# Blue and black with brass accents



## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

This one was a lot more work than my previous custom pens as I decided I wanted to add some brass accents.
 I also wanted a matching section, rather than the standard black one.  This uses a nib/feed I hadn't used before which had an feed thread of  8.4x1, which had to go inside a section using an external thread of  10x1mm, so not a lot of "meat" left. 
As a result the section you see here is my fourth attempt!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




The blank is one of my own dark navy blue ones, as is the black used for the caps etc.

Anyway see what you think, as always comments most welcome.




























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## maxman400 (May 4, 2012)

I tried to open them, but it takes to a wood working forum that I am not a member of so I can't see them.


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

maxman400 said:


> I tried to open them, but it takes to a wood working forum that I am not a member of so I can't see them.



Sorry, tried to save some time and did a cut and paste, have now fixed.

Every forum seems to want a different way of uploading pics, even though they all use vBulletin


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## maxman400 (May 4, 2012)

Now I see it, WOW very Classy, Looks like it belongs on a Naval Officers Desk.
Great Photos also.


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## Lucky2 (May 4, 2012)

Now that is a very nice pen, but I don't like the oversize pictures. When I see oversize pics like these, it seems to me that the poster is trying to hard. I like to be able to see all of the pics at one time, and then to have a chance to click on the pic of the ones that I would like to see inlarged.
Len "lucky2"


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

Lucky2 said:


> Now that is a very nice pen, but I don't like the oversize pictures. When I see oversize pics like these, it seems to me that the poster is trying to hard. I like to be able to see all of the pics at one time, and then to have a chance to click on the pic of the ones that I would like to see inlarged.
> Len "lucky2"



My apologies, just goes to show we can't please all of the people all of the time.


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## Twissy (May 4, 2012)

Lovely looking pen, "classic" I think. I especially like the use of the black on the centre band. Sweet.


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## Curly (May 4, 2012)

BigShed said:
			
		

> My apologies, just goes to show we can't please all of the people all of the time.



Pleases me just fine.  my comment on the Aussi site still apply.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner because I can't reach my desktop!


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

Have deleted pics from my Photobucket site, don't want to upset people

As I only have 1 hour to Edit my post I cannot upload smaller pics.

As for trying too hard, well I always try and do my best, if that is trying too hard then so be it.


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

Curly said:


> BigShed said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you Pete.


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

OK, was able to re-upload these pics to Photobucket in 800dpi rather than the previous 1024dpi, somehow my photo reduction software got set to 1024 instead of 800.

So, they're back as the Photobucket link name remains the same.


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## BradG (May 4, 2012)

Pete
You carry on as you are  great looking pen - as for picture sizes, do what you want! its your thread and i personally like to post a larger picture than the little thumbnails, "because thats my preference".

Regards
Brad


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

Thanks BradG, don't want to be accused of "showing off" in Showing Off Your Pens"


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## wizard (May 4, 2012)

*Beautiful!*

Fred, All I can say is *WOW*!!!! I love the coordination of colors that you have. I really like the very uniform placement of the brass accents and black components on the finial, cap and end of the pen. The matching section with the brass accent proximal to the section looks great. Very clean lines and eye pleasing symmetry. Your pictures look beautiful and sized perfectly. 
Fred, If I may I would like to ask a few questions and pardon me in advance if they appear obvious. What did you use for the accents (i.e. brass sheet,  brass washers) ? Is the black end of the pen threaded and if so what size threads are they? Thank you in advance. 
BTW, IMHO..This is another front page pen
Regards,
Doc


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

wizard said:


> Fred, All I can say is *WOW*!!!! I love the coordination of colors that you have. I really like the very uniform placement of the brass accents and black components on the finial, cap and end of the pen. The matching section with the brass accent proximal to the section looks great. Very clean lines and eye pleasing symmetry. Your pictures look beautiful and sized perfectly.
> Fred, If I may I would like to ask a few questions and pardon me in advance if they appear obvious. What did you use for the accents (i.e. brass sheet,  brass washers) ? Is the black end of the pen threaded and if so what size threads are they? Thank you in advance.
> BTW, IMHO..This is another front page pen
> Regards,
> Doc



Thanks Doc, you make me blush!

The brass accents are turned from a 19mm brass rod, about 1.3mm thick, OD larger than where it goes in the pen. They are fitted on a tenon and push fitted and glued on. The whole thing is then turned to size.

Yes the end caps are screwed in, using M10x1mm thread. The centre band is also screwed in but glued as well, but using a finer M10x0.75 triple thread as the M10x1 was too coarse for that, as I found out to my cost.

The section has an M10x1 external thread, the internal thread for the nib/feed is M8.4x1.

The reason broke 3 of them is that I wanted a shorter section, but had to make it longer in order to separate the internal M8.4 thread from the external M10 thread.

I'm sure my tap/die sets are breeding overnight, every time I come in the shed I seem to have more of them.

Received another 3 sets I bought on Ebay yesterday!


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## bluwolf (May 4, 2012)

Nice pen Fred. You're going to think this is silly but my favorite part is the metal band on the grip. It's a great detail.

Mike


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## mredburn (May 4, 2012)

We think alike Mike, I liked the attention to that detail as well. Sets the whole pen off. Nicely understated design and colors Fred


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## MarkD (May 4, 2012)

Wow, that's a very classy pen. The brass accents really make it pop. The color combination looks great. I'm not sure if I really like the brass trim on the nib but regardless it's a beauty.

Please keep trying your hardest, it's working for you, and it gives us something to strive for!


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## cnirenberg (May 4, 2012)

Fred,
Beautiful.  I like the shape and the accents.  This ia s keeper for sure (maybe not for you, but I'll take it....)  The pics are super, they really show off the pen.
thanks again.


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## chriselle (May 4, 2012)

Geez Fred...stop trying so damned hard...:biggrin:  There's no need to resize at all.  I think what that poster was referring to was having them show as thumbnails by uploading them directly from your computer through the "manage attachments" uploader.  

  Stellar pen man!  Really gorgeous.  I love the accents, too.  I know what you mean when you have to re-do parts.  I was trying to incorporate Jr Gent I clip to a kitless cap/finial today and was having the hardest time getting it to fit....grrr..

Cheers,

  Chris


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## Justturnin (May 4, 2012)

This is a nice one.  I have not been a big fan of the "kitless" look because it seemed to be lacking something or had too much of the same thing and nothing else.  You have done a great job on this breaking everything up.  I love the colors, they all go together well.  My interest in kitless has been peeked.  Great, they should rename the hobby to Boat.........Bring Out Another Thousand.


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## Timebandit (May 4, 2012)

First off great looking pen!! I think you did a great job with this one. Second, im going to pick this one apart a bit. Most people have been asking for more comments on there pens, and i usually refrain from anything negative as i dont want to discourage anyone or get in an argument, so this is merely constructive criticism. 

1)On the cap, left hand side, it looks like the cap diameter is larger then the accent ring and finial. Looks like if you ran your fingernail across it it would catch. Just need to work on the fitting a little better. This is probably because you are using the El Grande clip and washer ( at least thats what it looks like) and were forced to match this diameter. I would have made my own accent band here to match the rest and you could easily turn them all at the same time. 

2)On the exterior of the pen, i see circular scratches throughout the whole pen. Just need some more time polishing or buffing it to get these out. I find buffing to provide the best shine available.

3)On the front section, on the back threads, it looks like you threaded the whole thing and then tried to turn off the last few threads, but left a little bit of the thread visible making it look unfinished and unpolished. What i do is turn the tenon for the threads, then go ahead and turn the little tenon on the end before you cut your threads. Make it smaller in diameter than the lowest point on the threads so the die doesnt even touch it as you cut the threads. Also, before i cut the threads, i polish the tenons with micro mesh to get them at that show room shine before i even touch it with the die. Then its all polished when you are done and you dont have to worry about trying to polish it and not mess up the threads.

4)This is just an opinion one....while i think the matching front section looks nice, i think that on this pen that a black one would have looked better. It would have kept with the black end/accent band framing the navy in the middle theme throughout the pen, even when uncapped.

All in all, great pen....Keep it up!!!!


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## Texatdurango (May 4, 2012)

Nice job Fred, the ring around the section is something I've been thinking about for a while but never did it, looks good!


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## hewunch (May 4, 2012)

Fred is aiming for the bleachers! Great work!


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## scotian12 (May 4, 2012)

An exceptional classic pen. Great choice of colours. You encourage us to strive for excellence.  Thanks    Darrell


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## InvisibleMan (May 4, 2012)

I really like this one!  I think this shade of blue and the brass accents compliment each other perfectly.  Very classy.

I'd love to see this same design with a black section just to compare.  If you could have that done up by the time I'm having lunch and looking again, that'd be great:biggrin:.


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

Timebandit said:


> > First off great looking pen!! I think you did a great job with this one. Second, im going to pick this one apart a bit. Most people have been asking for more comments on there pens, and i usually refrain from anything negative as i dont want to discourage anyone or get in an argument, so this is merely constructive criticism.
> 
> 
> Justin, as I said, comments welcome.
> ...



Thanks, Fred


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## Andrew_K99 (May 4, 2012)

Great looking pen!

I'm glad to see the unsightly joints concealed properly.  Lots of great kitless pens missed the mark IMO with the attempted pattern alignment.  This pen certainly brings it to the next level!


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## bubbamorse (May 4, 2012)

maxman400 said:


> Now I see it, WOW very Classy, Looks like it belongs on a Naval Officers Desk.
> Great Photos also.



Nope, that's absolutely a Chief's pen...it's where real work get's done (not on some officers desk)!  Spoken as the retired Senior NCO I am...:biggrin:


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## yort81 (May 4, 2012)

*Wow!!*

That is inspirational!! :~)


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## BigShed (May 4, 2012)

Timebandit said:


> First off great looking pen!! I think you did a great job with this one. Second, im going to pick this one apart a bit. Most people have been asking for more comments on there pens, and i usually refrain from anything negative as i dont want to discourage anyone or get in an argument, so this is merely constructive criticism.



Justin, thinking further about your comments I decided to have a look at your photo gallery. I particularly wanted to see how you do your accent rings. Try as I might I couldn't find one of your pens with accent rings, so I couldn't see how precise you make these.

Perhaps you could post one of your pens with accent rings here, so we can all see how you handle that? 
Always better to "do as I do", rather than "do as I say".


(Sorry, couldn't add this to my original reply, that 1 hour editing limit caught me out again, must learn to think faster!)


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## Haynie (May 4, 2012)

Looks like the bar has been raised.  This definitely does not look like plastic stick with a clip.

If I were to get picky I would want an indentation in the tip for comfort.

Never mind I see there is one.  Very subtle just what I would want.


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## Dalecamino (May 4, 2012)

Very nice Fred. This is the style of pen I like. Your accent rings put a nice touch on the pen. The ring on the section is a feature I've thought about doing on future pens. Thanks for showing me that it can be done for certain.:biggrin:


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## Timebandit (May 5, 2012)

BigShed said:


> Timebandit said:
> 
> 
> > > First off great looking pen!! I think you did a great job with this one. Second, im going to pick this one apart a bit. Most people have been asking for more comments on there pens, and i usually refrain from anything negative as i dont want to discourage anyone or get in an argument, so this is merely constructive criticism.
> ...



1)Excellent. Just didnt know that you had a mill to make the slot. Still looks off to me. I guess its the large 30" computer monitor causing an illusion. Anyone else see it? Yes a Churchill clip, sorry, El Grande and Churchill are the same pen just different clip and finials. And i didnt mean make your own clip, just the rings, which you did i see. Great job!

2)Might not be visible to the naked eye, but take a look at it through a lupe. Im looking on a 30" computer monitor, so your pen it about 20-30 times larger than you holding it in your hand. Things are very magnified, and i see circular scratches all down your pen. Maybe this is my large monitor throwing me off again. While this might not matter at a craft show or just giving or selling them to people you know, if you were to take this to a Pen Show and try to sell it, every person that came up to your table would pull a lupe out of there pocket to inspect your pen, and if they see scratches, they will put it right back down. I have a 3x lupe that i inspect every pen with. You would be supprised how many scratches are left behind even after micromesh, auto polishes and all of this. The only thing that i have found to remove scratches enough to not be seen under a 3x lupe is a buffer. Not saying this is the only thing to get rid of them completely, just the only one that i have found.

3)The only reason i like my way better is because you dont have to worry about damaging your threads when you cut the back ones off, and because you dont have to worry about polishing anything afterwords. Once you are done cutting your threads, your section is done, all polished up on the back end. Now all thats left to do is shape it.

4)I agree about it maybe looking like a kit section, but you have to remember that when pens were first around there were no kits, so really kits sections are copies of old vintage pens. I just think it would look more balanced with the theme of the pen while capped. Either way, it turned out great! I love Blue!!




BigShed said:


> Timebandit said:
> 
> 
> > First off great looking pen!! I think you did a great job with this one. Second, im going to pick this one apart a bit. Most people have been asking for more comments on there pens, and i usually refrain from anything negative as i dont want to discourage anyone or get in an argument, so this is merely constructive criticism.
> ...



Fred, i havent shown any pens with bands. While i have made a few, they are demonstrators and are just used as models for me. I was only merely making a suggestion as to how I would do things, and it seems like you have done it the same way. And i wasnt saying to do things my way, they were merely suggestions, and again i see that you have already done it the same way, so im not sure what you are looking for. I post all of my pens here, so if you would like to go back and check out the threads and see how i am doing things, feel free. 

Again great pen!! Keep it up!! Blue is my favorite color!!


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## chriselle (May 5, 2012)

I'm looking forward to that next pen Fred..:wink:


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## Texatdurango (May 5, 2012)

Timebandit said:


> .....Fred, i havent shown any pens with bands. While i have made a few, they are demonstrators and are just used as models for me. I was only merely making a suggestion as to how I would do things, and it seems like you have done it the same way. And i wasnt saying to do things my way, they were merely suggestions, and again i see that you have already done it the same way, so im not sure what you are looking for. I post all of my pens here, so if you would like to go back and check out the threads and see how i am doing things, feel free.
> 
> Again great pen!! Keep it up!! Blue is my favorite color!!



Justin,

I may be wrong in reading Fred's comments but I caught one phrase ("do as I do", rather than "do as I say") that leads me to believe he doesn't want to see how you do your accent bands and accent rings to LEARN from you, instead it looks like he's saying... don't knock how I do mine 'till you show me how you do yours".  'Course I could be wrong!

Come to think of it, I've never seen any of your pens with bands either, I'd like to see what you came up with so go ahead and post one of your demos and don't worry if it's not a picture perfect pen, I posted a few demos back in 2008 that weren't perfect but they showed what was going on inside of a button filler and bulb filler and helped others by giving them ideas.  So don't be bashful, let's see what you have.


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## BigShed (May 5, 2012)

Texatdurango said:


> I may be wrong in reading Fred's comments but I caught one phrase ("do as I do", rather than "do as I say") that leads me to believe he doesn't want to see how you do your accent bands and accent rings to LEARN from you, instead it looks like he's saying... don't knock how I do mine 'till you show me how you do yours".  'Course I could be wrong!
> 
> Come to think of it, I've never seen any of your pens with bands either, I'd like to see what you came up with so go ahead and post one of your demos and don't worry if it's not a picture perfect pen, I posted a few demos back in 2008 that weren't perfect but they showed what was going on inside of a button filler and bulb filler and helped others by giving them ideas.  So don't be bashful, let's see what you have.



Spot on George, I think Justin is getting so impressed with his own skills as a "master pen turner" that he can't even recognise sarcasm when it hits him in the face.

Justin, like George said, show me a pen with metal bands including a milled recessed "washer" (as you call it) and then come back and give me another "master class".

I tried to stay polite, but obviously subtlety is not your forte.


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## Timebandit (May 5, 2012)

BigShed said:


> Texatdurango said:
> 
> 
> > I may be wrong in reading Fred's comments but I caught one phrase ("do as I do", rather than "do as I say") that leads me to believe he doesn't want to see how you do your accent bands and accent rings to LEARN from you, instead it looks like he's saying... don't knock how I do mine 'till you show me how you do yours".  'Course I could be wrong!
> ...



Wow, you and George just made it clear that a Comment and Critiques forum would have been a disaster. You ask for comments and then get angry about it. Then George jumps in. Where in my replies was i "Knocking" anything An when have i ever acted like a "Master Pen Turner " I guess this Website hasnt progressed enough that we can give each other constructive criticism without people getting hurt. Thank you Jeff for not making a new disastrous form. I will go back to lurking and not commenting on peoples beautiful pens like they ask for, like i did here for fear of them not liking it. Thanks George and Fred Keep up the good work Fred ( no sarcasm here, so no need to try and figure it out ) Just a great pen.


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## BigShed (May 5, 2012)

Justin, no problem with your "comments and critiques", it is the "look at me, look at me" tone that got up my nose, and obviously I wasn't the only one.

I may add here that I have received quite a few PMs expressing that same sentiment, so it wasn't just my sensitive soul.

So for what it is worth, that is my constructive criticism on the way you address others.

Still looking forward to that metal banded pen you are going to make one day.


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## Timebandit (May 5, 2012)

BigShed said:


> Justin, no problem with your "comments and critiques", it is the "look at me, look at me" tone that got up my nose, and obviously I wasn't the only one.
> 
> I may add here that I have received quite a few PMs expressing that same sentiment, so it wasn't just my sensitive soul.
> 
> ...



Thinking about stuff...........


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## IPD_Mr (May 5, 2012)

I had not commented yet because I was still trying to wrap my head around the pen because it looked so familiar. I was cleaning up my desk today and when I was putting my daily writer in the case I saw it. I have a Pelikan 200 that is somewhat similar, but what caught me was the blues were pretty close. Yours is a little lighter which I like. The Pelikan has a black body with a blue finial and a blue cap. I like yours better, but if I wanted to kind of mimic the Pelikan I might consider a blue body with a black cap which had a matching blue finial.  Not saying you did anything wrong because I really like what you did Fred. BTW, the pen I am comparing it to is one of my favorites with a juicy double broad nib.  That would be a pen that I would be more than proud to put in my case.  I may try and use a couple of your accomplishments here in my next pen.  I am guessing here but is that your own pour on the blue?


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## BigShed (May 5, 2012)

IPD_Mr said:


> I had not commented yet because I was still trying to wrap my head around the pen because it looked so familiar. I was cleaning up my desk today and when I was putting my daily writer in the case I saw it. I have a Pelikan 200 that is somewhat similar, but what caught me was the blues were pretty close. Yours is a little lighter which I like. The Pelikan has a black body with a blue finial and a blue cap. I like yours better, but if I wanted to kind of mimic the Pelikan I might consider a blue body with a black cap which had a matching blue finial.  Not saying you did anything wrong because I really like what you did Fred. BTW, the pen I am comparing it to is one of my favorites with a juicy double broad nib.  That would be a pen that I would be more than proud to put in my case.  I may try and use a couple of your accomplishments here in my next pen.  I am guessing here but is that your own pour on the blue?



Thanks Mike, I must go and find a picture of a Pelikan 200 FP, not familiar with one of those. Just goes to show there's nothing new under the sun

Edit:

Just Googled for images of Pelikan 200 FPs, I see what you mean. Some nice pens there, wouldn't be nice to have a customised finial like some of these companies have? Particularly like that Pelikan finial.

I arrived at this combination through a combination of circumstances. When I made the black pen that was on the front page recently it occurred to me that a similar pen with accent bands would look good, then someone here on the forum asked about dark blue blanks and that set me thinking. I had recently bought some new round moulds (or I should say molds!) from Fred Wissen and had poured various solid colour blanks to give them a try. One of those runs was a dark navy blue and I did like the look of that. So long story short, that's how this combo came about
So yes, both the black and the blue are my own pours..

Wherever possible I like making pens with my own blanks, not because they are necessarily any better than bought blanks, in most cases they're not, but I feel it gives me more "ownership" in the pen.

Edit:

Just Googled for images of a Pelikan 200, I see what you mean, some very nice combinations there.
Particularly like the clip, looks like it comes straight a Perfect Fit kit, one of my favourite kits.
Wouldn't it be nice to make a custom finial like Pelikan, and others, have. I very much like that Pelikan finial with the stylised P, very classy.

That is also the reason I would eventually like to be able to make my own clips, although your new range gives me more choice there.


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## johncrane (May 5, 2012)

Excellent pen and work Fred! balance/shape and colors look great,well done mate!:biggrin:


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## BigShed (May 5, 2012)

Oops, my last post got a bit mixed up in editing, can't change it now, there's that 1 hour limit again!

Thansk John.


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## IPD_Mr (May 6, 2012)

Fred,
I told you wrong about the Pelikan, it is the M250 not a 200. Anyway I attached a couple of photos so you could see what I am talking about. Your blue is much more pleasing where to me on the 250 it is too dark. You can kind of see why I thought your pen looked familiar to me. Not that I thought you were copying anything, just that I knew there was a reason I liked it.


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## Autonoz (May 6, 2012)

I live this style of pen and it looks great. Where did you get the clip for it?


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## SDB777 (May 7, 2012)

Saw this at the other place, and got to say...she is still a beauty!!!



Well done!!!






Scott B


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## Dustygoose (May 7, 2012)

Wow!  Super nice pen.


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