#379

NOW SOLD

NB Dane Elm and Gun Metal Ballpoint Twist Pen

(25% of the profits from the sale of this pen will be gifted to the Narrowboat Herritage Foundation, the custodians of NB Dane)

EUROPEAN ELM - Ulmus procera

European Elm has is a light to medium brown, sometimes with a hint of red. With an oil finish, it can turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Unless, of course, it's been kept at the bottom of a canal for an awfully long time.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hull's shape.Luckily these pieces of elm were too important to burn and have been properly stored. I wasn't sure how deep the rot would have gone and how deep I would have to delve into this piece to find stable wood. The pens I make from historic boat materials have been thoroughly tested by me to make sure that they will give pleasurable daily use.

Narrowboat Dane was built by the Mersey Weaver and Ship Canal Carrying Company and used as part of their fleet. She was built in November 1946 and first registered on January the first 1947. Ade from A P Boatbuilding is currently restoring her on behalf of The Narrowboat Heritage Foundation, the work being done is re-bottomed with new chine planks, kelson, stem post and soon to receive two new bow planks, gunwales, decks, new back cabin and engine room. The pens that I will be making from Dane are all from a heavy lump of Elm bottom plate.

Pen #379 was turned on October 11th 2015 on the 'John the Locks' visitor moorings. We'd had a pleasant enough run out from Birmingham to the Black Country Living Museum via the old main line which is the nicer of the two especially as the sun was out and the new main line is in a bit of a cutting. Mooring up at the museum we filled up the water tank and pumped out the black tank before pushing over to the 24hr museum moorings. There was a bit of a commotion the other side of the fence so we had a nosey over and wow.... they were only filming the next series of Peaky Blinders for the BBC! Unfortunately there were no vacancies for extras.

Another boat was pulling up and was a tad disgruntled that we were moored where they had intended going and had to move a whole 60ft to the next mooring. as they went past they said "I wanted to go there as I need to run my engine tonight and first thing in the mooring". Not a problem we say surprised at the need as they had said they'd just come from Birmingham and Minworth the day before so the batteries should be topped up. "very early she continues, 7 to 7.30!" My retort was don't worry we're up by 5.30 to 6! Yeah right. Well when we went banging past at about 6.45 the next morning heading up the Dudley Hill in the mist there wasn't the hint of a stir. Wish I wasn't so suborn.

 7 mile walk and a few boat jobs later we headed out to Tipton. Ann had come over to see what pens we had left in stock from the historic boats but unfortunately we'd sold all but one in the previous few days. Luckily I had a couple more that had been cut, drilled, glued and squared off ready for turning and as the weather was forecast do be settled I set about doing some turning.