I was kindly given a pair of wild goose wings recently and these, along with those of domestic geese, swans and Turkeys are ideal for conversion into quill pens for those of you so inclined.
Wearing rubber gloves I stripped the large flight feathers from both wings, the 4 or 5 largest are the ones traditionally used for pens. The rest I saved for making paint brushes like on the first episode of Tudor Monestry Farm and use in fletching, when I get round to doing some. being a 18 stone weakling I had trouble pulling these feathers out so resorted to running a knife between them until I hit bone then twisted them out, taking care not to snap them. The residual meat and skin attached I carefully scraped off the quills with the back of the knife, then gave them a good clean in boiling water.
I had the wings from a very reliable source but if you are aquiring them be carefull to check the wings for parasites etc and process them with all due care for H & S.
To harden the quills I then heated up a bowl of clean sand in the oven to about 180 C for about 20 to 30 minutes and then using a trivet or similar to support the pot plunged the quills into the sand as deep as they would go and left the lot to cool. when removed from the sand the quills will have gone opaque up to the point they were covered. At this point check that you have removed all the membrane from the outside of the working end.
Back in the day it was norm to remove all or the vast majority of the barbs and all of the fluffy stuff you get near to the tip. In manuascripts what look like sticks being used by scribes to right with are stripped quills, or in early ones reeds , with all the barbs cut off and the whole thing made a managable length. I like them like this.
The next stage is to slice the end off at quite a steep angle, I like a new 11P scalpel blade for this. then you need to remove the membrane from inside the cavity you have exposed. Long thin tweezers and a old knitting needle work for me.
The next job is to split the top, from inside the tube section to the tip, the trick being doing it without leaving a huge gap at what will be the tip. You will be trimming the tip back later so dont worry about this to much.
Then its a case of paring back the sides until you have a nib the size and shape you want. do a bit one side then the other until you are happy with it. Once you start using it you can still alter the shape.
thing to bare in mind is that this sort of pen was used on a sloping writing surface so when in use the quill is almost horizontal in relation to the planet so the ink isnt inclined to dribble straight down. Dip and wipe the point top and bottom and ink will be drawn down the slit to the tip from the resevoir in the un cut part of the quill which is why the split has to be so long.
Its a case of doing it and seeing what you like. I'm sure theres some really skilled calligraphers out there that can add a lot to this, Im very much a newbie.
ATB
Tom
Wearing rubber gloves I stripped the large flight feathers from both wings, the 4 or 5 largest are the ones traditionally used for pens. The rest I saved for making paint brushes like on the first episode of Tudor Monestry Farm and use in fletching, when I get round to doing some. being a 18 stone weakling I had trouble pulling these feathers out so resorted to running a knife between them until I hit bone then twisted them out, taking care not to snap them. The residual meat and skin attached I carefully scraped off the quills with the back of the knife, then gave them a good clean in boiling water.
I had the wings from a very reliable source but if you are aquiring them be carefull to check the wings for parasites etc and process them with all due care for H & S.
To harden the quills I then heated up a bowl of clean sand in the oven to about 180 C for about 20 to 30 minutes and then using a trivet or similar to support the pot plunged the quills into the sand as deep as they would go and left the lot to cool. when removed from the sand the quills will have gone opaque up to the point they were covered. At this point check that you have removed all the membrane from the outside of the working end.
Back in the day it was norm to remove all or the vast majority of the barbs and all of the fluffy stuff you get near to the tip. In manuascripts what look like sticks being used by scribes to right with are stripped quills, or in early ones reeds , with all the barbs cut off and the whole thing made a managable length. I like them like this.
The next stage is to slice the end off at quite a steep angle, I like a new 11P scalpel blade for this. then you need to remove the membrane from inside the cavity you have exposed. Long thin tweezers and a old knitting needle work for me.
The next job is to split the top, from inside the tube section to the tip, the trick being doing it without leaving a huge gap at what will be the tip. You will be trimming the tip back later so dont worry about this to much.
Then its a case of paring back the sides until you have a nib the size and shape you want. do a bit one side then the other until you are happy with it. Once you start using it you can still alter the shape.
thing to bare in mind is that this sort of pen was used on a sloping writing surface so when in use the quill is almost horizontal in relation to the planet so the ink isnt inclined to dribble straight down. Dip and wipe the point top and bottom and ink will be drawn down the slit to the tip from the resevoir in the un cut part of the quill which is why the split has to be so long.
Its a case of doing it and seeing what you like. I'm sure theres some really skilled calligraphers out there that can add a lot to this, Im very much a newbie.
ATB
Tom
very clearly explained too 
) and see what I have.
