A dear friend commissioned me to make a sculpted letter opener and ballpoint pen set out of Purpleheart wood. Purpleheart is an interesting hardwood as it continues to intensify in color as it oxidizes. It is also a pleasure to turn as it has a fairly tight grain and takes the skew very well. The sculpted kits leave a little to be desired though. While I do like the finished product, the 8mm tubes and hardware and awkward transmission make it a bear to assemble. I also do not really care for kits which require a tenon all the way down to the brass. But, I was still happy to do this and glad she thought of me.