Unusual and unique pen blank ideas.

[LittleMissCreative]

Morning all,

I've quite a few blanks that I bought with my pen starter kit but I'd like to make pens out of unusual things.
I prefer to use wood and not acrylic. I have some piano keys that I'd like to turn and like to get my hands on something that has a meaning or story. Hope I'm making sense. Lol!

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[billyb_imp]

Always nice to find something to turn that as some history or local significance Ruth, I know up in York some charred remains of timber following the York Minster fire sometimes come up for sale but they always seem very expensive to me.

I keep meaning to go into Lincoln Cathedrals works department & see if they have anything taken out of the cathedral that I could use.

Phil Dart sells some blanks that come from a vineyard / winery in France, blanks from whisky barrels are also available elsewhere

Whatever you find it is also nice to be able to prove the items authenticity when it comes to selling it. So we shouldn't be buying olivewood from Yorkshire & claiming that our finished product is derived from the olive groves of Bethlehem

 

[Jim]

Ruth, you can just about make a pen out of anything, having a story behind it helps make it that bit more unique .. Good luck with it ..

 

[Scots Bill]

Hi Ruth, what about black buffalo horn or deer antler, the animals they came off could certainly tell a story!

 

[yorkshireman]

Ruth if someone is cutting branches etc in there garden make them a pen from the prunings. You'll have to dry them out in the microwave or similar but I'm sure there's threads on here on how to do it.

 

[silver]

Keep a look out for anything special, but not for the pen turning fraternity as the price is hiked just because they think we are millionaires.

Go down the local antique shop and talk to the owner, ask if they get any broken furniture or unique bits and bobs that you will be interested.

Go to reclamation yards, I brought some old beech schools desks from a a local school.

In short, Jim has said anything. that means anything. The only limitation is your own mind.

But be creative, think out the box of where you buy it from and don't get ripped off.

 

[Penpal]

Anything posted on the forum loses it being unique instantly this is where trends start and finish. spend time in Exhibitions, demos local wood groups.

Peter.

 

[LittleMissCreative]

Thank you

 

[wm460]

Ruth your imagination is the limit.