Bone?

[Biber]

Has anyone used bone to make a pen body? I can imagine it would work well (?).

 

B

 

(not a maker, just interested in the subject)

[jbb]

For what it's worth, I have some Victorain dip pens that I believe are bone.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4771713646_8617352515_b.jpg

Edited July 7, 2010 by jbb

[penspouse]

I have no answer for your question, but wonder what type of bone you would use. I think it could look pretty cool.

[StyloBug33]

Does Ivory count as bone? That would be really pretty.

[sjchun79]

Horn, Ivory has ben used before.

 

Both seem nice.

[handwriter]

I read somewhere that celluloid began being used to make the body of fountain pens as ivory became less available

[Vintagepens]

I read somewhere that celluloid began being used to make the body of fountain pens as ivory became less available

 

Not true. Ivory has never been a suitable material for fountain pen manufacture, and it is very rare to find an old fountain pen incorporating ivory in any form. Ivory was a common material for dip pen tapers, and in that application was supplemented, though by no means supplanted, by celluloid from the end of the 19th century.

[handwriter]

David,

Thanks for clarifying that.

Regards

[SCPaul]

Cattle bones are routinely used for knife scales but I would think they would be kind of porous for a fountain pen though.

 

 

[ZeissIkon]

Cattle bones are routinely used for knife scales but I would think they would be kind of porous for a fountain pen though.

 

There are a number of methods of treating bone to fill the pores, though if the pen has an internal reservoir (as opposed to the barrel acting as the tank, as with an eyedropper type) the only real concern with porosity would be staining, and it's tempting to suggest allowing handling to produce a natural patina, as has been done with wood pens left unsealed. It should be possible to get long enough pieces of large enough diameter from the long bones in a steer's legs, though you might have to work with a butcher who receives the meat in whole carcasses to get bone that hasn't been cut in steak thickness slices. Pork bone would also work well -- it's typically finer grained than beef bone, though also a little more flexible (most of the flexibility will go as the bone dries), and the long bones in the ham and shoulder should be large enough.

[pen2paper]

it is my understanding that in addition to bone from cattle, bone from camel is used-in modern times.

 

Horn was once extensively used in utilitarian manufacture.. no part of the animal was wasted.

 

 

[THarvey]

On the penturners forum, there are a few members making pens from aligator bone.

 

Antler is bone. Horn is actual more like hair. Both make nice materials for pens, depending on the animal.

 

I have looked at cow bones. The marrow chamber is too large and the bone wall too narrow for my comfort. Dip pen tapers should not be a problem.

[Biber]

There are a number of methods of treating bone ...

 

Bone is often used as ersatz ivory on musical instruments. I spoke to a recorder maker once who said he freezes the bone for two years before he works it. Not exactly sure what that does.

 

Perhaps the marrow chamber could be used to advantage - a thin long bone reamed out (straightened) to sufficient size to house a converter then externally turned for the barrel, threaded, add end caps, then voila!

 

B

[jniforat]

that might be pretty cool, but....

[Wile E Coyote]

Not true. Ivory has never been a suitable material for fountain pen manufacture, and it is very rare to find an old fountain pen incorporating ivory in any form. Ivory was a common material for dip pen tapers, and in that application was supplemented, though by no means supplanted, by celluloid from the end of the 19th century.

 

What makes ivory unsuitable for FP manufacturing?

[pen2paper]

cracks.

[zutalors]

Here in NZ beef bone is very commonly used for making into traditional Maori carvings which are often meant to be suspended by cord and worn as a pendant. A friend carves beef shin bone which he gets from the butcher. Fifty cents or something like that used to secure him the whole shin, with the meat cut off and sold as stewing beef. He had a process of boiling the bone, etc, before carving.

 

Someone noted that this type of bone is porous. My friend used this porous quality to effect by putting a black ink wash over the bone. The pores would stain black, whereas the polished areas would remain white. The effect was interesting and in his opinion made for a reasonable aesthetic substitute for unobtainable (and rightly so), but very traditional, whale bone, which looks a lot like the beef bone with ink-stained pores.

 

With that in mind, perhaps using bone to make a pen, and using black ink for a staining effect would be a feasible project?

[Wile E Coyote]

cracks.

 

 

Existing cracks, develops cracks over time, cracks easily, cracks due to moisture/drying or something else?

[odiah]

I'm very fascinated by this topic. In the northern part of sweden where I live there is a tradition of making Sami-knives. They are really good looking, and I'm thinking that it should be possible to make a fountain-pen out of similar design.

 

What would be the major problems? How can they be overcome? Where can you order the parts needed to make your own fountain pen?

Here is a small sample of how the knives look.

http://s21.postimg.org/tcwetiqyv/knives1.jpg

[farmerjohn]

I'm very fascinated by this topic. In the northern part of sweden where I live there is a tradition of making Sami-knives. They are really good looking, and I'm thinking that it should be possible to make a fountain-pen out of similar design.

 

What would be the major problems? How can they be overcome? Where can you order the parts needed to make your own fountain pen?

Here is a small sample of how the knives look.

http://s21.postimg.org/tcwetiqyv/knives1.jpg

with the sammi sheaths like pictured above they are not one piece but two the area for the knife is then cut out and it is pinned together and then the leather upper is shrunk onto. that said I believe reindeer antler has a smaller marrow channel than many other types of antler