Cocobolo and Black Titanium European-Style Wood Pen

This european twist pen is much cooler than it looks above. I wish the photo did this pen justice. I used black titanium to complement the cocobolo, and the wood is gorgeous. I really liked working with the wood, and plan to do much more of it.

Cocobolo is a medium sized Central American tree growing up to 2' diameter and 90' tall. The heartwood is typically orange or reddish-brown in color, often with a figuring of darker irregular traces weaving through the wood, while the sapwood is a creamy yellow, contrasting sharply with the heartwood. Its fine texture and excellent color make Cocobolo one of the most popular exotic woods. Grows along Pacific seaboard of Mexico and Central America. Considered one of the most important woods in cutlery business for knife handles (can be soaked in soapy water with minimal ill effects). Also used for tool handles, brush backs, bowling balls, chess pieces, carving, jewelry boxes, canes, utensils, buttons, musical and scientific instruments, especially guitars and basses, but some woodwind instruments such as clarinets and oboes have been successfully made using cocobolo instead of the more usual African blackwood. It is also used in making luxury pens, and decorative veneer and inlay.

Price for this pen: $40.00

Satin Nickel and Kiaat Wood European Pen

The Satin Nickel finish of this wood European style twist pen gives it a unique feel, standing out from the shiny golds and platinums. Together with the dark Kiaat wood, it is a comfortable, warm looking pen.

Kiaat grows mainly in Savannah forests throughout Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, and South Africa. It resembles Padauk, but lacks the reddish color, varying between pale uniform brown, golden brown, chocolate brown, brick red or purplish brown with darker or redder streaks. The sapwood is pale gray or yellowish, clearly defined. It is used for boatbuilding, furniture, fine joinery, flooring and decorative veneer.

Price for this pen: $35.00

Brazilian Rosewood European Wood Pen - Tactile Rubber Finish

Made from Brazilian Rosewood, this hand-turned European-style twist pen included rubberized black "tactile" components and a turned grip.

Brazilian Rosewood is a tall tree that reaches as high as 130 feet and 40 inches in diameter. This species grows in coastal regions. Brazilian Rosewood has many beautiful looks, from Red, Brown, Purples and Oranges. Heartwood usually varies from chocolate brown to violet brown with violet and black streaks, while sapwood is lighter. Older trees tend to dull saw blades, but this wood turns well on the lathe. A prized wood for both turnery and carving. It has a rose-like fragrance when worked. Used for decorative veneers, musical instrument parts, fine furniture, cabinets, piano cases, fancy turnery, marquetry, and knife handles. It's very very popular for classical guitars because of its unique resonance. It's supposedly the "Holy Grail" of Acoustic Flat top back and side woods. Tonally it is considered by many as the best wood out there, it has a glass-like tap tone. Brazilian is no longer legally exported from Brazil (protected similar to Ivory and Tortoise shell) so it is very rare and very expensive.

Price for this pen: $30.00

Tulipwood Hand-Turned European Pen - Gold Titanium

With gold titanium for maximum wear resistance, this pen is made from Brazilian tulipwood, and shaped thick and robust, good for those who like a substantial pen. The color of the tulipwood is quite attractive in this piece, with yellow wood streaked with red and orange grain.

Brazilian tulipwood is a classic high-quality wood, it is very dense with a lovely figure. It is used for inlays in furniture and for small turned items. Available only in small sizes, it is rarely used in the solid for luxury furniture. Tulipwood heartwood has irregular streaks of shades of yellow rose, pink and violet on a straw-colored background. It has a flowery, mildly fragrant scent when worked.

Price for this pen: $40.00

Hand Turned Pen - Goncolo Alves and 10k Gold European Twist Pen

Made from durable 10k-gold plated components, this is an Artisan brand European Twist Pen, hand-turned from Goncalo Alves.

Goncalo Alves, also called Tigerwood, is a large, South American rainforest canopy tree that can grow 150 feet tall and 50 inches in diameter, heartwood is reddish-brown, almost copper colored, and often streaked with darker brown. Medium texture and interlocked grain, this turns and finishes extremely well. It's endangered outside of its preserved due to exploitation, but there are places that farm the tree for use in woodwork.

Price for this pen: $35.00 Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Hand-Turned Wood Pen - African Blackwood and 24k Gold Rollerball

Hand-turned from African Blackwood, this is an Artisan rollerball pen with 24k gold finish. Blackwood is a small tree attaining a height of 45', trunk diameter rarely more than 14". Heartwood is dark brown with predominant black lines which give an almost black appearance. Sapwood is pale yellow, giving pleasant contrast. The grain may be straight or irregular, extremely fine texture. Dries slowly with a slight tendancy to check. Used extensively for woodwind instruments, giving one of the best tones. Turns well, often used for carving. Capable of an excellent finish.

These Artisan Rollerball pens are cool - there's a spring inside to keep the writing pressure on the tip optimized for comfort and clean writing. This pen, or one like it, is available for $45.00, $55.00 for the same thing with fountain pen components instead of rollerball.

European Wood Twist Pen - Tambootie and Rhodium

This is a European style wood pen, with Tambootie wood and Rhodium-plated components.

Tambootie (or tambuti) is a small African tree with an average height of 30' and a fluted and often hollow trunk. Heartwood is rich brown with distinctive dark brown to almost black veins. The wood is oily to touch, with a pale to bright yellow sapwood. The grain is straight to slightly irregular, with a fine even texture: reddish-brown with darker streaks, a satin-like lustre and extremely fragrant sweet, spicy smell. The oily timber exudes a white, poisonous latex when freshly cut, and campfires that burn tambuti fuel give off noxious fumes contaminating meat or other food grilled on the flames or coals. The latex is used as a fish poison, and applied to arrow-tips.

Rhodium is a hard silvery white and durable metal that has a high reflectance. The primary use of this element in automobiles as a catalytic converter. Plated rhodium, is extremely hard and is used for optical instruments. This metal also finds use in jewelry and for decorations. It is also used as a filter in mammography systems because of the characteristic x-rays it produces. It is used in high quality pen surfaces due to its high-resistance characteristics. As of October 2007, rhodium cost approximately eight times more than gold, and 450 times more than silver. Rhodium has been used for honours, or to symbolize wealth, when more commonly used metals such as silver, gold, or platinum are deemed insufficient. In 1979 the Guinness Book of World Records gave Paul McCartney a rhodium-plated disc for being history's all-time best-selling songwriter and recording artist. Guinness has also noted items such as the world's "Most Expensive Pen" or "Most Expensive Board Game" as containing rhodium.

Price for this pen: $40.00

Wood Pen: Bocote and Tactile Slimline

This Bocote and Tactile slimline pen is another pen I am very fond of. I deliberately matched the black Tactile components to the Bocote wood because of the black grain - I thought it would look cool and I was right. The black Tactile components of this pen feel almost like rubber, though it is a hard, durable finish.

Though bocote is supposed to have a creamy brown color with wavy black stripes, the color of the wood in this pen is a mustard yellow, making for striking contrast. Bocote is from a small tree native to Central and South America, sometimes called Mexican Rosewood. Because of its striking color and grain, it's popular for accents and turnings.

Price for this pen: $25.00

Wood Pen: Burmese Rosewood and Chrome Slimline

Made from Burmese Rosewood and Artisan Slimline parts with chrome finish, this twist pen turned out beautifully with a deep shiny luster and attractive grain. The shape of this pen is something I've tried twice now and like a lot - tapered towards the ends, thick and rounded in the center- comfortable to hold, and attractively symmetric.

Burmese Rosewood is a medium sized tree that usually grows no larger than 20" diameter. Heartwood is light red or reddish brown with distinctly darker grain lines in most trees, yellowish with darker lines in others. The color darkens with exposure to sunlight. Turns well and produces a high and lasting polish.

Price for this pen: $25.00. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Slimline Wood Twist Pen - Bubinga and Black Titanium

This is an Artisan Slimline wood pen made from Bubinga and with black titanium components. Black titanium is a dark and shiny metal, probably half way between silver and black, and is as durable as it comes for wood pen components - the parts have a lifetime guarantee.

Bubinga, often referred to as African Rosewood, is a popular choice for musical instruments, fine decroative pieces, archery bows, and furniture - especially large slabs for table tops. Lexus also makes use of the wood in their luxury vehicle interiors. The wood from West Africa, its color varies from red to violet with fairly evenly spaced purple stripes, it's hard and heavy and fine-grained, and what nobody else on line seems to say about it is that it smells sour and poopy when you cut it - I kept wondering "what is that smell?" till I realized it was the wood I was sanding on my lathe. Don't worry though, the pen smells just fine, and looks awesome.

Price for this pen: $35.00

Slimline Wood Twist Pen - Padauk and Satin Pearl Finish

These Artisan Slimline pens are made from Paduak, with Satin-Pearl finish for the clip, band, and tip. The Satin Pearl gives it a unique appearance, different from the more traditional shiny plated pens, and at an acceptable wear resistance rating. With this wood, it contrasts nicely for a striking pen.

Padauk is a large tree reaching diameters as large as 45". Heights of 130' are not uncommon. Heartwood varies from yellow to brick red, but most commonly seen in a dark red-orange. An excellent turning wood that takes a very good polish. Incidentally, some Padauk's are also used for an herbal medicine for treating skin parasites or fungal infection. No guarantees as to the efficacy of using this pen for such things though...

The first pen pictured is available for $30.00.

The second pen has sold but I can always make another for a $10 more if I have to special-order the materials. By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Slimline Wood Twist Pen - Olive and Gold Titanium

This Artisan Slimline Twist Pen is made form Olive wood and Gold Titanium. Titanium is the most durable of the pen finishes available. Gold titanium is shown here. The pen parts have a lifetime guarantee.

Olive wood is a sentimental choice for a pen. Some olive trees have been alive since the time of Christ. A long-lived gnarled tree with a short bole, often with numerous holes and cavities, olive wood is one of the world's most beautiful woods. Heartwood is light brown to dark brown with irregular streaks of grey, brown, and black, giving a marble-like appearance. Irregular, interlocked grain is dense, turns easily and cuts very clean. These aromatic blanks are selected for figure and color. And aromatic isn't putting it mildly - when cut, this wood smells very strongly of opened green olives and olive oil - I guess that shouldn't be a surprise.

Price for this pen: $35.00

Wood Twist Pen: Macassar Ebony and Black Chrome

This Artisan Slimline twist pen is made with black chrome finish, which matches the black grain in the ebony so nicely it's really quite impressive. I don't usually include two photos of the same pen in a listing, but this pen was just too cool - Macassar ebony has such deep dark grain though that neither photo does the pen justice. Normally turning a pen I pick a shape to go for, but as I was turning this, the wood practically inspired me to shape it like this - tapered towards the ends, rounded in the center, a shape I haven't seen or tried before, but perfect for the grain in this wood. My favorite pen yet by far!

The Macassar Ebony tree grows to heights of 70- feet. Heartwood is dark brown to black, streaked throughout with darker and paler bands, stripes, and splotches. Sawing can be difficult due to the hardness of the wood. Finishes well with high luster.

Price for this pen: $30.00

Zebrawood Jr. Gentlemen Pen

This wood twist pen is hand turned from Zebrawood, with 10k gold components. The Jr. Gentlemen pen is a ballpoint pen with dual-direction twist that is silky smooth. A premium pen kit, it is only available in 10k gold and rhodium. A thick, masculine and yet elegant pen, it is perfect for business, and has a hefty, sturdy feel when writing. All my pens are hand-turned form solid hardwoods, and finished without stains or dyes. Gloss or satin finish is available.

Also called Zebrano, African zebrawood trees can reach in excess of 150'. Diameters commonly measure between 5' and 7'. Heartwood is light golden-yellow with streaks and veining of dark chocolate brown. Dries slowly, and tends to surface check and end-split during seasoning. Coarse texture and interlocked grain must be surfaced wih care. High-luster finish on this wood makes it extremely decorative.
Order one like this for $65. Until it sells, the pen pictured is available for $55.00. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms.

Jr. Gentlemen Wood Pen - Ambrosia Maple and Rhodium

The Jr. Gentlemen pen is a ballpoint pen with dual-direction twist that is silky smooth. A premium pen kit, it is only available in 10k gold and rhodium. A thick, masculine and yet elegant pen, it is perfect for business, and has a hefty, sturdy feel when writing. All my pens are hand-turned form solid hardwoods, and finished without stains or dyes. Gloss or satin finish is available.

The wood of this pen is ambrosia maple. Ambrosia refers to the fungus that causes the black streaks. It's introduced by beetles that cary the spores with them. They burrow in to dead maple trees, lay eggs, and leave, and the spores they leave behind begin to break down the walls of the hole into food the larvae can eat. When they grow up and leave, they take the spores with them. The fungus only exists in symbiosis with the beetles, and the beetles can't live without the fungus. Cool stuff. The resulting staining pattern in the maple is distinct, dramatic, and beautiful.

Rhodium is a hard silvery white and durable metal that has a high reflectance. The primary use of this element in automobiles as a catalytic converter. Plated rhodium, is extremely hard and is used for optical instruments. This metal also finds use in jewelry and for decorations. It is also used as a filter in mammography systems because of the characteristic x-rays it produces. It is used in high quality pen surfaces due to its high-resistance characteristics. As of October 2007, rhodium cost approximately eight times more than gold, and 450 times more than silver. Rhodium has been used for honours, or to symbolize wealth, when more commonly used metals such as silver, gold, or platinum are deemed insufficient. In 1979 the Guinness Book of World Records gave Paul McCartney a rhodium-plated disc for being history's all-time best-selling songwriter and recording artist. Guinness has also noted items such as the world's "Most Expensive Pen" or "Most Expensive Board Game" as containing rhodium.

Order one like this for $75.

Hand-Turned Wood Pen: Bloodwood and 10k Gold Beaded Slimline Twist Pen

This hand-turned wood twist pen is made from Bloodwood and 10k Gold Beaded Slimline components for style and durability. Bloodwood comes in deep reds, from light like this to dark like other bloodwood pens I've made. It's very hard and dense, my personal favorite for pens. Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. It is hard and tough, with no smell at all, unless it's smoking hot, in which case it smells like coconut and sweet incense. Shavings are a striking bright red color, and it finishes nicely. Hard and strong, it's supposed to age to a deep brown color, but the finish will slow that down.

The double-concave profile of this pen sets it apart from what we're used to seeing. At first glance this looks like an unfriendly pen to hold. However, it is quite comfortable - you grip it on the front half of the pen with your knuckle in the recess, and then the back half of the pen, where it's recessed, rests against the soft flesh between your index finger and your thumb.

This pen was made as a custom order through the Design Your Pen feature, as part of a set with a matching jumbo chess queen. Through that feature it was $42.50. If I had the materials in stock without having to make a special order, it would have been less. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Wood Pen: Nigerian Ebony and Rhodium Artisan Slimline Twist Pen

This Artisan Slimline Twist Pen is made from Nigerian Ebony wood and Rhodium-plated components for maximum durability, and finished straight and slim to look professional and elegant.

Nigerian Ebony, or Gaboon Ebony, is a rather small tree that reaches heights no taller than 60' and no larger than 2' diameter. The heartwood is jet black, very hard, and very dense. It's an exotic wood probably most known for its use as fingerboards and keys for various musical instruments. It's also great for pens, bottle stoppers, knife handles and jewelry boxes. Ebony is the Greek word for "fruit of the gods". Historically drinking goblets were made from its wood, as they believed it was an antidote for poison, and its use would ward off their enemy's evil intent.

Rhodium is a hard silvery white and durable metal that has a high reflectance. The primary use of this element in automobiles as a catalytic converter. Plated rhodium, is extremely hard and is used for optical instruments. This metal also finds use in jewelry and for decorations. It is also used as a filter in mammography systems because of the characteristic x-rays it produces. It is used in high quality pen surfaces due to its high-resistance characteristics. As of October 2007, rhodium cost approximately eight times more than gold, and 450 times more than silver. Rhodium has been used for honours, or to symbolize wealth, when more commonly used metals such as silver, gold, or platinum are deemed insufficient. In 1979 the Guinness Book of World Records gave Paul McCartney a rhodium-plated disc for being history's all-time best-selling songwriter and recording artist. Guinness has also noted items such as the world's "Most Expensive Pen" or "Most Expensive Board Game" as containing rhodium.

Price as shown: $45.00.

Slimline Pencil - Hand Turned Dyed Box Elder Burl

This is an Artisan brand slimline pencil with a custom clip in the shape of a treble clef. It is hand-turned from stabilized dyed box elder burl, and uses durable 10-k gold components. The Box Elder tree is a variety of maple tree, also known as Boxelder Maple and Maple Ash. A small, fast-growing, and short-lived tree, it has generally weak wood with little use commercially, except for the burls, which have beautiful coloring and grain patterns. This pencil is from a dyed box elder burl where they impregnate it with a colored dye. In addition to green, the dyed box elder burls are available in yellow, red, black, blue, purple, brown, and magenta.

The custom clips make these totally personal and individual, and therefore great gifts. Other shapes available are baseball, golf, tennis, football, basketball, soccer, rifle, bowling, fishing, medical, hockey, cross, or jonah (fish). This pencil was actually made by my son, Tyler, with my help for the finishing touches.

Order with a matching pen for a wood pen and pencil set.

Finish

10-K Gold $45.00 24-k Gold $40.00

Colors

Natural Blue Green Black Purple Red Yellow Brown Magenta Natural

Clip Style

Golf Baseball Treble Cleff Jonah Cross Football Basketball Soccer Medical Fishing

Shape

Straight Convex Concave, sharp Concave, rounded Double-Concave, sharp Double-Concave, Rounded

By clicking on "Order Now," buyer agrees to these terms

Wood Slimline Twist Pen: Oregon Myrtlewood and 24k Gold

This hand-turned wood slimline twist pen is made from 24k gold Artisan pen parts and Oregon Myrtlewood. Oregon Myrtlewood, also called California Laurelwood, is a hardwood with a wide variety of colors depending on the minerals in the soil where it is grown - from light tan to dark brown, olives and reds, and blacks from spalting. It is noted as one of the world's most beautiful woods.

With this particular pen, I made it as plump as the pen clip would allow, as an experiment in form. This is the double-concave rounded edges form as thick and dramatic as you can take it. It's actually quite comfortable to hold, however, and the thickness is nice if you don't like really slender pens.

As with my other 24k gold Artisan Slimline pens, $25 for this pre-made pen. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Wood Pencil: Bloodwood and 10k Gold Slimline

Made from 10k gold components for durablility, cut from bloodwood for beauty, and flared at the ends for style and comfort, this is my favorite pencil I've made yet.

Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. This is the Brosimum Rubescens botanical name, and is hard and tough, with no smell at all, unless it's smoking hot, in which case it smells like coconut and sweet incense. Shavings are a striking bright red color, and it finishes nicely. Hard and strong, it's supposed to age to a deep brown color, but the finish will slow that down.

The pencil parts are 10k gold Artisan Slimline parts for quality durability. It uses 0.5 mm lead. Price as shown: $30.00. Order with a matching pen for a wood pen and pencil set.

Wood Pen: Bloodwood and 10K Gold Slimline

Made from 10k gold components for durablility, cut from bloodwood for beauty, and flared at the ends for style and comfort, this is my favorite pen I've made yet.

Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. This is the Brosimum Rubescens botanical name, and is hard and tough, with no smell at all, unless it's smoking hot, in which case it smells like coconut and sweet incense. Shavings are a striking bright red color, and it finishes nicely. Hard and strong, it's supposed to age to a deep brown color, but the finish will slow that down.

The pen parts are 10k gold Artisan Slimline parts for quality and smoothness when writing. The refill is pressurized to write upside down, and includes a tungsten-carbide tip - feels as good or better than any other ball-point pen out there. Price as shown: $30.00. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Turned Wood Pen and Pencil Set - Beaded Slimline

This Turned Wood Pen and Pencil Set is made from Walnut and Kingwood, and uses 10-k gold components for durability - should keep its original appearance for years of normal use. The components are the Artisan Slimline Beaded Twist Pen and Click Pencil components.

Walnut wood is hard, dense, tight-grained, and polishes to a smooth finish. Cutting it on the lathe is like carving chocolate. It smells kind of sour when cut - I guess that keeps me from wanting to put the shavings on my ice cream... It can vary in color from creamy white sapwood to deep brown heartwood. It's long been a favorite for gun stocks, and also popular for guitar bodies. Kingwood, also called Violetwood or Violete, is from a slender low tree native to Brazil. It is called kingwood because in the 18th and 19th century it was a favorite wood of French kings for their furniture. It is fairly rare, and its fine texture and stability makes it a prized wood for inlay work, wood turning, and fancy accessories.

The Artisan brand components are quality stuff - they work smoothly and feel great in your hand. The set is also available in the standard Slimline look, without the beaded gold components, in 10k gold, 24k gold, or chrome. Sold individually, the pen and pencil would each be sold for $35.00. Buy them together and you can get the set for $55.00.

Wood Roller Ball Pen - Dyed Box Elder Burl

This pen was a bit of a departure from tradition for me - so far all my pens had been only from natural woods, finished to their natural color. The Box Elder tree is a variety of maple tree, also known as Boxelder Maple and Maple Ash. A small, fast-growing, and short-lived tree, it has generally weak wood with little use commercially, except for the burls, which have beautiful coloring and grain patterns. This pen is from a dyed box elder burl where they impregnate it with a colored dye. The dye didn't completely permeate the wood, though, which led to striking contrasts and a dramatic, beautiful pen. In addition to green, the dyed box elder burls are available in yellow, red, black, blue, purple, brown, and magenta.

The pen components are durable 10-k gold plated, Artisan brand roller ball. These are cool pens - there's a spring inside to keep the writing pressure on the tip optimized for comfort and clean writing. This pen, or one like it, is available for $45.00, $55.00 for the same thing with fountain pen components instead of rollerball.

Wood Pen: Roller-Ball Artisan Pen, Yew Wood

This turned wood pen is made with 10k gold Artisan Roller-ball components and yew wood. It has a thick, cigar like feel when capped, giving it a masculine look.

The Yew Tree is highly poisonous except for the red berries. It only takes 30 seeds though to kill an adult in a matter of hours. Chemotherapy drugs are derived from the Pacific yew tree. The wood has been prized throughout medieval history for use in longbows. In England it was so prized that before long there was a shortage of mature yew trees and a law was passed that every ship that came to port had to bring with it four staves for a port charge. Eventually this was increased to 10, and the law stood until guns started replacing bows for use in warfare. The wood is bright orange in the sapwood, and a deeper russet in the heartwood. Its hardness and swirling grain make it prized for woodturning, furniture, and other decorative uses.

Price as shown: $35.00

Turned Wood Pen and Pencil Set

This Turned Wood Pen and Pencil Set is made from bloodwood, and uses 10-k gold components for durability - should keep its original appearance for years of normal use. The components are the Artisan Slimline Twist Pen and Click Pencil components. This is my favorite shape for the styling of pens and pencils too - flaring wider toward the tip and end, making it look stunning and feel comfortable and balanced in the hand.

Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. This is the Brosimum Rubescens botanical name, and is hard and tough, with no smell at all, unless it's smoking hot, in which case it smells like coconut and sweet incense. Shavings are a striking bright red color, and it finishes nicely. Hard and strong, it's supposed to age to a deep brown color, but the finish will slow that down.

The Artisan brand components are quality stuff - they work smoothly and feel great in your hand. The set is also available in the Beaded Slimline look, with beaded gold components, in 10k gold, or in the standard Slimline but in 24k gold, or chrome. Sold individually, the pen and pencil would each be sold for $30.00. Buy them together and you can get the set for $45.00. Beaded adds $5 each, $10 for the set.

Turned Wood Pen: Walnut and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen

This Turned Wood Pen: Walnut and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen is the last of my recent experiments with form and function. The reverse-tapered ends give it a nice grip. I thought that maybe the ridges in the middle might make it uncomfortable, but if you picture your fingers gripping the left end, the right end rests against your hand and the middle doesn't touch you. So it looks kind of funky and feels great to hold.

Walnut wood is hard, dense, tight-grained, and polishes to a smooth finish. Cutting it on the lathe is like carving chocolate. It smells kind of sour when cut - I guess that keeps me from wanting to put the shavings on my ice cream... It can vary in color from creamy white sapwood to deep brown heartwood. It's long been a favorite for gun stocks, and also popular for guitar bodies.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $25.00 Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Wood Pen: Yew and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen

This Wood Pen: Yew and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen is made sleek and straight. It may not be such a creative form as some of my others, but it looks elegant and classy if you ask me. I chose this form for this piece of wood because the grain and wood is so attractive that I didn't want to draw attention from it.

The Yew Tree is highly poisonous except for the red berries. It only takes 30 seeds though to kill an adult in a matter of hours. Chemotherapy drugs are derived from the Pacific yew tree. The wood has been prized throughout medieval history for use in longbows. In England it was so prized that before long there was a shortage of mature yew trees and a law was passed that every ship that came to port had to bring with it four staves for a port charge. Eventually this was increased to 10, and the law stood until guns started replacing bows for use in warfare. The wood is bright orange in the sapwood, and a deeper russet in the heartwood. Its hardness and swirling grain make it prized for woodturning, furniture, and other decorative uses.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $25.00 Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Wood Pen: Carob and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen

This Wood Pen: Carob and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen was made with smooth elegant lines to draw attention to the color variation of the carob grain. Carob is an evergreen shrub with edible bean-like pods (which some believe was part of what John the Baptist survived on in the wilderness), you may know carob better for the chocolate substitute that is derived from the beans. The wood can vary in color from orange-brown as shown to red or pink creamy colors and this pen shows them all, though it's hard to tell from the photo, sorry. The carob tree is the only tree in the Holy Land that can outlive the olive tree.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $25.00 Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Wood Pen: Osage Orange and 24K Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen

This wood pen from Osage Orange and 24K Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen components is in a class of its own. I have another pen from the same kind of wood and parts below, but I posted this one because I thought the form was so original - I looked all over the internet at weird and not-so-weird pens, and didn't see any like this. The thing is, as different as it is shaped, it feels GREAT to hold and write with - the tapers fit your natural grip very nicely. And it looks slim and elegant and unique.

The Osage Orange tree grows in the American Midwest, and was prized by the plains Native Americans for its worth as a bow wood. Its hard, straight grain made bows of such quality that Native Americans would travel for a week to harvest the wood. In the early 19th century, you could trade a horse for a Osage Orange bow. The wood's color is a vivid yellow-orange, and it turns smooth and hard.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $25.00 Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Wood Pen: Birdseye Maple and 24k Gold Slimline Twist Pen

These turned wood pens are from Birdseye Maple and 24k Gold Artisan Slimline Twist Pen parts. I tried another variation in styling that I really like on the second one - wider at the ends and tapers to the slim barrel quickly - this gives a comfortable look while retaining the slim look that makes slimline pens look so attractive.

Birdseye maple is one of the rarest woods in the world. Nobody knows for sure what makes the birdseye pattern - little dark dots of swirling grain, but whatever it is does not happen in wood very often, and when found, the wood is set apart and treated very carefully at the lumber mill because it fetches a high price. Rolls Royce uses it for dashboards of its cars, for example.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $27.50 (higher than my other pens from the same 24k gold parts because the birdseye maple is more expensive.) Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Lignum Vitae and 24k Gold Slimline Twist Pen

This Lignum Vitae and 24k Gold Slimline Twist Pen is made with simple straight styling - I still haven't decided whether I like straight, convex, concave, or what for my personal pens, but they all look cool and feel great to hold and write with.

Lignum Vitae (Latin for the wood of life) is named for its medicinal uses. Supposedly you can make a tea from shavings and from the bark. The tea from the bark is supposed to have um...well...um... let's call it medicinal qualities, as does the resin. What I think is really cool about this wood though is that it's the hardest and heaviest known wood in the world (it actually sinks in water) and contains natural lubricants that make it durable for saltwater applications - it's been used for bearings and busings for submarine and ship propellers, among other things. Its color varies from yellow-brown like that shown, to dark brown, and sometimes green. It may develop a green color with time - it'll be interesting to see.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $25.00, Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Figured Maple and 24k Gold Slimline Twist Pen

This Figured Maple and 24k Gold Slimline Twist Pen includes some custom styling - the beaded grip adds character and style, and the figured maple has interesting grain variations.

I like working with maple. Its closed-grain nature finishes smooth and shiny, it's hard, and it cuts cleanly.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid. Price as shown: $25.00. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Bloodwood Fountain Pen

This Bloodwood Fountain Pen is made with 10k gold Artisan Fountain Pen parts, and a bloodwood pen blank. Bloodwood is actually a name for several types of reddish wood. This is the Brosimum Rubescens botanical name, and is hard and tough, with no smell at all. Shavings are a striking bright red color, and it finishes nicely. Hard and strong, it's supposed to age to a deep brown color, but the finish will slow that down.

Fountain pens are a traditional favorite, but with modern refills, they're as convenient as a rollerball or ball-point pen. This has a heftier, thicker, more masculine look than the slimline pens, and makes a great gift for dad, hubby, boss, or a fine pen to buy for yourself.

Bloodwood and Fountain Pen Price: $45.00

Purpleheart and 24k Gold Slimline Twist Pen

This Purpleheart and 10k Gold Slimline Twist Pen is made from the same chunk of wood as the Purpleheart Bowl I posted last week. The interesting thing was, when I was sanding it with the 600 grit sandpaper, I accidentally rediscovered that this wood burns easily and turns a vivid grape purple when it burns. So I deliberately burned the surface of the pen with the fine paper before applying the finish. The effect is a beautiful deep purple, completely natural colored, pen.This second pen is also from the same chunk of wood, but I was careful not to burn it, so I could preserve the natural color of the wood. Also note the different forms - rounded verses custom-grip like the first pen.

Purpleheart, also sometimes called amaranth or violet wood, comes from several species of tropical trees native to Central and South America. The heartwood is a light purple when cut, and darkens upon exposure to sunlight, reaching first a darker purple and eventually a brown with a purple cast. It is hard and strong, and takes attention when turning, requiring sharp tools, gentle cuts, and a LOT of sanding. An interesting side note: every kind of wood smells different when turned. Maple smells kind of like pancake syrup, mesquite like warm raw meat, walnut like something sour. Well, the dust and shavings from this wood at first smelled kind of sweet, but as I kept smelling it as I was working, it started to smell more meaty, and then kind of like sweet warm old meat. Yuck. Wikipedia says the dust can cause nausea. I can see that. Don't worry, the finished work is scentless.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. They both have a great feel in the hand - that's one of the advantages of a custom made pen - you can make it fit your hand instead of making your hand fit the pen.

Price for either Purpleheart and 24k Gold Twist Pen: $25.00. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Kingwood and 24k Gold Slimline Pen

This first Kingwood and 24k Gold Slimline Pen was made with the help of my son, Matt, as a gift for his teacher, Mrs. Burch. Thanks, Mrs. Burch, for taking such an active interest in my son's education, and in his social adjustment - he made leaps and bounds as he adjusted to all-day school. You know what I mean, and Liz and I are forever grateful for what you have done. The second pen is a more recent addition to my catalog, styled for comfort and elegance. Both pens are extremely comfortable to hold and write with- that's one of the advantages of a custom made pen - you can make it fit your hand instead of making your hand fit the pen.

Kingwood, also called Violetwood or Violete, is from a slender low tree native to Brazil. It is called kingwood because in the 18th and 19th century it was a favorite wood of French kings for their furniture. It is fairly rare, and its fine texture and stability makes it a prized wood for inlay work, wood turning, and fancy accessories.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. Price for pen shown: $25.00. Other choices of pen parts, colors, and woods are availalbe. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Spalted Maple and 24k Gold Slimline Pen

This Spalted Maple and 24k Gold Slimline Pen was made with the help of my son Tyler for a gift for his teacher, Mrs. Handy. Thanks, Mrs. Handy, for taking such an interest in our son's education and in keeping him challenged and interested in school!

The Sugar Maple produces sweet sap used to make maple syrup. Its wood is hard, and a creamy white to reddish brown color, and produces a sweet smell when cut or sanded. Spalted maple is maple wood with dark veins caused by a pattern of white fungus rot in the wood. It can be deliberately cultured in the wood by keeping the uncut wood at or near room temperature and moist for several months. Once stabilized, this wood is very decorative as it often looks like a pen and ink drawing through the wood, and is a favorite for fine woodwork and woodturning.

The pen parts are 24k gold plated, and supplied with a Cross style refill that features a premium Swiss-made carbide writing tip for smooth, consistent writing. The pen has a great feel in your hand - balanced and solid

Price: $25 as shown. Other woods and pen kits are available. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Box Elder Burl and 10k Gold Slimline Pen

This Box Elder Burl and 10k Gold Slimline Pen is made with with 10k Gold Artisan brand parts for quality and durability - this pen will last a lifetime. I think this pen turned out so beautifully - made from Box Eelder Burl, giving it variations in color and marbled grain patterns, and The curved profile, according to my friend Kami, looks like a voluptuous woman. Go Kami!

The Box Elder tree is a variety of maple tree, also known as Boxelder Maple and Maple Ash. A small, fast-growing, and short-lived tree, it has generally weak wood with little use commercially, except for the burls, which have beautiful coloring and grain patterns. Creamy white to dark brown to yellow, red, and even vivid pink in places, the hard burls make for beautiful turnings. They don't come cheap though, and the irregular wood requires attention to fill voids and turn it without breakage. For the pen shown, due to the special attention the burl requires and the high-quality 10k gold parts, I would charge $30. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.

Osage Orange and 24k Gold Slimline Pen

This Osage Orange and 24k Gold Slimline Pen is made with Artisan brand parts for premium function, balance, feel, and appearance. The Osage Orange tree grows in the American Midwest, and was prized by the plains Native Americans for its worth as a bow wood. Its hard, straight grain made bows of such quality that Native Americans would travel for a week to harvest the wood. In the early 19th century, you could trade a horse for a Osage Orange bow. The wood's color is a vivid yellow-orange, and it turns smooth and hard.

The styling of this pen is straight and elegant. Other options are available with the same components. Price as shown: $25.00. Order a matching pencil for a Pen and Pencil Set.