woodwzrd
Member
I started a tradition about 10 or 11 years ago that every year on New Years day, give or take a couple days, I turn a new pen for myself. This pen usually becomes my EDC for the year. I always try to challenge myself with a new material or a new blank making technique or technique in general or at minimum use a new kit that I have been considering. I think I got the idea from someone who posted on here that does the same.
This year I made my very first Bespoke/kitless rollerball pen. the only reason I didn't go to the next step of making a fountain pen is because i don't have nibs or the correct tap to make the section. That's step two in my progression. I can already see this is going to be another fairly deep rabbit hole lol.
My pen is made with an Alumilite blank that I picked up at MPG last year from the Pen Smiths. I was not sure how I would like the finished pen but, as with many cast blanks, the more I turned the more I came to really love the outcome. the section is made from a piece of polyurethane mold board that I got as a sample from a vendor almost 10 years ago when they were trying to sell their material to the engineering/tooling department I worked in at the time. Knowing that the Delrin I had on hand would not polish up as nice as I wanted I thought I would give this stuff a try. It turned and threaded very nice. It is inked with a Pilot G2 .7mm refill in blue. It is all done with 14 mm single start threads on the body and cap and 11mm single start threads on the section. I may go back and shorten the threads a touch on the body just to lessen the number of turns it takes to screw the cap on. I have four full threads now.
It's not perfect. There are a few scratches that I didn't get sanded out that I didn't notice until I took the pictures, as well as one other defect that bothers me a little, but overall I am very pleased with the way it came out and it has given me the confidence I needed to tackle my kitless fears. My next step is going to be figuring out what clips work best and how to incorporate them. I started down the path of using a Jr series clip but learned the hard way that it wasn't big enough for this chunky pen. I like this pen the way it is but without a clip to put it in my pocket it probably won't see much use other than when I am at my desk.
Now I'm off to put together my wish list of clips, mandrels, nibs, and taps.
This year I made my very first Bespoke/kitless rollerball pen. the only reason I didn't go to the next step of making a fountain pen is because i don't have nibs or the correct tap to make the section. That's step two in my progression. I can already see this is going to be another fairly deep rabbit hole lol.
My pen is made with an Alumilite blank that I picked up at MPG last year from the Pen Smiths. I was not sure how I would like the finished pen but, as with many cast blanks, the more I turned the more I came to really love the outcome. the section is made from a piece of polyurethane mold board that I got as a sample from a vendor almost 10 years ago when they were trying to sell their material to the engineering/tooling department I worked in at the time. Knowing that the Delrin I had on hand would not polish up as nice as I wanted I thought I would give this stuff a try. It turned and threaded very nice. It is inked with a Pilot G2 .7mm refill in blue. It is all done with 14 mm single start threads on the body and cap and 11mm single start threads on the section. I may go back and shorten the threads a touch on the body just to lessen the number of turns it takes to screw the cap on. I have four full threads now.
It's not perfect. There are a few scratches that I didn't get sanded out that I didn't notice until I took the pictures, as well as one other defect that bothers me a little, but overall I am very pleased with the way it came out and it has given me the confidence I needed to tackle my kitless fears. My next step is going to be figuring out what clips work best and how to incorporate them. I started down the path of using a Jr series clip but learned the hard way that it wasn't big enough for this chunky pen. I like this pen the way it is but without a clip to put it in my pocket it probably won't see much use other than when I am at my desk.
Now I'm off to put together my wish list of clips, mandrels, nibs, and taps.
