# Another "Jay-line" Challenge Pen



## its_virgil (Jan 31, 2007)

Here is another in the style of the Challenge pen (From my friend Jay Pickens)I posted a few weeks ago and on which Russ F. improved upon in his "Jay-line" with the twist tip. This pen has blood wood, African blackwood and........... leather disks! Take a look...comments welcome: good, bad, or indifferent. 
Do a good turn daily!
Don


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## stevers (Jan 31, 2007)

Wheres the pen??
There it is. Thats my first look at a pen with leather in it. Nice colors.


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## Jim15 (Jan 31, 2007)

That is a great looking pen Don.


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## cueman (Jan 31, 2007)

That's one sharp looking slimline! FYI you fellows inspired me to order some slimlines last week. [] I have not made any of those in a while.


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## its_virgil (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks Steve, Jim and Douglas. It's nice to get those creative juices flowing again and the slimline is a great kit for letting your imagination and creativity soar. 
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by cueman_
> <br />That's one sharp looking slimline! FYI you fellows inspired me to order some slimlines last week. [] I have not made any of those in a while.


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## rovercat (Feb 1, 2007)

I like the leather effect.


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## johncrane (Feb 1, 2007)

Looks very good Don!l have seen a supplier of leather rings somewhere on the net but can't remember the site. Don would you possibly now a supplier.[]


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## Tanner (Feb 1, 2007)

Nice job!!  Very interesting.  Leather..cool idea, now I know what to do with those old belts...that are to big of course.[]


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## Ozzy (Feb 1, 2007)

That is one sharp looking pen.


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## Darley (Feb 1, 2007)

Nice work Don, I will have to try this type of pen 1 day


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## Stevej72 (Feb 1, 2007)

Nice job, Don.  I bought some leather scraps and laces a couple weeks ago and the first attempt didn't even make it to the lathe before I got the barrel trimmer CAd into the tube.


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## Penmonkey (Feb 1, 2007)

Very good man.  I want to make pens like that.


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## NavyDiver (Feb 1, 2007)

Nice pen.  I like the look with the leather discs.


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## its_virgil (Feb 1, 2007)

Glue a wood piece on one end of the tube. Stack on the leather disks and add another wood piece on the other end and compress it all together. Glue with 30 minure epoxy...use it liberally between the disks and even on the surface. Compressed disks turn better than non compressed ones. Use more disks that it takes to fill the tube then press them together. Here is a picture of the blank while the glue is drying.
Do a good turn daily!
Don








> _Originally posted by Stevej72_
> <br />Nice job, Don.  I bought some leather scraps and laces a couple weeks ago and the first attempt didn't even make it to the lathe before I got the barrel trimmer CAd into the tube.


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## JasonF (Feb 1, 2007)

I like the look of that pen! PM sent.


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## dfurlano (Feb 1, 2007)

Don, you do great work. I really like the styling on all your pens.


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## its_virgil (Feb 1, 2007)

Thanks Jason and Dan. As you know I enjoy making pens and sharing them with the group. It's nice to have one's work appreciated and enjoyed. It means a great deal to me. Thanks again.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


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## beathard (Feb 1, 2007)

Love the pen.  I have a whole box of leather in the garage I have been attempting to figure out what to do with.  Thank you for the idea and the hint on compression.


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## punkinn (Feb 1, 2007)

That is really nice - not overdone, really elegant and stylish.   Very nice job!!!

Nancy


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## its_virgil (Feb 1, 2007)

Another bit of information: The leather turns nicely with roughing gouge, skew, or round nose scraper. Of course, the sharper the better. The skew seems to cut the leather cleaner and the scraper seemed to make the leather surfaces a little fuzzy....
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by beathard_
> <br />Love the pen.  I have a whole box of leather in the garage I have been attempting to figure out what to do with.  Thank you for the idea and the hint on compression.


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## bob393 (Feb 1, 2007)

Nice!


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## BigRob777 (Feb 2, 2007)

Don,
Very cool.  It challenges my boring sense of symetry.
Rob


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## RussFairfield (Feb 2, 2007)

Nice pen, Don.


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## its_virgil (Feb 2, 2007)

Serge: Thanks Mate...give her a try. The leather disks are fun to work with. I'm gluing up a baron with the thicker disks...should look sweet!

Travis: You can work on one between studying for exams and SAT's. Give it a try...

Rob: Does it look a little out of balance. Maybe blackwood on each end would help?

Nancy, Brian, Eric, Tim, JohnCrane, Ozzy, Steve, and those whom I may have left out (I'm getting ready for the academy awards)[] I say thanks for looking and for the nice words. I value the input from this group.

Russ: Thanks also...I'm glad you finally got a chance to look...I'm still going to try the "nib twist" effect. But I was facing a deadline to get this one done for a magazine article. Where does the time go?

Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by Darley_
> <br />Nice work Don, I will have to try this type of pen 1 day


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## TruckDrivingFool (Feb 2, 2007)

Good looking pen! Does the leather stay soft/plyable, or does it harden up w/ the glue?


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## its_virgil (Feb 2, 2007)

It hardens. Can't really tell  that it is leather. Maybe with no finish it would feel different.
Do a good turn daily!
Don





> _Originally posted by TruckDrivingFool_
> <br />Good looking pen! Does the leather stay soft/plyable, or does it harden up w/ the glue?


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## RussFairfield (Feb 3, 2007)

Let us know what magazine and when it is published so I can read it.

I remember hunting knives with stacked leather rings on the handles. I would think a pen could be made the same way.


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## DocStram (Feb 3, 2007)

It really is a classy looking pen. I always appreciate how willing Don is to share his knowledge. Finding leather shouldn't be too hard for me ..... several of my belts have somehow shrunk. []


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## airrat (Feb 3, 2007)

Very nicely done Don.  I am guessing you had to drill the leather.  How did that go?  Where is a good place to buy leather?


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## its_virgil (Feb 3, 2007)

I actually used a leather hollow punch to stamp out the disks and a smaller one to punch out the holes. I used a 7/32 to punch out the holes and a 3/4 inch to cut the disks. I've not tried to drill the leather. I had the punches from another hobby interest.

A good place to buy leather: Maybe there is a saddle shop in your area or a shoe repair shop or other place that makes things from leather. Any of them should have scraps. Even small scraps will yield 3 or 4 disks each. A farm supply store such as TSC or Atwoods should have bags of leather reminatnts. Any hobby store and even WalMart has bags of scrap leather pieces.

Do a good turn daily!
Don








> _Originally posted by airrat_
> <br />Very nicely done Don.  I am guessing you had to drill the leather.  How did that go?  Where is a good place to buy leather?


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## its_virgil (Feb 3, 2007)

Thanks Mr. Loser L-), or may I call you Al? I really enjoy sharing what I discover or figure out. So many others have helped me and I think I should do the same. I've been amazed during my 5 or so years in the wood turning hobby that just about everyone is willing to share. Jay Pickens once told me, "If every penturner out there were to copy one of your or my pens it would not have any impact on us selling what we make." Any way, sharing is my way of saying thanks to those who have so willingly shared their knowlege with me. And you're correct, finding leather is no problem. About as easy as fog wood.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by DocStram_
> <br />It really is a classy looking pen. I always appreciate how willing Don is to share his knowledge. Finding leather shouldn't be too hard for me ..... several of my belts have somehow shrunk. []


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## its_virgil (Feb 3, 2007)

Russ,
Looking at a knife with a stacked leather disk handle is exactly what gave me the idea. I searched around and found one pen in a photo gallery made by Kenn Osborne (http://penmakersguild.com/gallery.php?gallery=osbornek&page=22) and knew that it was possible. I just adapted what I had done before to our "jay-line" pen.

I've taken over "The Penturner's Corner" which is a regular feature in <u>More Woodturning</u> and has been done by Scott Greaves for the past three years. My first issue was the December issue. Information on <u>More Woodturning</u> is available at:
http://www.fholder.com/Woodturning/woodturn.htm

Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by RussFairfield_
> <br />Let us know what magazine and when it is published so I can read it.
> 
> I remember hunting knives with stacked leather rings on the handles. I would think a pen could be made the same way.


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## BRobbins629 (Feb 3, 2007)

Nice pen as usual Don.  Congradulations on the new job. Look foward to your articles.  Guess you can't say you're retired anymore.


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## its_virgil (Feb 3, 2007)

Thanks Bruce. For the time it takes to do the prep, make the pen, photograph the process, and write the article, the pay doesn't amount to much....and the end of the month deadline sure comes around quickly. "Dang, I just did an article a few days ago" I tell my wife. But, I also enjoy doing the articles. I don't feel so guilty going to the shop. "Working on next month's article" I say as I leave for the shop.[]
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by BRobbins629_
> <br />Nice pen as usual Don.  Congradulations on the new job. Look foward to your articles.  Guess you can't say you're retired anymore.


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## wudnhed (Feb 4, 2007)

Don, love the color combinations, really pretty pen!


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