Woodcraft Pen Kits Celebrate Firefighters, EMTs, Police, Soldiers & Special Interests

This pen and others pictured in this blog are finished kits that require a wood or man-made pen blank and bushings, all sold separately at Woodcraft.

May is a month of celebrations that honor the people who protect us in a variety of circumstances: Emergency Medical Technicians, Firefighters, Police Officers and Military Personnel. We recognize these people with special days and weeks, celebrations, parades and family events.

The most familiar celebration is Memorial Day, the last Monday in May (May 27, 2019), a federal holiday to honor men and women who have died while serving their country in the military, especially those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, which was first called Decoration Day, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars. For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the original date selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday. For more information, visit officeholidays.com and Almanac.

Latest statistics from the US Defense Manpower Data Center list about 1,339,046 military personnel at home and overseas serving in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. 

UNIQUE THANK-YOU & FRIENDSHIP GIFTS

“If you would like to say ‘thank you’ to one of these men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect us, Woodcraft has lots of cool pen kits and pen blanks that can easily be turned into a memorable handmade writing instrument,” Product Manager Ben Bice said. “Four pen kits and four pen blanks are designed to make pens for the people who protect us. Several other kits are designed to reflect special interests and would also make welcome gifts.”

If you don’t know how to turn a pen, Bice suggests you contact your nearest Woodcraft store to check on pen turning classes. “Woodcraft also offers videos about pen turning, including one featuring the Thin Red Line SpectraPly blank mentioned below,” Bice said. (Watch this pen turning tutorial.)  Free magazine articles and blogs are also available on woodcraft.com.

Police Week

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as Police Week (May 6-15, 2019). The National Peace Officers Memorial Service held in Washington, D.C., is one of several events during the week. Police officers from all over the nation participate. Local communities also host Memorial Services and other events. For more information, visit policeweek.org.

This satin chrome Law Enforcement Click Ballpoint Pen Kit features a police badge on the pen clip, a police car image on the upper assembly, and the police message "Serve and Protect" on the center band.

International Firefighters’ Day

According to information on firefightersday.org, International Firefighters’ Day is observed on May 4. It was instituted after a proposal was emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999, following the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a wildfire at Linton in Victoria, Australia. Visit firefightersday.org to learn more.

The Fireman’s Click Ballpoint Pen Kit is designed to honor firefighters and first responders. Details include a fire truck image on the upper assembly, a nib that resembles a fire hose, an axe for a clip, and a firefighter’s logo on the end cap. Kit is available in chrome and gunmetal. 

National Fire Prevention Week

Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health event in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire.

Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and  killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land. Visit nfpa.org for more information.

National EMS Week

May 19-25, 2019, will be the 45th annual National EMS Week. In 1974, President Gerald Ford authorized EMS Week to celebrate EMS practitioners and the important work they do in our nation's communities. National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) partners with the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) to lead annual EMS Week activities.

EMS Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine’s “front line.” 

When a person becomes ill or injured and dials 911, the call is answered by an EMS dispatcher, who is trained to obtain key information from the caller about the location and type of emergency. The dispatcher also may give the caller patient care instructions while sending emergency responders to the scene of the emergency. These responders include: Emergency Medical Responders, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians, and Paramedics. For more information, visit naemt.org.

P-40 Warhawk Inertia Pen Kit

Submarine Inertia Pen Kit

From bow to stern, small details have been included in the Submarine Pen Kit to create a realistic looking submarine. To accommodate touch screen devices, the submarine's bow contains a soft tip, non-marring stylus.

SPECIAL INTEREST AND OTHER PEN KITS FOR GIFTS

Fan Favorite Colors Blank & Motorcycle Pen Kit

The Red and Navy Blue in this WoodRiver Fan Favorite Acrylic Pen Blank are the colors of the New England Patriots. Color combos for many other athletic teams are also available in acrylic pen blanks. This blank was used to turn the gold and chrome Chopper Twist Ballpoint Pen Kit that incorporates motorcycle features in the details: classic spring style front end, skull headlight and tire on the clip, and an etched motorcycle image on the upper plated barrel.

Wrench Pen Kit

Those who are handy with a wrench should appreciate this Wrench Click Pen. The kit design incorporates realistic details such as the wrench clip, the coil spring that supports the click mechanism, and the threaded nut end cap. Kit comes in chrome, gunmetal, 24-karat gold, antique brass and antique pewter.

Gun Image Kits

Several pen kits display parts of a revolver or rifle, making them perfect gifts for hunters and police officers.

Lever Action Ballpoint Pen Kit features a lever action mechanism to extend/retract this ink pen refill that is reminiscent of the lever action rifle made famous by cowboys in the American West. Filigree detail and deer image on the end cap make a truly special pen for gifting.

The .45 Caliber Click Pen Kit is patterned after the .45-caliber ACP handguns used by law enforcement and service personnel. Kit features a checkered grip, primer cap end,.45-caliber bullet nib, and the gun slide clip. Available in antique brass and antique copper.

PSI Bolt Action 30 Caliber Pen Kit in chrome features bolt action design used to extend and retract the ink refill. Also available in 24-karat gold, gunmetal, black enamel and antique brass.

Cartridge Bullet Pen Kit makes a perfect gift for the outdoorsman or hunting enthusiast. Barrel is designed to look like a real 30-caliber shell, right down to the copper plated nib. Clip is a rifle shape. Available in chrome and gold.

Conversation Starters

Hourglass

An hourglass that will time one minute is part of this Hourglass Twist Ballpoint Pen Kit. Design incorporates ornate details surrounding the hourglass, a simple roller clip, and an elegantly tapered nib. Available in flat chrome, flat black pearl, flat rose gold, and flat champagne gold.

Kaleidoscope

The kaleidoscope is an optical instrument that contains loose mirrors, colored glass, beads or pebbles that combine to produce colorful patterns for the viewer. Now this toy has been incorporated into the cap of our Kaleidoscope Pen Kit that is sure to be a conversation starter at the office. Available in chrome and gunmetal.

Pencil & Letter Opener Kits

Woodcraft also sell kits to make pencils and letter openers, like the gold Premier Cigar Pencil Kit and Letter Opener Kits shown here as finished items. A matching Premier Pen Kit is also available.

PEN BLANKS – WOOD AND MAN-MADE

All pen kits require a pen blank made from either wood or a man-made material or a combination of both. Following are examples of each type available at Woodcraft.

Visit woodcraft.com to see lots more.

Woodcraft also carries SpectraPly Pen Blanks constructed from dyed Birch laminations that create beautiful unique pen blanks. The SpectraPly Thin Red Line Acrylic and Thin Blue Line Acrylic Pen Blanks shown above are designed for use with pen kits that honor firefighters, first responders and police officers.

STARTER KITS 

Woodcraft offers three Pen Kit Starter Sets for our classic style pens: Wall Street II, Slim Style and Cigar. Each packaged set includes two pen kits – one gold and one chrome, the proper drill bit, bushings and replacement tubes. The kit container doubles as storage for pen parts.

Happy Pen Turning!!!