Making A Barber Pole Design Pen

What is the meaning of the barber pole?

The traditional colouring of a barber’s pole is red and white. The red strip represents blood, and the white stripe represents bandages. Historically, barbers were also surgeons, and the red and white stripes represented the blood and bandages they used while performing surgery.

When did the barber pole originate?

Since the Middle Ages, the barber pole has been around when barbers cut hair and performed surgery, prescribed medicines, tooth extraction, and bloodletting. The blue stripe was a later addition in America as a tribute to the national flag.

Why did barbers do bloodletting?

Although barbers did bloodletting, it was invented by the ancient Egyptians. It was used as a form of medicine to treat various diseases and ailments, from headaches to scurvy. The theory behind bloodletting was that it rid the body of excess blood, considered to be the cause of many diseases.

How To Make A Wooden Barber Pole Blank

Before making your barber pole design pen, the block needs making. First, select two contrasting kinds of material; preference is Sapele and sycamore or maple. Next, rip on your table saw for 6mm for bands in your design. These will appear larger when cutting at an angle for segmented pen designs. [no_toc]

The length depends on the size of the block required. Making strips at 30mm allows for cleaning up, and I can use them for pens or razor handles. However, ripping stock this way can be wasteful, with the table saw blade producing a 4mm kerf. Either use a thin kerf blade or rip using a bandsaw and thickness on a planer thicknesser.

Before glueing strips together: Line through. Stagger each edge by 5mm from the one above; this will cut wastage even further. Do not forget to add triangle marks for alignment when glueing up.

Once dry, rip to size on the bandsaw for the dimensions of the blank required. It is possible to use hand tools for the rough sizing of the strips and blanks, but power tools are quick for such rough work and save the hand tools for the more refined wood crafts.

With blanks cut to size, and ends squared off, head over to the drill press. In this picture, pieces for three barber pole design, pens, and razor handles, so it’s best to number each side of one pen blank with a pencil line.

across, the centre of the blank alignment, orientation when on the lathe if not, things get confusing fast with which part goes with which. The best pens have the grain running through the middle across the centre band. This will be even more noticeable on these segmented designs and figured woods.

With the parts drilled and tubes glued in place, leave overnight to dry. No point rushing this step, or this will spoil the blank. For pens made with wood, polyurethane glue is best. For Corian, it’s a super glue and resin pens, a two-part epoxy.

With the blanks mounted between centres with the proper bushes, it’s just a matter of turning to shape and design.

Above is the same handle turned with a CA finish applied. Other finishes are available, but waxes and friction polish will not offer any long-term protection to the wood. The warmth from human hands will melt wax within a few hours of use, so CA is the preferred choice for durability, even if it takes time to apply.

With barrels turned to shape, it’s just a matter of assembling all the components.

And finally, the finished segmented barber pole pen.

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.and the handmade Mach 3 razor handle

What do you think? If you have any suggestions or improvements, just leave your comments below.