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Custom Submarine Themed Fountain Pen
with Custom Torpedo Style Ink Cartridge Storage.

(Click each photo to see larger views)

submarine-pen_w-stand submarine-pen_w-stand

 

submarine-pen_capped submarine-pen_uncapped-1 submarine-pen_close-up-1 submarine-pen_uncapped-2 submarine-pen_close-up-2
         
submarine-pen_w-ruler submarine-pen_torpedo-1 submarine-pen_torpedo-2 submarine-pen_torpedo-3 submarine-pen_flag-drape-1

About this Project:
This pen project started out as an unusual request. The initial email stated the customer wanted a pen shaped like submarine which he wanted to present as a gift to a friend that served on a submarine. After scratching my head for a while, I sent a reply to ask for some additional information. Besides wanting a submarine (aka 'sub') shape, the customer also wanted the sub to have a 'corning tower', which he explained is the top section of the sub, to store spare ink cartridges. I had to tell the customer I could only offer him a ROUND pen, but besides, the size of the cartridges wouldn't fit the scale of the corning tower anyway. In the end, after some back and forth, he settled on the project you see here--except for the torpedo (more about that later).

Engravings... The pen cap was engraved on two sides. One side was engraved with what is called a 'Shot Flag', which as I understand it is used to designate shot 'successes'. The opposite side had the initials of the recipient. The initials were standard letter engraving, but the Shot flag was a a custom logo. The customer sent a picture of the flag embroidered on a jacket, so I had to recreate it the image into a suitable image for the engraver.

Torpedo... The torpedo wasn't planned. It ended up being something I took the liberty of making while the pen was at the engraver. I felt disapointed that I wasn't able to deliver on the built in ink storage, and wanted to see if I could come up with another alternative. So while the pen was at the engraver, I did a little research to see if I could find something appropriate, and I ran across pictures of this torpedo. Then after making the torpeodo, I decided to add the display stand to complete the set. The torpedo is a 1/42 scale (approximately) of a Mark 48 (aka MK-48) torpedo, and houses several spare ink cartridges. It will hold up to three standard size cartridges, or two long cartridges. The actual size of the MK-48 torpedo is 21 inches in diameter by 19' long. This one is .50" diameter by 5.75" long.

About the material... The project used several different solid colors of acrylic, and luckily I had most of them on hand--I'm kind of a collector of solid colored acrylics. And as this project shows, you just never know when you're going to need a certain color. The pen is solid black called 'Coal Mine', and the colors on the cap are: Engine Red, White, and Navy Blue (appropriate ah?). See below to find out what those colors on the cap represent. The green used for the torpedo is called 'Lazy Lizard', the yellow band is called 'Mandarin Yellow', and the black on the nose is more of the 'Coal Mine'.

About the Colors on the Top of the Cap...
The three colors at the top of the cap represent the drape of the French flag over the nose of the submarine. The client sent the photo showing how it should look, and I had to figure out the thickness of the individual colors in order for the final pattern to show properly when the pen was looked at head-on.
(you can click the photo for a larger view)
submarine-pen_flag-drape-2

 

Pen Specifications:
Color / Material: Main color Coal Mine (solid black) acrylic acetate.
Colors on cap (all solid): Engine Red, White, Navy Blue.
Length: Capped 6.0" / Uncapped = 5.72".
Diameter: Max (joint) .675" / Barrel end 9mm / Cap end .40" (white).
Weight (gms): Capped 24.6 / Uncapped 17.4.
Nib: #6 Ruthenium Steel Meister.
Filling System: C/C.

Torpedo Specifications:
Color / Material: Main color: Coal Mine (solid black) acrylic acetate.
Colors on cap (all solid): Engine Red, White, Navy Blue.
Length: Capped 5.75". Cap 2.19" / Barrel only (less threads) 3.54".
Diameter: Max .50".
Weight (gms): Capped empty 13.6 / full (3 standard) 16.4.