# need ideas for desk pen stands



## Rifleman1776 (Mar 30, 2009)

I plan to make two desk pen stands for full sized Gents from some very special wood as equally special thank you gifts.
Not being a clever guy in the design area, I would appreciate some ideas for these pen stands. There must be enough space somewhere for some laser engraving.


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## ed4copies (Mar 30, 2009)

Frank,

I'm sure you've considered most of the stuff we have seen in the past couple years.

I like a lot of the antler stands -- but what type of wood or what theme?  Some hints of where you would like to head would help!!


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 31, 2009)

ed4copies said:


> Frank,
> 
> I'm sure you've considered most of the stuff we have seen in the past couple years.
> 
> I like a lot of the antler stands -- but what type of wood or what theme?  Some hints of where you would like to head would help!!



Our son and daughter-in-law treated us to a Hawaiian vacation last week. While there I purchased some Koa wood. My plan is to make the desk pen sets from Koa. There should be room to have their names and a few other words laser engraved. I also purchased some small shells and picked up coral from the beaches. Right now I'm conflicted as to whether or not I should include those. I don't want to risk making it look cheap and touristy.


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## jyreene (Mar 31, 2009)

This might be a long explanation because I'm at work and can't snap a photo of what I'm describing since it's at home.  When in Japan I bought one of those samurai sword letter openers and it came with a stand that holds in upright.  You could make something similar out of wood.  Let me try and describe it (minus dimensions).  The base is flat with one hole/groove towards the back that allows the stand portion to "snap" in (this one is plastic but I think it would make a nice stand if made of wood).  The stand portion is a straight piece of wood with the piece at the top that is widened and indented to allow the sword to rest there.  I've included a very very rough sketch from MS Paint to help with the visualization.

If you put a few of the shells on one side of each, say 3 or 4 small ones and made a small pile with them it would look nice and not touristy but if you covered it with shells and coral then I think it would be a bit much.  Hope this helps, if you need me to take a picture of the letter opener stand and post it I will.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 31, 2009)

jyreene said:


> This might be a long explanation because I'm at work and can't snap a photo of what I'm describing since it's at home.  When in Japan I bought one of those samurai sword letter openers and it came with a stand that holds in upright.  You could make something similar out of wood.  Let me try and describe it (minus dimensions).  The base is flat with one hole/groove towards the back that allows the stand portion to "snap" in (this one is plastic but I think it would make a nice stand if made of wood).  The stand portion is a straight piece of wood with the piece at the top that is widened and indented to allow the sword to rest there.  I've included a very very rough sketch from MS Paint to help with the visualization.
> 
> If you put a few of the shells on one side of each, say 3 or 4 small ones and made a small pile with them it would look nice and not touristy but if you covered it with shells and coral then I think it would be a bit much.  Hope this helps, if you need me to take a picture of the letter opener stand and post it I will.




Thanks Ty, it will go into the line-up for consideration.


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## ed4copies (Mar 31, 2009)

Frank,

Koa is SO pretty.  

Shells are used in so much Florida junk, what about Lava rock to hold the pen?  The National Geographic pics on TV show it as a very black rock, would offset the pens nicely and could be make to look like a "mountain" of sorts???

I'll keep thinking -


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## punkinn (Mar 31, 2009)

Rifleman1776 said:


> I plan to make two desk pen stands for full sized Gents from some very special wood as equally special thank you gifts.
> Not being a clever guy in the design area, I would appreciate some ideas for these pen stands. There must be enough space somewhere for some laser engraving.



Here are a few I've done in the past:  

A lovely amboyna burl wedge with natural back section, sapwood and pair of Euros:  


 

 

A natural-edge redwood burl wedge with AFB insert & Gent: 


 

 

and a horseshoe-shaped piece with real horseshoe nails (for a horsewoman friend of mine) - this one out of redwood burl also with custom slimline: 


 

 


Hope this helps you with ideas?  Have fun with whatever you decide to do!


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## workinforwood (Mar 31, 2009)

Nice horse-shoe!

I think if you are engraving, then a pen stand like Nancy's burl block would be perfect


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## punkinn (Mar 31, 2009)

workinforwood said:


> Nice horse-shoe!
> 
> I think if you are engraving, then a pen stand like Nancy's burl block would be perfect



Thank you Jeff!   

I get almost all my larger-than-pen-stock wood at Global Wood Source - Russ has always gone waaay out of his way to make sure I get exactly what I need at a great price (although just browsing the site you may think his prices are high - email him, he'll take care of you).  That's where my amboyna slabs and redwood burl chunks have come from.  He has absolutely beautiful woods.  (no, I don't work for him and I'm not related to him - LOL)   If you go to his site, check out the customer images - there is some amazing stuff in there (and I'm even included, although not particularly amazing like the guitars or that single slab walnut dining table).


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## GaryMadore (Mar 31, 2009)

jyreene said:


> This might be a long explanation because I'm at work and can't snap a photo of what I'm describing since it's at home



Like this one? It's called a "katana kake" (sword stand) but Googling that on this side of the pond will likely only yield results for the common horizontal stand used to hold a pair of swords (daisho). You could try search terms like katana, kake, tachi, and vertical.






(one of my swords)

http://www.penturners.org/photos/images/3502/1_mountedgunto01.jpg

This is EXACTLY how I intend to display the Imperial pen I keep for myself and the other that I am giving away to a friend.

Cheers!

Gary


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## ed4copies (Apr 5, 2009)

Well, Frank, you gonna show us what you made???

Inquiring minds and all that stuff!!


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## Rifleman1776 (Apr 5, 2009)

ed4copies said:


> Well, Frank, you gonna show us what you made???
> 
> Inquiring minds and all that stuff!!



I will when done. Had distractions this week. Stands about half made. Still have to order pen kits, out of Gents. Probably looks better when both stands and pens are finished.


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## Jim Smith (Apr 5, 2009)

I don't know where you are in this process, but you might consider getting some nice lava rock (either red or black) from Hawaii to make the pen stands.  There's plenty of it available on ebay.  The lava rock is fairly soft and porous so you should be able to work it enough to make a flat spot for it to stand and drill a hole for the pen to go into the stand.  Just a  thought...

Jim Smith


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## Rifleman1776 (Apr 5, 2009)

Jim Smith said:


> I don't know where you are in this process, but you might consider getting some nice lava rock (either red or black) from Hawaii to make the pen stands.  There's plenty of it available on ebay.  The lava rock is fairly soft and porous so you should be able to work it enough to make a flat spot for it to stand and drill a hole for the pen to go into the stand.  Just a  thought...
> 
> Jim Smith



Good thought. I'll thunk on it. Thanks.


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## beck3906 (Apr 5, 2009)

Hmmmmm.....

Lava rock...sharp edges....pen metal finishes and wood finishes.

Doesn't sound like the lava rock would be conducive to finishes.  What is your thoughts to protect the pens form sharp edges?


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## Rifleman1776 (Apr 6, 2009)

beck3906 said:


> Hmmmmm.....
> 
> Lava rock...sharp edges....pen metal finishes and wood finishes.
> 
> Doesn't sound like the lava rock would be conducive to finishes.  What is your thoughts to protect the pens form sharp edges?




The stand would be a display, the pens will rest on holders made of wood with felt liners.


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