# Baystate Blue Baron



## juteck (Sep 18, 2014)

It's been a while since I've posted anything, but here's my latest.  It's a Ti Gold Baron fountain pen with 1.5mm nib, dressed in curly maple dyed with Noodler's Baystate Blue fountain pen ink, finished with CA, and knocked back the gloss to a semi-gloss level.  The pen is inked, with Baystate Blue, of course, and writes great!

As always, comments/critiques are welcome.


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## terry q (Sep 18, 2014)

Love it.  Nice fit and finish.  A very nice, vibrant blue.


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## mrmartyking (Sep 18, 2014)

Beautiful pen and great photo work.


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## mmyshrall (Sep 18, 2014)

juteck said:


> It's been a while since I've posted anything, but here's my latest.  It's a Ti Gold Baron fountain pen with 1.5mm nib, dressed in curly maple dyed with Noodler's Baystate Blue fountain pen ink, finished with CA, and knocked back the gloss to a semi-gloss level.  The pen is inked, with Baystate Blue, of course, and writes great!
> 
> As always, comments/critiques are welcome.


 
I like the color very much and that is an interesting idea, John.  I would have not normally thought to use the fountain pen ink as a coloring agent for wood blanks.  I guess that would be to protect my Trans-Tint investment... 

My wife has been after me for the Noodler's purchases I have been making lately; maybe I can show her this and use it as a get out of jail free card.

Do you have any experience on how well the ink holds up over time?  

Michael


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## juteck (Sep 18, 2014)

mmyshrall said:


> Do you have any experience on how well the ink holds up over time?
> 
> Michael



This is the first time I tried it.  With Baystate Blue, I love the vivid cobalt blue color, but I'm not sure how it will hold over time.  It is listed as a waterproof ink, but not one of Noodler's "Bulletproof" inks.  I'll be using this one myself, in an office environment under fluorescent lighting, but I'll test it over time.

I'd think that some other colors that are listed as "Bulletproof" might be a better choice due to the UV resistance, and wouldn't be as prone to fading.


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## Cwalker935 (Sep 18, 2014)

Beautiful pen. Really like the color.


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## BJohn (Sep 18, 2014)

Really, really like the pen (it ROCKS). The fit is spot on, finish is also really nice. I love a high gloss so wish you had gone that way.

Really like the clarity and detail in the photo, can you supply and details on the taking of the picture.


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## bluesman (Sep 18, 2014)

Very cool  
you have opened up some ideas for colouring that I hadn't thought of 

Thanks


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## bobjackson (Sep 18, 2014)

Great job. Nice color.


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## Jim15 (Sep 18, 2014)

Awesome pen.


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## wyone (Sep 18, 2014)

I love it.  I am curious how you stained it though.  Did you just wipe on the ink after sanding?  If so just one or many coats?  It is gorgeous!


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## SDB777 (Sep 19, 2014)

Is the nib 'ground' for calligraphy?  or am I seeing something weird?


The timber looks really good!




Scott (Woohoo!!!) B


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## juteck (Sep 19, 2014)

wyone said:


> I love it.  I am curious how you stained it though.  Did you just wipe on the ink after sanding?  If so just one or many coats?  It is gorgeous!


 
Mitch -- I sanded first to 1000-grit, wiped the dust off with denatured alcohol, then a thorough wipedown with a paper towel dipped into the ink bottle, with the lathe off.  After about 30 seconds dry time or so, I turned the lathe off and burnished the color with a paper towel.  The tiger stripes didn't show up as pronounced as I had hoped, so I gave a quick wipe with the alcohol again, and that made the stripes pop.    So only one coat of this ink was needed.  Different inks may not be as brilliant, some look chalky, and some look watered down, at least on paper.

If this is something you want to try, Goulet Pens has an ink sampler that you can try:

Fountain Pen Ink Samples | GouletPens.com

or they even have a monthly ink sample drop that will give you their choice:

Fountain Pen Ink - Ink Samples - Join Ink Drop | GouletPens.com

This same website also has a great reference section to compare the various ink colors from many manufacturers:

Fountain Pen Ink - Compare Colors and Brands - The Swab Shop | GouletPens.com


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## juteck (Sep 19, 2014)

SDB777 said:


> Is the nib 'ground' for calligraphy?  or am I seeing something weird?
> 
> 
> The timber looks really good!
> ...


 
Thanks Scott.  

No, you're not seeing anything weird with the nib, but I didn't grind it like that.  I bought several of these caligraphy nibs a couple of years ago during the Super Wednesday clearance sale at Craft Supplies, but I see they're still on their website here:

Artisan Calligraphy #5 Fountain Pen Nib | Pen Making | Craft Supplies USA


These nibs are wet and will place alot of ink on the paper.  I'm a lefty, so I pretty much only use this nib for my signatures, since it's short enough that I don't get hand swipe across it when I write!


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## juteck (Sep 19, 2014)

BJohn said:


> Really, really like the pen (it ROCKS). The fit is spot on, finish is also really nice. I love a high gloss so wish you had gone that way.
> 
> Really like the clarity and detail in the photo, can you supply and details on the taking of the picture.


 
Thanks John -- I'm no photographer by any means.  I take more action pictures of my kids at ball fields than anything.  

For pens and small things, when I take the time to dig it out, I have a small photo white cube tent with a piece of grey cotton fabric laid down on the inside.  I have a Canon T3i with the stock lens that came with it.  

For this picture, I set the photo cube up outside on top of my bbq grill lid, skies were slightly overcast but still sunny, camera set on auto, no tripod, deep breath, and snapped the picture.  Other than cropping it to size for this forum, no photoshopping was done for color adjustment, etc.  (I know there are focus problems, etc., with it, but for sharing on a forum, it works for me!)

Maybe one day I'll learn how to use this camera in more detail!


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## hobbyist2013 (Sep 23, 2014)

That's an excellent piece! Nice turning. You nailed it.


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## tgsean (Sep 24, 2014)

Awesome pen, love the way the colour has taken up.


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## mikespenturningz (Sep 24, 2014)

Very nice pen. Love that color.


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## Band Saw Box (Sep 24, 2014)

Wow that is a beautiful blank and it made for a outstanding pen. Well done


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## jeff (Sep 29, 2014)

John - looks great on the front page :biggrin:

One of the many mysterious and secret criteria that get a pen on the front page is how responsive the maker is to answering questions about how it was made. John, you made several nice responses to questions, even going so far as to post some very helpful links. We sincerely appreciate that kind of help in understanding how you achieved that beautiful result!


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