You will fall off your chair: Incredible blood red sappy cocobolo burl!

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CharlesH

CharlesH

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
600
Location
Canada, Quebec, Laval
Hey guys,

So lately I have been selling quite a few pens I guess xmas is coming soon. Unfortunately, I had to sell some pens in my collection. On a happy note, I do not even promote my pens and they sell so it's all good!

So basically I had to make at least a new pen to fill one empty space in my collection. I keep 24 pens in my personal collection, beyond that I convince myself it is not sane! :p

So I went with one of my favorite blank in my stash! A gorgeous piece of blood red cocobolo burl wit incredible sappy section filled with tight eyes, that wood is candy for the eye. See yourself! :)

Thanks for looking and clicky the thumbnails,

Charles







 
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Man you tick me off with your pictures, and it looks like with some I have seen you hold the camera with one hand. I have a tent, tripod, 6 million mega pix camera and I still can't get pictures like that.LOL

Lin.
 
OW. I fell off my chair...

Holy smokes, Charles! Not only is that wood utterly spectacular, but the work you have done on it - that shaping, and that absolutely breathtaking finish - are incredible!! Beautiful job on a gorgeous pen!

Ken
 
Robert111 said:
You have a stash of blanks? Maybe more like this? :wink::wink:
Click to expand...

Robert,

For you information, all blanks are nicely turned round classified by colors and on a daily basis I go visit them. They are ALL MINE! ALL THE BURLS MINE MINE MINE! DON'T EVEN THINK OF IT! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Yes I need help.

Charles
 
I guess you were'nt kidding about the deep red and eyes. Very nicely done. I think you are the best at bring out the best in cocobolo burl :wink:

Keith "mrburls"
 
Charles that is one of the most beautiful jobs I have seen done with CocoBolo Burl. The color is fantastic in both the sap and hardwood.

Your finish is spot on as well - mind if I ask what finish process you used?

Nice nice nice ... drool has now dripped into my keyboard and I must go clean it ups ... mutter.

As others have said - fantastic photo as well.

Linda
 
Linda,

Since I can't sleep, I'll go in details in case this is helpful for others!

I do pens because I like to the beauty of the wood, the blanks I use cost a lot and my goal is to show the best side of those blanks. I do not care not that much about the writing instrument.

Regarding the finish here is few details I think really make a difference when making/finishing a pen.


  • JohnnyCNC's bushings when finishing
  • A razor sharp skew to make my final cut before sanding
  • 4 wings carbide barrel trimmer
  • Satellite City's aerosol accelerator (makes a nice even mist)
  • Pen mandrel saver
  • Using good condition MM sand paper (ALWAYS!)
  • Good lighting
  • Working in a clean area
  • Turning when you feel good and you can afford the time doing so


Now regarding my procedure when finishing:



  1. I use 2 sets of bushings, old ones on the lathe and new to check the size of my barrels. When turned to size or just a hair over the new bushings I proceed with sanding.
  2. I dry sand with P220, P400, P600, P1500, when I am done I make sure I have no sanding dust left so I blow the barrels with my compressor and rub the blanks with a towel in all directions. I do not touch the blanks with my hands when it is sanded to that point because usually it leaves fingerprints.
  3. I use strips of 1/2" of Shop Towels as applicators. I set my lathe at 1500 RPM and I apply while turning and accelerate between each coat. I usually use thin CA glue for the first 3 coats and the rest is all done with medium. I usually wet sand with 3000 MM when I feel it is needed, surely at around 10 coats to level the finish. I also like to sand the end of the barrels at this point so there's not too much glue build up.
  4. I continue with 10 to 15 more coats and I usually sand between every 3 coats. I think the choice of accelerator makes a whole lot of difference with really dark wood like cocobolo or african blackwood, those woods are not forgiving. A fine mist of a accelerator will not cloud the finish as compared to the glass cleaner type of spray that has an uneven spray of droplets. I discovered this a little while ago and since I use Satellite City's accelerator making a nice finish has been easy.
  5. When I feel I am done, meaning my finish being even, usually at around 20 to 30 coats I go from 3000 to 12000 with the MM. I take my time, I usually dry the barrels after each grit with a shop towels to see where I need to work.
  6. I use Shop Towels as applicator for plastic polish and I apply it by rubbing from left to right but turning the lathe by hand and I go for 100 or so passes on each barrel. I set my lathe at 4000 RPM and I use toilet paper to polish the finish. I do this 3 or 4 times.
  7. When assembling the pen I make sure I work with enough space and that I am comfortable. I secure the barrels while I am not working with them.
Regarding the photography, I just have a 200$ point and shoot camera, no tripod but I have a steady hand and burst mode. I take 200-300 pictures and I figure out the best focused pictures then I go in Photoshop to select the pen inverse the selection and blur the background and remove the vibrance. To me what is important is a centered pen, no dust of any sort.

All those small details make it possible for me sell a pen the price I want and when I want to sell it. In the end when your satisfied with the result of your work it's easier to sell and that pen will be seen many others. I'd hate to see a pen I made I do not like in the hand of a customer, so this is why I have like 100 "defect pens" laying around here. :p

Charles

IPD_Mrs said:
Charles that is one of the most beautiful jobs I have seen done with CocoBolo Burl. The color is fantastic in both the sap and hardwood.

Your finish is spot on as well - mind if I ask what finish process you used?

Nice nice nice ... drool has now dripped into my keyboard and I must go clean it ups ... mutter.

As others have said - fantastic photo as well.

Linda
Click to expand...
 
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What a spectacular piece of wood. You did a great job determining how to match the sapwood and heartwood to the kit so as to maximize the beauty.
Fantastic finish too! Let me know if you come across another piece just like it.
 
yorkie said:
What a spectacular piece of wood. You did a great job determining how to match the sapwood and heartwood to the kit so as to maximize the beauty.
Fantastic finish too! Let me know if you come across another piece just like it.
Click to expand...

I only have two others and I will keep them for sure! :p

Charles
 
I realize I'm years late to the party, but this one deserves to be revived.

"Oh my God" is what I said when clicked on the first pic. Stunning, absolutely stunning.
 
OUTSTANDING !!!

No further words needed. The photos say it all!

One of these days I need to practice a bit with my pen photography, have a
pen I made from Mesquite a friend brought back from a visit to Texas.

We noticed a third and very distinct color in the wood between sap wood and heart wood. A lovely charcoal color, made a Euro from it years ago. Placed a ruby birthstone cap on it.

Showed it to Mr. Barry Gross at a show. "You had better keep that one," is what he had to say about it.

I was not making pens for very long at the time. Only regret is that it wasn't a more stylish pen style.

Charlie
 
Wow Charles...beautiful! I haven't seen you around for some time...I remember asking you the method of finishing you used years ago. I did improve but have never mastered the system like you did. You still set the bar for finishes in my book. Gorgeous wood and perfect finish:cool:
 
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