Bamboo Rod - A Fly Fisherman's Pen

[drgoretex]

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_8454_zpsde9b340e.jpg

 

 

Before I started making a lot of pens, I used to make fishing rods - specifically those used for fly fishing. One of the skills that I learned in rod building was that of 'thread-wrapping'. This is a technique used to reinforce the ends of the parts of the rod, as well as to secure the line guides onto the rod. Occasionally, I would go all-out traditional, and build fly fishing rods out of bamboo (either hexagonal split cane, or two-strip rods with a square cross-section. Here are a few examples of this (sorry for bad pics. As you can see, I love using green with lighter coloured bamboo):

 

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/IMG_8522_zps4d1c1a89.jpg

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/IMG_8523_zps1520f0d4.jpg

 

So ever since I started making custom 'kitless' pens, I have had a few ideas floating around in my head about how to use bamboo and some of this thread-wrapping in making a fountain pen. Ideally, I would want my pen to be hexagonal, like the split-cane rods, but I'm still working out how best to to do that. In the meantime, I decided to jump in and make one out of bamboo, rounded to a straight rod, and thread-wrapped at the joint, as one would do for a fly fishing rod. When using light coloured ('blonde') bamboo, I tend to use this green thread as a good match. Here I have added a black thread trim.

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_8517_zpscd2d4b62.jpg

 

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_8468_zpse11dced3.jpg

 

 

I decided to go with inset ends again on this pen, as I have with my 'Bamboo' style pens, just to add a bit of visual interest.

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_8481_zpsc8330960.jpg

 

 

The pen is stabilized and sealed inside and out with low viscosity cyanoacrylate, and final finished with 'Tru-Oil', taken down to a matte finish. It is fitted with an 18K fine nib.

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/Custom%20Pens/Custom%20Fountain%20Pens/Designer%20Fountain%20Pens/IMG_8473_zps39d5faa1.jpg

 

 

I must have bamboo in my head. I am currently working on a pen made out of a small bamboo stalk. Will post this shortly.

 

Thanks for looking - comments welcome!

 

Ken

[quinden]

It's beautiful, Ken!

 

If you did a darker stain, it would be really neat with red and black thread.

[InvisibleMan]

Yep, I still like it. Actually, I like it even more now. It's just awesome.

[watch_art]

Holy cow that's gorgeous!

[basterma]

Great choice on the thread colors. The colors are nice to look at. Nice simple and pleasing to the eye.

[serenityelite]

That is one fine looking writing instrument/fishing pole....The thread is so bad A$$..Awesome job!!!

[Scriptorium Pens]

Absolutely magnificent! The thread wrapping is so tight and neat. Just amazing. You continually create beautiful works of art, Ken!

[mirosc]

That's really lovely. A very charming idea!

[Daisy25]

Unique and wonderful!

[drgoretex]

Thanks very much for the kind comments!

 

This Bamboo thing is becoming an obsession...

 

Ken

[Brian C]

Hmm....I am wondering if you could do a longer slimmer one with a clip and wrap the thread around the cap in such a way as to make it look like the thread is holding the clip on.

[paolino_paperino]

Beautiful

[drgoretex]

It's beautiful, Ken!

 

If you did a darker stain, it would be really neat with red and black thread.

 

Absolutely, yes. What I usually did with the fly rods is to use green with blonde (pale) bamboo, and burgundy with the 'flamed' (darker) bamboo.

 

Hmm....I am wondering if you could do a longer slimmer one with a clip and wrap the thread around the cap in such a way as to make it look like the thread is holding the clip on.

 

Funny you should mention that. I have been looking around for a clip that I could use for exactly that reason. Ideally, it would be a wire clip (sort of like Lamy's, only not nearly as wide), reminiscent of the wire line guides on a bamboo rod.

 

May just have to make it myself.

 

Cheers,

 

Ken

[Mesu]

Wow... gorgoeous pen

 

If you did a darker stain, it would be really neat with red and black thread.

 

Thinking along similar lines