Susutake Bamboo With Thread Wrap And Inlay

November 7, 2016

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_2464_zpseusfkbry.jpg

Hello folks,

I thought I would add a post with my latest 'Susutake' style fountain pen - one of my favourites so far.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_2483_zpsv7bg2fcm.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_2471_zpsxyznpppk.jpg

OK, so technically, 'sustake' refers to bamboo darkened by smoke over many years, but hey - I don't have many years to work on a pen, nor a lot of smoke to apply to it. So instead, I use a technique adapted from my fly fishing rod making days, in which the cane (bamboo) is darkened and caramelized by the judicious use of flame. The process here involves several rounds of flame treatment, followed by sanding off and buffing the outer layer, and repeating. The final finish is not applied and treated until after the pen is mostly done.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_2492_zpsqss0hq7a.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_2480_zpssh5q4qem.jpg

Another design cue from my cane fly rod making days, both the cap and the barrel have a wrap of garnet thread. The ruby end jewels are meant to match the thread wrap,

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_2496_zpsgfkxptl0.jpg

The nib on this pen is (in the pictures) a fine JoWo 18K nib, though I swapped it out for a juicy B nib at the request of the new owner before shipping it off to Japan.