Opinion on a blank

[mark james]

I am very slowly plodding with making a set of Dura EDC pens my brother ordered. This is a blank I bought several years ago - a yellow prickly pear cactus.

I back painted the tube hole x2, I painted the tube itself, and I tinted the epoxy. The coverage is fine for the finished blank - no scratches in the background.

I'm just not sure I like it. I thought the yellow paint would work, but maybe a different tint would have been better.

Any thoughts?

 

[Humongous]

Hi Mark: The yellow kind of gives it the look of Amber and sort of a glow. I think it would pair nice with the brass kit.

 

[mbroberg]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think it looks good!

 

[TonyL]

I would prefer if it was more opaque, but nicely done.

 

[walshjp17]

Big fan of the blank as it is. Looks great.

 

[Jester4977]

I like it as well, gives it more depth

 

[Roly]

I like it a lot.It seems to me to have a wonderful soft glow reminiscent of honeycomb.

 

[bsshog40]

I like it also mark. Have you brought it to the finish where you want it yet? If not, I think once you have it at final finish it's actually gonna spring out at you and look pretty cool! If so, then it still looks good with a light glow, as Roly mentioned. Either way, I like it.

 

[FGarbrecht]

I vote yes. I think it is very cool.

 

[Dehn0045]

I have always wanted to do a prickly pear after I was inspired by this one: https://www.penturners.org/threads/prickly-pear-cactus-jr-gent-ii.147197/#post-1914256

I suspect that the black backpaint is a little more finicky. That said, I do like yours with the yellow, its a little more subtle and natural.

 

[Lucky2]

Personally, I love it, I think it is rather rich looking.

Len

 

[skiprat]

I also got a few of those type of blanks, but it seems yours is more dense, mine has big bare patches. I prefer yours for that reason, but think i would have painted the hole/tube with black.

 

[Alan Morrison]

I've never seen anything like it, though it has a certain bees wax look about it, as well as being honey coloured.

 

[Dieseldoc]

Mark
For me it is one of those very close to he reject barrel.

 

[magpens]

It is different .... but I really like it !!

I would like to get some blanks like that for myself.

I am going to disagree with Skip, this time, and say that you painted with the right color, Mark. !!!

 

[KenB259]

It looks great to me, not just an ordinary blank, that's why I like it.


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[mark james]

I like it also mark. Have you brought it to the finish where you want it yet? If not, I think once you have it at final finish it's actually gonna spring out at you and look pretty cool! If so, then it still looks good with a light glow, as Roly mentioned. Either way, I like it.

I stopped before applying a CA finish, so No, it is not done. I agree that it will shine up nicely after the finish, so that may be a positive. For now, the ends of the fibers are very dull, and unsealed. I suspect I will put a CA (Glu Boost) finish on it and put it into a Bronze kit.

I have always wanted to do a prickly pear after I was inspired by this one: https://www.penturners.org/threads/prickly-pear-cactus-jr-gent-ii.147197/#post-1914256

I suspect that the black backpaint is a little more finicky. That said, I do like yours with the yellow, its a little more subtle and natural.

Yes, yes, yes!!! That is what I was aiming for. That photo, and others from Mesquiteman (whom I bought the balnk from at a MAPG) are awesome. I do believe I failed with the yellow paint. There is no issue with the blank. It turned great, no issues, no flaws. What we get at 1 mm is different than what we see at 5 mm; that is not a critique with the caster or the tree stump.

I actually don't think the black paint would have been an issue - I usually overkill the backpaint with multiple coats as well as the epoxy, and wait 4-5 days.

I also got a few of those type of blanks, but it seems yours is more dense, mine has big bare patches. I prefer yours for that reason, but think i would have painted the hole/tube with black.

My open patches are reasonable, but I was still disappointed. This is not a critique of the caster. I also suspect a black paint would have been nicer.

Mark
For me it is one of those very close to he reject barrel.

It's close, but I suspect I will apply a finish and add it to the group for my brother. It's in no way bad, just not what I was hoping for.

It is different .... but I really like it !!

I would like to get some blanks like that for myself.

I am going to disagree with Skip, this time, and say that you painted with the right color, Mark. !!!

Different colors would radically change the appearance. There are 3 open spaces where the "webbing" is not filled in. These spots show the painted tube, but I can deal with that. I actually think a black paint would have been better.

But... I had fun! so all is well.

Hey, thanks to everyone for all the comments - very helpful!

Cheers, Mark

 

[MRDucks2]

I like this one and bet it is one of those that looks much different in the hand vs in the photo.

Thanks seems that the actual look may change quite a bit with lighting and angle, which is a plus in my opinion.

At the same time, I understand your concern because looking in the right spot at the right angle you can discern the curved surface of the tube. Not everyone likes that, but I think you chose right approach with this color.


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[tiggere]

I don't like it...I LOVE it...that is a beauty of a pen blank...something in a satin hardware would be really nice...

 

[Dale Allen]

So, do you think there is any way to get that tube out of it and change it to black back paint?

 

[mark james]

So, do you think there is any way to get that tube out of it and change it to black back paint?

Nope. Its a dun deal for this blank - yellow. I do have the extra segment, I'll have to ponder that length. I do think I'll try a black background. It will be fun, so all is well!

 

[MRDucks2]

I don't like the black back painted one. I know you haven't done it and I haven't seen it, but I'm deciding not to like it so I don't have to think about it when it's done. [emoji4]


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[leehljp]

That is a very nice looking blank. What will make it really come alive will be the choice of pen color: chrome, black titanium, gold etc.

Being as the background and the prickly pear are the same color, some contrast is needed. The background color seems to say "look at me" and kinda competes with the prickly pear. I'm in an old camp of ball room dancing (can't do it, though) in which the man is there to showcase the woman. They can still compliment each other while one showcases the other. Meaning, I think a slightly more contrasting color background will showcase the prickly pear more.

 

[1080Wayne]

I have only used black on those blanks , but a rich brown would also give nice contrast , I think .

 

[MRDucks2]

I have only used black on those blanks , but a rich brown would also give nice contrast , I think .

I do like the idea of a brown.


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[Dalecamino]

It's good the way it is. A contrasting base color would work just as well for me. But what do I know?

 

[Angela S]

I like the blank. The yellow gives it more of an emphasis on the texture of the yellow prickly pear cactus. Where as, if you had chosen a strong contrasting color it is more about the color and pattern, this would be a less subtle look. Both are good options it just seems you where hoping for the second and got the first.

For me, if a blank doesn't come out how I was hoping it would, I have a hard time removing my preconceived ideas. It is always "it looks good I guess, but it wasn't what I was going for".

 

[John Eldeen]

I am a fan of the yellow back paint it gives the blank a look of depth. At least in the picture. If you change the back color just keep in mind what effect the yellow tint in the casting will have to the finished blank.

 

[FrankH]

I agree with the comment that Ken made. The blank has a glow to it.

I can relate to all the work Mark put into this blank. I've now spent three days trying to make a Dive pen for my grand daughter (a very fitting pen). Without considering the potential for the tube to show through the Hot Pink Aquapearl blank, I just drilled the blank, glued in the tube and turned the blank Disaster! So I started over, painting a tube and the inside of the blank with pink acrylic paint. Next day: the tube would not fit into the blank so I drilled it out and glued it in with pink colored epoxy. I got carried away with adding paint to the epoxy so I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring. Sometime I learn from my mistakes.

 

[jttheclockman]

I like black.