Mission Statement
Our Mission Statement:
To craft the highest quality pens available, be affordable and give pleasure to the user for many years.
To achieve this they will be:
- Constructed of the best materials available
- Finished to exacting standards
- Engraved to the highest quality
- Delivered on time
- Warranted for one year against defective materials
Steps I go through to handcraft pens:
Preparation of Barrel Material:
First I select suitable material for the barrel. It may be plain or exotic wood, acrylic, bone or other material that can be machined with cutting tools and is inherently stable (doesn't shrink or swell). These requirements are necessary as it will be turned to a very thin veneer on the mounting tubes. I cut the material into two pieces approximately 3/4" square x 2 1/2" long. A hole is then drilled along the length to enable brass tubes to be glued into them acting as precision housings for the pen components. Next both ends of the blanks are made at a perfect 90 deg. to the center line of the tube to insure perfect alignment of the two parts of the barrel.
Turning the Barrels to Size:
Two barrel blanks are fitted to a mandrel inter-spaced with bushings of a diameter equal to the mounting points of the pen components. This assembly is clamped together, mounted on a lathe and rotated at high speed. Using various cutting tools the material is shaped so that it matches exactly the diameter of the bushings.
Polishing the Barrel:
With the barrel parts still mounted on the mandrel I now begin the polishing process. Starting with 320 grit sandpaper and the assembly rotating, I sand progressively through nine papers to a final 12,000 grit (originally developed to remove scratches from aircraft windows). Final buffing on a cloth wheel using tripoli (polishing paste) first and then white diamond paste which brings the barrel to a glass like finish that distinguishes my work. A protective coat is applied to all wood pens to insure that the surface is sealed against humidity and dust.
Assembly of Pen Parts:
Using a manual press I assemble the pen parts into the tubes previously glued into the barrel blanks, taking care to align the two parts to achieve a continuity of grain or pattern throughout.
Inspection and Assembly:
After inspection for smooth operation of the mechanism, I apply a a coat of Renaissance® micro-crystalline wax polish (used by Museums to maintain fine works of art) and buff to produce a protective coat resistant to heat and thumb prints.