Custom Heirloom Pen

Handmade Using Wood From The USS Cairo

A gentleman came by the shop to discuss having a custom heirloom pen made from this piece of wood. Most of what I make now are heirloom pens...where the client will bring me a piece of wood that has some history or sentimental value to the client.

I get a lot of tree limbs from deer camps or college campuses, old boards from barns, building, or church pews. I once made a custom heirloom pen using the wood from a clients grandmother's rocking chair.

This piece came from the bottom of the Yazoo River, and was a board from a Civil War gunship, The USS Cairo. The USS Cairo is a Union ironclad gunboat that was sunk by an electrically detonated mine on December 12, 1862. She was raised from the Yazoo River in October of 1964 and is on display at the Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi.

The custom heirloom pen was crafted from white oak recovered from the Cairo. Its brown color the result of silt, sand, and sediments collected from the river bottom over 100 years.

If you would like to discuss commissioning a custom pen, heirloom pen, or any handmade wooden pen, please feel free to reach out.