Celluloid Botton Filler

[twissy]

Finished up this commission today. The customer chose the material from a stash I hadn't had chance to go through, and it wasn't until I started turning it and got that lovely camphor smell that I realised it was Celluloid! I was gutted as I'd quoted him on a high end acrylic!

My first time using Celluloid, and as soon as I got that smell the speed was cut in half, and longer periods left between each stage.

I wish I could capture the magic of the material on film, but I'm (bleep) at photography!

 

I do have a question though.......I don't normally put a breather hole in the cap, but given the nature of the material do you think I should in this case?

 

C&C's welcome.

 

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/twisspens/adam/IMG_1650_zpsae64007d.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/twisspens/adam/IMG_1652_zpsc9024055.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/twisspens/adam/IMG_1653_zpsd88882ca.jpg

http://i1140.photobucket.com/albums/n564/twisspens/adam/IMG_1655_zpsf5f44218.jpg

 

[mbradley]

Mine is an uneducated opinion, my 65 or 70 year old Sheaffer still smells strongly of camphor and does not have a breather hole, I have no idea how they processed their celluloid. Nice job by the way, it is a pretty material.

 

Michael

Edited September 25, 2014 by mbradley

[twissy]

Mine is an uneducated opinion, my 65 or 70 year old Sheaffer still smells strongly of camphor and does not have a breather hole, I have no idea how they processed their celluloid. Nice job by the way, it is a pretty material.

 

Michael

Thanks Michael. That's given me the confidence to leave it as it is :-)

[duncsuss]

John -- I don't know if caps should have air holes or not, but I do know this is a beautiful pen. Gorgeous.

[dali3464]

That truly is a beautiful blank! I have to say, I rather enjoy the camphor scent when turning celluloid; much more preferable than the burning rubber smell of ebonite!

 

With respect to the cap vent hole: it's a bit of an iffy area with a few theories as to why they exist, but it's not related to the pen material from what I understand. The purpose of the cap vent hole was more due to the inadequacy of feeds in early fountain pens to 'soak up' ink as it were: without a vent hole, taking off the cap quickly would create a vacuum and draw out more ink than the feed could accommodate, thereby causing an ink 'burp'. With newer feeds, such an issue doesn't exist as the feed's more (and perhaps better manufactured) fins can soak up any additional ink being drawn out.

 

The only issue I can see with making a celluloid pen as a button-filler is to ensure that a silicone sac is used.

[Scriptorium Pens]

This is just gorgeous, both the material and style.

[TMac]

This is a beautiful fountain pen. Great craftsmanship.

[hari317]

The pen has turned out wonderful, well done!

[twissy]

Thank you folks!!

It goes out to its new owner next week.

[mikespenturningz]

I love the finish you got on this pen. Great job..