Exec Sets

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

I decided to try and find a kit that would fill a niche in my domain that has been not to my liking yet. I wanted to find a nice design that had a look that worked in a roller ball and fountain pen at a more economical level that my platinum kits.

I thought I'd give the 10k Gold Executive pen from CSUSA a shot.

I made then as two sets, one in an amboyna burl, mostly sap wood and another in a the new gold blank from CSUSA.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/jimshaver50/IMG_8933.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/jimshaver50/IMG_8940.jpg

One thing that struck me was the screw on cap has one thread capture (the Jr Gent has Three as do many of the other CSUSA pens). The one thing I did not like was the coarse and rough feeling while screwing the cap on the pen.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/jimshaver50/IMG_8934.jpg


http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b55/jimshaver50/IMG_8936.jpg

The lower pen body has the longest tube I have ever drilled, 3 inches. I liked the cap band, it reminded me of the Streamline middle band, but I would like this in a platinum or chrome finish.

Over all it's an okay pen design, but it does not rock my socks....I'm still looking for a design that will my needs, this is not it.



Critiques and thoughts please

[Bernie Weishapl]

Both are great looking sets. I really like the amboyna burl. Excellent job.

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Jim these are outstanding pens. I especially like the burl set. Great Job!:)

[Chris Barton]

Very nice pens! I frequently get requests from ladies to make slimmer styles of fountain pens and it looks like this model fills the bill. Very nice job Jim.

[jeremy levine]

The burl pens are really nice.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work as always Jim! I find the burl outstanding!

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Thanks Guys,

Burls really look great on a pen, with such a small amout of real estate to work with you have to go for what gives that visual appeal..

I appreciate your kind words and support;)

[Nancy Laird]

Jim, check out the American flat-tops here: http://www.bereahardwoods.com/price/kits/series2000_2.cfm#2

We've made these in the rollerball version, and there is plenty of thread to grab the cap, at least twice what I'm seeing here.

Nancy

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Jim, check out the American flat-tops here: http://www.bereahardwoods.com/price/kits/series2000_2.cfm#2

We've made these in the rollerball version, and there is plenty of thread to grab the cap, at least twice what I'm seeing here.

Nancy

Thanks Nancy..:)


I wonder if they sell a Canadian Flat top!

[Curt Fuller]

i'm no pen expert but those are both beautiful examples of the great pens you turn!

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Thanks Curt,

I appreciate your kind thoughts.

I enjoy turning lidded boxes, pepper mills, furniture parts and a wider variety of bowls etc, but for some reason pens really grab me more.:)

[Nancy Laird]

Thanks Nancy..:)


I wonder if they sell a Canadian Flat top!

Don't know, Jim, but I found another style you might like:

http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/New_Pen_Kits.htm

Nancy

[Ernie Nyvall]

Nice job on the pens Jim.

[Bill Sampson]

Jim,

Beautiful pens. I really like the two tone Amboyna burl, however I cannot keep them from cracking after finishing. I just completed two Amboyna pens using the Baron and Sedona kits as shown from Arizona Silhouette. They looked great for a week, then cracked thruout the burl. Don't know what I'm doing wrong at this point. Will show them when I figure out how.

Keep showing your product, they always look great!!

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Jim,

Beautiful pens. I really like the two tone Amboyna burl, however I cannot keep them from cracking after finishing. I just completed two Amboyna pens using the Baron and Sedona kits as shown from Arizona Silhouette. They looked great for a week, then cracked thruout the burl. Don't know what I'm doing wrong at this point. Will show them when I figure out how.

Keep showing your product, they always look great!!


Hi Bill,

It's great to see you again here. I am sorry to read about the cracking problem. Sometimes cracks are a result of the wood still being wet, or excessive heat from drilling I have found.


With amboyna I have found it can chip or crack easily. I often use thin CA on the blanks before my final passes when I look for fractures or cracks in the blank, the thin CA will wick into the body and seal the cracks. I have had the same experience with buck eye burls and redwood burls.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Hi Jim

I imagine that you have looked into this, but what about doing a closed end flat-top fountain and roller ball, using the Lee Valley kits?

I finished the closed end Baron and posted it. Now, I'm making a bushing so that I can use the Baron closed end mandrel to make a closed end flat top fountain. The tube size is the same, so the mandrel works, but the bushing on the mandrel for the Baron has a bit bigger od than the flat top. I'm going to take a flat top bushing and drill it out so that it will fit on the mandrel.

Just a suggestion.

[John Revilla]

Awesome. Jim, how do you finish such gems? I turned some pens (i'm totally new to turning) and tried finishing using the CA/BLO method but I get streaks...everytime. Thanks. Godspeed.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Hi Jim

I imagine that you have looked into this, but what about doing a closed end flat-top fountain and roller ball, using the Lee Valley kits?

I finished the closed end Baron and posted it. Now, I'm making a bushing so that I can use the Baron closed end mandrel to make a closed end flat top fountain. The tube size is the same, so the mandrel works, but the bushing on the mandrel for the Baron has a bit bigger od than the flat top. I'm going to take a flat top bushing and drill it out so that it will fit on the mandrel.

Just a suggestion.

Hi Grant,

That is a great idea. I also noticed I can use the Baron mandrel on a cigar pen......so many pens, so little time, eh!

I have been also turning a lot of closed end barons lately, about 15 last week. I really like the size of the pen and the design volume, it's a nice slimer looking pen.

We need to work on Mr Lee to open up some of his pen options at LV, I still think they are plating limited at this point.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Awesome. Jim, how do you finish such gems? I turned some pens (i'm totally new to turning) and tried finishing using the CA/BLO method but I get streaks...everytime. Thanks. Godspeed.

Hi John,

Thanks for your kind words..


I have never tried the BLO/CA method. I use almost only stabilized woods and I use a regiem to finish them the same as plastics. When I use woods that are 100% natural I spray them with lacquer and polish.