Pen kit hardware sizes

[Rick Prosser]

I have turned a number of slimline pens, but my wife finds that they are not comfortable for her to use because her grip is very far down - close to the paper. She is holding the metal end (nib?) and has to grip really hard to keep from slipping down. The plastic pens she normally uses have a shorter nib, so part of her fingers are on the plastic/rubber of the body and the fingers do not slip.

Is there a pen kit with a shorter nib? The slimline seems to be about 3/4 inches long. Maybe something around 1/2 inch?

[Dean Thomas]

Most have a pretty long tip. Actually, most pens do, too, including stick pens like the Bic. Plastic click pens, of course, are plastic all the way to the refill hole, but those don't count for much, right?

Have you looked at the Apprentice Americana (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Pen_Making___Apprentice_Pen_Kits___Apprentice_Amer icana_Pen_Kit___app_americana?Args=) kit from CSUSA? I'm sure others have a similar kit, but that one seems to have a fairly short tip on it. At least comparatively speaking.

Hope it helps.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Rick,

CSUSA and PSI both have comfort grip pens...with the ribbed rubber cushion above the nib and....there is even one that is somewhat larger for the larger hands.

[Rich Souchek]

I would try a cigar pen in her hand, the nib is much bigger. but, it also has a ridge that might interfer with her grip.
The comfortable pen might work better, but it is a bit harder to make.
Might just be best to take here to a store that sell the pen kits and let her try some of them out there for a test fit. Let her decide.
Rich S.

[Steve Trauthwein]

Rick,

I always turn a small crown or bead just before the nib to help keep the finger from slipping on slimline pens.

Regards, Steve

[Dean Thomas]

I'm not sure that we're reading Rick's post correctly.

I don't think that she's sliding off the body of the pen--I think that her natural way of HOLDING the pen is that her fingertips are all the way down the metal, close to the writing area. The suggestions made would work if she was sliding off the wood. She seems to be asking for a kit that has more wood or other material closer to the end of the pen. Shorter metal tip so that she can get her fingers closer to the paper.

Rick, am I reading it right??

[David Drickhamer]

PSI has a small pen kit that might fill your needs.
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/HOL802.html
It's a pen about the size of a credit card but I'm sure you could interchange parts with other kits to make a longer pen.
Dave

[Tom Wilson66]

Rick, there is another thing you might try, making a "stick" pen, which doesn't use a pen kit. A hole is drilled for the refill from one of the cheap stick pens (bic, etc) to fit into. The bottom end has a hole at a friction fit to the end of the refill. The rest of the pen is turned to any shape you want, and is completely wooden.

Another thing to try I saw in a magazine lately is to make custom nibs for the pens from wood. Can't remember where I saw it, but shouldn't be too hard to dig out if you are interested.

[Rick Prosser]

Yes, Dean has it right. It is the nib that is the problem.

The credit card pen looks like it might work since it is also 7mm.

The wood nib seems interesting too.

Thanks for the feedback/