# The Ultimate Multi-Generational Gift Pen....how would you make it



## QuoVadis (Jan 15, 2016)

Little skiddish to say I signed up last night as a new member after reading the forums every night for the last 3 weeks.

I thought I would venture into a forum and ask a big picture question for all you pros out there.

If you were to make a pen for the sole purpose to be passed down from generation to generation, so that someday an ancestor of yours could say, "this pen here was made by my great great grandfather"......well then how would you do it?  If you were going to stick with wood, how would you make the pen so that it would last the longest and would be worth passing down generation to generation. Process? Parts? Kind of pen?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.


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## skiprat (Jan 15, 2016)

Solid Silver capped pen ( no mech :wink or maybe stainless steel ( no plating wear :wink: )
Bocote, Cocobolo are my favourite woods, but a nice HRB looks superb too.
Any wood that doesn't require a finish. 
But that's just my 2p worth....for free:biggrin:

Oh...and welcome to the IAP..


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## QuoVadis (Jan 15, 2016)

And those are 2 pennies worth hearing.  I've read a ton of your posts Skiprat.  It's an honor to hear your take.  Thanks!

So the finish would wear out for sure...I hadn't thought about that.


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## Hawkdave (Jan 15, 2016)

QuoVadis said:


> Little skiddish to say I signed up last night as a new member after reading the forums every night for the last 3 weeks.
> 
> I thought I would venture into a forum and ask a big picture question for all you pros out there.
> 
> ...



G'Day Kale...It is important to have family heirlooms. Our memories must live on. Somewhere in one of the posts, one of the members turned a number of pens from his (I think his Grandfather) favorite hammer, and gave them to his sons to remember their great Grandfather. 
Maybe you can find some item that is special and turn that into pens, the story attached to the pens would be the start of the heirloom.

Good luck and please let us know what solution you come up with!

Dave.


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## QuoVadis (Jan 15, 2016)

[/QUOTE]

G'Day Kale...It is important to have family heirlooms. Our memories must live on. Somewhere in one of the posts, one of the members turned a number of pens from his (I think his Grandfather) favorite hammer, and gave them to his sons to remember their great Grandfather. 
Maybe you can find some item that is special and turn that into pens, the story attached to the pens would be the start of the heirloom.

Good luck and please let us know what solution you come up with!

Dave.[/QUOTE]

Dave, that is a great idea.  I agree adding a "story" with the piece adds to the sentimental value and ensures it gets passed on.   When I recently built my house 2 years ago I had to clear a bunch of Osage Orange/Hedge wood from the property to build.  I thought of using that from a "homesteading" perspective.  Although I've heard hedge may be quite difficult to turn, I know it will last ages being such a hard/dense wood.


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## Edgar (Jan 15, 2016)

That Osage Orange wood sounds like a good candidate for your heirloom pen - both from a storied standpoint as well as durability. It also makes nice looking pens.

It is definitely a hard wood, but not difficult to turn. Make sure your tools are sharp, and If you are using standard steel tools, you may need to sharpen them a time or two during your turning.


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## plantman (Jan 15, 2016)

I would make a fountain pen. Ink has been around for thousands of years. Ball points, not so long. I can see, in the not so far future, that we will be using laser pens as our main writing tools. Ball points will be a thing only the older members of the world will remember using. But ink will still be hanging in there. Finish would be the main concern, and some type of metal would be my #1 choice. Silver fittings being the best choice for passing on to a relative and lasting the longest. That's my 4 cents worth since after inflation you don't get much for 2 cents any more !!   Jim  S


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## BackyardSmokin (Jan 15, 2016)

This question makes me think back.  My step-grandfather was a master cabinet maker from France and told us how the only thing that kept him alive in the concentration camps was knowing wood working.  When he came to the US after the war he did cabinet work on some very high end houses and did some restoration work on the Winchester Mystery House.  

My earliest memories of him was him being out in his wood shop (or doghouse as he called it) making small odds and ends.  Unfortunately when he passed his side of the family took the antique tools, sold them on eBay and threw out all of his wood inventory.  They also took all the items he brought with him from France.  I was only able to get a metal foot locker and his radial arm saw.

This question makes me wish I had something more of him that I could turn or make a keepsake box out of.


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## wyone (Jan 15, 2016)

I like Olive wood for the finish I can do on it without really needing a finish.  But I also have to say, something of meaning for the material is pretty special.  I made my father a pen out of a piece of Apple wood that I saved for 25+ years.  I know he had no idea I had it, but it came from the apple orchard that was my grandparents.  He grew up on that farm and helped plant the trees and picked many many apples from them.  I had the section and could not figure out what to do with it until I started making pens.  Eventually I will get it back, but it has some significant meaning to him now


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## Fulmaduro (Jan 15, 2016)

BackyardSmokin said:


> This question makes me think back.  My step-grandfather was a master cabinet maker from France and told us how the only thing that kept him alive in the concentration camps was knowing wood working.  When he came to the US after the war he did cabinet work on some very high end houses and did some restoration work on the Winchester Mystery House.
> 
> My earliest memories of him was him being out in his wood shop (or doghouse as he called it) making small odds and ends.  Unfortunately when he passed his side of the family took the antique tools, sold them on eBay and threw out all of his wood inventory.  They also took all the items he brought with him from France.  I was only able to get a metal foot locker and his radial arm saw.
> 
> This question makes me wish I had something more of him that I could turn or make a keepsake box out of.



The tools and wood destruction really suck, hit home hard! I can't imagine this! A truly terrible situation!


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## Whitehat1994 (Jan 15, 2016)

A lesson for us all, make a will or do estate planning.


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## Whitehat1994 (Jan 15, 2016)

BackyardSmokin said:


> This question makes me think back.  My step-grandfather was a master cabinet maker from France and told us how the only thing that kept him alive in the concentration camps was knowing wood working.  When he came to the US after the war he did cabinet work on some very high end houses and did some restoration work on the Winchester Mystery House.
> 
> My earliest memories of him was him being out in his wood shop (or doghouse as he called it) making small odds and ends.  Unfortunately when he passed his side of the family took the antique tools, sold them on eBay and threw out all of his wood inventory.  They also took all the items he brought with him from France.  I was only able to get a metal foot locker and his radial arm saw.
> 
> This question makes me wish I had something more of him that I could turn or make a keepsake box out of.



A lesson for us all, make a will or do estate planning.


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## RedBeard (Jan 19, 2016)

wyone said:


> I like Olive wood for the finish I can do on it without really needing a finish.  But I also have to say, something of meaning for the material is pretty special.  I made my father a pen out of a piece of Apple wood that I saved for 25+ years.  I know he had no idea I had it, but it came from the apple orchard that was my grandparents.  He grew up on that farm and helped plant the trees and picked many many apples from them.  I had the section and could not figure out what to do with it until I started making pens.  Eventually I will get it back, but it has some significant meaning to him now



I like this idea most. Personally I think the phrase "heirloom quality" is subjective at best and doesn't exactly need to be some highly figured show piece. I have an old beat up hammer that belonged to my grandfather. It's not the prettiest thing in the world but to me it means the world and I wouldn't trade it for anything.


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