How Fat Should a Sierra Be?

[duderubble]

These are my first three kits of this type. The first was the crosscut cocobolo which is a stunning piece of timber. But she's a tad on the hefty side in my opinion. That sparkly girl was number two in a piece of Inlace Acrylester, still a little thick (By the way this one got a CA finish on top of the acrylic because those sparkles didn't look right without it.). The last one was a piece of Rhino blank that went on the meth diet because of some chipping. I got rid of all the chips but she's pretty skinny. I'd say almost dead straight.

What does right look like? My guess is somewhere between two and three.

 

[tomtedesco]

Right is what you like. Thin or thick is in the users/turners opinion, they all look good to me.

 

[JimB]

I prefer #3. I don't like the bulge look on pens but that is just my opinion. It's all about personal taste.

 

[cpmech425]

The pens look great! I agree with tomtedesco whatever you like is how you should turn them.

 

[Dr_N]

I prefer the third one. I typically like a fairly straight profile, or a slight taper on the ends. Also, the thicker they are, the tighter the clip gets, which can really wear on shirt pockets if you are a pocket carrier.

 

[dogcatcher]

I also prefer 3, the others don;t do it for me.

 

[JohnU]

I've always like a slight taper but that's just me. I've had requests for both - more profile or as thin as possible. Everyone has their own taste, so to me "right" is what you like.

 

[Lucky2]

Guy, like the other's have posted, it's a matter of preference. What size doe the turner prefer to make, for me, it's the one on the right. But, it's good to have a variety of sizes, not all hands are the same size. Plus, people with arthritis, sometimes require a larger size pen, because of issues with their hands.

Len

 

[jttheclockman]

To me I am a bushing to bushing type guy when it comes to most pens. May have to add a slight bulge in the middle if you are casting things. But to me the Sierra speaks for itself because of the line it presents and can not figure out why people need to bulge those out I have heard the arthritis thing so much and just do not buy it. To when you see people make pens with huge bulges is because they are newbies. I say this 1000 times, take a look at big name pen companies and show me one pen where the pen looks pregnant. We need to try to emulate the pros that have been doing this many years before this site was even a twinkle. Now back to the sierra. Take a look at the lower section on the pen and look at the natural curve down to the nib. What I try to do is follow that natural curve all the way up to the cap portion and it is a natural flow throughout the pen. A slight bow as you may. I do not think a straight barrel end to end on a Sierra is a good look either. The Vista kit which is slightly larger gives even a greater bow here are a couple examples of what I am talking about that I recently finished. They are different kits but same Sierra design. Now this is all just my opinion.

 

[carlmorrell]

JohnT - I agree. Look at the lines, they flow from the blank to the nib. I hate pregnant bodies we see so much here.

 

[wouldentu2?]

I prefer a just slightly thicker in the middle, closer to 3 than 2.

 

[Dehn0045]

I agree with JT, perfect cylinder is a good goal for most pens. I find that if the barrel is slightly overturned in the middle - even a few thousandths - it's really noticeable. But a comparable bulge almost always blends in. I shoot for about 0.010 to 0.015 over the max bushing diameter for the center "bulge". I do more on some styles sometimes - like the cigar or Jr Gent. Sierra's I shoot for pretty straight. It's all a matter of style and preference, but I do think a big bulge tends to be a Hallmark of a newbie - but not always.

 

[Buckmark13]

I guess size does matter after all.


Sorry....couldn't resist! My apologies!!

 

[More4dan]

My preference is a slight bulge too. I usually turn the blank straight about an 1/8" larger than the bushings and then taper to the ends. Three great pens!


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[mredburn]

Nice crushed velvet JT.

 

[jttheclockman]

Nice crushed velvet JT.

Thanks for letting me be able to try that material Mike It makes nice pens.

 

[qquake]

I also prefer a slight bulge in the middle. I usually turn the body to about 1/16" to 3/32" bigger than the bushings, then taper them. Some pens, however, do look better with a straight body, like the Phoenix Rising. But like others have stated, it is a matter of personal preference. But also like others have said, I don't like "pregnant" pens, with a big bulge. They're not appealing to me at all.

Why don't you get a few Executive kits (they're cheap), and play around a bit. Turn a straight one, and some with various thickness bulges, and see what you like. You can also get non penturners' opinions, and see which they prefer.

 

[johncrane]

i'm with JT on this one!

 

[RangeRat]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but personally I side with the slight bulge crowd. To me it has a cleaner flow.

 

[jttheclockman]

Just to give a little insight as to the way I do them is take a straight edge and lay it across the blank while I have in the bushings and this way I can see on both ends if the gap between bushing and blank is about the same. It becomes a matter of eye after you do enough of them. I can also tell if the bulge is equal as it goes down the blank. Easy to see when a straight edge is laying next to the blank. The eye does not lie.

 

[Texas Taco]

I prefer the lines of #3 for my personal pen. I'll turn some with a slight bulge to have in stock or when I'm asked for it. #1 just does not speak to me.

 

[PenHog]

... I say this 1000 times, take a look at big name pen companies and show me one pen where the pen looks pregnant. We need to try to emulate the pros that have been doing this many years before this site was even a twinkle.

First, very nice pens, John, you make that material really sparkle. I too prefer mostly straight-line pens, perhaps a slight curve, but that's just personal taste. And, Guy, nice job on all of those sierras; I'd pick 3 as my favorite, although I like that cocobolo.

If you look at SCRIBO pens or a Danitrio Mikado, I think they look bulgy --- perhaps not pregnant --- and I'd consider the makers to be pros. Just offering a possible counter example.

 

[PaulWitmer]

Guy:

Nice pens. There is not a wrong or right way to turn the pens. If you like a larger hand feel, then turn them fatter. If not, then turning the size of the bushings with just a very slight bulge is also fine.

I have large hands, so I like my pens somewhat large. In my shop, customers buy all sizes. I would estimate that most I've sold have a slight bulge like your #2.

Paul

 

[wolf creek knives]

I like a trimmer pen in certain pen styles. I had a logger out at my place a few years ago and he made mention that hugging a tree was like hugging a fat girl...his words not mine. Everyone will have a different opinion on how a pen should feel. Unlike my logger friend, I prefer a slimmer pen.

 

[sorcerertd]

Personally, I don't like the bulge type pens, either. The barrels always look fatter on the pen than the lathe, too. I prefer a taper that matches the curve of the hardware that I'm working with (most of the time anyway). It really doesn't look as bad on a single barrel pen, than on a double barrel, especially one so fat on the top half that the clip doesn't fit it right. Makes me think of a pregnant guppy. Anyway... just my own preference.