Russian Olive Burl Jr. Statesman

[micah]

Been sittin on this blank for a while and decided I couldn't take it to the grave with me, so...!!! I finally got the nerve to drill it.
I love burl![]
Also, I decided to try something a little differant with it also. Notice the small metal flake. My father-in-law gave me a jar of this. It is the stuff you mix to make metal flake paint. I'm sure the opinion will be mixed on this, it probably isn't everyones cup of tea, but would still like to hear who like or dislikes it. I try to keep it toned down and just have a little in the voids for some accent. I think it turned out pretty good.
As always, any comment, suggestions, or constructive critisism is appreciated!
Thanks for looking!
Micah

 

[Dario]

Wonderful pen. That burl piece is really nice.

You are right there will be mixed reviews on this pen. I personally don't like the metal flecks but that may be just me.

 

[Johnathan]

Well, Dario isn't the only one. The metal accents look more like mistakes to me. Maybe if you had opened things up with a dremel and then placed your metal, it would be a little stronger of a statement. I love the kit and your finish looks nice.

 

[Woodnknots]

Is it just me, or do you have a kit with a small collar on top? It looks like the olive is too large in diameter for your collar. that is what happened to me, and CSUSA replaced my kit for me.
Other than that, nice pen. I echo the sentiment on the metal flake, though.

 

[alamocdc]

Nice looking pen, Micah. Interesting idea, and it may well have it's place for filling larger voids, but personally I don't care for it's use in this case. Looking at the pen prior to reading the accompanying text, I thought this was from something else. I had a simliar look happen with wax residue left in open grain that I didn't get filled. In hand, your's may look much better, but the effect I had like this looked quite tacky. Micah, I'm not saying you did a bad thing and I applaud your experimentation. This technique may very well have a place.[]

 

[micah]

[]Nobody likes the metal flake?[]
That's alright![] I was a little ify on it myself, though I ended up liking it.[]

Is it just me, or do you have a kit with a small collar on top?

I was wondering why I had to modify the stinkin thing! I thought it was just something I screwed up on![}] Fortunantly I was able to take the cap off and adjust the insert where it would work. I thought I had really screwed it up when I first put it together. Thanks for letting me know what it was.
Thanks for everyone's comments so far![]
Micah
P.S. I also wanted to add that in just about any kind of light, it really glistens around it. I know it can't show that in the picture, and I don't want you to think it has a flat look to it. If you turn it around, it sparkles like twinkling stars.[8D]

 

[Woodnknots]

Originally posted by micah
<br />[]Nobody likes the metal flake?[]
That's alright![] I was a little ify on it myself, though I ended up liking it.[]

Is it just me, or do you have a kit with a small collar on top?

I was wondering why I had to modify the stinkin thing! I thought it was just something I screwed up on![}] Fortunantly I was able to take the cap off and adjust the insert where it would work. I thought I had really screwed it up when I first put it together. Thanks for letting me know what it was.
Thanks for everyone's comments so far![]
Micah
P.S. I also wanted to add that in just about any kind of light, it really glistens around it. I know it can't show that in the picture, and I don't want you to think it has a flat look to it. If you turn it around, it sparkles like twinkling stars.[8D]

If you call CSUSA about it, they'll send you a new kit. They checked their latest shipment of Black TI kits after I found 2 out of three kits of mine bad, and they said that a full 1/3 of the kits were mismatched. I didn't even have to send them my kits back, they just sent me new kits. Just write them an email to let them know that you have a mismatched kit.

 

[micah]

Dave,
Thanks for the tip. Fortunantly/Unfortunantly, this is the only Jr. Statesman that I had. I did get it working right, so I'll just let this one little slip go.
I've got to watch my orders more closely though. A few weeks ago I realized that I had a end cap missing on a Jr. Gent. that I had gotten a couple weeks before. I decided to just make it a closed end to keep from having to go through "Red Tape". Had to rob a spring from another kit, so I've got to figure out where to get another spring now.[V] I'll learn though.
Thanks!
Micah

 

[angboy]

Well I guess I'll be the minority vote here- I like the flakes! Oh well... I'm kind of used to being in the minority around here []! It is beautiful wood and a great pen kit to put with it! []

 

[Woodnknots]

Originally posted by micah
<br />Dave,
Thanks for the tip. Fortunantly/Unfortunantly, this is the only Jr. Statesman that I had. I did get it working right, so I'll just let this one little slip go.
I've got to watch my orders more closely though. A few weeks ago I realized that I had a end cap missing on a Jr. Gent. that I had gotten a couple weeks before. I decided to just make it a closed end to keep from having to go through "Red Tape". Had to rob a spring from another kit, so I've got to figure out where to get another spring now.[V] I'll learn though.
Thanks!
Micah

There really is no "red tape". Just email them and tell them what happened. It doesn't even matter that you only had the one kit. They will make it right, believe me!! If you tell them what wood you used, they'll send you a blank to replace it as well. I've never seen customer service like what they have. It's definitely above and beyond!!

 

[wags54]

micah like you I am kind of ify about the flakes myself perhaps seeing it in a good light would make a big difference I bet. I like the pen and craftmanship you put into for sure tho. The wood is beautiful.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

What the hay! gotta try somthing different, right?
Great blank...get more.

 

[fuzzydog]

I kinda like the flake, but I agree that it looks like a flaw. I would add more (you said in the original post that you kept it toned down). If there were more of the flake it would change the overall affect.