Pens are a vital part of our everyday life. “The pen is mightier than the sword” - Edward Bulwer-Lytton, As the quote suggests, a pen has the power to make or break. Writing with a fine pen is a joy to the writer. A good pen should be pleasant for the writer to use and produce legible writing.To produce quality pens, woodturners must create pen turning pieces with a high-luster, extra-smooth finish. The quality of the pen blanks results in the output of the pens produced. Wooden pens made from wood pen blank can make for unique and beautiful writing instruments, and they are often highly prized by pen enthusiasts and collectors. They can also be customized with personal engravings, unique finishes, and special pen mechanisms to create a one-of-a-kind writing experience.
Creating Wooden Pens: The Process and Beauty of Wood Pen Blanks
Wood pen blanks are small blocks of wood that are used as the raw material for making wooden pens. They are typically cylindrical in shape and are carefully selected for their grain pattern, color, and texture. Making a wooden pen from a wood pen blank typically involves turning the blank on a lathe to shape it into a pen body, drilling a hole for the pen mechanism, and then sanding and finishing the wood to bring out its natural beauty. The finished pen can then be fitted with a pen mechanism, such as a ballpoint or fountain pen refill, to create a functional writing instrument.
Wood pen blanks can be made from a variety of different woods, including exotic species like ebony, rosewood, and zebrawood, as well as more common woods like maple, oak, and cherry. Each type of pen wood has its own unique characteristics, such as density, hardness, and grain pattern, which can affect the way the finished pen will look and feel.
Ebony Wood Species
Ebony is a type of hardwood that is known for its dense, dark color, and fine texture. It is a prized wood species used in a variety of applications, including furniture, musical instruments, and fine writing instruments like pens. It is a favorite choice of woodturners and fine-texture ensures mirror finish high-quality pens. Ebony is a heavy wood and comparatively more expensive than other wooden pen blank.
Macassar Ebony is a type of wood that is commonly used to make pen blanks, which are small pieces of wood that are used as the starting material for making pens. Macassar Ebony is prized for its distinctive grain patterns and deep, rich color, which can range from dark brown to black with distinctive stripes of lighter colors. The wood is also known for its durability and resistance to moisture, making it an ideal choice for pens and other small wooden items that will be used frequently. When turned and finished properly, Macassar Ebony pen blanks can produce beautiful and unique pens that are both functional and visually appealing.
Rosewood
Rosewood is a type of wood that is often used to make pen blanks, which are small pieces of wood that are used as the starting material for making pens. Rosewood is prized for its distinctive grain patterns and rich, reddish-brown color, which can range from light to dark brown with black or purple streaks. The wood is also known for its durability and resistance to moisture, making it an ideal choice for pens and other small wooden items that will be used frequently. When turned and finished properly, Rosewood pen blanks can produce beautiful and unique pens that are both functional and visually appealing.
Some of the most commonly used species of Rosewood for pen blanks include East Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia), African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon), and Honduran Rosewood (Dalbergia stevensonii). Each of these species has its own unique properties, and the choice of species will depend on the specific look and feel that the pen maker is trying to achieve.
Australian Special Woods
Australia is home to a rich diversity of special woods, many of which are highly valued for their unique qualities and attractive appearance and can be used to make pen blanks. Some of the most notable Australian special woods that are suitable for pen blanks include:
(a) Australian Bimble box – With a warm reddish-brown color and distinctive grain patterns that range from tight and straight to wavy and curly, the wood is also known for its durability and resistance to moisture, making it an ideal choice for pens and other small wooden items that will be used frequently.
(b) Australian Brown Mallee – Durability and resistance to moisture, makes it an ideal choice for pens and other small wooden items that will be used frequently. With a warm reddish-brown color and distinctive grain patterns that range from tight and straight to wavy and curly, Brown Mallee pen blanks can produce beautiful and unique pens that are both functional and visually appealing.
(c) Australian Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus is an evergreen wood choice for pen blanks. This exotic wood is widely used among woodturners and looks great after the final polish. The wood is also known for its durability and resistance to moisture, making it an ideal choice for pens. When turned and finished properly, Eucalyptus pen blanks can produce beautiful and unique pens that are both functional and visually appealing.
