Note from the mid east

[Earl Reid]

Dear Earl,

Thanks so much for the well-crafted pen with name engraved. I will treasure it and use it. Please convey my gratitude to Lewis who sponsored this particular pen. We appreciate the wonderful support that you and other great Americans have given us during our deployments in combat zones.

God willing, my unit will return to the States next month.

Again, thanks for the loving support you have given us.

Sincerely,

Chaplain (Colonel)XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
APO AE 09366

[Ken Salisbury]

Mail from the troops should encourage all of us to increase our support of this project. Contributions are gravely needed.

Here is a letter I got yesterday:

Dear Ken,

Many thanks for your gracious gift. It was both a surprise and a delight as I happen to like finely made pens. Even better, since I am big fan of cherry wood!
The pen will be an especially valued addition to my desk since it came from a Korean War Vet. Over the years of my military career I have spent two one year tours in Korea and several summer rotations for Annual Training after I transitioned to the Reserves a few years ago. The one tour was spent as an enlisted infantry soldier, the second one as a chaplain serving with an infantry battalion. I know the country and its people and can appreciate what the vets of that conflict went through to some degree.

Again, many thanks for what will be come a treasured accoutrement on my working desk for many years to come.

Sincerely, CH (MAJ) John xxxxx

I have added both these letters to the Mail From The Troops Web Page (http://www.oldrebelworkshop.com/emails.htm)

[Keith Outten]

I recently received a new list of Chaplains names from the Middle East. I engraved the pens and shipped them just a few days ago along with several hundred pens for the troops. Every now and then we receive pens that are perfect for engraving so I hold them in a special box until the need arises. Soon another group of engraved pens will be shipping, these will go to a couple of Generals and other high ranking officers in the Middle East who are helping us distribute our pens to the troops.

If you receive an email concerning a pen you made months ago this is the reason for the delay, it is probably a pen I held aside for engraving before being shipped.

[Bob Tate]

Hi,

I am getting ready to turn 50 pens for the project. Is there something you look for in particular that makes them engraveable? Anything I can do to assist?
Thanks

[Keith Outten]

Bob,

Generally I engrave wood pens. I like to stick with cherry, maple, olivewood and a few other species that have a high resin content because they engrave darker which provides nice contrast. The top of the pen should not have a fancy shape, a nice smooth barrel provides a suitable area for engraving the text.

I don't go though the pens we receive looking for special pens there are just too many pens. Every now and then one will catch my eye and I save it for engraving. Some of our pen turners have a special way they ship their pens...in containers that are unique like Rod Torgeson (sp corrected). Rod's pens are always nice to engrave. Ken Salisbury and Earl Reid's pens ain't too shabby either :)

If you have a special pen you would like me to include in my engraving box just flag the pen with a note and Jackie will get it to me. When it has been engraved I will send you a picture.

[Rod Torgeson]

Hello Keith.....Thank you very much for the comment. You did get my last name spelled wrong. I was just curious as to what if anything the engraving does to the finish on the pens and what they look like when they are engraved.

[Keith Outten]

Sorry Rod,

I corrected my spelling error on my previous post.

Engraving pens doesn't disturb the finish at all. The area around the text that is burned into the wood is protected by the finish and any smoke damage from engraving wipes off with a damp cloth.

I have a couple more of your pens to engrave for another group, I will post a picture of one of your pens when I have all the pens engraved. I try to include pens from several different pen turners with each batch of pens I engrave. I always place each pen back in the original tube or container and I make sure the personal notes are inserted with the proper pen.

For the record I never take any credit for engraving pens other than my own which these days I rarely have an opportunity to turn. I received a request last night for almost 150 engraved pens for Chaplains. They want religious symbols engraved instead of names for the next group so I will be very busy over the next few evenings engraving their pens. I also have to finish engraving a special group of pens and wooden pen boxes for the Brass I mentioned before.

Pictures will be shared with everyone to satisfy the pic police :)