By: Vikki Clayton


                        Quill Pens


     Quills, as mentioned, are made from a variety of feathers.  Goose
feathers are good ones to experiment with, but more available (and cheaper)
feathers such as Turkey work quite nicely.
     In order to make a quill, the feathers must be peeled from the
cylindrical base.  The portion of the quill which is usable is the two
inches at the tip, which is hollow.
     After the feathers are removed (save them for fletching if you are
into that), boil the quill for 10 or so minutes and then bake it at 250 F
for 30 minutes.  This will harden the quill so that it retains its form
during the writing process.
     Now, the very tip of the quill is cut off with a very sharp knife (one
of the tools depicted in woorcarviings of scribal arts), and the hollow
portion of the quill is cleared of any debris.  The tip is then split down
the middle for a centimeter or so in order to allow the ink to flow.
     The final step is the shaping of the tip.  You can carve it as thin as
you desire, but be sure to keep the edges symmetrical and the portion
ultimately contacting the paper as flat as possible.  Note: theis type of
nib flexes a great deal more than metal nibs, so thin tips are a great deal
wider than they appear!
     Quills of this sort are much kinder to paper than metal nibs, as they
do not tear the paper.  However, due to their increased flexibility, they
are more difficult to work with.

     By the way, pumice is used to draw oils (as in from your hand) from
the paper to prevent bleeding when ink is introduced.

--
Sean L. Johnston (in the S.C.A., Balin of Canterbury)