Richardson, TX attorney Isaac Shutt turns pens. This is a recent hobby inspired by well-known Texas gardener, Neil Sperry. Turning pens is the process of taking a block of wood and transforming it into a beautiful writing instrument by using a lathe. Mr. Shutt has made dozens of pens by hand out of many different kinds of wood and antler.
Check out some of Isaac Shutt’s pen turning:
Here are several blocks of wood that have been cut, drilled, and had a brass tube inserted.
The wood blocks get “turned” on a wood lathe. As they spin, Mr. Shutt carves the blocks into the shape of a pen.
After the pens have been shaped, Mr. Shutt applies a durable polish to protect the wood. Mr. Shutt uses superglue as a hard, clear finish.
Here is a completed wood pen. It’s always interesting to see how they turn out, because each pen is unique.
A friend picked up this antler that a deer had shed out in a field. Here, Mr. Shutt has cut a section of the antler to make a pen.
This is the antler pen that Mr. Shutt completed. It shines naturally when sanded smooth, without adding any finish.