Daniel
Member
I have been setting here this morning thinking about a project I took on a few years ago. Many of you know that I have a "Giant pen list" in the library. This list was actually the result of my bigger project, To make one of every type of pen that is offered.
Since that time I have been aware of an ongoing and growing trend with penturning. That is basically the growth of the craft. when I first started turning pens, three or four new pen styles being released in a year, or a couple of new materials was pretty much the norm.
The idea of keeping up with every new material or every pen kit offered by every supplier was a fairly laid back task. Today I am not sure it could be done by any one individual. so many new blanks are coming out due to most of them being made by individuals in there home brew shops. A lot of materials that have never even been considered turnable such as circuit boards and the like.
Many of the pen kits on my list are not even available anymore, and many have not been added to it. I have gotten lucky a couple of times and managed to get the last of a close out style etc. but many more pen styles are simply vanishing before I can get to them. I now have the impression that when and if i ever complete my collection it will be more of a museum of what used to be than what is available now.
In ways this is sad, but for the most part it is encouraging to me that this seemingly simple craft is growing and changing at the rate it is.
Since that time I have been aware of an ongoing and growing trend with penturning. That is basically the growth of the craft. when I first started turning pens, three or four new pen styles being released in a year, or a couple of new materials was pretty much the norm.
The idea of keeping up with every new material or every pen kit offered by every supplier was a fairly laid back task. Today I am not sure it could be done by any one individual. so many new blanks are coming out due to most of them being made by individuals in there home brew shops. A lot of materials that have never even been considered turnable such as circuit boards and the like.
Many of the pen kits on my list are not even available anymore, and many have not been added to it. I have gotten lucky a couple of times and managed to get the last of a close out style etc. but many more pen styles are simply vanishing before I can get to them. I now have the impression that when and if i ever complete my collection it will be more of a museum of what used to be than what is available now.
In ways this is sad, but for the most part it is encouraging to me that this seemingly simple craft is growing and changing at the rate it is.