Making A Pen Case

[my63]

Please dont think that, My post was confusing I expected readers to have a certain level of knowledge, if I had been more clear you would not have had to resort to Google.

Thanks for your support.

[Anne-Sophie]

17 hours ago, my63 said:

Please dont think that, My post was confusing I expected readers to have a certain level of knowledge, if I had been more clear you would not have had to resort to Google.

Thanks for your support.

 

English is my second language and thanks to William, who came from Normandy, both French and English share a lot of vocabulary, then sometimes, the same word evolves and take a whole new meaning.

 

Being in the U.S doesn't help matters, since it is yet another way, to speak and write English

 

I forgot to put smiley on my other post. Translating humor is not easy on the computer. 

[manolo]

On 9/12/2021 at 2:50 PM, my63 said:

I read the text in the last post and it really did not make much sense, even to me  I was trying to say it would be easier to make a new one than to try and fix the original.

 

Here are the finished cases ready for packing.

 

2021-09-12_12-41-58 by my0771, on Flickr

 

If anyone reading this is waiting for a case please accept my appologies for the delay these cases being lost by the courier has caused so many issues. I hope to catch up quickly.

 

 

Really nice looking those cases, your work is impressive.

[my63]

Thanks Manolo and Ann-Sophie.

Here are some final pictures of the three pen case. This one I am sure could be stood on without issue it is really strong.

 

2021-11-25_02-57-30 by my0771, on Flickr

 

2021-11-25_02-57-47 by my0771, on Flickr

 

2021-11-25_02-57-57 by my0771, on Flickr

[Anne-Sophie]

I am going to say breathtaking, the way the chocolate hue shines and the sewing thread (the expensive French one) matches perfectly, the suede interior color.

[my63]

I dont know if I have ever shared this part of the process before, This is the mold for a single pen case. Slightly larger than the previous single pen cases I made for John at St Johns Pens.

 

2021-11-27_03-29-49 by my0771, on Flickr

 

After sanding and sealing I was able to form the Kydex over the mold and then wrap it in suede. Like this.

 

2021-11-27_03-36-06 by my0771, on Flickr

 

The mold needs to be larger than the desired size of the case to allow for the thickness of the suede.

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

Your process is so intricate, I learn something new about it, every time you post.

 

It looks like magic that a piece of kydex turns into a luxury suede nest for pens, but the whole process is very, very hard and minutia, ultra precise work.  

 

Thank you so much for sharing your artistic knowledge of leather and suede work!

[my63]

Thanks Anne-Sophie, It has taken a few years to develope each design. They are indeed intricate and time consuming to make.

 

This is one of a pair For John @stjohnspens. Stitching has been finished and it is ready for trimming.

2021-11-29_07-04-43 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the finished pair before shipping.

 

2021-12-02_03-57-41 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I was asked to look at a pen box that came with a valuable pen but for some reason the velvet covering had been cut right through the padding. The only picture I took was with the samples of suede.

 

2021-12-11_05-14-02 by my0771, on Flickr

 

The box itself was made from wood covered in some leatherette type material, A replacement box was very expensive.

Looks better now.

 

2021-12-02_03-58-31 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Back to the next pair of pen cases for St Johns pens.

 

2021-12-11_05-14-51 by my0771, on Flickr

 

2021-12-11_05-15-33 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I am pleased to say I have caught up on the backlog from earlier this year. Just in time for a Christmas break

 

 

[my63]

If you have been following for sometime you might remember when I made large and small boxes in different threads, I now only maintain this thread so everything I make is in one place.

I enjoy a challange and have taken on many in the past, This one is going to be the biggest yet, well not including building my workshop.

 

I have been asked to design and make a case to safely carry 100 fountain pens to a pen show and display them on arrival. Not wishing to reinvent the wheel or in this case the large case

 

2021-12-12_09-44-20 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This is the largest case I could find, So it will be the starting point for this project I will take it apart and see how it was made. The actual case I make will be made from high quality leather and may well be smaller than this case. 

[Anne-Sophie]

WoW! 

 

I really love what you did with the wood pen case, it is really nice!

 

Your pen cases are as sturdy as they are beautiful.

 

Turning that humongous briefcase into a giant pen case, you have your work cut out for it!

 

I would love to see the evolution of that project, but, I realize that your hands must be really tired after all that work!

 

Sorry for the response delay, many things to do and I closed  my computer to shelter when we had tornado warnings.

 

One passed north of our place, the whole very fast, unstable and warm front is the one which produced the Edwardswille, IL disaster, when it touched down.

 

It spanned from north Texas to Chicago and also produced the many Kentucky disasters.

 

 

[my63]

Hi Anne-Sophie 

Thanks for letting us know you are safe and well.

My first thoughts were to use the case as a top loader, However that is not really ideal. I removed a couple of rivets and got thr sharp knife out 10 minutes later, Front loader.

 

2021-12-17_03-51-00 by my0771, on Flickr

 

I am thinking either a rack inside or stacking trays. The trays will be made from MDF or maybe Thick Kydex or similar material. 

[Anne-Sophie]

Thank you for your kindness Michael!

 

For the trays, my thoughts would folded leather and suede covered tray, since you use those wooden forms for the pen grooves, you might just use strong cardboard to glue them together then place them in the leather tray. That tray folded corners could be secured with rivets, I was inspired by the case rivets.

 

I didn't realize that leather tray would be heavy, and this is a transporting case.

 

Kydex is already flat and you won't have to compete with the furniture and construction industries need for MDF and the constant rising price.

 

Maybe you can line the Kydex with suede then insert elastic to keep the pens together or substitute cardboard instead of woooden grooves for the pen slots.

 

 

[my63]

Thanks for your thoughts Anne-Sophie weight and strength are key, If i use MDF I can spray them black or any other colour required.

There is a substance called leather cloth used by bookbinders, It is similar to the black single pen box I re lined recently. 

I am also going to include some way to fix the trays together as an anti theft device.

[Anne-Sophie]

6 hours ago, my63 said:

Thanks for your thoughts Anne-Sophie weight and strength are key, If i use MDF I can spray them black or any other colour required.

There is a substance called leather cloth used by bookbinders, It is similar to the black single pen box I re lined recently. 

I am also going to include some way to fix the trays together as an anti theft device.

 

Soo interesting!

 

I can't wait to see all the process, but don't feel obligated to repost all the pictures, I can always go to your website.

 

 

"I am also going to include some way to fix the trays together as an anti theft device."

 

A tiny curved flat thin piece of brass that is secured to top drawer by a nail/screw that enables it to rotate so it can hook to a nail/rivet which is secure but has a space for the curved thin piece of brass to be secured, on the drawer below.

 

They should be placed on both sides, securing/freeing the drawers would only take a couple of flips to engage/disengage the mechanism.  

 

This is an old way of closing/securing multiple trays in old items. I want to say old fashioned sewing kits because I have seen that mechanism.

 

It could also have been part of writing or jewelry boxes.

 

 

[my63]

Oh I forgot about the website it is some time since it was updated, Instagram and FPN are my main social media. Thanks for the ideas.

One dealer friend had a tray of pens stolen from a show, they just lifted the whole tray and walked off.

Top mounted devices are easy to overcome, my first thought was to drill a hole through the trayso a cable could be fed through and secured, My thoughts are now turning to holes and small pins on the sides once the trays are laid out and secured it would not be possible to remove one.

 

This weeks project is a single cigar style pen case for a Nakaya Piccolo fountain pen. It is a bit smaller than I normally make, This picture shows the Nakaya case inside the Kydex tube for an Emperor case.

 

2021-12-19_03-03-19 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Time to start the outer covers.

[Anne-Sophie]

I guess many Emperor owners want custom cases since you have a kydex shell already made.

 

Yes, the Picolo is smaller, I really like to look at pictures of Urushi pens, they are so beautiful.

[my63]

Hi Anne-Sophie, I also appreciate the fine Urushi work on fountain pens. TBH I appreciate any craftsman's work.

As for this Kydex tube I am not exactly sure how or why it is on my desk, clearly I made it but I am not in the habbit of making them without an order

I have just finished dying the outer covers.

 

2021-12-19_05-25-59 by my0771, on Flickr

 

 

[Anne-Sophie]

Craftsmanship is always to be treasured and protected.

 

In France, we have guild from different artisan art that form apprentices and each traditional craftsmanship is protected and labelled.

 

Many are connected to France's Couture industry, feather, leather, metal, embroidery arts...

 

We also need furniture restoration and fabrication, upholstery, locksmith, metal work...

 

Each of those jobs has schools and apprenticeship programs, this is where the money from the state owned tourist attractions go.   

[my63]

My son and I have made some progress on his trinket box. It is made from Bog Oak which takes 000's of years to develope in the bog. I guess it is similar to sunken cyprus found in the USA.

The catch and hinges are made in the UK by Ian Hawthorn of Fine Box Hardware they are of the highest quality. 

 

2021-12-27_05-47-06 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Finishing the outside is next on the list, the interior suede lining is already made so will be easy to fit.

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, my63 said:

My son and I have made some progress on his trinket box. It is made from Bog Oak which takes 000's of years to develope in the bog. I guess it is similar to sunken cyprus found in the USA.

The catch and hinges are made in the UK by Ian Hawthorn of Fine Box Hardware they are of the highest quality. 

 

2021-12-27_05-47-06 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Finishing the outside is next on the list, the interior suede lining is already made so will be easy to fit.

That is beautiful.  The bog oak looks magnificent.