375 H&H mag

[its_virgil]

I got an email wanting a rollerball made from a 375 H&H mag that was used on a hunt in Africa with mopani wood from there also. I choose the baron kit. The pen was made over the last few months via email and phone calls and several iterations. I was finally able to make the final version using the real shell case and special wood sent by the customer. I don't particularly like the result but the design was dictated by the customer, with a little input from me, of course. I know one thing, I didn't charge near enough for this custom order. Comments welcome, good, bad, or indifferent and I do expect some of all three on this one....but his check cashed:biggrin:. Wow, I thought I wiped off all of the dust.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[ldb2000]

I'm not a fan of it either but you did an awesome job with it . The customer is always right ....as long as the check clears :biggrin:

 

[toolcrazy]

Very cool pen, nice work.

 

[angelofdeath]

That is a nicely done pen....as I am not a huge fan of the design, but like Butch said the customer is always right.

 

[Darley]

Don that not my cuppa of tea, but you done good for the client, did you add yourself the beads on the pen? and is that ebony bead on the cap?

Whatever the client want or ask and if he paid that good enougth for me :biggrin:

 

[rherrell]

I like it!:biggrin: Great job!

 

[papaturner]

Craftsmanship is as always...... Awesome. Jury still out on the design.

 

[Chuck Key]

Bullet Fountain Pen?

Could this be a fountain pen too? I really like it. A nice break from the usual slim style!!

 

[scotian12]

Don...I like the design on this pen. The beading is a nice touch and adds interest to the pen. With the extra metal is the pen heavier than usual? Darrell

 

[wdcav1952]

Don, very innovative. As to the bad or indifferent (with apologies to Paul and Art)

It's the same old story
Everywhere I go,
I get slandered,
Libeled,
I hear words I never heard
In the Bible
And I'm one step ahead of the shoe shine
Two steps away from the county line
Just trying to keep my customers satisfied,
Satisfied.

 

[CaptG]

Don, I like it. That is a beauty that your customer will long cherish. Nice job.

 

[jttheclockman]

Don it does look fine and sure would like to see a photo of it with the cap on if it is possible before you ship it off. Did you powdercoat the shell casing???

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks Serge. And yes, I did the beads myself and you can too, my friend:wink::biggrin: The beads on the cap are indeed ebony. It was a fun pen to make even though I'm not warmed up to the design.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don that not my cuppa of tea, but you done good for the client, did you add yourself the beads on the pen? and is that ebony bead on the cap?

Whatever the client want or ask and if he paid that good enougth for me :biggrin:

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks Chuckie. Yes, it could be a fountain pen by changing out the front section. It is too long for my taste but it had to be to hold the rollerball inkfill. If it were just a fountain pen the wooden section on the barrel could be shortened or even left off. I plan to take the wooden section off of the prototype and make it into a fountain pen for my collection.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Could this be a fountain pen too? I really like it. A nice break from the usual slim style!!

 

[penmanship]

To put a postive "spin" (no pun intended) on this pen:

• Excellent workmanship &
• The cheque cleared

 

[woodchip]

I like it, good job.

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks for all of the comments. I appreciate the open and honest comments. I always ask for comments: good, bad, or indifferent. I really want to know what others here think about the pens I make. Thanks again!

The pen has an overall length of just a little over 5 3/4 inches. The cap is 1/2 inch longer than the standard baron cap but we (well, I) felt it needed to be longer since the barrel was also longer by 3/8ths of an inch. The shorter cap just looked odd to me. A stock baron is 5 inches long when finished. Notice I left off the two rings on the cap coupler. I didn't like the black and gold rings next to the ebony bead. Laving off those two rings on a stock baron changes the look considerably and shortens the length just a little. I often leave off those two rings for a nice but different look.

I've attached a picture of my first design for the cap. The customer didn't like it but I may incorporate it into a pen for myself. I've also attached a picture of the pen with the cap in place as requested.

The pen weighs 1.68 oz or 47.8 grams. The barrel itself weighs 29.8 grams or 1.07 oz. A standard barron I weighed was 1.26 oz or 36.6 grams.

Thanks again for the feedback.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[MorganGrafixx]

Nice work. I think the design choices are something that matter to only one person...the one buying it. If he is happy, that's what's important. The fact that you managed to take his complicated requests and produce a precision instrument really says something about your craftsmanship. Well done.

About the orig. cap pictures you just posted...very nice. I had the images up on the screen then went away for a minute and when I came back in the room I glanced at the pics again and got an idea. What if you took the exact same design for JUST the cap (orig.) and made it bigger? Bigger to the size of a cigar (smoking kind) tube and used it as a case for any ammo pens you sell in the future. I just think it would look cool as hell to have a .762 mm brass round pen that comes in a wooden tube case that has just as much artistic craftsmanship as the pen itself.

 

[jttheclockman]

Don

Thanks for posting the completed pictures and have to say the pen takes on a different look with the cap on. Job well done for making the customer happy. Looks like a lot of work went into that one. Nice work.

 

[its_virgil]

I actually don't like it as well with the cap on. It really looks long sitting next to other pens. I meant to tell you that the brass is not powdercoated as per cusomer request. He wants it to tarnish just a little, but I couldn't let it leave without polishing it.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don

Thanks for posting the completed pictures and have to say the pen takes on a different look with the cap on. Job well done for making the customer happy. Looks like a lot of work went into that one. Nice work.

 

[jttheclockman]

Read right through that message did you??? (he He) You did do a great job with it though. Had to be alot of work.

 

[workinforwood]

I do like it. It's well executed and not overdone.

 

[its_virgil]

Nice work. I think the design choices are something that matter to only one person...the one buying it. If he is happy, that's what's important. The fact that you managed to take his complicated requests and produce a precision instrument really says something about your craftsmanship. Well done.

I agree, taste (design choices) is a personal thing and is not debatable but it's ok if someone's taste does not agree with mine. Thanks for considering the workmanship comments.

About the orig. cap pictures you just posted...very nice. I had the images up on the screen then went away for a minute and when I came back in the room I glanced at the pics again and got an idea. What if you took the exact same design for JUST the cap (orig.) and made it bigger? Bigger to the size of a cigar (smoking kind) tube and used it as a case for any ammo pens you sell in the future. I just think it would look cool as hell to have a .762 mm brass round pen that comes in a wooden tube case that has just as much artistic craftsmanship as the pen itself.

I tried to make the cap look like the cartridge. Cool idea to have it large enough to be a pen case. That's now on my to do list. Maybe you can get it done ... if so, post a piccture.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[sparhawk]

Don in the first pics i really liked the pen. Think it looked nice and something different . But with the cap on>>>> no way. Of course the customer is (almost?) always right. Great workmanship on it though

 

[bitshird]

Don, while it's not a pen I would like, the craftsmanship is excellent, I like the prototype cap, however the main thing is that the customer likes it, That's all that matters.

 

[its_virgil]

He has only seen it in pictures and I do hope he is still pleased when it arrives. I really like the original cap also. I'm just glad it is finished...it's been going on since Nov 1.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don, while it's not a pen I would like, the craftsmanship is excellent, I like the prototype cap, however the main thing is that the customer likes it, That's all that matters.