From The David Oscarson Celestial Range

The David Oscarson Celestial Fire Red Golden Yellow Broad Limited Edition Fountain Pen.

The Celestial Collection continues in the spirit of artistic mastery and the tradition of Old World craftsmanship by combining the centuries-old technique of Guilloché with the art and expertise of Hard Enamel. Each Collection piece is engraved with multiple levels of Guilloché, then adorned with multiple colors of Hard Enamel. The five breathtaking color pairs featured on the caps stand in bold contrast to the translucent midnight blue hard enamel on the barrels.

The sun and sunburst designs featured on the Celestial cap require multiple levels of engraving; the rays of the sun remain in high relief while the sunburst pattern in the background features occasional omissions in engraving, reflecting heat and solar flares. Most remarkable perhaps is the three-dimensional face of the sun engraved on the tapered and rounded surface of the cap.

The level of difficulty involved in the moon and stars featured on the Celestial barrel equals that employed on the cap. The four phases of the moon (new, quarter, half and full) are outlined in high relief while the stars are represented in various widths and depths. Three different diameters of stars are featured in high relief and three in low relief (above and beneath the midnight blue enamel) as a reflection of the midnight sky. Fire Red Cap with Golden Yellow Sun and Midnight Blue Barrel with Translucent White Moons in 18-kt. Yellow Gold Vermeil.

Visit Abbey Pens to see the Available Range of exquisite Pens by 

David Oscarson

The Kensworth Rollerball Pen

Handmade by Ken McLeod 

The Kensworth Rollerball Pen is styled in a Flamboyant Balanced Design and is of Very High Quality with Appointments in Rhodium, which I am sure will compliment any Writers Desktop. 

The Kensworth

The Kensworth features a Flared Cap and Centre Band Design and benefits from a Very High Quality German ceramic tipped Schmidt® Cartridge affording Dependable Smooth Writing.This instrument is completed by being Hand Turned and Finished in Fools Gold Resin which has been Polished to the Finest Standard and with Precision.

Rollerball

The Pen measures approximately 5.5 inches ( 140mm) in length and is styled with a threaded end cap which allows the pen cap to be attached quickly and easily without losing balance. The Kensworth Rollerball Pen comes secure in a Faux Leather Single Pen case for Protection and ease of carrying.

For more details of this and other handmade pens by Abbey Pens

Please Click HERE

For Your Wedding Day

This beautiful Oakley Classic Fountain Pen Handcrafted by Ken McLeod at Abbey Pens has been created with The Wedding Breakfast in mind and suits to be partnered by a Wedding Guest Journal to record that Very Special Occasion.

This Wedding Oakley Classic Fountain Pen has been Hand Turned and Polished using an early form of man made material known as Casein which was pioneered in the late 1800’s as an imitation to horn and semi precious stone and was used to make many products such as buttons, jewellery and Conway Stewart perfected it in the manufacture of their pens; however this material which gives a attractive layered appearance in this example is rarely used today due to its lengthy manufacturing process.

This Wedding Oakley Classic Fountain Pen is complimented with a blend of insets and engraved accent bands in 22Kt Gold, with the use of Rhodium which is part of the Platinum family for bright work brilliance.

This Wedding Oakley Classic Fountain Pen is as distinctive as it’s owner and will undoubtedly become one of their favorite assets and features a Very High Quality German two tone nib with an iridium point affording dependable smooth writing and ink flow, which can delivered by either cartridge or an ink reservoir.

With effortless operation and dependability using the highest quality components, this Wedding Oakley Classic Fountain pen which can also be created in a Rollerball form is a true writers delight, and will become one of the Happy Couples most Treasured Wedding Day keepsakes. 

You can also find other styles of pen that can be used to make a Wedding Pen or a Pen for any Occasion by visiting Abbey Pens where a personal writing instrument can be handmade using any of the options available to your requirements.

Can I thank you for visiting us, and I hope you will return to see us again soon.

Kind regards,

Ken.

Ken McLeod © 2011

Keep it Turning

I find making one of my handmade pens a rewarding challenge that takes comparative patience and can be quite time consuming; however results in a unique one off writing instrument that is as unique as it’s owner.

The pens that I am currently making involve the use of wood and various resins or plastics.

Whatever you choose to make the body of the pen has to be capable of being turned on a lathe and it is in general the preparation of the material you decide to use that takes the majority of time involved.

In this blog, I am going to run briefly through the stages of making one of my Aspley Pens.

The process is generally the same for either a fountain pen or rollerball, with just the components used being variant.

The choice of design and material is a personal thing which in itself makes the pen so unique.

In this case I have chosen components that create The Aspley Classic Rollerball Pen, which offer an appointment finish in Rhodium, a bright and very durable white metal plating which is part of the Platinum family of precious metals.

Plated rhodium is very hard and has a high reflectance, which makes it great for optical instruments, jewellery and accessories such as pens.

I have also chosen a seasoned piece of African Blackwood for the main body of the pen.

Firstly the quality of the materials must be of the highest standard available, and I endeavour to use the same suppliers who have proved consistent in quality supply previously.

It is important that the wood is seasoned well and treated with a wax seal at end grain to prevent moisture fluctuation within the piece prior to turning which could result in the sample splitting or cracking.

Most of the pen components are visible in the finished article except the brass tube centre of the pen which is inserted within the wooden body, and is the main skeleton into which the pen components are pressed after turning.

The length of the pen is determined by these tubes, and in this case there are two tubes involved; one for the main body of the pen and the other for the cap.

The wooden sample is firstly cut into two lengths, one for each tube and is left slightly longer than the brass tube to allow for trimming and squaring off accurately.

A centralised hole is then drilled through the length of each piece of wood, ensuring square drilling throughout for an accurate fit of the brass tubes which are then secured in place with a strong adhesive.

Once this is achieved and the tubes are securely adhered into the wood, the ends of the wood are squared and trimmed to the length of the brass tubes which ensures a snug fit of the pen components upon assembly.

The two pieces that have now been marked to ensure the best grain match upon later assembly, are then fitted onto a spindle using bushes unique to the pen component design, which determines the limits to which you can turn down the wood.

The turning of the wood can now commence and the shape of the pen be determined.

Throughout the making of the pen, protective clothing and safety glasses are used as high powered machinery and very sharp tools are constantly in use.

As the wood is turned with the use of various chisels, it is initially turned into a round and then more delicately shaped into the desired shape of the pen.

I tend to shape into a barrel style which I find provides a well balanced pen resting comfortably between thumb and index finger.

Once the wood is turned into the desired shape, the samples are then sanded using up to fifteen grades of abrasives to provide a very smooth surface, then sealed and polished using approximately six layers of wax.

The turning and polishing now over, the pen is ready for assembly.

Ensuring that the grain is lined up to match on both the body and the cap of the new pen; the components are then carefully pressed into position using a special press that ensures parts are added squarely and accurately.

The result is a beautiful unique rollerball pen destined to become the trusty servant of it’s new owner for years to come.

I hope that you have enjoyed this brief insight into what goes into making one of my pens.

Visit my Handmade Abbey Pens Shop to find a pen of your choice, available for immediate delivery.

Ken McLeod © 2011