Business Card Desk Pen
With slimline ballpoint and free-form base in soft maple.
The wood for this desk pen was salvaged from an old shipping pallet. One of the fun things about using salvaged wood is you never know what you have until you clean it up or use it. When I first cleaned up these boards, the surface had a brownish tone so I thought it was a type of walnut. But when I turned a piece for the pen and saw the lighter tone coming through, I realized it was probably soft maple (the background wood on my work bench top is hard maple).
No matter the species, the grain has a striking pattern that I further enhanced by shaping the base to follow the grain pattern. Adding a few coats of a wipe-on polyurethane helped to further enhance the contrast in the wood grain. The result created a stunning base for the pen.
About the pen:
I used the hardware from a standard slimline twist pen kit. In kit pen making this style pen is called a ‘closed-end’ pen. Typically, kit pens are made with both ends of the barrels open so the metal parts can be pressed into them. But when pen makers began to look for ways to customize their kit pens, they began making closed end pens. While they wouldn’t use a desk pen as the first example for a closed end pen, the process for making it is the same.
About the funnel:
The styling I used for the funnel is based on Parker desk pens from the late 60’s. I always like the style and the long open area at the top makes it easy to insert a pen.
I shape the opening at the top by hand. First I turn the overall (round) shape on the lathe. Afterwards I mount the funnel in a small jig that has a cutout of the slot shape. Then I pare away the excess wood by hand with a chisel.
Pen and Base Specifications:
| Pen Specifications: | Base Specifications: |
| Material: Soft maple wood. | Material: Soft maple wood. |
| Length: 6.50″. | Finish: Wipe-on Polyurethane. |
| Diameter: .36″ (max at the band). | Size: 9 ” wide x 3″ deep x 3/4″ thick. |
| Style: Twist Ball-point. | Funnel: .53″ dia. x 3.25″ long. |
| Refill type: Cross. |
Maple Ball-point Desk Pen with Card Holder (base-pen)
Miscellaneous items:
I also offer a variety of hand-made pen-related items. Pen Props, pen cap Buttons, Pen and Ink Trays, Cufflinks, and Button Covers. Use a Pen Props to display a pen or temporarily raise the nib. Order in a pen-matching material or a wooden style in a variety of finishes. Cap Buttons are small pieces of cap jewelry you can add to a clipless pen to keep it from rolling. Use a Pen & Ink Trays to display your favorite pen and ink. Trays are available in several styles and in your choice of natural wood. Cufflinks and Button Covers are timeless favorites that dress up a shirt. Order them in pen-matching material.
To custom order any of the pens you see on my website for yourself or as a gift, please contact me at jeb<@>jebspens.com.
If you need fountain pen maintenance help (cleaning, refilling, or general issues), please visit my “Fountain Pen Help Line” page. If you’re having a problem and can’t find a solution, use the contact form or send an email.
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