# Cambridge Ultra w- Casein



## Kaspar (Oct 13, 2009)

One of Berea's new Ultra Cambridge kits. Gold Ti with Sterling Silver accents.  I prefer real gold to Gold Ti, but this is a very rich looking version of that plating.  

They added an all metal nib coupler along with the old plastic-in-metal one.  It pays to complain, I guess.    Didn't want the black at the base of the centerband to mess it up, so I modified it.  Can't recommend the procedure to anyone though, since I'm not sure how well the glue will hold the Casein to the Delrin.​


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## el_d (Oct 13, 2009)

Very Nice Eric. Love that Casein.

Very Classy......


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## chriselle (Oct 13, 2009)

Now that is very uptown....I'd like to get some of that casein AND a few of those kits.   Very Nice!


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## mrburls (Oct 13, 2009)

Now that is one sweet looking pen. I like the looks of that combination. 

Keith "mrburls"


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## skiprat (Oct 13, 2009)

Wow!!! That would make a very good wedding pen. Very snazzy:biggrin:


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## Jim15 (Oct 13, 2009)

That is an awesome pen, just beutiful.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Oct 13, 2009)

In a word​ 

Classy​


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## workinforwood (Oct 13, 2009)

yes, stunning and all the rest that has already been said and then some!  Great photo display too, crystal clear!


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## Glenn McCullough (Oct 13, 2009)

Beautiful pen. Well done and photography is excellent.


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## GregHaugen (Oct 13, 2009)

WOW!  Epitome of "elegance".  Such a beautiful Pen!    Well Done.


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## THarvey (Oct 13, 2009)

:good::good:


WOW!!! That is a Beaut!!!


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## PR_Princess (Oct 13, 2009)

A millkmaid dressed in diamonds....Elegant. And class all of the way.

What a beauty Eric!!


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## Mrs Rojo22 (Oct 13, 2009)

Lovely pen!

Robin


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## ed4copies (Oct 13, 2009)

Eric,

I like yours better than my Emperor!!

GREAT selection of kit!!


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## rpearson (Oct 13, 2009)

Wow!  Great combination for an extraordinary pen!


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## Kaspar (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks all!



ed4copies said:


> ...   GREAT selection of kit!!



Thanks!  I'm  glad you think so.  I really went around in circles  about what kit to put in it.  The circle went something like this:

It needed to be a big pen to show off the pattern.   PSI's Apollo would work well, but it's Gold Ti not Gold and, well, kind of a cheap kit (not poorly made or bad looking, but ...)  This is a truly exotic material, and I didn't want just any kit in it.   

I  didn't think silver/ rhodium etc ... would work as the main plating, so that eliminated CS-USA's high end kits, except for their Gold Ti Gentleman's, but that plating has never looked great to me.  

I finally decided to look around for some inspiration.  I found these piccies.  Conway Stewart - the only major penmaker that's got a Casein pen at the moment - had the aesthetics nailed, I thought.  One wants gold and / or black with it.  

 So Berea's Ultra Cambridge met most of the criteria.  The silver might be a bit of a risk, but their Sterling Silver is wonderfully bright, and I thought it would work, as long as it was just the accent material.  Otherwise Conway Stewart had the look I wanted.  A warm gold with the warm off-white of the casein.  The silver adds a nice, "icy" contrast, I think.  I would have preferred a real, heavy gold plate, but, as I mentioned, Berea's Gold Ti is quite rich.

The only problem with the Ultra  was the black at the base of the centerband.  Either that had to come off, or I would have to add some black segments at the ends.  Doable, but then the silver would be "too much."

So that's how I arrived at this.


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## CaRed (Oct 13, 2009)

I have had a stick of the casein in my garage for a while just waiting for inspiration to hit me.  There goes the 2X4 right upside my head.  That is very inspirational.  It looks better in your picture than in did in my head.  I hadn't considered the Ultra to this point.  

Great job.


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## wdcav1952 (Oct 13, 2009)

Eric, all of the above!!

That is truly a remarkable effort.


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## jttheclockman (Oct 13, 2009)

Now that is one of the classiest pens I have seen here. Very well done. I do have to try some of those kits. About the material you are using, ity looks fragile. Is it???  Will it stand up if droped or bumped???   Thanks for showing


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## ed4copies (Oct 13, 2009)

John,

The material is called "casein" and it is a milk protein product.  I do not recommend selling it as a "daily writer" pen.  

It is water soluble (over a great deal of time, I am told) and generally is used for high-end pens.  Not meant to be "thrown around".

Hope this helps.


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## mbroberg (Oct 13, 2009)

That is really a beautiful pen.  I really like casein.  Your pen is fantastic.


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## Kaspar (Oct 13, 2009)

jttheclockman said:


> Now that is one of the classiest pens I have seen here. Very well done. I do have to try some of those kits. About the material you are using, ity looks fragile. Is it???  Will it stand up if droped or bumped???   Thanks for showing





ed4copies said:


> John,
> 
> The material is called "casein" and it is a milk protein product.  I do not recommend selling it as a "daily writer" pen.
> 
> ...



It is a plastic made from milk protein as Ed said.  Apparently, it takes a year or so of curing to make a suitable blank.  The longitudinal lines and radial, "starburst," end structure emerge as the protein "crystalizes".  

I am keeping it in a leather pen pouch, and as a matter of fact, just dropped it outside in the rain, on my way home.  It seems okay.  I'm sure the pouch helped.  

I am told it stains easily, and I believe it.  It is somewhat brittle, as my first attempt to part off the centerband modification demonstrated.  It turns similarly to _faux_ ivory, and cracks like it too.   However, it seems very durable once you've got it into shape.   I do not intend to use it as a day-to-day pen, but as a wash-your-hands-first special writer.  If I start to feel really daring I may put a fountain nib on it, but there is the staining issue, so .... _caveat emptor_.  

I'm worried about whether the CB modification will stay glued to the delrin thread insert.  I think I've got a way around that for the next one, but I don't think this one can be sold.

I suppose  I'll  have to keep it.

What a shame.


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## ed4copies (Oct 13, 2009)

I suppose  I'll  have to keep it.

What a shame.


AHHHHhhh, the things we endure to pursue our hobbies:wink::wink:


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## PR_Princess (Oct 13, 2009)

Kaspar said:


> I suppose  I'll  have to keep it.
> 
> What a shame.



I have to say this...before anyone else does! :biggrin:

You could send it to me! :devil::biggrin::tongue:


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## mick (Oct 13, 2009)

WOW!​ Now that's a classy pen! I love the Casein. I wish I had bought some when someone had it for sell awhile back.


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## johnnycnc (Oct 13, 2009)

Very classy, excellent work.


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## Lenny (Oct 13, 2009)

Kaspar said:


> They added an all metal nib coupler along with the old plastic-in-metal one.​


 
That would explain why I had parts left over on the one I just did! =0)

I was confused during assembly as I thought it was a postable cap ... DAH!

Yours is a beautiful pen! Excellent combination of material and plating !!


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## broitblat (Oct 13, 2009)

Yes, very elegant looking pen!

  -Barry


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## maxman400 (Oct 13, 2009)

Simply Beautiful!!!


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## Ligget (Oct 13, 2009)

Outstanding pen, very classy looking and as said previously an excellent wedding pen!


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## dow (Oct 14, 2009)

Hmm... Was it a limited time viewing?  I don't see anything, not even a little red X.


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## artme (Oct 14, 2009)

A stunner!!. All class and elegance!!!!:star::star::star::star::star:


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## Kaspar (Oct 14, 2009)

dow said:


> Hmm... Was it a limited time viewing?  I don't see anything, not even a little red X.



My photo hosting site was running very slowly this morning.  I'd put the pictures here, but everytime I try to create a place following the instructions in the FAQ forum, it doesn't do it.  I think I PMed somebody about that, but I never heard back.

_Edit:_ Ah, someone created one for me.  I just have to access it.


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