Oops!

[Kathy Marshall]

I've been working on the finish on a little hf I turned, and in between bouts of applying WTF, drying and sanding back, I wanted to do a quick turning. I haven't done a pen since December, so I thought I'd give that a try. I have a bunch of carob spindle blanks that I cut from the pith sections when I was cutting up the logs. They've been hanging around for a couple months so I knew they'd be dry enough and I was curious if they'd make decent pens, so that's what I used.

The blank turned out ok, kind of a very pale pinkish color and I'm sure it would have brightened up with some oil, but I decided to help it along with a light application of wine red dye. After applying the dye, I sanded it back lightly then finished it off with lots of coats of WTF. Don't know if it will be as durable as a CA finish, but it was alot quicker and easier (at least for me).

The proof that it's been too long since I turned a pen, is the missing clip :eek:. I had it laid out with all of the other parts, then got ahead of myself and pressed in the top without the clip. Oops! I don't have any of the disassembly tools, so I'll either leave it as is, or visit one of the pen turners in our club to get it taken apart so I can reassemble it correctly.

236761236760
Thanks for looking!
Comments and critiques are welcome.

[John Kent]

Nice pen Kathy, beautiful grain and color. I think it looks great without a clip.

[Michelle Rich]

do you have a 1/4 inch dowel..or something like it? You can pop the "cap" out with anything you can get in the 7mm space.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Not being a pen turner, I didn't even notice that the clip was missing until I read it! Sure is a pretty pen! Maybe make a holder for it... like on those note pad things... cause those pens don't have clips either!

[Jim Underwood]

Looks fine from here...

...but a trip to Harbor Freight, and about $10 will get you that 28 pc transfer punch set (http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html) to get it back apart.

[Tim Rinehart]

Nice. I say heck with the clip though. Most of the clips on the slimlines aren't that special and this is a good reason to make a little stand to hold it upright it!

[Mike Cruz]

A little HF, huh...?

Nice pen, Kathy. Wonder what got you to think about turning a pen? ;)

Honestly, I think it looks great without the clip. I think we get used to seeing them on pens, but I rarely if ever use the clip on a pen...

[David DeCristoforo]

Don't like the clips anyway... Just let on that you wanted it that way. Done.

[Jenny Trice]

Were you drinking any of the red wine or just using it for dye?:)

Just trying to figure out how you forgot that clip.

Nice pen. It didn't need the clip anyway.

[James Combs]

Kathy if you hadn't mentioned the clip we would have assumed it was just a customization.;) Love the wood grain, color is so so but ok. Excellent execution, transition points, wood to metal, are spot on if the photos are any indication.

[Kathy Marshall]

Thanks everyone!
I think I like it just as well without the clip, so a custom clipless pen it will be!


A little HF, huh...?

Nice pen, Kathy. Wonder what got you to think about turning a pen? ;)

Honestly, I think it looks great without the clip. I think we get used to seeing them on pens, but I rarely if ever use the clip on a pen...
Yep, just a little hf that's scheduled to take a little trip next week :eek:. I'm just about happy with the finish, a little more work on it tomorrow and it should be done. ;)

[phil harold]

the loml loves pens without clips!

[Marc Himes]

That looks like a very nice pen. What is the wood it is leaning against? A friend of mine just brought me back piece from Arizona that looks like that.

[Kathy Marshall]

That looks like a very nice pen. What is the wood it is leaning against? A friend of mine just brought me back piece from Arizona that looks like that.
Marc, that piece of wood is European Olive. If that's what you have, you'll know it as soon as you start turning it. Olive has a distinctive smell. I like the smell, it's kind of spicy. Olive turns beautifully, but it's prone to cracking while green (I've never let any dry enough to see if it cracks just as easily when dry).

[Marc Himes]

I am now sure that the wood I have is olive. You are right about the cracks. I had to go pretty deep into the heart wood to get away from them.