# Abalone pens



## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

These are a couple of Abalone pens I've made with my new shell saw . For the past few weeks I've been working on a saw that will allow me to cut shell strips to a very exact , repeatable size to cast for making pens . I've finally got it set up right and this is the result .
Paua Abalone Honu Pacifica . Thin strips of Paua Abalone cast in PR . The colors in these shells are awesome , they shimmer in the sunlight . The shell strips are set on the tube and then sealed to prevent air trapped under the shell strips from coming to the surface of the shell strips . Each blank takes a couple of hours to create but the look is well worth the time .



 





This one is Japanese Awabi Abalone on a chrome Sierra click . Awabi is an awesome shell , it's basicly similar to White Mother of Pearl except in the light it shimmers in purples and greens and golds and .... This is one of those imposible to photo shells so these pictures don't do this pen justice .



 








As always , comments welcome .


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## Stick Rounder (Aug 14, 2010)

Wow! Those are amazing.  I especially like the bands on the pens.  Sea turtles.


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## micharms (Aug 14, 2010)

Those are fantastic! Kinda gives things away in a different thread though doesn't it?:wink:

Michael


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## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

Actually no it don't . This is not my PITH pen for Seamus , he's getting a custom modified pen design .


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## Toni (Aug 14, 2010)

Butch I have been waiting very patiently for you to post photos of this pen:biggrin: It is gorgeous I LOOOOVE IT!!!

Question: I live in Paua country and the shells are every were,  I do not understand how you get  strips from a shell that is curved to lay flat??? I DO NOT GET IT


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## witz1976 (Aug 14, 2010)

Holy crap!! Those look awesome!!  Better trademark, patent, watermark, serialize, stamp, imprint and guard that design with your life:biggrin::biggrin:  (Sorry couldn't help it!)


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## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

Toni said:


> Butch I have been waiting very patiently for you to post photos of this pen:biggrin: It is gorgeous I LOOOOVE IT!!!
> 
> Question: I live in Paua country and the shells are every were, I do not understand how you get strips from a shell that is curved to lay flat??? I DO NOT GET IT


 
I cheat , I buy them in already flat sheets . They are very thin .015" and are about 3"X5" . From what I can see they take the shell and grind away the surface leaving only the Nacre (the colorful shiny part) . They take those thin veneers and bond the smaller pieces to make the sheets . I would think it is kinda labor intensive which explains the price of the sheets .


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## TomS (Aug 14, 2010)

Both pens are terrific, but the Paua Abalone is spectacular. Prettiest pen I've seen lately.
Tom


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## johnspensandmore (Aug 14, 2010)

Very nice! Well worth the effort.


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## seamus7227 (Aug 14, 2010)

I have been lurking! Looking awesome Butch. Love the concept!


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## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

It's funny but the Awabi is actually the nicer of the two . I can't get the colors to show up in the photos but they really are awesome , they shimmer and shift through colors as you move the pen and look at it from different angles , kind of like the color shifting car paints .


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## soligen (Aug 14, 2010)

Excellent Butch, absolutely excellent.


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## Constant Laubscher (Aug 14, 2010)

I like the first one the most, Looks awesome!


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## phillywood (Aug 14, 2010)

Toni said:


> Butch I have been waiting very patiently for you to post photos of this pen:biggrin: It is gorgeous I LOOOOVE IT!!!
> 
> Question: I live in Paua country and the shells are every were, I do not understand how you get strips from a shell that is curved to lay flat??? I DO NOT GET IT


Toni, you know that butch is good at teasing our brains like that I had to Pm him to translate all that he wrote ot a newbie's language. heck i don't ahve a lot of hair left and he is already making me lose what I don't got on the top.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 14, 2010)

Freeking fantastic, now everyone would drive themselfs nuts trying to figure out how you cut them....me included.


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## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

seamus7227 said:


> I have been lurking! Looking awesome Butch. Love the concept!


 
I just hope you like your pen when it's done . I've run across a slight problem in the casting of the blank , nothing major but I need to work out a few things .


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## cnirenberg (Aug 14, 2010)

Butch,
Wow.  Those are some sweet lookers.  I like 'em all.  Who would have thunk shells in veneer strips.  I got to get out more.  Beautiful work as always.


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## phillywood (Aug 14, 2010)

Butch you wicked man, I knew that you were quite for awhile and knowing you, i thought you may have something up your sleeves. those pens are way hard for me to describe how nice they are. Once, I have looked at them and digested the language then I may make comments, but there are nothing to comment on since they  are gorgeous. The first one awesome and the second one I already looked at it few times and can tell it's one of those thing that there is noway you can take a pic of it since the second you move then the light introduction to the pen blank will change.
OK, I have to take a deep breath buddy. I'll await till you translate the blank and the procedure to my newbie language, stop writing at pen turners guild level. LOL. I have to burn few cigars til I get to that point. :biggrin:


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## Toni (Aug 14, 2010)

ldb2000 said:


> I just hope you like your pen when it's done . I've run across a slight problem in the casting of the blank , nothing major but I need to work out a few things .



Knowone is going to believe YOU are having slight problems!! If you do I am sure there are a number of people that would volunteer to help:biggrin:


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## phillywood (Aug 14, 2010)

BTW, Butch I got your hot spot now. We have to get you ticked off like three weeks ago then we'll see some wild creations form you, huh? so next yr we'll be at it again.


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## Blue Danube (Aug 14, 2010)

Those are breath taking pens Sir!

Abralam??

Paua is gorgeous material for inlays and you have taken it to a new level of WOW.


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## renowb (Aug 14, 2010)

WOW! WOW! Man, those are just AWESOME!


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## corian king (Aug 14, 2010)

Nice looking pens.Really love the combination!!
JIM


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## hewunch (Aug 14, 2010)

Holy Mother of Pearl! Nice stuff!


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## bruce119 (Aug 14, 2010)

WOW they do look I got a bunch of albone sitting in a corner somewhere that I was going to bust up and cast. I love the cutting. I can just imagine the tedious work that goes into it. After you cut and secured the strips to the tube did you cast them in resin and then turn them round. It almost looks like you did not it looks faceted but that could be an illusion of clear resin.

Nice job.


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## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

Speaking of Mother of Pearl , I've got several other shell pens in various stages of completion including a White Mother Pearl Emperor (would make a great wedding pen) and a couple of vintage Parker style pens with alternating Paua and MOP strips .


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## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2010)

bruce119 said:


> WOW they do look I got a bunch of albone sitting in a corner somewhere that I was going to bust up and cast. I love the cutting. I can just imagine the tedious work that goes into it. After you cut and secured the strips to the tube did you cast them in resin and then turn them round. It almost looks like you did not it looks faceted but that could be an illusion of clear resin.
> 
> Nice job.


 
Yep they are cast in clear PR and turned . I sand each strip then apply the strips and sand the the tubes and seal with CA to eliminate the gaps under the edges of the strips because I was having problems with air bubbles leeching up from under the strips . After they are sealed they could just be polished and put on a kit but to make them fit the hardware I cast and turn them . They are very time consuming to make .


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## phillywood (Aug 14, 2010)

ldb2000 said:


> Yep they are cast in clear PR and turned . I sand each strip then apply the strips and sand the the tubes and seal with CA to eliminate the gaps under the edges of the strips because I was having problems with air bubbles leeching up from under the strips . After they are sealed they could just be polished and put on a kit but to make them fit the hardware I cast and turn them . They are very time consuming to make .


Butch, now you've done it. OK, if I were to hold the pen then the blanks are round or they have all those little edges of the strips? Man, you made it harder for me to stir at those pens some more. That tells you how green I am buddy. Help me out here.
First you blow my mind by the beauty of them then as soon as I start to enjoy them you made it hard for me to grasp it.


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## CaptG (Aug 15, 2010)

WOW, awesome job Butch.


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## ldb2000 (Aug 15, 2010)

The pens are cast in clear PR and turned round so you cant feel the edges of the strips . Since I finish the tubes to seal them before I cast them the edges of the shell strips are very smooth and could be put directly on a kit but you would feel the edges of the kit which is why I cast them , so they match the diameters of the kits . Due to the thickness of the shell strips and the CA coating over them the finished tubes before casting are about .010" , or less depending on the kit used , smaller then the kit parts so that means that the PR resin is very thin over the shells which makes it look like there is nothing covering them , clear PR that thin is very transparent and almost disappears .


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## Spats139 (Aug 15, 2010)

As amazing as these pens look, I am even more impressed by the creativity of the mind that envisioned them in the first place. Every time I see something like this I am simultaneously depressed that my work can't compare, and excited that perhaps one day it will get close.

Super job; keep them coming!


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## ldb2000 (Aug 15, 2010)

Spats139 said:


> As amazing as these pens look, I am even more impressed by the creativity of the mind that envisioned them in the first place. Every time I see something like this I am simultaneously depressed that my work can't compare, and excited that perhaps one day it will get close.
> 
> Super job; keep them coming!


 
Thank you for the compliment .
The main thing to remember is to never let your mind be chained down by the thought "I can't" .


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## mrburls (Aug 15, 2010)

Wonderful work Butch. I can see the colors best in the reflection under the pen. Both are great but I think I like the colors in the second pen best. I'd love to see a picture of the Emporer pen when you finish it. 

Keith "mrburls"


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## bruce119 (Aug 15, 2010)

ldb2000 said:


> The pens are cast in clear PR and turned round so you cant feel the edges of the strips . Since I finish the tubes to seal them before I cast them the edges of the shell strips are very smooth and could be put directly on a kit but you would feel the edges of the kit which is why I cast them , so they match the diameters of the kits . Due to the thickness of the shell strips and the CA coating over them the finished tubes before casting are about .010" , or less depending on the kit used , smaller then the kit parts so that means that the PR resin is very thin over the shells which makes it look like there is nothing covering them , clear PR that thin is very transparent and almost disappears .


 
Also Butch in addition to helping the fit. I would think the resin would help the look and give it protection also. Resin acts like a magnifying glass almost always improving the way an object looks.


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## wood8ug (Aug 15, 2010)

Very beautiful! Excellent execution. "new shell saw" is this a wet saw? Must be be very hard to keep from cracking?

Stevo


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## Druid (Aug 15, 2010)

Excellent Craftsmanship Butch

I'm wondering what one would look like if you used the PW and cut indexed facets in line with the strips... maybe too much, but I cant help but think it might add a prism effect since it magifies.

By the way, I'm up in your neck of the woods today.


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## BRobbins629 (Aug 15, 2010)

Nice ones Butch - always partial to shell pens.


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## johncrane (Aug 15, 2010)

Very very nice Butch! ive been doing some custom Abalone shell work also,the effort put in is well worth the outcome as your pens show it's real beauty, the only thing i don't like is the dust, a mask is a must when cutting these shells


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## wizard (Aug 15, 2010)

Absolutely Stunning Pens Butch !!! The first one is my favorite. You never cease to amaze !! Doc


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## workinforwood (Aug 15, 2010)

They look really super Butch!  The colors are stunning..even the one you can't photo as well, shows through well in the reflection.


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## kruzzer (Aug 15, 2010)

The pens are just fantastic.


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## KenV (Aug 15, 2010)

Shades of Guitar and Pool Cue work --  Those are big demand user of shell sheets - 

Rod Builders are using the materials also 

http://www.mudhole.com/Specials/BLACK-FRIDAY-24-HOUR-SUPER-SALE/Abalone-Veneer-Kit-6-Colors

Butch -- your strip/facet is great!!!  wonderful effect!!!


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## RAdams (Aug 15, 2010)

Amazing work Butch! I can't wait to see pics of the custom piece!

I wonder if you could use the curved ones to do a 360 HB??? Hmmm.......


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## Wood Butcher (Aug 15, 2010)

Way to go Butch, keep that bar moving upward.  Excellent creativity and execution.
WB


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## Willee (Aug 15, 2010)

Nice Job Butch. Those pens look great.

Would you share some information on your saw set up?


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## Steve Busey (Aug 15, 2010)

Verrrry nice!

So are those 12 bands per pen? 

And +1 on what Willie said - are you at a point you'd share your saw setup?


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## mbroberg (Aug 15, 2010)

Those are both breathtaking!!


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## 1dweeb (Aug 15, 2010)

These pens are fantastic. I am partial to the 2nd one but they both look awesome!


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## Tanner (Aug 15, 2010)

Awesome looking pens!!!   Those must be real beauties in person with the colors changing.  Excellent craftsmanship.


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## broitblat (Aug 17, 2010)

Stunning!

  -Barry


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## Pioneerpens (Aug 17, 2010)

Butch~ they are absolutely stunning!!  I am glad you explained the process or i'd be out in the shop trying to cut shells into strips! And I don't have a shell saw! lol 
Very nicely done, the strips really add to the effect!


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## Wood Butcher (Aug 18, 2010)

OK, that didn't turn out like I thought it would.  I tried to make a bologny pen but it don't look nothin like urin.  Do ya use garlic or plain?
WB


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## glycerine (Aug 18, 2010)

Wow!  I've got two questions... what's a shell saw? and how do I get one?!!


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## seamus7227 (Aug 18, 2010)

Butch, No rush, I'm still working on yours as well.  however, Now I'm beginning to wonder if i need to take yours up a notch, hmmm.


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