The pen is mightier than the sword?

[Tadpole]

A company representative gave me a freebe of one of these today

It has a lock that holds it closed and a button you press to flick out the pen to the writing position.

This caused me to think. I would not mind having an everyday pointy object that I frequently use that speaks of my interest in bushcraft. Now, as it happens I am not a knife freak but this pen seemed rather neat and to speak of knife technology.

So, I wondered if we should develop a bushcraft pen with bushcraftuk logo on it.

Would not the truest of bushcrafters writing implement be something traditionally made.

For example a metal nib (or quill feather) and iron gall ink. It’s quite easy to make or so I remember.
All you need (well a part from the nib) is
Tannic acid
Which can be obtained from various plants, or their galls, bark, leaves, roots and fruits.
Iron sulphate
(Modern research has indicated that although this was thought to be vital in the production of dark black inks, it may in fact; prevent the ink from being a useful stable dark colour.)
Water
Older recipes often suggest using rain water, most likely because rain water is purer than other sources of standing water. Modern water from the tap will undoubtedly be contaminated with chlorine, metals from pipes, calcium and other salts.
Gum Arabic
A water soluble gold coloured sap from Acacia trees (native to North Africa.) Or your local art supply shop
Because the pigment in iron gall ink does not completely form until it is exposed to air, it is not very dark when applied to paper. A final ingredient was added logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum ) so you can see clearly what you have written the heart wood of which make a very good and rich dye
You can bye logwood from hunting shops (for use with snares or so I am told/read) or online herbalists will sell you logwood crystals for about 50p per ounce

I have not made ink since I was at school (not for school you understand but for a school project.) I can’t remember the recipe we used so I googled one.

Eighteen parts by weight powdered gals,
Eight parts by weight Iron sulphate.
Seven by weight gum Arabic. (If you want the ink to be exceptionally black, add an extra seven parts by weight of Iron sulphate)

Add 130 parts by weight of water to the powdered galls in a pan, and boil with constant stirring, to prevent the ink from burning, for two hours, adding water little by little at intervals to replace that lost by evaporation. The decoction is then allowed to cool, and filtered...While the filtration is preceding dissolve the Iron sulphate and gum in the remaining 15 parts of water, and pour the solution into the filtrate. As I said the ink does not develop its full blackness at once so add some of the colouring agent (logwood) if you want to use it right away.
Finally

Find some silica sand add into a very hot furnace until it turns into liquid. (Only joking glass making, I'll try next week.)

 

[rich59]

Anybody made a hand made pen?

I recall that people used to dip a trimmed goose feather into ink to write with.

Few of us make knives but we appreciate a good handle. So I could imagine myself taking a good cartridge (such as a Parker pen roller ball cartridge) and trying to come up with a pleasing body around it.

 

[addyb]

I used to make quill pens when I was a kid (Well, I still am but that's technically beside the point) back in elementary school. I remember my first grade teacher having an old-fashioned day where we all had to dress up like early canadian settlers. Anyway, I remember she had a real quill pen and some old ink, maybe iron gall. Of course, being only in the first grade I didn't know how to make a real pen or ink, so I started finding old feathers from bald eagles, cutting the tips off and sliding Bic pen inserts into them. Voila! Quill pen for a first grader.

It's funny how we remember the little things.

Adam

 

[Tadpole]

Anybody made a hand made pen?

I recall that people used to dip a trimmed goose feather into ink to write with.

Few of us make knives but we appreciate a good handle. So I could imagine myself taking a good cartridge (such as a Parker pen roller ball cartridge) and trying to come up with a pleasing body around it.

my father taught me to make quill pens when I was a young man, (I'll try and get him to make another one, and take pictures of the process)
as to making a cartidge pen, I've tended to find the the same people who sell wood for making knife handles, also sell wood for turning into pen bodies and caps. I've seen quite a few pen kits that allow you to modify the look with woods and silver bits

 

[TheGreenMan]

I tend to use a Fisher space pen for most thing...

This comes as something of a shock to me, coming from a guy who is living 'somewhere in the tenth century' <chuckle>

Don't get me wrong, I admire both you, and the Fisher Bullet Pen, and have long thought it more than suitable for bushcraft environments


Best regards,
Paul

 

[Wayland]

This comes as something of a shock to me, coming from a guy who is living 'somewhere in the tenth century' <chuckle>

Don't get me wrong, I admire both you, and the Fisher Bullet Pen, and have long thought it more than suitable for bushcraft environments


Best regards,
Paul

I have been known to jot things down in runes with a knife but it's frowned upon somewhat in schools where I'm working these days...

 

[addyb]

Yeah, I was laying in bed last night thinking about how much I missed my Fisher Bullet Pen. And, it was convenient for picking up girl's because when you're getting that phone number or e-mail address, having a pen handy is a must.

I'm thinking about plonking down forty dollars again for another Bullet pen. If I go for it, it'll be my eighth in seven years. And yes I have been counting.

Although...I still have my last one stashed somewhere in my desk, it was the first one I broke and didn't lose. And since they have a lifetime guarantee like with Zippo lighters, I suppose I could send it back to Nevada or wherever they're made. Bah, decisions decisions.

Adam

 

[TheGreenMan]

I have been known to jot things down in runes with a knife but it's frowned upon somewhat in schools where I'm working these days...

<chuckles>

Nice reply

All the best,
Paul.