Snakewood and silver

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jalbert

jalbert

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Louisville, KY
Here's an octagonal pen I made from snakewood and argentium silver. I'd been kicking this idea around for a while, and finally got around to working on it. The body is snakewood, which I threaded over an acrylic liner. The section and cap threads are silver. The cap is full silver as well, and is threaded over an acrylic liner, which the cap threads are cut into. Cap threads are 1/2" diameter double start to preserve facet alignment when capped. OAL is about 5.25" capped. It uses a jowo 6 nib.
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Really awesome combination! Flawlessly executed as usual.
I am curious about threading the insert. Do you do it for insurance or because of previous failures with epoxy?
 
PatrickR said:
Really awesome combination! Flawlessly executed as usual.
I am curious about threading the insert. Do you do it for insurance or because of previous failures with epoxy?
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Thanks! I like to thread my inserts just because I don't like relying on glue as the sole source of strength. It's only about a 1/4" section of threads right by end of the wooden part of the barrel. The liner is epoxied in as well, but I like to have some some mechanical connection also. It only takes 10 or so minutes longer for me to cut the male and female threads, but gives me peace of mind. Granted, this may not work well on softer woods, but the dense snakewood single point threaded quite well. Below is a pic of the liner and snakewood sleeve.

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Question for you. Being I believe you have used snakewood a few times now, is there any hints that you can share as to keep it from cracking when working it?? I know you do things differently when making kitless pens but still you are thinning this wood just like we would. What do you do to finish it as well??
 
jttheclockman said:
Question for you. Being I believe you have used snakewood a few times now, is there any hints that you can share as to keep it from cracking when working it?? I know you do things differently when making kitless pens but still you are thinning this wood just like we would. What do you do to finish it as well??
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I just saturate with thin ca glue once the wood is to its final diameter, then sand is down flush with the wood, through my normal finish sanding process. I've never had issues with cracking. As far as an actual topcoat finish goes, I don't use one. Sanding through all the zona paper grits and then buffing gives me the natural luster that I want.
 
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