Thread: What do you do with the pens you receive

Being fairly new to the process I have only received three pens from other woodworkers.

The first was a commissioned stylus sierra from York Gum Burl that HazzaB created for me. I regret to tell you all that I have lost it (but still have Harry's original pen case). I have searched EVERYWHERE for it, but come up with squat.

The second and third were my 2013 Aus day pen swaps. I use the cigar one every day at work, and the cocobolo artist's pencil I have at home and my wife (the artist) is very keen on it, but I haven't let it go quite yet.

Someone gave me a thank you present for a job once - a very nice quality shaeffer rollerball in a presentation box. No - not a turned pen - just a purchased pen. I haven't used it yet - it seems so unfair to all my nice timber pens for me to betray them and go and use a store-bought pen these days.

I put all my donated pens in my display case located in our family room. All visitors get to see them.

I have mine displayed on acrylic stands in the lounge wall unit, all but that outstanding two pen and letter opener set from woodhacker from this years swap. They live in the very smart looking box he made for them. I don't have a big collection as yet but will always find room for regardless as I truly do value everyone of them.

All my donated pens, from swaps etc, are now in the pen display case I have just finished.

Some are in the cases they came in and displayed next to this case.

There is also a display stand on top of the pen case and every day or so the pen displayed there gets changed, it may be one of my own or a donated one.

Whenever we get visitors the pens usually get shown and discussed.

It is interesting to hear the various comments and likes and dislikes.

All my pens are in use at one time or another. The house is littered with them. My swap pens are treated as special but still used. I have a display stand on my desk and pens rotate through it. It's nice to pull out a special pen and give the story behind it, that's why I appreciate it when my swapees can give me a story about the blank, for example I love that one of my OS swap pens came from the makers grandfathers cedar logged on their farm.

Mine are in a display case, some are in the original boxes they came in, to me all are special. Amos

I dont have a lot of donated pens yet but those that I do have are on acrylic stands for all to see and admire.

Lol looks like I have to add to this again P

Not sure what everyone does with there pens for these swap but I use my here at home and work I love it coz when people says wow thats a nice pen were did u buy that and I say this one u cant buy from office works lol and I tell them the whole spill of the pen swap and who made it and what it's made from and they are always blown away at the fact the pen is handcrafted. I got this pen from Dick (whaler1) last year that always catches people's eyes aswell as Trevs one he made me this year from his home casted pod blank ;-) but there will be two more aussie pens that will get there stories told ;-) and all my other swap from before get used my ones from HazzaB get used the Rattle snake skin one he did me is with my snake relocation file in my car and the SN Gent he did me in Goldfeilds Burl is a at home pen my favorite to use for leaving love notes for the boss lol

Thanks
Ian