Just that Civil War Guy Goofing Off Again... This time with Fire

[civilwartalk]

Hey Look, I made a thing!

A thing made out of Ash Wood actually. It feels real nice.

Earlier, I made several pens, and I did that traditional CA finish thing, and I think I was getting the hang of it, but I still wasn't happy. It didn't feel like Wood to me, I wanted the pen to feel used, like a good leather bomber jacket. Better yet, I wanted to look and feel like it had been used by a Civil War soldier for a few months on campaign... So I had to go another route....

So this is what I came up with, and I'm pretty happy with the results! It's got lots of color! It's got lots of texture, but yet it still feels smooth to the touch, and it's a comfortable pen in this form. As I'm sure many will guess, the fire treatment used here worked very well to bring out the grain! Who doesn't like working with Fire!

I hope it looks good.

It's glossy, but not too much. Friction polish wasn't going to work here... and at first I was stumped at what to do to finish this pen. I selected to finish it with two light coats of Krylon Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze at (*cough*) my wife's recommendation. (I checked and saw other guys here have used it, so I went for it...) She was right.... this time.

The pen looks like it's used, even though that's how it came off the lathe finished, so mission accomplished there. Based on what I was attempting to achieve, it's just about perfect.

This is my second Civil War Pen, and I'll be honest, I'm a Civil War guy, but I find the clip on this pen cheesy, and I couldn't bring myself to put it on after the first one. It ruined the pen for me. I'll have to come up with a different clip, or just leave it off.

Leaving the clip off does have advantages. Who says the pen isn't mightier than the gun? I'll show them!

​

Well, since I got that out anyway, I might as well do something for my site, I need to start promoting Shenandoah Arsenal Penturning to my Forum sooner or later right? How is this for a promo photo?

I think that will work, I'll post that on my site....

The pen on the right was my first CW Pen Kit, it was my first attempt at the same finish, but the results were all wrong, I should have scrapped it. My wife says she likes the color and feel of my first pen, she's not a fan of the texture of the wood on my latest pen. So, I know it's not for everyone....

I bet you are wondering where the Ash Wood came from.... well, I can tell you this is 100% legally obtained Civil War Witness Tree wood, from private property with a documented history. Tree came down in 2020, and I'm the only person as far as I know that has access to the wood, because as far as I know, I'm the only person who asked for access. I can say for now that it came from Pennsylvania, but I'm not yet ready to talk about specifics....

Now, if the post office will just deliver that small expensive slab of wood I ordered, I'll be a happy camper!

 

[Jonkou]

Well done. If the ball point pen existed in 1863 it could have looked like that. Would like to hear the Gettysburg stories told if that Ash could talk.

 

[magpens]

@civilwartalk

I like what you have shown, and I like following your developments.

I will say one thing .... if you keep showing pens without clips there are some folks who will complain. . I can sympathize if that happens, because I have also been caught up in some developments which I find exciting. . I have shown some of them in this Forum in recent months. . But adding the "final" touch of a clip has been a challenge that I have not yet successfully come to grips with. . If you look at a thread of mine with "Breaking" in the title, you will see what I am referring to. . I tell you this because I am in the same boat as you with regard to showing a "concept pen" without a clip.

Anyway .... hang in there. . Someday the inspiration will come to both of us .... adding the right clip to an already outstanding pen !!

Keep up the good work !!!

 

[civilwartalk]

@civilwartalk

I like what you have shown, and I like following your developments.

I will say one thing .... if you keep showing pens without clips there are some folks who will complain. . I can sympathize if that happens, because I have also been caught up in some developments which I find exciting. . I have shown some of them in this Forum in recent months. . But adding the "final" touch of a clip has been a challenge that I have not yet successfully come to grips with. . If you look at a thread of mine with "Breaking" in the title, you will see what I am referring to. . I tell you this because I am in the same boat as you with regard to showing a "concept pen" without a clip.

Anyway .... hang in there. . Someday the inspiration will come to both of us .... adding the right clip to an already outstanding pen !!

Keep up the good work !!!

I'm actually working on a solution to this problem, I'm thinking this particular pen is going to be my EDC pen, and I'm going to make a leather belt holster for it using the same black leather we use for our cap and cartridge boxes. It really won't need it. Beside that, I'm happy too, I like to fiddle with my pen, it's so delightful to hold, I think I'd be less happy with a clip, so I'm happy with it, it's going to be mine, I'm not going to give it to someone else. I just like it too much, I don't think I could part with it....

I may have to tie a red white and blue ribbon on the one I sell, I dunno, I just find the stock clip unappealing. It's too gimmicky, sure the whole pen is, but the clip takes it too far. I don't know if other clips would be compatible to class it back up... eh. It's fine.

Shame of that is I have much better woods waiting to be worked on, but this is a good pen for an EDC, I just put a Fischer Space Pen Refill in it, so I'm good to go!

 

[PreacherJon]

I think doing up a pen from a wood of that historic era is a great idea. I've done it twice:

One went a History Teacher that was shipping off over seas: I made him a pen from the Rappahannock dam.

The trees this wood came from are very old and historic. They are from the Fredericksburg area of
Virginia, and between 350 to 400 years old. They were seedling before we were a nation.

They were witnesses to some of the first settlers arriving to colonize Virginia. George Washington
grew up not too far from them. They watched as the colonists fought for their independence, won, and
birthed this great nation.
When full grown they were harvested to be part of the dam that would provide power to the industry of
Fredericksburg. In December, 1854 the Crib Dam was completed. Comprised of pines and oaks, the dam was
anchored in the Rappahannock River to divert water into Fredericksburg and drive its many mills.

The dam fought in two battles in the Civil War, seeing service in The Battles of Fredericksburg and
Chancellorsville, to name a few. It continued working hard driving industry until relieved by the Embry
Dam in 1910. For 94 years it rested under the waters of the Rappahannock. In 2003 was removed to allow
the river to run free once again.

The other pen I gave to my son who is a military buff: Civil War pen gun metal finish. The wood is Oak Burl from Gettysburg, Pa.

 

[mnerland]

I like the idea of a unique roll stopper on a pen of historic significance. Just a thought!