Before I let this get totally out of hand, let me thank those of you who have posted comments on the pen. I truly appreciate them. Ruth, I'm just teasing about the "girlie" comment. Although most of my pastel colored pens have sold for women, some have been bought by men...and not just men from Frisco or Key West, either. Hank - finding good pink ivory is difficult. I only buy from known sources who know that I prefer the deep pink. I do not color them. I will occasionally buy a group of lighter pastels but they attract a different clientele. Ed, and others, they tell me pink ivory cracks like snakewood and Gaboon ebony. I'm too dumb to know better, so I just keep making pens from the stuff. With my 3 year warranty, I hope I don't start getting them back! (None so far...knock on snake wood)