Mike’s Pens

Many years ago, my son and I purchased a “pen makers starter set”. It came with drill bits, bushings, “slimline” pen kits, “cigar” pen kits, and some wood pen blanks. We made a few pens, then got bored and packed it all up and stowed in the corner of a closet.

Last year, while cleaning up the shop, I came across that old box. I blew off the dust and I’ve been hooked since. I can’t seem to stop making pens. It’s a great stress reliever after a hard day’s work. There’s something about grabbing a piece of wood, cutting away everything that doesn’t look like a pen, sanding and finishing, and assembling the final product.

Probably one of my favorite woods to use for pen making is the dead wood of a cholla cactus. Cholla [choy-ah] are ubiquitous where I live. Often, I pick up a piece during my morning walks and bring it back to my shop. The weather has done the hard part by stripping off the dead flesh and needles. What I need to do is find a section that would accommodate a new pen I want to make.

Here is a link to some recent pens I’ve made. Also, I’m working on an online store for selling my pens to you here.

Mike

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