Thread: Real vs Shedded

Ian,

Firstly let me say, your shed snake skin blanks are very nice, however I do not think they look as good as a full proper tanned/cured skin and then cast.
However I can understand your dilema being that one of your main interests outside of pens and casting is "is your love of slender slithery snakes" not an easy one for you to deal with mate as skins mean dead snakes. Keep doing what makes you happy and if its shed skins then shed skins it is

Cheers
Tony

Originally Posted by Perfect Pens

Ian,

Firstly let me say, your shed snake skin blanks are very nice, however I do not think they look as good as a full proper tanned/cured skin and then cast.
However I can understand your dilema being that one of your main interests outside of pens and casting is "is your love of slender slithery snakes" not an easy one for you to deal with mate as skins mean dead snakes. Keep doing what makes you happy and if its shed skins then shed skins it is

Cheers
Tony

Hey Tony

Thanks mate D u are to kind. It's is not so much the dilemma of the snake but the question was brought up about the depth of the blanks ;-) it's does make me cringe a little tho when I see these blanks but that's not what it is about Lol

I am on a journey to give these Shedded blanks depth ;-)

Ian

As I see it there are several different issues here.

First of all we are not comparing apples to apples. The tanned snake skin is very striking in its' pattern and colours but we don't know how it would look as a shed skin.

The natural colour shed skin is very nice as well, albeit different in its' appearance and not only because it is shed but because it is a more uniform pattern than the tanned one. We also don't know how it would look as a tanned skin.

Personally I like it, as you know I have used several of your shed skin blanks, and I get very complimentary feedback on them.

BUT (there is always a but) I do not like the tinted ones. To me they look artificial and not like a real snake skin and IMHO they cheapen the blanks. I'm sure they will appeal to some people, especially women, but not to me. Bit like getting beautiful feathers to make a feather blank and dipping them in blue dye, you may as well use artificial ones.

I prefer the tinted ones myself.

I think it really is in the eye of the beholder. If you prefer dyed, shed, or tanned it would always be to your own opinion.
All of them are very nice, but I prefer the non dyed one's myself.
As long as no creature (in this case snake) was injured or killed just to make the blank I see no harm in using them.
Cookie

Originally Posted by Big Shed

As I see it there are several different issues here.

First of all we are not comparing apples to apples. The tanned snake skin is very striking in its' pattern and colours but we don't know how it would look as a shed skin.

The natural colour shed skin is very nice as well, albeit different in its' appearance and not only because it is shed but because it is a more uniform pattern than the tanned one. We also don't know how it would look as a tanned skin.

Personally I like it, as you know I have used several of your shed skin blanks, and I get very complimentary feedback on them.

BUT (there is always a but) I do not like the tinted ones. To me they look artificial and not like a real snake skin and IMHO they cheapen the blanks. I'm sure they will appeal to some people, especially women, but not to me. Bit like getting beautiful feathers to make a feather blank and dipping them in blue dye, you may as well use artificial ones.

Hey Fred

I agree with what u are saying in regards to apples for apples

But what I am trying to get an idea on is depth to the blanks

Amos and I spoke about this in the critique section

Here is what we spoke about https://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/critique-pictures-read-1st-post-171242

I can see what Amos is talking about in some of the real hides but not all

Originally Posted by Treecycle

I prefer the tinted ones myself.

;-)

Originally Posted by cookie48

I think it really is in the eye of the beholder. If you prefer dyed, shed, or tanned it would always be to your own opinion.
All of them are very nice, but I prefer the non dyed one's myself.
As long as no creature (in this case snake) was injured or killed just to make the blank I see no harm in using them.
Cookie

Cookie I also enjoy the plan casted ones

Ian

A tricky one Ian. It seems to me that the more coats of CA that are
put onto a blank and carefully and thoroughly polished then the better
the depth you get. More tedious yes, more worthwhile - Perhaps.

Cheers mate.

Hello Ian, thanks for clarifying the situation, I think real snake skin is my preference due to the quality, however , if the same appearance can be got from a shed snake skin, then , that is ok also. When I make a pen, quality really counts, I do not want any flaws in the skin, or in the finish etc. If there are no flaws and it looks the part, great; by the way, that also goes for the quality of the pen kit also, I want the material on the kit to remain--not rub off. Amos

let me start by SNAKES

now that's out of the way

each to their own, my preference is for well, they are/were snakes......neither, both blanks look great but the real skin with the colors stands out better to me.... Snakes

i have made what i consider some pretty UGLY pens in the 4-5 years that i have been turning, they have all sold... one mans trash is another mans treasure

the trick is, if you the Maker/Seller doesn't like the product its dam hard to sell it, that's why we generally make what catches our own eye

basically you are asking do you prefer apples or oranges, answer both are great in fruit salad

all the best

MIK

Originally Posted by artme

A tricky one Ian. It seems to me that the more coats of CA that are
put onto a blank and carefully and thoroughly polished then the better
the depth you get. More tedious yes, more worthwhile - Perhaps.

Cheers mate.

Hey Artme

No ca on my Shedded blanks just polished ;-)

Originally Posted by PenTurner

Hello Ian, thanks for clarifying the situation, I think real snake skin is my preference due to the quality, however , if the same appearance can be got from a shed snake skin, then , that is ok also. When I make a pen, quality really counts, I do not want any flaws in the skin, or in the finish etc. If there are no flaws and it looks the part, great; by the way, that also goes for the quality of the pen kit also, I want the material on the kit to remain--not rub off. Amos

Hey Amos

Yer I think my original post may need to clearer

As we spoke it before u now have my brain going into over drive ;-) I am gonna try a couple of things with the sheds and see how we go D

I agree with on what u have said that's for sure ;-)

Ian

Originally Posted by MBUMIK

let me start by SNAKES

now that's out of the way

each to their own, my preference is for well, they are/were snakes......neither, both blanks look great but the real skin with the colors stands out better to me.... Snakes

i have made what i consider some pretty UGLY pens in the 4-5 years that i have been turning, they have all sold... one mans trash is another mans treasure

the trick is, if you the Maker/Seller doesn't like the product its dam hard to sell it, that's why we generally make what catches our own eye

basically you are asking do you prefer apples or oranges, answer both are great in fruit salad

all the best

MIK

Hey MIK

Lol I know ur not a snake man but I still appreciate ur input D

Lol so MIK like fruit salad ;-)

Ian

I also think you are comparing two distinctly different types of 'skins' too .... be they shed or skin ... the one from Amos has smaller scales and a colour distinctive pattern whilst the shed, because is is a thinner membrane had less natural colour and the scales seem to be bigger. The smaller scales create a different effect. I can see the dilemma of creating the depth.

I am all for shed not skin as I'm quite comfortable with our legless friends!!!

Will watch your progress

JD