Show Us Your Oblique Penholders!

[smk]

Another lovely holder. I love the variety in the shapes you come up with Brian.

 

S.

[MusinkMan]

Thank you Sal! This one is a custom order for my new "teacher". :-)

[hzsimms]

Here is one that I just completed...a carrot-sized grip and foot with a longer handle. Handle is fiddleback maple, grip is Bubinga, and the foot is Ebony, with a little sim. ivory finial to crown it on the end of the handle.

 

 

 

 

 

Brian, that's a great looking holder. I absolutely love the silhouette. About how big around is it at the foot? I'm thinking of trying a larger diameter for myself.

[hzsimms]

Here are some holders I've been working on and finally had time to finish up over the weekend.

 

This is one is fairly traditional, although I was terribly disappointed in the way the accent rings turned out.

 

http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p743/hzsimms/IMG_2752_zps591b13d5.jpg

 

This one was inspired by a PM exchange with Salman. If you haven't seen his pens, it's worth your time to go back through this thread and take a look. They are truly amazing, and, even more impressively, all hand carved. I was so intrigued by his designs that I decided to try to make one for myself.

 

http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p743/hzsimms/IMG_2750_zps34038d3a.jpg

 

I made some mistakes on this one, primarily in the foot. It's not nearly as large as it should be. Also, as I mentioned, Salman carves his by hand. I cheated a little and availed myself of the band saw and belt sander on occasion (sorry Salman!), although my Irwin utility knife did get a workout. This design is terrific to write with and feels incredibly well balanced in your hand. Kudos to Salman on this...next time I'll try to get the thing closer to the original!

 

This one is just plain weird. After making the holder above, I started thinking about the ergonomics of the thing and where the holder contacts your hand, etc. etc. Anyway, I got a rod of ebonite and started cutting and sanding and came up with this. My son aptly named it "The Thing", as in "Dad, what IS that thing?"

 

http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p743/hzsimms/IMG_2754_zpsdea962ca.jpg

 

And from the side.

 

http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p743/hzsimms/ceb4650d-c68a-4c5d-baa4-aa26faeec67b_zpsb6ab8ed0.jpg

 

Believe it or not, the "Thing" actually feels really good. I flattened the top where the index finger rests (as per some of Del Tysdal's designs) and the curves fit nicely in the hand. The foot of it is too big, however, so I plan to remove the flange and do some sanding and cutting to get it down to a smaller diameter. It's too chunky and blocky and feels a little like you're looking over the hood of a car when you write with it. Other than that, I really like the way it handles and writes. It's funky and takes a little getting used to but it's really kind of cool.

 

Hope you enjoy,

 

Howard

[Stompie]

The Thing is interesting Howard.

 

I have been playing with a Stanley knife and some branches from the trees in our field - got me some nice thick Oak branches drying out - and also have been going for a shape that sort of fits in the hand in the position of writing. Nowhere near as nice as yours, but lots of fun!

[smk]

Howard - these are nice carved holders. It takes some getting used to figuring out the contact points and how the shapes work out. That is the fun part in a way as you are discovering new things.

 

The Thing looks awkward - but in shaping it, you have learned many lessons of what works and how it looks. That is the beauty of the Thing - only you know the lessons associated with it and that is what makes it special.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Salman

[hzsimms]

Howard - these are nice carved holders. It takes some getting used to figuring out the contact points and how the shapes work out. That is the fun part in a way as you are discovering new things.

 

The Thing looks awkward - but in shaping it, you have learned many lessons of what works and how it looks. That is the beauty of the Thing - only you know the lessons associated with it and that is what makes it special.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Salman

 

Awkward indeed! Takes some getting used to, sort of an acquired taste. I'm going to keep working on it. Thanks again for your help and inspiration!

[Estefa]

Hi, I am new on this thread, which I like reading very much! And as I am now also a proud owner of a UniqueObliques holder by Brian Smith / Musinkman (it arrived Saturday), I wanted to use this joyful opportunity to show you also my other obliques which most of you will easily identify as a Century Oblique and a Zanerian.

I am absolutely delighted with my new beautiful penholder! Thanks, Brian, for creating something so stunning! For the wood wizards, it is made of African Wenge (handle), Amboyna Burl (grip) and Ebony (foot).

The little straight one is from the Biedermeier Era and made of silver. I like to write some pointed pen style with it that is a rougher in appearence than Copperplate aesthetics.

Stefanie

 

[hzsimms]

Hi, I am new on this thread, which I like reading very much! And as I am now also a proud owner of a UniqueObliques holder by Brian Smith / Musinkman (it arrived Saturday), I wanted to use this joyful opportunity to show you also my other obliques which most of you will easily identify as a Century Oblique and a Zanerian.

 

I am absolutely delighted with my new beautiful penholder! Thanks, Brian, for creating something so stunning! For the wood wizards, it is made of African Wenge (handle), Amboyna Burl (grip) and Ebony (foot).

 

The little straight one is from the Biedermeier Era and made of silver. I like to write some pointed pen style with it that is a rougher in appearence than Copperplate aesthetics.

 

Stefanie

 

Welcome Stefanie, that's a great collection you've got going there!

 

Howard

[Estefa]

Hello Howard, thank you for the welcome!

 

Stefanie

[Stompie]

Hello and Welcome to the oblique club!

Nice holders you have there - I also have an old fashioned straight holder that I keep and use for nostalgia

 

[MusinkMan]

Stomperoo! Hey dewd! LOL

 

I've been thinking of making a "matched pair"...a straight holder and an oblique holder that are a matching set. Do you think that would look cool? I'm thinking of making a longhandle oblique, and a shorter one for the straight holder...but using the same woods and "design" (matching rings and grip wood and all).

[Estefa]

Hello and Welcome to the oblique club!

Nice holders you have there - I also have an old fashioned straight holder that I keep and use for nostalgia

 

Hello Stompie – thanks! And yes, the silver one is quite nostalgic – but I also like to write with it, it's lighter and slimmer than the usual wooden ones. I think these kinds of holders are probably modeled after a bird's quill as they are also hollow …

 

I've been thinking of making a "matched pair"...a straight holder and an oblique holder that are a matching set. Do you think that would look cool? I'm thinking of making a longhandle oblique, and a shorter one for the straight holder...but using the same woods and "design" (matching rings and grip wood and all).

 

Hi Brian, that sounds nice with the matching pair!

 

Stefanie

[Stompie]

Stomperoo! Hey dewd! LOL

 

I've been thinking of making a "matched pair"...a straight holder and an oblique holder that are a matching set. Do you think that would look cool? I'm thinking of making a longhandle oblique, and a shorter one for the straight holder...but using the same woods and "design" (matching rings and grip wood and all).

 

STOP, GO AWAY, NO MORE HOLDERS, DON'T DO THIS TO ME!!!!!

 

Oh, alright then! sounds like a good idea to me! whattchagot?

[Stompie]

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1638_zps946082f4.jpg

 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1636_zps7b9723f3.jpg

[hzsimms]

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj229/Popsjill/pens/DSCN1638_zps946082f4.jpg

 

 

 

Glad they got there safe and sound Stompie! Hope you enjoy them. Based on this photo, you can certainly make them perform better than I can, so they should be in good hands!

 

Howard

[Stompie]

 

Glad they got there safe and sound Stompie! Hope you enjoy them. Based on this photo, you can certainly make them perform better than I can, so they should be in good hands!

 

Howard

 

Hey, you writing is nice - I just think the paper you used is (bleep) and so the ink feathered, but your shapes and consistency is far better than mine!

[hzsimms]

Those little Esterbrook nibs are absolutely wonderful!

 

Here's a pen I just finished up. It was inspired by one of Brian's. It has a slightly larger diameter than most of my pens. I'm hoping that the larger grip will help me produce straighter lines. Then again, if it was the equipment, don't you reckon someone would have figured that out way before me? Oh well, I can dream, can't I? LOL!

 

http://i1349.photobucket.com/albums/p743/hzsimms/IMG_2769_zps01302af8.jpg

[hzsimms]

Stomperoo! Hey dewd! LOL

 

I've been thinking of making a "matched pair"...a straight holder and an oblique holder that are a matching set. Do you think that would look cool? I'm thinking of making a longhandle oblique, and a shorter one for the straight holder...but using the same woods and "design" (matching rings and grip wood and all).

 

Sounds cool Brian! Sort of like a set of Krieghoff shotgun barrels, huh? ;>

[Mickey]

 

Sounds cool Brian! Sort of like a set of Krieghoff shotgun barrels, huh? ;>

I bet they'll be mighty purdey...