The Balena in bog oak and mammoth tusk

This pen was made out of bog oak which is anywhere between 600 and 8500 years old, although based on how easy it was to turn, I would estimate it to be on the younger side of that range, since bog woods typically harden over time. The dark colour is the result of a reaction between the tannins in the wood with iron and minerals in the water it sat in for centuries. The roll stop is made from mammoth tusk. So, although the pen is quite new, its ingredients are very, very old…

It may be evident in the top photo that the pen was made from a single piece of wood, and that the grain can be aligned when capped. (Although it’s a triple thread, so there is a 66% chance it won’t…)

The design has a slight “S-curve” in the barrel, which not only allows for a secure posting of the cap but makes for a very light pen. In order to allow for the barrel contour, the interior hole for the cartridge consists of 4 different diameters, depending on the depth.

The nib is a #6 fine, black steel nib made by Peter Bock in Germany.

Below is a shot of the pen in a prototype of a pen holder I’m working on… This holder is custom-made for the pen, since the angle and length are dependent on the weight and balance of the pen itself.