#712 Now Sold

NB Birchills Oak and Chrome Rollerball Pen

(A donation from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Black Country Living Museum, the Custodians of NB Birchills)




EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales and roof hatch of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off!

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. 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.

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.




Pen #712 was turned on 29th November 2016 at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham.



You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat
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#732 Now Sold

Blue Vintage Pen Rod and Gun Metal/Chrome Premium Twist Pen 


This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #732 was turned on 12th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.



You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

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#720 Now Sold

NB Birchills Oak and Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen

(A donation from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Black Country Living Museum, the Custodians of NB Birchills)




EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales and roof hatch of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off!

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. 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.

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.



Pen #720 was turned on 7th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.




You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat
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#711 Now Sold

NB Denebola Elm and Chrome Propelling Pencil



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 under the canal for a 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. 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 Denebola is a star class narrowboat built by Harland & Wolff at Woolwich on the River Thames in 1935, she was launched in December that year.  She was named after a star in the constellation of Leo and was built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd (GUCCCL). She operated under fleet number 35, although is was registered at Brentford as number 582 and her gauging number was 12501.

Denebola's hull is composite with riveted steels side and an elm botton. She has a pointed bow with a raked curved stern and counter stern.   She was used for carrying bulk cargoes until 1st January 1948 and the advent of British Waterways.  She was then converted for use as a zoo bus and re-named Water Fairy in 1965. She was bought by Oliver Lovell who filled in her sides and changed her name again to Romulus and was run as an educational camping boat until 1985 when she went into private ownership and was given back her original name of Denebola.



Pen #711 was turned on 29th November 2016 at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham.


You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

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#707 Now Sold

NB Dane Elm and Gun Metal Fountain Pen

This Pen Forms Part of a Boxed Set with #702

(A donation from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Narrowboat Heritage 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 and a replaced side plank made of oak.





Pen #707 was turned on 29th November 2016 at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham.




You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#731 Now Sold

Silver Vintage Pen Rod and Gun Metal/Chrome Premium Twist Pen 


This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #731 was turned on 12th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.



You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#718 Now Sold

NB Dane Elm and Gun Metal/Chrome Premium Twist Pen

(A donation from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Narrowboat Heritage 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 and a replaced side plank made of oak.





Pen #718 was turned on 5th December 2016 at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham.

You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#736 Now Sold

Red Vintage Pen Rod and Chrome/Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen



This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #736 was turned on 15th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.


You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#723 Now Sold

Green Vintage Pen Rod and Chrome Premium Twist Pen


This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #723 was turned on 7th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.


You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#708 Now Sold

NB Denebola Elm and 24ct Gold Plated Fountain Pen



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 under the canal for a 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. 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 Denebola is a star class narrowboat built by Harland & Wolff at Woolwich on the River Thames in 1935, she was launched in December that year.  She was named after a star in the constellation of Leo and was built for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company Ltd (GUCCCL). She operated under fleet number 35, although is was registered at Brentford as number 582 and her gauging number was 12501.

Denebola's hull is composite with riveted steels side and an elm botton. She has a pointed bow with a raked curved stern and counter stern.   She was used for carrying bulk cargoes until 1st January 1948 and the advent of British Waterways.  She was then converted for use as a zoo bus and re-named Water Fairy in 1965. She was bought by Oliver Lovell who filled in her sides and changed her name again to Romulus and was run as an educational camping boat until 1985 when she went into private ownership and was given back her original name of Denebola.



Pen #708 was turned on 29th November 2016 at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham.


You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#729 Now Sold

NB Birchills Oak and Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen

(A donation from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Black Country Living Museum, the Custodians of NB Birchills)




EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales and roof hatch of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off!

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. 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.

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.




Pen #729 was turned on 9th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.



You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat
No comments:

#728 Now Sold

NB Birchills Oak and Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen

(A donation from the sale of this pen will be gifted to The Black Country Living Museum, the Custodians of NB Birchills)




EUROPEAN OAK - Quercus robur

Usually straight-grained, the heartwood of European Oak varies in colour from light tan to brown. Quarter-sawn pieces show attractive flame figuring. The wood is fairly hard, heavy and dense, clean but with the occasional knot. European Oak is a beautiful timber and with an oil finish, the grain will turn a deep golden brown.

This particular piece of oak (probably English rather than European) is just a little bit special though. It comes from the rear cabin side gunwales and roof hatch of Narrowboat Birchills. I was given a few off cuts by the superb craftsmen who were carrying out a little light refurbishment to this historic boat, in fact the guys had cut the whole back cabin off!

Birchills is an historic, ‘Joey’ boat with a small day cabin, built in 1953 by Ernest Thomas of Walsall, ‘Birchills’ it is one of the last wooden day boats made and was used to carry coal to Wolverhampton Power Station. This boat is double-ended and the mast and rudder could be changed from one end to the other. This enabled its use in narrow canals or basins where there was no room to turn the boat around.

The rotten parts of these rebuilt boats are usually used to stoke the fires that steam the new planks for bending to the hulls shape so half a day later this flaky gunwale would have been burned. 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.

That old flaky gunwale went on to make a few very nice pens and I was lucky enough to be given some more wood by Ade at A P Boat Building in Alvecote. This time a piece that appears to be from the old red cabin hatch surround.




Pen #728 was turned on 9th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.





You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat
No comments:

#724 Now Sold

Green Vintage Pen Rod and Chrome/Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen



This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #724 was turned on 7th December 2016 on the Birmingham Main Line Canal near the Barclaycard Arena.



You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#719 Now Sold

Red Vintage Pen Rod and Chrome/Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen


This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #719 was turned on 5th December 2016 on the Birmingham Mainline Canal near Barclaycard Arena.


You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

No comments:

#717 Now Sold

Red Vintage Pen Rod and Chrome/Gun Metal Premium Twist Pen


This unique material was sourced by two world renowned pen restorers back in the 1990's. 

The rod was made in the Le Mans area in France around 80 - 90 years ago.  The material is Cellulose Acetate and can be seen on some of the finest vintage fountain pens of the world including Conway Stewart, Mabie Todd and Watermans, to name a few.  Modern plastics don't come anywhere near to the depth of colour and warm feel of this material.

Pen #717 was turned on 3rd December 2016 at Cambrian Wharf in Birmingham.



You can follow my pen making here on this blog and our travels on another blog here


oh and please like us on Facebook too here
https://www.facebook.com/ThePenMakersBoat

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