Author: newtonpens

Yes – sewer pipe.  It’s unused of course.  😉

So here’s a two-tone that I had been thinking about for a while.  I’ve had this blue pipe material for over a year and haven’t wanted to use it until recently.  I really enjoy making these two-tone pens.

And then of course this pic just makes me think of a couple cuddling on a couch with a sappy girl movie on TV.

Wow what a great show!  I met lots of people and made lots of great contacts.  I sold one pen and traded another.  One of the guys from the pen club asked me if I was selling a lot, and I said no but I’ve made some REALLY great contacts and have met all sorts of wonderful people!  He gave me this knowing grin, and said “That’s what it’s really all about.”

At the end of the day Sunday I entered at the LAST minute for one of the raffles.  A pen that I had donated was up, a leather bag, and then the Taccia Savanna, the buffalo horn pen hand shaped to look like a piece of bamboo.  Absolutely gorgeous.  AND I WON!!  I couldn’t believe it!  So awesome!  The whole place lit up with laughter and some applause and I was absolutely giddy!  What made it even better was getting to pose with the head of Taccia herself!

And if you haven’t checked out some of their latest offerings you’re really missing out.  She brought some of the most beautiful modern pens I think I’ve ever seen to the show.  One of them had stingray skin around the cap, in the tradition of the Japanese knife and sword handles, and it was just stunning.

 

Here are the rest of the shots from the show.

Susan Wirth

Henry Simpole

 

Wahoo!  I’ll be there!
http://www.arkansaspenclub.com/

Friday 8th of March 2013

7am                           Pen Club Members will set-up the room, with Vendors shortly after that.

8am                           Vendors begin setting up

Noon                        Doors open to the public

7pm                           Doors close to the public

7:30pm                    Pizza Party in the Hospitality room, for Vendors and weekend pass holders

Saturday 9th of March 2013

10am                        Doors open to the public

11am to 11:45     Think Ink with Sam Fiorella in the Hospitality Room

Noon to 12:45    Pens for Kids APCA event from the Anderson’s

1pm to 3pm           Intro to Calligraphy by Deborah Basel

3pm to 4pm           Basic  Fountain Pen Repair with Fernando Padilla

6pm                           Doors close to the public

6pm                           Open House at Vanness

Sunday 10th of March 2013

10am                        Doors open to the public

10am to Noon      Intro to Calligraphy by Deborah Basel

3pm                           Doors close to the public

Raffle – There will be an option to purchase raffle tickets at the door for guest , vendors, and pen club members. There will also be periodic door prizes given away during the course of the weekend. You must be present for the door prizes to win, but not the raffle.

Note: Vendors will have access to the Hospitality room from Friday morning, till Noon on Sunday, with the exceptions when the room is being used for one of the seminars. There is a private restroom in the room, and the room key will be at the check table just outside the room.

I’m getting my nibs engraved!  I’m so proud.  I feel like I’m a real pen maker now.  🙂
Mike at Vanness Pens did this for me tonight in no time at all. I was so excited! I didn’t think it would be that easy. And it looks so good!

This bulb filler pen will be raffled off at the Arkansas Pen Show this year!  Want a chance to win it?  Then come meet us at the show.

Gave away five pens at school today.  I sent 10 off to a science teacher in Russellville, Ar. for science fair projects, and a teacher at another local school is getting 2.

Another pic…
And look!  Inky fingers!!  😀

UPDATE:  And we have a winner!  #10.
Thanks everybody!  After this, the scholarship is up to $1,613.08 USD.

It’s time for another !  😀

This one will end Thursday, 7th March.

Pen up is a large size blue/white marbled ebonite.

Winner gets choice of nib tip.  Any size with any grind.

 

I’m official now too!  I’m going to give the scholarship one of two ways: through the school or through a charitable organization that specializes in these types of things.

So if all that sounds good then you can buy as many as you want payable through paypal to newtonpensscholarships@gmail.com.  Be sure not to send payment to my other paypal account.

If you have any questions or concerns please let me know and I’ll get back with you asap.
This purchase is not tax deductible.

Thanks.
Shawn

 

More pics….

I just got these new clips in from the platers.  You won’t see these on any other pens.  🙂

And bad news – since the USPS shipping rates have gone up a bit, my prices will have to go back up too.
CONUS – $7.
INTERNATIONAL – $15 — Registered/Insured – $25.

So a customer asked me a few months ago if I would be willing to work with buffalo horn for a pen he wanted.  I had never worked with it – and instead of just buying some and playing around with it – I asked around and did some reading – and everything I found said it cracked horribly after being turned.  Maybe not for a few days, but usually, and more often then not, it would crack.

Then I read about a pen on fountainpennetwork, made by Hakase Pen Company in Japan, from water buffalo horn.  Beautiful!  So instead of asking others who have WORKED with it, I started asking folks who own pens made from it.  So far, even after years, no cracks, but that’s with fairly thick barrel and cap walls and with an ebonite section.  Sounds good.  So I ordered some and it came in today.  I had to go play with it.

After shopping around on the internet with my wife for new bathroom vanities – oh man that was uh, fun 😉 – I broke away and got into the shop for a few minutes.  I made only the barrel, the section is from a different pen, for the photos. It still needs a good buffing, maybe go over the back of the barrel again, but WOW this was great to work with.  It turned almost as nicely as some ebonites I’ve worked with.  I could feel the vein, or grain, whatever you want to call it, so it had a bit of a bump or rough spot, but it still turned really nicely.  It was a bit stiff taking the internal threads, but putting the outside threads on was painless.

I wish the pictures were better – but it’s late and I’m tired.  Check it out.  😉

Oh, and the fuzzy stuff on the threads is tiny bits of paper towel after wiping water off.

Have made a few changes to the place – hopefully will be a bit easier to navigate.  Please let me know what you think – if it’s good or bad – any suggestions at all.

Thanks!

Well, I hope I’m ready for the tax man.

I spent very nearly the entire day going through every receipt, invoice, bank statement, and expense note I could find, adding up all my expenses and income from the year.  I’m very glad to say that I made a little profit – I can say it was very nice being able to make auto repairs and pay for daycare.  😉

I made right at 170 pens in 2012.  Not too bad.  I can’t wait to see how many I make in 2013.  Here’s to the new year and I hope to keep growing!  😀

Thanks everybody.