How to Make a Feather Quill Pen
While ink pens have become the de facto way to write on parchments, there was a time when everyone used a quill to pen their thoughts. In fact, the Declaration of Independence and Magna Carta were written with quill pens. Creating a quality feature quill pen is not the most simple task, but it is not particularly difficult so long as you have a steady hand and a little patience.
Instructions
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Making Feather Quill Pens
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1
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is preheating, pour a generous amount of sand into a cake pan and spread it evenly.
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2
Place the cake pan with the sand into the oven. Leave the sand in for 15 minutes or until it is hot.
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3
Slide the tips of the quills gently into the hot sand and allow the sand to cool. If you want to hasten the cooling process, place the cake pan in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
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4
Whittle the end of the quill with a knife in a downward motion away from you, shaving the sand and quill away gradually. The cut should be between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch from the tip to the base. A smaller utility knife (such as a Swiss Army) is ideal, but any sharp blade will do.
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5
Hollow out the interior of the cut portion of the quill. The same knife can be used for this and requires some delicate work. If you cut too far in, you risk ruining the quill.
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6
Slice small slits on both sides of the quill tip and vertically from the very tip of the quill. These small slits will work to hold and absorb more ink when you dip the pen into the well.
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7
Dip the pen in an ink well and write on some paper to test the quill.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep the knife nearby when using quill pens, as you will frequently have to sharpen the tip to maintain the point.
Anything hot can do harm. Use proper protection when dealing with any baking -- even sand.
