Pilot Cap-less pen

Bought this used Pilot Cap-less pen for Rs 2000 from one Kolkata pen shop. Here are a few photos and a handwritten report.

Vintage Ebonite pen, Indian Eyedropper

Recently I got this Vintage Ebonite pen, Indian Eyedropper fitted with Waility nib. The pen was dull and dirty, these are the photos after a round of hand polish. Had paid Rs 600 for this no-brand pen.

Ink Testing two handmade wood pens.

Here are two Hex section wooden pens on El Grande and Sedona Kits. This is the first ink testing report.

Artex 1120 pens

Artex 1120 pens :

Artex 1120 pens are made in Kolkata, retails for about Rs 40 and cater mainly for school students. These ultra low cost student pens are modeled after Pelican 120. Nice pens. A handwritten  report and some pictures here..

Can post now.

I changed to google chrome from IE. Now I can post photos here again. Meanwhile I was posting some photos in the facebook group, gradually trying to update those here. Viewers please bear with me.!!!

Two Vintage Pelican 120 pens

Two Vintage Pelican 120 pens  : 

I had always wanted to have a few vintage Pelicans, but the price factor kept me down. Finally got hold of these two. Here is a hand-written report and a few pictures. Hope viewers like it.

Difficulty with photo posting

I am having difficulty to post photos here. I have opened a facebook group where I can easily post photos. Wanted to side by side update the same contents here, but some how not working successfully.


Till this problem is resolved I would request all viewers to follow posts here :
https://www.facebook.com/groups/kolkatapencollectors/  also welcome all to join the group for easier access.
Meanwhile I would be able to only post links.


Deeply regret your inconvenience.


Best regards
Soumitra

Jinhao 500 pen review.

I have sent a review of Jinhao 500 pen in FPN. This is the link. Let us have your views.


 




http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/261582-jinhao-500-review/

To all our dear visitors - invitation to join a FB group

I have, as discussed earlier, managed to arrange all my pens in open display for easy viewing and have uploaded all those photos in a newly opened face-book group.


I would not like to duplicate the same photos here, rather would reserve this place for reviews etc by me.


This new FB group is an open group and would be free from the difficulties experienced by the visitors to post comments etc. I would invite all our viewers to join this present group where already many members have joined up. We would also maintain this blog as I get some time and new findings. Meanwhile we have a community place here :


https://www.facebook.com/groups/kolkatapencollectors/


Welcome to the group.


warm regards
Soumitra

Inviting all viewers to new FB group

I have, as discussed earlier, managed to arrange all my pens in open display for easy viewing and have uploaded all those photos in a newly opened face-book group.


I would not like to duplicate the same photos here, rather would reserve this place for reviews etc by me.


This new FB group is an open group and would be free from the difficulties experienced by the visitors to post comments etc. I would invite all our viewers to join this present group where already many members have joined up. We would also maintain this blog as I get some time and new findings. Meanwhile we have a community place here :


https://www.facebook.com/groups/kolkatapencollectors/


Welcome to the group.


warm regards
Soumitra

Join us on FB

I have, as discussed earlier, managed to arrange all my pens in open display for easy viewing and have uploaded all those photos in a newly opened face-book group.


I would not like to duplicate the same photos here, rather would reserve this place for reviews etc by me.


This new FB group is an open group and would be free from the difficulties experienced by the visitors to post comments etc. I would invite all our viewers to join this present group where already many members have joined up. We would also maintain this blog as I get some time and new findings. Meanwhile we have a community place here :


https://www.facebook.com/groups/kolkatapencollectors/


Welcome to the group.


warm regards
Soumitra

To our visitors

I have, as discussed earlier, managed to arrange all my pens in open display for easy viewing and have uploaded all those photos in a newly opened face-book group.



I would not like to duplicate the same photos here, rather would reserve this place for reviews etc by me.



This new FB group is an open group and would be free from the difficulties experienced by the visitors to post comments etc. I would invite all our viewers to join this present group where already many members have joined up. We would also maintain this blog as I get some time and new findings. Meanwhile we have a community place here :



https://www.facebook.com/groups/kolkatapencollectors/



Welcome to the group.



warm regards
Soumitra

To my dear viewers - Thank you all very much.

For nearly a month I have not been able to send in any new posts. Had been having minor difficulties. I have meanwhile received about 20 pens new and old  and have managed to make some 5 pens. At present I am working on arranging to display all the pens inside my bedroom. Once all these are done I will post the photos. meanwhile I must congratulate all visitors to this blog and I am very happy to see active interest about this collection.

I would rejoin my sailing job soon, perhaps the new ship will not have internet. There may be discontinuity about the postings. Nevertheless, my heartiest congratulations to all visitors for your kind and continued interest. Thank you all.

My first acrylic pen - Virage Chrome Kit :

My first acrylic pen - Virage Chrome Kit :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interestingly enough, I had so far not purchased any pen blank, only have bought pen kit from the retailers and used no name wood on those. Sometime I wonder if anyone would purchase a pen made from such nameless wood.

Any way, I had received two beautiful acrylic blanks as a gift from beartoothwoods.com and did not know how to use them without a proper set of tools and lathe machine. A couple of attempts to sand

these acrylic blanks into shape like the wood blanks, was extremely frustrating. Acylic is a very hard and stubborn material in that respect. So these blanks were lying aside.

 

Finally however I found out that by spraying soap water on the  coarse sand paper the acrylic cuts much better, though not as good as wood, but reasonably better. Wonder if real pen turners use a coolant flow while turning acylic  similar to turning stainless steel !

 

With no  experience with acylic, I set off to make a kit pen using a
 Virage kit.
 

Had one more revelation once the holes were made with a hand drill for tube insertion - that is,
a) The material started to look translucent and quite nice by itself
b) The view of the brass tubes through the material was very un-inspiring.

So I discarded the idea of the brass tubes and decided to fit the hardware directly.

 

Tried to polish the insides using cookng oil and a cellulose head & die grinder, that smoothened most of the drill and reamer marks.

 

 

Outer sides were sanded to two sets of hex sections at 45 degrees to each and the ends were sanded tapered-  final looks were a twisty  near round shape.

 

Final polish with all eight grades of micromesh stick was still not sufficient to remove all of the sanding marks. Even tried to use brasso once, not much improvement in the shine. I need to learn about acrylic surface finish.

Fitting the hardware took its toll as well as I had messed up a bit at the clip finial and spilled some CA- had to do some damage control, but the chrome is damaged for good. Noted that the visble parts of the hardware is reducing the looks, at least to me, my kids were very happy with pen though.

 

That is how my first handmade acrylic pen goes.

Wonder how viewers would find it. Any suggestions on how to improve the looks by some coating like

melamyne etc?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Spy-White Spy : Two Apollo Infinity Kit pens on EPOXY

Stuck by the innovation bug!!! I used plumbing epoxy to to make these pens down -up. Just  mixed the parts, rolled the gooyeey stuff on the brass tubes and rolled to shape on an ordinary table top, and finally CA finish regimen/.

Admit more refinement is possible, but good enough for daily use. these pens can easily double up as faux antler pens.

Curious how viewers would receive the technique!!!!!

 

Wood kit-less pen 02 of 2014

This is my Second kit-less pen of 2014. Actually this pen was part finished and lying for some time.

There were some indecision about deciding on the design of the Clip and the Clip finial. 
 
 I selected a $ 2 Australian coin for the clip finial !
 
The pen body is a Reynolds Grippy pen refill modified with a wooden section and High quality WingSung Nib.

The Clip is hand made from a thick brass piece and is stiff. 
 
 
 

Being a large pen , this pen is surprisingly [light and well balanced as long as the cap is not posted. The barrel is made on an aluminum tube.

There is definitely  some more wanted in way of fineness but I am able to convey the design . Will stay in my collection as a prototype.

Curious to know how it appears to the viewers!

Wood Kitless pen

Wood Kitless pen:



 

 

This is my first kit-less pen of 2014. Actually this pen was part finished and lying for some time.

There were some indecision about deciding on the design of the Clip and the Clip finial. 

I particularly liked the wood of the cap and have been able to retain the effective growth [ perhaps this is called burl ?]

The pen body is a Reynolds Grippy pen refill modified with a wooden section and High quality WingSung Nib.

The Clip is hand made from a SS bolt and is very hard.

Being a large pen , this pen is surprisingly [light and well balanced as long as the cap is not posted. The barrel is made on an aluminum tube.

There is definitely  some more wanted in way of fineness but I am able to convey the design . Will stay in my collection as a prototype.

Curious to know how it appears to the viewers!

 
 

Goodbye 2013 - My fisrt segmented pen!

Goodbye 2013 - My fisrt segmented pen!

 

 

This is my first attempt at simple segmentation on an economy kit called Big Ben, and the the wood is leftover from the last two weeks work on various pens.

 

 

 

There are small mismatches at the hardware and wood joins, admit I did not use measurements and tried eye estimation- now there is no way to repair.

 

 

 

This pen is made using a local CA called FeviQuick, which is very thin and fast drying, took me some time to get used to. Earlier all along I have used Pen Makers' CA from PSI.

 

The barrel shape is Hex-section as usual as I do not have a lathe at present. Ends are slightly rounded.

I am generally happy with the result. Wonder how viewers would like it.

 

Thanks for viewing this experiment , and , A very happy and prosperous now year to all.

Baron Gold Kit with Hex section body.

Baron Gold Kit with Hex section body.

 

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This is my second pen using baron kit.

The wood is slightly dark colour, from a ship's pilot ladder step. This is a very hard and elastic wood, though not much heavy.To shape this hard wood using just hand sanding , has been a very tedious work, but managed finally.

 

Finished with 5 coats of CA and hand polish using all eight grits of micromesh stick, finally soft cloth and waxpol liquid polish.

 

 

I am happy with the outcome. Curious to receive viewers' comments.