celtic Pen Shape ?

[martin.pearson]

Most of the pens I make are straight rather than a curved shape, most in fact have been streamline so not made a wide range of different pen styles either.

My Daughter inlaw asked me if I could make a pen set for a friend of hers that is getting married next year, she picked a Celtic Pen from what she found on the internet & wants a rollerball & fountain pen set. I will also make her a presentation box for them.

So this is my problem, I am struggling with a curved shape, it just seems to be way to fat to me. Now I have to confess that I don't personally like fat pens which I think is why I make all my pens with a straight body, I glued up 3 blanks for the rollerball pen, turned one straight s I do all my pens but then thought it should be her choice not mine so have machined the other two with a curved shape. The Yew & Bur Elm blanks just look to fat to me & if I reduce the curve much there seems little point having it at all lol
So what is the opinion of you expert pen turners? The Yew & Elm blanks are 18mm & 18.5mm at the widest point. The Elm looks to the eye to be much wider than the Yew but there is only actually 0.5mm on the diameter.

 

[pittswood]

To me, a fat curved pen body makes the pen ugly. Plus, most peoples hands are not suited to hold a fat pen, even less with a ink fountain pen. It's all down to choice at the end of the day, even the wood can dictate to the size of the pen body.
Kelvin

 

[Dalboy]

I think somewhere between the straight and the Yew one. I always give my bodies a slight curve.

 

[Phil Dart]

I agree with you about fat pens Martin, but some kits just look odd with straight sides. I would say that the example on the Axminster site is about right. It looks to have a curve, but perhaps a bit less than you have on the yew. It also seems to reach it's maximum quite near the nib end, then gently slopes back towards the finial, so that there's a smooth transition between the components and the wood, not a massive change of gradient.

(Image from Axminster tools)

 

[Frederick]

I think that this is what pen making is all about. The skill not only lays with the construction but also the design. IMHO if you ask 10 penturns this question, you will receive 11 different answers.
The bottom line is, i suppose, what you decide. Best of luck with your final choice,

Regards,
Frederick

 

[martin.pearson]

Thanks for the replies People, yes I was expecting to get different answers, design well thats very opinion driven but there will be certain designs that please the majority of people & unless you have a particular niche then if you are looking to sell then its best to try & hit thye majority lol

Have turned it down a bit, not sure have it right but from what has been said opefully moving in the right direction.

As I said in my original post mos of my pens are straight as can be seen in the second picture, The Erskine Reid Macewen Activity Centre are holding a Tombola on Armed Forces day & asked for donations so I did these in the hope it would help.

 

[alan morrison]

They all look good to me Martin, and going to a good cause

Alan

 

[Penpal]

Good cause ,good pens mate,like the brief discussion on design since that is what makes the world worth while,variety in timbers and how we put them together to show what makes them different..

Peter.

 

[fortress]

Six of the best Martin, very well done.

 

[wm460]

I like curves, the yew is spot on.

Great looking group of pens Martin.

 

[martin.pearson]

I like curves, the yew is spot on.

Great looking group of pens Martin.

Haha, hope your talking about the second pictue because I am going to have trouble putting the shavings back on I don't have a problem with curves, generally I like things with a bit of a curve, just not personally a fan of fat pens & curving a lot of them seems to make them quite fat lol
Even the slimline pens I have made have been straight !!

 

[martin.pearson]

So today I assembled the Yew pen & reduced the curve on the Elm pen & made that up as well.

Thanks for all the advice

 

[Phil Dart]

The elm has it I would say - from where I'm sitting anyway. Better contour than the yew. In fact a perfect contour for those components IMHO. Very good indeed.

 

[alan morrison]

Good job Martin. Mission accomplished.
The elm shape is very similar to the example that Phil posted earlier, and looks good.
I think that the yew is more than acceptable.
Alan

 

[martin.pearson]

Thanks for the comments, Phil I did the Yew blank first & I think I was a little to worried about undercutting the ends with already having turned the ends to size. Having done one I probably had a little more confidence with the second one lol

 

[Bill Mooney]

Well done Martin.