My SE Kitless Pen Entry

[Ironwood]

Here is my entry in the Kitless Pen Comp, I came 3rd and also last, depending if you are an optimist or pessimist.
I am not disappointed to come third, the other 2 entries were very high class pens.
This is I think, my 5th kit less pen, and still finding my way.

I used a piece of Indian Rosewood ( aka Pennyleaf ), some black Ebonite, and some opaque or translucent resin labelled "Valentino", this blank has been sitting in my drawer for many years, I think it was a freebie blank included in an order from Exotic Blanks.

I made the clip out of some stainless steel I salvaged off an old hose clamp. This is the first time I left the clip ring exposed, I intentionally left the ring wider than the cap body to achieve the look I was after, but have been told by someone who has held the pen, that it should be flush with the cap body as it looks like it might be sloppy work.

Comments and criticism welcome.

As a side note, I think my photos in all 3 pens I entered in the SE comps look a bit flat, I photographed them inside my house beside a window with diffused sunlight coming through. Better lighting would have given them all a bit more punch. I didn't have time to redo the photos, as I had to leave home for work soon after I took them and only got home again late last night.

 

[Angela S]

This is very well done! I love the red with the wood and the stainless steel.

 

[jalbert]

Good work. I personally don't think it's sloppy to leave the clip ring slightly proud of the cap, but it seems to be a fine line. I tend to do that with mine, at my dad is always telling me he likes that as a little detail

 

[Ironwood]

This is very well done! I love the red with the wood and the stainless steel.

Thanks Angela. I also like this combination of colours and materials.

 

[Ironwood]

Good work. I personally don't think it's sloppy to leave the clip ring slightly proud of the cap, but it seems to be a fine line. I tend to do that with mine, at my dad is always telling me he likes that as a little detail

Thanks John. You might notice a bit of your clip styling influence in my pen, as I get a bit of my inspiration from looking at your work.
I made this clip on my metal lathe, I only have an old 3jaw chuck that has a bit of runout, so its not a perfect execution of constant protrusion all the way around.
I am trying to find a way to adapt a collet chuck to this lathe, it has a spindle nose thread of 2 inches X 4tpi ( I think ) Once I get this sorted it will make it easier for me to use this lathe for precision work. At the moment, I am doing nearly all of my work on one of my wood lathes.

 

[mark james]

Here is my entry in the Kitless Pen Comp, I came 3rd and also last, depending if you are an optimist or pessimist.
I am not disappointed to come third, the other 2 entries were very high class pens.
This is I think, my 5th kit less pen, and still finding my way.

I used a piece of Indian Rosewood ( aka Pennyleaf ), some black Ebonite, and some opaque or translucent resin labelled "Valentino", this blank has been sitting in my drawer for many years, I think it was a freebie blank included in an order from Exotic Blanks.

I made the clip out of some stainless steel I salvaged off an old hose clamp. This is the first time I left the clip ring exposed, I intentionally left the ring wider than the cap body to achieve the look I was after, but have been told by someone who has held the pen, that it should be flush with the cap body as it looks like it might be sloppy work.

Comments and criticism welcome.

As a side note, I think my photos in all 3 pens I entered in the SE comps look a bit flat, I photographed them inside my house beside a window with diffused sunlight coming through. Better lighting would have given them all a bit more punch. I didn't have time to redo the photos, as I had to leave home for work soon after I took them and only got home again late last night.

View attachment 224807

View attachment 224809

View attachment 224808

G'Day Brad. I'll give a few thoughts that should be viewed as "comments" and not "criticism."

I have almost no experience with fountain pens, so my comments are only for more basic penturning essentials, and are simply for your consideration.

As I have seen previous fountain pens, the semi visible/opaque areas do not appeal to me. As a basic penturner, I view most "see-throughs" as the" tube is showing", which we like to avoid.

I would love to see: A Paired upper and lower blank of the Indian Rosewood (or similar timber - many ava down under!). Keep the Black ebonite section as well as the red acrylic (it is visually appealing in this application). The upper sections would be of the Indian Rosewood, and I agree that the clip should be flush with the upper cap body.

I love your profile for the various elements, and especially the red middle section (not sure of the correct term). I have seen others fiddle with this middle section, and it is not to their benefit (IMO).

OK, so that is a very un-informed opinion of a kitless, fountain pen... that I have no experience constructing myself!!! (Apologies extended).

Oh, I sympathize with your comments on the photography. I have seen many pens that within the haze of a poor photograph, not optimal lighting, inexperience with editing, etc... AN AWESOME pen is not displayed as well as it could have. This is not a critique of the penturning skills, but the photography/editing/posting skills (which is not what the contest was about, but by necessity is still influential). This also extends to all the pens posted in the various forums - we need to be more cognizant of the pen, and be mindful that the display may not be optimal.

Obviously, great artistry and turning skills will be matched with wonderful photography and editing skills, but at times this is not the case.

I look forward to your future works.

Cheers, Mark

 

[Ironwood]

G'Day Brad. I'll give a few thoughts that should be viewed as "comments" and not "criticism."

I have almost no experience with fountain pens, so my comments are only for more basic penturning essentials, and are simply for your consideration.

As I have seen previous fountain pens, the semi visible/opaque areas do not appeal to me. As a basic penturner, I view most "see-throughs" as the" tube is showing", which we like to avoid.

I would love to see: A Paired upper and lower blank of the Indian Rosewood (or similar timber - many ava down under!). Keep the Black ebonite section as well as the red acrylic (it is visually appealing in this application). The upper sections would be of the Indian Rosewood, and I agree that the clip should be flush with the upper cap body.

I love your profile for the various elements, and especially the red middle section (not sure of the correct term). I have seen others fiddle with this middle section, and it is not to their benefit (IMO).

OK, so that is a very un-informed opinion of a kitless, fountain pen... that I have no experience constructing myself!!! (Apologies extended).

Oh, I sympathize with your comments on the photography. I have seen many pens that within the haze of a poor photograph, not optimal lighting, inexperience with editing, etc... AN AWESOME pen is not displayed as well as it could have. This is not a critique of the penturning skills, but the photography/editing/posting skills (which is not what the contest was about, but by necessity is still influential). This also extends to all the pens posted in the various forums - we need to be more cognizant of the pen, and be mindful that the display may not be optimal.

Obviously, great artistry and turning skills will be matched with wonderful photography and editing skills, but at times this is not the case.

I look forward to your future works.

Cheers, Mark

Mark, thanks for your comments, they are well accepted.
I consider myself a novice in the Kitless turning world, even though I have been making pens on and off for about the last 30 years, so I value all comments and criticism.
In time I will do more pens with matching timber in the cap and pen body, but first I need to sort out the precision of my turning gear. I believe that a quality timber pen needs to be fully lined inside the cap and pen body with a manmade material to provide support and stability to the thin timber , and to also provide for durable threads.

I also want to start stabilising the timber I use for these pens. Though Rosewood won't be a good candidate for this.
I am lucky with the Indian Rosewood, as it is an introduced species here, and has been declared a weed/pest, as it is taking over some areas around here.

I think I will shelve the exposed ring clips for now until I get my tooling sorted, so I can proceed with the accuracy I would like.

 

[magpens]

Quite frankly, I love this pen just as it is !!

The clip is an attractive feature and adds interest ... just as it is !!! . There is no need to drag in excuses to justify it being as it is !!

 

[RangeRat]

That's one stunning pen, Brad! I love the red on black and the wood is beautiful. Personally, I'm fond of the translucent material on fountain pens, but that's definitely a personal taste thing. The downside to it is that when ink leaks into the cap, it may stain. I had a semi-translucent alumalite cap that got stained and I couldn't get it clean. I was hesitant to use anything stronger than warm water and a qtip, though.

 

[dcameraman]

I am trying to find a way to adapt a collet chuck to this lathe, it has a spindle nose thread of 2 inches X 4tpi ( I think ) Once I get this sorted it will make it easier for me to use this lathe for precision work. At the moment, I am doing nearly all of my work on one of my wood lathes.

They do make MT taper collets that use a drawbar going through the headstock to tighten on the workpiece. They are a lot more precise than a 3 jaw chuck.

 

[Ironwood]

They do make MT taper collets that use a drawbar going through the headstock to tighten on the workpiece. They are a lot more precise than a 3 jaw chuck.

I have also been looking at that option. Unfortunately my lathe has a #4 1/2 MT, means I have to get an adapter. Grizzly have one, but won't ship it to Australia, I have found another one that has #3 MT internal taper, it will cost me about $100 landed here, then have to get a #3 MT collet Chuck. My other option is to get a collet Chuck made to suit my spindle thread. This will probably cost about the same, but would be my preferred option, as I can chuck up longer lengths that way. Or get an adapter made to go from my spindle thread down to M30 x 3.5 to take my existing #2 MT collet Chuck.
Anyway, still working out which way to go with it.

 

[Ironwood]

T

Quite frankly, I love this pen just as it is !!

The clip is an attractive feature and adds interest ... just as it is !!! . There is no need to drag in excuses to justify it being as it is !!

Thanks Mal. I like it too, but being a bit of a perfectionist, I seem to pick apart and analyse everything I do .

 

[magpens]

Thanks Mal. I like it too, but being a bit of a perfectionist, I seem to pick apart and analyse everything I do .

I fully understand .... I am of a similar "ilk" !!

 

[Ironwood]

That's one stunning pen, Brad! I love the red on black and the wood is beautiful. Personally, I'm fond of the translucent material on fountain pens, but that's definitely a personal taste thing. The downside to it is that when ink leaks into the cap, it may stain. I had a semi-translucent alumalite cap that got stained and I couldn't get it clean. I was hesitant to use anything stronger than warm water and a qtip, though.

Cheers RR. I follow a lot of penmakers on Instagram, judging by how many regularly use the translucent blanks, it is obviously a popular choice. In fact they have given the see through pen a name somewhere along the way, "Demonstator".
But I can also appreciate Marks view on why he likes a non-seethrough pen.
If everyone had the same tastes, it would be a more boring world.

 

[Ironwood]

I fully understand .... I am of a similar "ilk" !!

I don't think we are alone Mal .
My wife pokes fun at me about it. But I think it's an essential trait to becoming a successful penmaker. Good enough is not best.