Final Round - Kitless contest

[darrin1200]

Here it is folks, you spoke and I heard you.

The finalist, in no particular order, are listed here for you to review once again. I have kept their original entry numbers for continuity.
As I am not to cruel, I will allow you to pick 2 favorites.
This Poll will be open until Monday morning at about 6am EST. That should give everyone time to commiserate.

Let The Voting Begin

 

[darrin1200]

Entry 1

Two blanks were used, both casted with liquid diamonds epoxy resin and mica powders.
The main blank used for the body, cap, and section is a combination of black and interference micas.
The metal pieces are brass.
The fountain pen triplet is Jowo #6.

 

[darrin1200]

Entry 6

This is a 'Faux' Negoro style fountain pen.
The pen body, cap, and section are made from Japanese ebonite turned to size and shape on metal and wood lathes.
Threading was done manually using taps and dies. The cap and body threading is triple start.
The pen uses a standard ink converter and is fitted with a Bock #5 nib section.
The pen is finished with urushi in the tranditional Negoro style (twenty layers of lacquer were applied over about 6 weeks), although it departs from the usual Negoro nuri in that multiple transparent layers were added on top of the colored layers and then polished by hand.

 

[darrin1200]

Entry 8

I have made a Kitless Rollerball Bullet Pen with a threaded cap.

I used 3 brass cartridges made by Winchester, 2 of which are 458 Magnums and a 30-06, and a 30 cal. 190 grain copper Sierra bullet.
I made a die out of some stainless rod to expand the 458 cases slightly, to fit over the 30-06 cartridge.
I turned 2 aluminium adapters to enable it all to fit together, they are both held inside the 458 cartridges by an inhex stainless steel screw, which fits into the firing cap recess after it is machined out to suit.
The adapter for the pen barrel has a 9mm male thread cut on it which screws into the end of the 30-06 cartridge which has a 9mm female thread, this can be unscrewed to replace the rollerball cartridge.
The adapter for the cap is drilled out and tapped with a 9mm thread to suit the 9mm thread which I cut on the neck of the 30-06 cartridge. The cap unscrews with 2.5 turns.
I made the clip from some 1mm thick stainless sheet. I milled a slot in the 458 cap cartridge for the clip to sit in, and the clip has a hole for the stainless screw to clamp it under the aluminium cap adapter.
It all has been buffed and polished, and given a coat of Canauba wax, the pen will develop a lovely patina with use.

 

[darrin1200]

Entry 10

I made this pen of rosewood.
I threaded the wood with double threads.
Turned it, drew the ridges, and sculpted 8 facets (so that they always align) with rasps and files.
Sanded, polished and dipped in BLO.
I added a roll stop.
Cap, barrel and roll stop are topped with a white mother-of-pearl dot.
I only bought the Jowo nib and the converter.

 

[darrin1200]

Entry 11

Pen material
Body Italian resin,
Finials and nib section Vintage Tiffany Casein,
Metal is Argentium Silver.
Only purchased parts are the nib and feed.

Clip is a grapevine theme and has a Grape Agate specimen set in it, all silver work done by myself from sheet and wire. Nib is a Jowo #6

 

[darrin1200]

Entry 13

Two blanks were used, both home-casted with liquid diamonds epoxy resin.
For the body, cap and section a combination of 3 mica colors (black and 2 in the purple range).
For the finials and coupler a combination of 5 interference mica.
The fountain pen triplet is Jowo #6.

Musical ambiance while making it, mostly Prince and, yes, Purple Rain

 

[darrin1200]

Get your votes in folks. It is close.
We have a running tie for one of the winning positions, I won't say which

 

[darrin1200]

All right guys. We're in the home stretch.

7 hours to go.

I'll announce the winners at breakfast (in Ontario) tomorrow.

See you then.