Working with a lot of woods from different parts of Ontario, I seem to like the wood in my own back yard the most. Sometimes I'm amazed when I cut into a fresh log and see the twist of the grain and the swirls of color. I still have my first handmade pen made from Ontario wood and at that time I never put a finish on it, but it still looks and writes great.

Curly sugar maple is a real treat to work with, it sometimes smells like maple syrup when I'm sanding. This is picture of the curly maple pen and the wood has been roasted to give that darker look.

This is roller ball pen I made using Canadian Yew. I love the grain in this wood, I actually have many Ontario Yew trees growing in my backyard, they also make a great wind break when there planted close together. I now keep a good portion of the trimmings when I trim these trees.

This is a great writing ballpoint pen with the John Deere tractor green and yellow dyed birch. They use a Parker style refill that can be changed very easy by unscrewing the tip of the pen. The leather case is a great combination that makes a nice gift for a friend or someone in the office.