[squbrigg]

I'd like to bend a pen tip, to form a "U" , to use for scales. The tip is a straight shader , about 5 mm wide. How do I go about it? Or is it possible?

Bob

[Doug Ridley]

I don't know if you can do it or not but I for one wouldn't try it. I think you are going to ruin a good shader. I suggest buying a fish scale tip. They come in many different sizes.

[wade clark]

Bob,
When I bought my Razertip, I got an end with wires that you can bend to whatever shape you want. They attach to screws on either side. I haven't used them yet, but it sure looked like "just the ticket" when I was buying. I don't remember what it cost but it wasn't a whole lot.
Wade

[Old_Gord]

Bob, not really sure what the pen nib you are talking about looks like, but and I hate to suggest this ....if you let the tip heat up to "red hot", then gently press the tip down on something hard it will bend, maybe even to the shape you want.
I have tried this some time ago on a old spare pen nib I had from Collwood..didn't seem to hurt it, mind you I don't use my pyro pens that much, so I don't know what it does to the nib long term.

.

OG

Originally Posted by squbrigg

I'd like to bend a pen tip, to form a "U" , to use for scales. The tip is a straight shader , about 5 mm wide. How do I go about it? Or is it possible?

Bob

[Pyrographer]

Originally Posted by Old_Gord

Bob, not really sure what the pen nib you are talking about looks like, but and I hate to suggest this ....if you let the tip heat up to "red hot", then gently press the tip down on something hard it will bend, maybe even to the shape you want.
I have tried this some time ago on a old spare pen nib I had from Collwood..didn't seem to hurt it, mind you I don't use my pyro pens that much, so I don't know what it does to the nib long term.

.

OG

Whoa!!! sure is a good way to ruin a tip

I certainly don't recommend getting the tip red-hot and bending it. If it's a Razertip double check with Cam but I have bent many of the spear shaders slightly when they weren't bent far enough but it's always done cold. Setting a fine detail tip to red-hot is going to ruin the tip. But that's just my humble opinion.

Nedra

[Old_Gord]

You may be right Nedra and you may get Cam of Razertip to agree with you...but I recall many years ago, first time I saw a professional pyrographer at a wood show demonstrating Pyro (can't recall her name ) using a Collwood burner, she burnt with the tip glowing red the majority of the time I watched.
You will note I did suggest he do it on a spare tip as I said I didn't know what the long term results would be, with the one I tried it didn't seem to damage it in anyway but it has been a lightly used tip.

It was just my opinion from a past experience...so one should just take it as that..an opinion from a amateur and not a professional ..

.

OG

Originally Posted by Pyrographer

Whoa!!! sure is a good way to ruin a tip

I certainly don't recommend getting the tip red-hot and bending it. If it's a Razertip double check with Cam but I have bent many of the spear shaders slightly when they weren't bent far enough but it's always done cold. Setting a fine detail tip to red-hot is going to ruin the tip. But that's just my humble opinion.

Nedra

[Pyrographer]

Originally Posted by Old_Gord

You may be right Nedra and you may get Cam of Razertip to agree with you...but I recall many years ago, first time I saw a professional pyrographer at a wood show demonstrating Pyro (can't recall her name ) using a Collwood burner, she burnt with the tip glowing red the majority of the time I watched.
You will note I did suggest he do it on a spare tip as I said I didn't know what the long term results would be, with the one I tried it didn't seem to damage it in anyway but it has been a lightly used tip.

It was just my opinion from a past experience...so one should just take it as that..an opinion from a amateur and not a professional .

OG

I've not seen any "professional" pyrographers burn with glowing red tips, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It also doesn't mean that it won't ruin the tip of a detail burner, it will! Keep in mind that they are pyrographers, but they don't necessarily know about the stability of the machines/pens they use.

Detail burners such as Colwood, Razertip, Optima, etc are not intended to be used at constant high temperatures. That is what those cheap single temperature burners are good for. They are heavy duty and their tips can withstand that high temperature.

I'm a "professional" pyrographer too but I don't build the burners and pens and don't claim to be an expert on them. That's why I have Cam!!!

One of the reasons that none of the burner manufacturers (except Cam) have ANY warranty on their tips. The bottom line is that people abuse their tips and the companies don't want to warranty a product when they can't control how people use it. Why would a company want to warranty a pen tip when people are burning when it's glowing and then wonder why it breaks prematurely????

I've also seen a professional pyrographer doing things that were downright stupid and unsafe and even went so far as to teach it in her classes and claim it was safe...even after she was provided with all the documentation to support this. So, while she may know about her pyrography she didn't know anything about chemicals, toxicity and safety, yet she claimed to.

So, being a professional pyrographer does not necessary make you all-knowing!

I like to think I know what I"m doing but when I'm unsure I ask an expert. When it comes to the burners I talk to Cam.

Nedra

[Old_Gord]

Boy oh Boy ...seems like a lot of hostility there to me Nedra..
Possibly you didn't mean to do so.
How about we agree that you have an opinion and I have an opinion, mine from some personal experiences on my part and just let it go at that.
People are free to listen to whoever they want , as I said I'm just an amateur and I'm mostly relying on my more that three score and ten life time experiences, ain't seen everything yet and certainly don't think I know everything either.
No flame, no offence meant.

.

OG

[Pyrographer]

Originally Posted by Old_Gord

Boy oh Boy ...seems like a lot of hostility there to me Nedra..
Possibly you didn't mean to do so.
How about we agree that you have an opinion and I have an opinion, mine from some personal experiences on my part and just let it go at that.
People are free to listen to whoever they want , as I said I'm just an amateur and I'm mostly relying on my more that three score and ten life time experiences, ain't seen everything yet and certainly don't think I know everything either.
No flame, no offence meant.

.

OG

Absolutely no hostility was intended nor do feel there was any in my message. It was merely a statement of information based on my experience and my opinions based on my knowledge of burning, burners, etc. As I said, I'm don't build the burners and pens but I do rely on the expertise of Cam who does.

But just because someone does something such as burning with a poker hot Colwood tip regularly, even though they are professional, does not mean it's right and will not damage the pen over time and it's very possible (Cam would have to confirm this) that turning it poker hot to bend it might also damage the tip. I do know that the solid temp burners must be cooled before removing because the brass softens when it's hot and damage the threads can be damaged if you try to remove them while hot. So, it is possible that bending the detail burners tips when they are red hot will also damage them but I'm not the expert on that.

I am very cautious about what I recommend to people because in a case like this if they do it and damage their pens I'm the one who feels responsible for suggesting it...even if the original idea came from someone else.

I apologize if you took it as hostility but there was none intended. It was merely my personal opinion based on my experiences as a pyrographer. I certainly don't have the life experiences you have, but that's why I rely on the experts when I don't have the expertise on a particular matter.

Nedra

[squbrigg]

Not to worry folks, tip is bent and it works!

I dug out my book on Pyrography by Sue Walters and there was a not in there about torching a tip to bend it. Only took a few seconds of heatm and presto, red hot she got, and a twist of needlenose plyers gave me the shape I wanted. Some jigging to perfect it and let cool. Plugged it in and it worked slicker than goose crap!

Wasn't worried about wrecking the pen, it's been in the drawer since I bought the set up a few years ago, so it wasn't much good that way, just one I never used.

Bob