IB 702 & IB 703

[Tea Clipper]

....IB What??? Hehe, you guys don't see these very often. I bought these kits from the UK probably two years ago, took one look at the "instructions" and quickly forgot about them. Well, I ran across these (while looking for something else) and decided to give them a try.

Too bad the plating is only 24k, and I don't care much for the clip, however it was the challenge they presented that intrigued me. With only the picture to guide me, I had to deal with a stepped tube, obviously no bushings, closed-end finials, and the upper barrel needed a notch for the clip which I didn't realize until I tried to assemble w/o it. Sadly, I messed up a measurement and undercut the lower body on both of them. I'm also not satisfied with the transitions on the finials, plus I cracked the top finial of one during assembly.

I think overall it went well. These kits gave me a challenge and showed me areas I need to improve on. For me, they represent how far I've come in pen making, and how far I still need to go.

The wood is Pau Rosa with a quick and dirty CA finish.

Please feel free to comment good or bad as you see fit.
Thanks for looking!

 

[sparhawk]

Considering all the problems they turned out pretty well.

 

[redfishsc]

Very pretty pens!

I recently sold Jr. Retro to the Dean of Students at the Seminary I attend. He handed me a fountain pen that is IDENTICAL to the ones you have above. He visited the Qumran caves where the 2000 year old Dead Sea Scrolls of the Old Testament were found many years ago.

He bought the pen from a souvenir shop, assuming the wood was from the area (it looks like movingue to me, dark yellowish brown). The nib on this pen never wrote well for him-- was always scratchy. I swapped the nib with the replacement nibs from CSA and it writes fine and dandy.



I sure wish these kit companies would offer us a DEPENDABLE, NICELY THREADED SMALLER FOUNTAIN PEN like these *almost* are.

 

[stevers]

Thats a pretty cool kit. Like the caps ends, nice look with the matching wood. Nice CB also.
Good job.

 

[rjwolfe3]

nice looking pens - look complicated to make

 

[skiprat]

Those are the Regency kit from CS UK. I don't know if they still sell them. Rich Klienhanz (sp?) Had a good tutorial on the IAP home page when I first joined. Like you said, pity about the plating.
You did a fine job on them though, they are a bit tricky.

 

[karlkuehn]

Originally posted by Tea Clipper
...I had to deal with a stepped tube, obviously no bushings, closed-end finials, and the upper barrel needed a notch for the clip which I didn't realize until I tried to assemble w/o it. Sadly, I messed up a measurement and undercut the lower body on both of them. I'm also not satisfied with the transitions on the finials, plus I cracked the top finial of one during assembly.

I think overall it went well...

My friend, if they sold your attitude in a bottle, I'd be homeless! heh

Nice work, that sounds like a real pain! Interesting and nice looking pens!

 

[MDWine]

Nice! They look good from here.

 

[Ligget]

You made a great job, I never tried them myself as I buy all my stuff from the USA or Canada, now you know why! lol

 

[Tea Clipper]

This is the Regency's little brother, the Continental.

Thanks for your comments guys!

 

[Dalecamino]

They are both very nice ! I ain't even gonna try one !! [8D]