Finishing bullet casing pens

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cseymour

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Joined
Feb 11, 2012
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Location
Newburgh NY
Hello all,
I have been asked to make a few pens from bullet casings. Was wondering what finish would work on the casing itself? Should I just polish it or is there a finish I could apply to it?

Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thank you
 
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When I was making those years ago I would powder coat them with a clear. The one thing that did was to darken the copper bullet but people liked that.

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I powder coat my 50 cal casings before assembling the 50 cal bullet because of its size.
However, I use Cerakote clear for aluminum as a dip for my 30 cals and the 50 cal nib. Doesn't darken the copper. They recently came out with a multipurpose clear which should work as well.
 
Monty said:
I powder coat my 50 cal casings before assembling the 50 cal bullet because of its size.
However, I use Cerakote clear for aluminum as a dip for my 30 cals and the 50 cal nib. Doesn't darken the copper. They recently came out with a multipurpose clear which should work as well.
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Thank you Mannie -- I will take a look. Much appreciated.
 
I was always afraid to use a spray on lacquer because of chipping especially on the key rings. They get tossed in the pockets and powdercoating is very tough finish. At one time was thinking of trying the powdercoating for wood on my wood pens but never got around to it. if you are doing a few at a time I guess the spray works well. I was making in batches. I have stopped making them years ago. Not a big seller for me.

Not coating the copper bullet will darken it somewhat anyway because of oxidation. To me I liked the contrast.
 
I use to make a bunch of these & sell on local hunting forums. I polished them & explained to the customer that over time they would develop a natural patina. They was happy with the patina developing over time.
 
Sataro said:
I use to make a bunch of these & sell on local hunting forums. I polished them & explained to the customer that over time they would develop a natural patina. They was happy with the patina developing over time.
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Thank you Billie -- I may try a few like this as well.
Very much an experiment at this point
 
I made a couple of the 50 caliber pens. I started polishing the brass on the lathe without really looking it over. I used a tight fitting dowel inserted in the mouth of the case to hold it on the lathe. There were deep nicks and scratches and one dent where the case hit the gun on extraction. Also the mouth was out of round. I used a dowel to get the mouth back to round.
I decided it would be a too much work to get a high polish so I left a slightly dull finish on the brass. I then coated it with several coats of CA with the lathe spinning slowly. After the CA set, I sanded it with micromesh to a satin finish. It turned out nice and the lady I made it for really loved it.
If your start with unfired brass you should be able to get a mirror finish.

Mike
 
Mike said:
I made a couple of the 50 caliber pens. I started polishing the brass on the lathe without really looking it over. I used a tight fitting dowel inserted in the mouth of the case to hold it on the lathe. There were deep nicks and scratches and one dent where the case hit the gun on extraction. Also the mouth was out of round. I used a dowel to get the mouth back to round.
I decided it would be a too much work to get a high polish so I left a slightly dull finish on the brass. I then coated it with several coats of CA with the lathe spinning slowly. After the CA set, I sanded it with micromesh to a satin finish. It turned out nice and the lady I made it for really loved it.
If your start with unfired brass you should be able to get a mirror finish.

Mike
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Thank you Mike,
I am working with a kit that included the 50 cal casing, but I will be sure to give them a good once over.
Thank you for the advice.
 
Just to be clear, I was not complaining about the condition of the case, just noting it. I am pretty sure the description of the kit said it was fired brass.

Mike
 
I just hi shined a casing with tripoli and Simi paste. I used a small lathe with a 4" rag wheel (buffing wheel). Came out real nice however my hands got polished also. No finish going over it. The shine is the finish.
 
These look better close up. It's easier to polish than get a good photograph. Easiest way to buff is with a 3 or 4" buffing wheel. Any metal polish should work out well... Flitz, Simichrome, etc. I might experiment and wet sand with fine dental pumice first.
 

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WriteON said:
These look better close up. It's easier to polish than get a good photograph. Easiest way to buff is with a 3 or 4" buffing wheel. Any metal polish should work out well... Flitz, Simichrome, etc. I might experiment and wet sand with fine dental pumice first.
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Nice looking. I haven't thought of doing bullet pens, but these show the beauty that's possible.
 
cseymour said:
Hello all,
I have been asked to make a few pens from bullet casings. Was wondering what finish would work on the casing itself? Should I just polish it or is there a finish I could apply to it?

Any advice / suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thank you
Click to expand...
I have made two of the Magnum bullet pens from Pen State Industries and the casing that looks like a casing came already finished. Previously I struck out trying to make my own from a 30 caliber cartridge, but couldn't get mechanisms that could be fit into the cartridge for the tip. However, I used Mediu CA on the polished brass and it worked out well. CA will easily finish on a clean cartridge. Send a picture when your done with your bullet pen.
Marcus
 
I made a couple of pens from the 50 caliber kits. I used a 1/2" dowel in the throat that went all the way to the bottom of the case. I think I needed one thickness of tape around the dowel for a tighter fit. I put the dowel in the 4 jaw chuck and the live center point in the firing pin dimple and polished on the lathe. Polished to 12000 grit MM and then removed from lathe and finished on buffer with white diamond.
Cleaned with DNA. I finished one of them with CA and 1 with vintage J and J floor wax, both on the lathe. The dowel works well for a handle while polishing on the buffer. Not so much polishing your hands either.
I no longer have either of them, so no pics. And I am no good at photography anyway.

Mike
 
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