Hand Carving a Pen - Advice Request

[Braidsta]

Long time since coming here last! I have a question maybe nobody can help me with, but I've learned to not ask it on turning forums! A long shot, but does anyone here know about making pens?

I'd like to have a go at a simple one, carving the wood blank by hand. I know to avoid the kits needing a tenon cutter (as I haven't got anything to do this), but I'm getting quite lost. Anyone know what to look for if I just want to be able to drill out the blank and assemble it? As opposed to needing more tools than my drill, knife and some epoxy. I don't have a lathe nor any specialist tools that pen turners seem to be using.

Thanks for any help!

 

[rickcull]

There is absolutely no reason you can't do this. Get a slimline kit or 2 and just do it. You will need two 7mm drilled blanks exactly the same length as the brass tubes. Use ca glue to glue the tubes in the blanks and carve away. The blanks must end up exactly the same length as the tubes and by convention the ends should be the same diameter as the nib, centre band and clip holder. A Google uk source would be
http://pencrafts.co.uk/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=177_180_182
but any penkits supplier would do. There is a downloadable pdf explaining the fitting of parts - any vice can be used to do the press fitting.
Good luck

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

 

[Toddy]

Years ago I worked at the Crannog Centre. Among the 'gifts' sold in the shop were twig pens.
All the maker of them had done was to strip out the innards of a standard ballpoint pen and drill out the stick to suit. The head of the pen, the nib end, looked as though it were fixed in with araldite.

Not exactly high tech or fancy, but the pens worked, and no reason they couldn't be carved…..and maybe silicon used to fix the pen in, that way when it dies a death it's more easily replaced, I reckon.

M

 

[Braidsta]

Thanks for the help! I'll go for one of those slimline ones then, I did the usual thing of seeking a tip off a forum and quickly getting overwhelmed by the pen-crafting elite! Really appreciate the advice here!
I hadn't thought of drilling out a twig, so simple and it'd probably make for some rapid stocking fillers next xmas

Thanks for the link also, I'll get on that pdf and hopfully have pics to show and tell at some point soon