Croc Pen Sets

**dai sensei** · 26th July 2011, 11:25 PM

Finally got time to finish all my croc pens from my first shipment from the Darwin Croc farm (see here for background and trials). Certainly not easy, nor cheap process, but here is the process after some learnings if you want to give it a try:

Get some jaw bones (remember they are protected here in Aus, so get your permits first)
Boil bones for 3-4 hours (depending on how old & dry they are – if not done you may get reaction to resin; see gold RH pen )
Leave time enough, or bake bones in oven, until very dry
Cast with coloured resin in vertical mold under pressure
Mark centre of most bone area at each end and drill short hole (I use centre drill bit)
Turn blanks between centres until round, then coat with 4-5 coats of thin CA (don’t be afraid to use a lot flooding the blank for first couple)
Drill hole for tubes, enough for tube, but not through other end
Pour thin CA into hole and rotate to ensure it soaks bone/resin throughout, then leave overnight
Redrill hole
Glue in prepared tubes with high strength epoxy (black or white tubes are better)
Sand off excess blank at either end
Turn blank flush with bushes (sharp skew with light cuts best)
Use non-metal cone bushes and sand through grits to 600 deliberately under sizing blank (check with callipers)
Coat with 4-5 coats of thin CA then leave for 2 weeks (to settle blank/bone, they can move)
Re-sand blank through grits to 1200
Complete CA finish (I use 2 thin CA and >9 thick CA), including using 0000 steel wool afterwards, to just over size (using callipers for sizing to ensure right size – I set at fitting size and stop when callipers just catch)
Sand ends of blank flush and true with tube (I use side of wet grind with jig)
Sand with micromesh to 12000 then use plastic polish
Assemble pen

Pens are:

Black Ti Majestics (these are really big and heavy ) made using 2 jaw pieces due to the large tube sizes and red blood resin
Gold Ti Roman Harvest with gold resin (advertised as gold fleck, but obviously containing more copper than gold )
Rhodium GR Gent II with blood red resin
Silver Baron with blue resin
from previous gold & blood red filled Cigars and Sierra

All finished with CA as above and are worth $1440 to me, probably going to be a lot more to buy from farm shop

Got to get myself a decent camera, I hate the way the finish looks flat not shiny, they all have a very deep and shiny smooth finish.

Cheers

**artme** · 26th July 2011, 11:30 PM

Top work Neil!!

They will keep people talking and create lots of interest!!

**Nai84** · 26th July 2011, 11:38 PM

Neil

Thoes pens are AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEE well done I think your customer will be happy with that lot if not you can send them my way LMAO well done mate

**gawdelpus** · 26th July 2011, 11:38 PM

Definately "Master craftsmen" stuff these , I have seen various stages in the production of the pens shown here ,and seen the finished Items ,truly works of art ,lots of patience and time to process from start to finish, The end result of a lot of processing and experimenting ,but the results speak for themselves , will be some very satisfied new owners of these beauties , Cheers ~ John

**maddog 62** · 27th July 2011, 01:47 AM

sign of a true craftsman
if i could make something like that i would be hard pressed to sell them, (bragging rights)
again well done

**Seer** · 27th July 2011, 02:28 AM

Those are really awesome and they are truly one of a kind pieces of art.

**timberbits** · 27th July 2011, 08:21 AM

WOW Neil!

They are awesome pens!

I was scratching the head a bit when you were telling me about the croc pens, but they turned out really really well.

Thanks for sharing.

Timberbits.

**Ironwood** · 27th July 2011, 08:32 AM

Neil they are awesome looking pens.

A lot of time and effort has paid off there.

**L R P** · 27th July 2011, 10:34 AM

STUNNING

**Big Shed** · 27th July 2011, 10:51 AM

Fantastic looking pens Neil, a very novel idea well executed.

**IowaYank** · 27th July 2011, 12:02 PM

Well done on the Pens mate. They are works of art.
Cheers
Arlin

**Dorno** · 27th July 2011, 02:17 PM

The others have said everything Neil they truely are works of art and you should be proud of them. I am sure your customer will be absolutely stoked with what you have done

It just shows that patience really does pay off in the end.

Cheers ian

**Simomatra** · 27th July 2011, 03:45 PM

Beautiful work Neil, you have to be more than pleaded with that lot

**thompy** · 27th July 2011, 06:46 PM

Awesome stuff Neil, i love em as theyre as unique as your other casts, and with your casting skill, i have to ask something, would it be worth your while to just select a jawbone for a moulding, and then do a cast of it, then recast it from acrylics in a white then recast that in a colour, that way you'd have a repeatable look without the liscencing and what nots in the extra expenses.

Neal.

**dai sensei** · 27th July 2011, 10:55 PM

Thanks for the comments. Photos have been sent to client, waiting for reply.

Originally Posted by thompy

,, i have to ask something, would it be worth your while to just select a jawbone for a moulding, and then do a cast of it, then recast it from acrylics in a white then recast that in a colour, that way you'd have a repeatable look without the licencing and what nots in the extra expenses..

Yes it could be done that way, certainly would be easier and cheaper to produce.

But it would not be a real croc bone pen that gives these pen their value. Each pen would be exactly the same, whereas the selling point of these is that there are no 2 pens the same, they are all unique.

Cheers

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