Hickory pen

[CMC75]

Hello woodworkers, wondering if anyone has a pen made of Shagbark Hickory. I have a lot of dried boards and wondering how it looks. Tried to search the key word"hickory" but still looking. Thought I would ask.


Also, (just starting pen turning) I read that not all pen kits are the same as far as quality even though they say they're the same. Can you help understand what to stay clear of in terms of buying pen kits?

 

[Woodchipper]

For the hickory, cut some blanks and turn them. I have turned pecan which is the first cousin of hickory. Bit of coarse grain but can be finished good with sandpaper and CA glue. There are a bunch of sources for pen kits. I'll let the more experienced member chime in here.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

First, the hickory you have will make some very attractive pens. Don't hesitate to use it.

Second, pen kit quality does vary. The main supplier from Taiwan who made a lot of the high quality kits turners liked closed and we are let primarily with Chinese manufacturers. There is one American made pen kit company that I know of.

All of that to say, don't stress over it starting out. I haven't had any major issues with the Chinese made kits over the years. Start out with what kits you like and can afford to just enjoy the process. Most of us started out with slimline kits and I still make a bunch of them. Don't get hung up over kit quality starting out.

Check out the resources tab for tutorials and many other things that can help you.

 

[CMC75]

There is one American made pen kit company that I know of.

Could you tell me where to find this product?

We did make slimline pens in our class. My 10 year old did a good job for his first time on a lathe. His is the light colored wood. First pen making for both of us.

 

[walshjp17]

Could you tell me where to find this product?

McKenzie Penworks. https://www.mckenziepenworks.com/

 

[egnald]

It's a two part-er.

First, I love how hickory turns. I don't know much about the specifics of the wood between shagbark and plain old hickory; however, they both have a nice contrast between the pale almond colored sapwood and a light reddish-brown heartwood. (I've seen the nice mix between sapwood and heartwood referenced as calico hickory. It is my personal favorite for tool handles and I always try to pick out hickory boards that have some mix of sapwood and heartwood. It should make great looking pens!

Part Two, Although there are many great suppliers that are members of IAP and commit heavily to the craft, my personal go-to supplier is Exotic Blanks from Racine Wisconsin. They carry many companies products as well as some that are of their own design. Ed Brown, Dawn Kizer, and their associates are top tier for customer service and all around pen turning expertise. (I think the kits you are referring to are likely PSI Slimline models.) Exotic Blanks carries these along with many other variety of slimline type kits. For slim ballpoint pens my preference however is the Streamline. Like me, it is a little thicker in the middle with a slightly larger center band so it does require different bushings (unless you are turning between centers without bushings).

Great looking first pens by the way, and of course, welcome to the IAP community! - Dave

PS I am also sending a private message to you following this post. Look for it by clicking on the little envelope at the top of the page next to your IAP username.

Dave