ink pen carvings

[R-OLDS]

I have been carving these ink pen figures for a few years and just keep going back to doing them, I made a five gallon bucket full of the blanks abt 3 years ago and they are mostly gone so I made up abt 50 or so of-em the other day so I'll have plenty to do this winter..
I have done about 10 or so different styles of pens and here are a couple of them.. Oh one of them is a whistle and the whistle is very hard to get to work does anyone have any insite on making whistles that work?

Randal

[mikeg]

"American Folk Toys" by Dick Schancke has the dimensions for making a whistle that I've used and gotten success pretty consitantly. There's also a book out there by Kelly Stadelman called "Carving Christmas Whistle Ornaments" that explains it which I haven't tried. Unfortunately, I'm at work and can't look up the dimensions for you. If somebody else can't provide them, I can look them up for you.

btw, I like the pens and the whistle, they're clever.

mikeg

[gene-messer]

Randal .. Great job on the pens .. those are great gift givers ..

Never done many pens .. but they look tempting ..

Thanks for sharing ..

gene

[Terry Vance]

I found this by googleing wooden whistle.

http://www.e-scoutcraft.com/wood_carving/whistle.html

Very informative.

[Just Carving]

I made a whistle last year just for fun--similar to the scout whistle. I'm not sure if it was the scout whistle plan or someone else's that I did--I seem to remember a train whistle plan. But whatever one you're using, try to be as accurate with the dimensions, and follow the directions as best you can. Mine works, but it took a couple of tries to get the dowel just right before I could glue it in. I think if there is too much variation in the openings and the dowel piece, then the whistle won't work.

Nice pens! Great idea with a whistle, too! I've seen pens carved and for sale in the dollar section of the food store. I saw them, and thought I could carve something similar to that. But I haven't gotten to them yet.

What size blanks do you cut--1"x1"x5-6" long?

[tnartist05]

Really neat looking carvings on the pens plus the whistle carving is neat too even if it doesnt blow right. Good Job on these! Tn~

[Bartster]

randal,



really neat work on the pens, i to have done some and they make great gifts.


bart

[tucker1931]

Man oh Man, they are really great. Tell me, you still got all your fingers carving those little guys? Good luck with the whistle.
Cliff

[R-OLDS]

Well the original size for the pens was 3/4 x 3/4 and 5.5" long some of mine have been a bit larger close to 1" square. The hardest part in making the ink pen blanks is drilling the long hole for the stick pen cartridge it wanders sometimes and makes a hole in the side of the blank.. I do not have a good enough drill for the job..
Thanks for the info on the whistle, I tried to get 5 whistles working last winter and had one work well one work a little and I gave up. But now with new info I'll try again as I wanted to give all seven grandchildren a new whistle for christmas.
I do give the pens as gifts often, I have carved more santas than anything they are the easiest I can do one in less than an hour..

Thanks for all the comments..

Randal

[Myron Compton]

Really great detail Randal. Fine job......Myron