White Maple Burl, pen blank and finished pen

The Process

Selecting what you are going to make a pen out of is trickier than one might think. It is easy enough to say – “I’m going to make a pen out of maple” but then you find that the maple is too rotten or when it dries it cracks. Antler also has flaws within it. Also, you can really only use the tips of the tines for good pens. Further into the palm of the antler the bone becomes very porous. So I go through quite a process before the pen material ever makes it to the lathe. For the wooden pens, I select the wood from logs, branches, boards or whatever is suitable. Then I cut them into “blanks” – chunks of wood about four to five inches long. The blanks are then stacked like Lincoln Logs to dry out. Any warped or checked pieces are discarded. The antler you don’t need to be quite as finicky about when it comes to drying. I let them set for a while but only cut off pieces as I need them rather than having a pre cut cache. From here, I lot depends on the style of the pen. Depending on what type of pen I want to fashion, I cut the blanks down to a more workable size. I then drill them down through the center so that I can insert the pen mechanisms. All mechanisms are manufactured by either Cross or Parker – good quality mechanisms. Now I start grinding. Sometimes I have a clear idea of exactly how I want a pen to look as a finished product. Othertimes, a unique characteristic in the wood or antler dictates how I shape the pen. Once the pen is turned out, I glue in the mechanism and place a finish on the pen. Of course, it sounds fairly simple here but describing how something is ideally done and how it actually happens in real life are often very different. Occasionally, things don’t quite work out and my family is fully outfitted with pens that have had failures in various stages of this process. However, learning from these minor difugalties has lead to a more perfect product offered to you.

Pens on Bases

I myself wear my pen in my pocket. But I am usually moving around the shop a lot and would have no clue where my pen was otherwise if it wasn’t in my pocket. For folks who are more sedentary, a pen on a base is a good idea. I make bases out of 3 types of material – wood, antler, and rock. All the material comes from the local area. The palm of the moose antler and the base of the antler where it attaches to the skull make very nice holders. Much of the rock comes from an area of woods to the North of Baxter State Park so it is either volcanic or sedimentary in nature. The wood can be matched to a pen or offset to highlight the pen. As well, I can add attachments to hold business cards, note pads, or pieces of paper. If you are looking for a truely woodsy feel, I can add on pinecones and moose droppings. All of which are covered in 3 seperate layers of fiberglass to enhance the strength of the material and isolate it from someone thinking it is a malt ball.

Moose pen & business card holder

Sets

I really got into this whole business because of a pen set. My daughter had gotten a new job and her mother and I thought that a pen set would be very appropriate and useful. However, I was shocked at the prices and decided that I could a more uniques pen set that what was offered at the stores. So, several thousand dollars later, my daughter has a real nice pen set and I’m in the pen business. Sets consisting of a pen and a pencil or 2 types of pens (say a rollerball and a calligraphy tip or a ball point pen) are available. Likewise, a base can be made to accomodate both writing instruments. I can also make a letter opener to match the set. If you have a teacher in the family, I have the ability to create a “Teacher’s Pen” with red on one end and black on the other.

Ordering Specialty Pens

I have 2 meanings for specialty pens. The first is creating a pen using my material is a specific shape or style that you desire. The second meaning is that I can create a pen for you using materials you provide. I have made pens out of the floor boards of an old high school gymnasium, the door frame from an old homestead that was going to be demolished, and from limbs off people’s own lawn. This is an intersting and thoughtful way to give someone a momento from home that they can use everyday. Likewise, I can also create pens out of antler that you provide. Often times folks go on a hunt and are successful but have no place to hang up a set of antlers. Opting to have a pen set or pens for the entire hunting party gives you a token of the hunt and a way to keep a part of your antlers. This is a neat idea for someone’s first kill as well. If you have an idea for a pen, base or set , drop me a line and we will see what we can come up with.

pens made from a variety of materials.