical" (of any nature) wood should be looking as close as possible with is natural aged looks so, in this case, the technique you used in this pen is to me, one of the best finishes you could have done, however, I prefer gloss finishes generally but this is not a general pen...!:biggrin::wink:
Well done...!
Cheers
George
Thank you, George. I do have enough wood to try cutting at an angle across the grain instead of with the grain, so I'll add that to my experimentation set.
I am not a fan of the look. But you are the one making. Who will ever remember the story. To me when you say highend store I see $$$ in pens that scream $$$$No screaming there. Ordinary wood pen. Splintering will be a factor with that many sharp edges in wood. Just my opinion. Good luck
That's a bit of the issue I'm having as well. And that's the dilemma — how do you simultaneously let the weathered wood tell its story while also appearing high-end?
There's no risk of splintering. It's not like the wood is truly weathered and rough. The best way I can describe it is textured but smooth.
As far as who will remember the story, each pen will come with a custom card with the history.
I like what you've done, it keeps the story but adds a little character. The general consensus on the story woods is that they are usually boring, but boring woods with a good story sell better than beautiful woods with no story. I'd suggest pushing the story as much as you can - the specific building, where the wood was in the building, an old B&W photo... In addition to your darkening technique, you could also try crosscut or angle cut blanks, this can sometimes add unique character.
Thanks, Sam. Yeah, each pen will have a custom card detailing the history.
I like the look of the pens.
Let's people know they are wood pens.
Great job
Thank you.
I kinda dig it and think it would be a very cool look/feel. I'm thinking that it brings in the history of the wood and helps it tell a story, whereas my wife said she prefers smooth pens, so she probably wouldn't like one based on that.
I love the accentuated grain in that pen. Looks great!
Your wife on the other hand, shows the difference in view points and likes and dislikes! Not everyone likes flat finished grain accented wood, or how to appreciate it. (The majority don't, IMO.) People sometimes think I am a 100% proponent of shiny CA finish. I am not. But when someone says CA is ugly or plastic looking in a degrading tone, I take a stand. It is ugly to them. It is not a blanket statement. Shiny sells much better. Sure, one can build a vertical market of clientele that like one kind only, and that is good. That doesn't mean the "shiny" or "flat" or "waxed" is bad or lesser.
Great work!
Thank you, Hank. And yeah, you've kinda hit upon the crux, and that is — the wood/desired effect should dictate the finish. This is something I deal with in the guitar world with every build.
Thanks for all the comments, everyone. I do appreciate all the input.
It lets me know that, for the most part, I'm on the right track, but there are definitely some things I need to address in order to achieve what I'm looking for.