Thread: Twist pen wood grain alignment

Retracted!

When it's in use the writer's hand obscures most of the lower barrel, so you can't really see much of it at all. Not enough to say "the grain looks wrong that way" anyway.

On the other hand, when it's not in use a pen tends to be left lying around on a desk/bench/whatever, where everyone and anyone can see it in it's entirety - warts 'n all.

My suggestion to the manufacturers is to make the turn for the extension exactly one whole revolution.

So that the retracted and extended position are exactly the same.

Its only a slight changing of the thread angles. Yes I already know that it costs lots of money to change the machine setting and molds, but when it is time for an upgrade or replacement of the molds this would be an excellent improvement to the design.

I say retracted, that is the way it is presented when you first buy or sell it or give it as a gift.

I say put it on the inside of the brass tube. That way nobody will care how it lines up, you don't have to worry so much about sanding, nobody will know if you use Shellawax, CA or Hut, and you won't have to worry about the oils from your hands eating into the finish.

Hey ... am I smart or what?

So, who's right? Me or her.

Really there is no contest is there..... SHE is always right remember!!!

Oh and I agree with your wife - lined up when in use or out and left laying around.

JD (of the fairer sex too!!!)

No contest for me long ago decided the extended tip matches the grain, cause I am not fussed myself but when offering my pen for use I always extend the tip as a courtesy.
When I give a pen I generally take it from my pocket to demonstrate the pen is for use not show, then show the twist then demonstrate the replacement of the biro insertion using my own pen to keep the line up of the given pen.

All of this goes west at the first replaced biro. I rarely show anyone the grain match this I find is a maker thing anyway, creating an over awareness can come back and bite you on the rear end.

Other than that theories abound but thats what works for me.

Peter

Definitely retracted

Peter

I have always stuck to aligning the grain in the retracted position, similar reasons to what Skew gave, when not in use it is retracted and in full view, when in use your hand covers much of the pen anyway. The idea of having a full turn to make the pen grain align even when open has merit, the one question here is, do I really want to be bothered twisting it so far to open it?! Amos

Grain alignment when retracted

My personal preffence is retracted.

I go with aligned when closed or capped as well, for numerous reasons.

Say you were to make a very nice pen, Emperor with Snakewood or such, and the person who bought it was a collector, and simply put it in his display and looked at it. The grain should match when closed, because that's when people look at and inspect the pen.

Also, not everyone posts the cap, so it would be silly to make it match with it uncapped on a postable cap pen as not everyone will post the cap.

Last but not least, when you are using it as has already been said, your hand is going to be covering part of it, and you should be looking at what you're writing, and even when you stop and look at it, because you twisted it or uncapped it to write, most won't expect it to match up at this stage.