# "Celtic knot" pens



## Blind_Squirrel

I have always thought these pens look more like the atom symbol







than a Celtic knot


----------



## Crashmph

I have to agree with you there.  I have even sold several pens with the "Celtic knot" in them under the name nuclear pen.  There are a lot of Navy Nuclear Engineers that I work with and they are all on board with the idea of nuclear pen vice Celtic knot.


----------



## KiltedGunn

That's the Celtic Trinity knot you have there (known by many other names, I'm sure) but my point is, there are many and numerous knot designs which follow the style set forth in the Book of Kells (Celtic) 

But, hey, you're also right that it looks like an atom symbol! :wink:


----------



## rjwolfe3

Interesting!


----------



## CharlestonPenWorks

I have always thought that myself.  Interesting.
DJ


----------



## rpearson

Very interesting.  Are you placing a nucleus in or on your nuclear pens?

On a different note but similar style, what would you call this design?


----------



## rjwolfe3

Ribbons!


----------



## Rollerbob

rpearson said:


> very interesting. Are you placing a nucleus in or on your nuclear pens?
> 
> On a different note but similar style, what would you call this design?


 infinity!


----------



## jttheclockman

Blind_Squirrel said:


> I have always thought these pens look more like the atom symbol
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> than a Celtic knot


 

Well Scott do you have a pattern that we can try to make something that looks like the knot you have shown???  I am always willing to try new designs. It would be interesting.


----------



## wood-of-1kind

rpearson said:


> Very interesting.  Are you placing a nucleus in or on your nuclear pens?
> 
> On a different note but similar style, what would you call this design?



There's something "fishy" with this pen:wink: I do like it.


----------



## DCBluesman

From http://www.thinkythings.org/knotwork/knotwork-general.html

Certain properties of celtic knotwork define its style:


*Over-and-under construction:* The cords of the knotwork are woven such that cord intersections alternate between "overs" and "unders". In a few cases, you may see two overs or two unders in a row on a pattern that can not be drawn the correct way, but these are rare. 

*Uniform cord width:* The cords of the knotwork design maintain a consistent width. However, if the knotwork makes a transition into some other pattern or decoration, you may see some variation in cord width during the transition. 

*Pointed returns:* When a cord turns back on itself, the turning point is generally spade-shaped, not U-shaped. 

*Repetition:* Knotwork is intended for use along borders or to fill space; therefore, it is a small pattern, repeated over and over. Knotwork that does not follow a repeating pattern tends to look like a bowl of spaghetti. 

*Single-cord construction:* The best examples of knotwork are a single, continuous cord that turns back on itself rather than several intertwined cords. Some patterns require two or more cords, but ideally a single strand should be used. 

*Common patterns:* J. Romilly Allen has identified eight basic knotwork patterns used to create almost all patterns found in celtic art. Many more patterns are possible, but Allen's eight knots represent the most commonly used. 

*Space filling:* Knotwork is often used to fill up margins or other blank spaces. 

Of course, these are general characteristics, not rules. There are plenty of exceptions. However, these features seem to be present in a majority of knotwork examples, and they seem to contribute to the knotwork aesthetic.


----------



## rpearson

Fishy, ribbons, infinity all sound good.  I had thought of barbed wire simply because of the way it seems to entangle and surround the pen.

Back to the celtic knot and atom, I too am interested in other thoughts or design challenges.


----------



## rjwolfe3

Thanks Lou now I have another site to occupy my time, lol.


----------



## fiferb

I think I still consider these as Celtic knots.


----------



## GaryMGg

Eagle scoffed at the so-called Celtic Knot saying, "It's X's and O's."
I've called them celtic knots, but IMHO they're not. They lack too many defining features.


----------



## Jim Smith

Randy,

On a different note but similar style, what would you call this design?





To answer your question, your pen design immediately brought to mind a "slinky", especially after I got it tangled back onto itself.  Great looking pen!


Jim Smith


----------



## jimofsanston

*Atom knot*

As Long as it does not split I think everyone should be ok. Iam i right or not:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


----------



## alamocdc

GaryMGg said:


> Eagle scoffed at the so-called Celtic Knot saying, "It's X's and O's."
> I've called them celtic knots, but IMHO they're not. They lack too many defining features.


 
I guess we should start calling them Celtic "Nots". :biggrin:


----------

