When I first started turning pens in 2002, I did not have many pen styles and woods to choose from. One day I came across an unusual wood by the name of Chatekok from Mexico. It had this light sapwood on the outside edge with a deep reddish orange for the heartwood. If I cut the wood with the grain I would pick up a yellow colour in the sapwood and the orange red in the heartwood. I was not happy with this so I experimented by cutting the plank of wood across the end grain. I then decided to turn the two pieces on the lathe and match them up on a two piece rollerball. I was astonished with the beauty of the finished rollerball pen.

 

Up to this point in time I had never given "my artwork" a name. I just had to come up with something exciting. The rollerball pen reminded me of the setting sun over the Atlantic Ocean here in Nova Scotia. Rich shades of yellow, orange and red. Remember that sailors lament "Red skies in the night, sailors delight, red sky in the morning, sailors take warning". So I threw in some alliteration in the lobster pot, let it boil, and I came up with Sunset Over Sambro.

 

Now, Sambro is a small fishing village on the outskirts of my home city of Halifax. When the people of Sambro heard this tall tale they just laughed and said we have never seen the sunset down here in Sambro as the fog comes in around that time. Then they buy a pen and send it to their cousin in Toronto so they too can laugh at this crazy pen turning artist in Halifax.

 

I can make you a description card which will tell what type of wood was used in the pen and it will say Sunset Over------ (your town or city). Just send me an e-mail with you order to info@scotianpens.com and we will include the card at no extra charge.