News

Introduction At Stadium Pen Blanks, we’re passionate about providing authentic historic and stadium relics that inspire talented artisans and pen makers to create exceptional work. Every blank we sell comes with a certificate of authenticity that guarantees its origin and legitimacy. Behind the scenes, we’ve always made deliberate choices about how we handle certifications to best support the artisans who rely on our materials. Today, we want to share the reasoning behind our past approach, a recent update we’ve made, and an exciting development that’s coming very soon. The Original Certification Approach When we began selling certified historic and stadium relics directly from our website, the certificates did not reference Stadium Pen Blanks. Instead, they listed Hardin Penworks as the certifier. This was an intentional decision designed to protect our artisan customers. We wanted to prevent their end buyers from easily discovering the source and original cost of the raw materials. For instance, seeing that a historic stadium seat relic (such as from Yankee Stadium) started as a $20 piece of wood before being transformed into a finished pen selling for $400 could create the wrong impression. Some customers may not fully appreciate the significant investment in time, skill, and experience required to turn a modest piece of historic wood into a high-value, handcrafted pen. By certifying under Hardin Penworks, we helped keep the spotlight on the artisan’s craftsmanship and the unique story of each finished piece, rather than on the raw material cost. A Recent Change: Moving to Hardin Collectibles Recently, we updated our certification process by changing the certifying name from Hardin Penworks to Hardin Collectibles. This change was a huge undertaking. We had to replace over 20,000 certificates across more than 500 different items. We view this significant cost as a meaningful investment in our customer base — you, the artisan! The goal was simple: to remove any potential confusion between our own Hardin Penworks pen-making business and the independent businesses of the artisans who purchase from us. We want each artisan’s brand and work to stand clearly on its own, without any overlap that might cause misunderstanding. This change creates cleaner boundaries and lets your creativity and expertise take center stage. What’s Coming Next: A Dedicated Hardin Collectibles Website We’re excited to announce that very soon we will launch a brand-new website dedicated solely to Hardin Collectibles. This new site will serve as a detailed resource for our artisans and customers. It will list all of our materials with much greater depth and transparency—providing richer descriptions, additional background on the history and sourcing of each relic, and more comprehensive information to help you make informed decisions and tell even better stories with your finished work. The dedicated Hardin Collectibles site will complement Stadium Pen Blanks perfectly, giving you a centralized place to explore our full inventory in greater detail while keeping the certification process clean and professional. Our Commitment to You These changes reflect our ongoing dedication to supporting the artisan community. We want to provide authentic, well-documented materials while protecting the value and integrity of the beautiful pieces you create. Whether you’re a seasoned pen maker or just beginning to explore working with historic wood, we’re here to help you succeed. The upcoming Hardin Collectibles website is another step in making that support even stronger. If you have any questions about our relics, current certifications, or the new site when it launches, please feel free to reach out. We love hearing from our customers and talking about the incredible transformations that happen when historic materials meet skilled hands. Thank you for being part of the Stadium Pen Blanks family. We look forward to continuing to serve you with quality relics and even better resources in the months ahead. — Michael HardinFounder, Stadium Pen Blanks (and Hardin Collectibles)

Welcome to the FAQ for our plastic seat blanks at StadiumPenBlanks.com! These blanks are crafted from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycled from stadium seats, offering a durable, eco-friendly material perfect for custom pens. They're ideal for lathe turning, but HDPE behaves differently than wood, urethane, epoxy, polyester resin and acrylic—it's softer, more prone to heat buildup, and requires sharp tools and light cuts for smooth results. Below, we've compiled expert advice based on best practices for turning recycled plastic blanks. If you have more questions, contact us! 1. What material are the plastic seat blanks made from, and how does it affect turning? Our plastic seat blanks are primarily made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene), a tough, recycled plastic sourced from stadium seating mixed with our JB Royal Original Epoxy Resin. HDPE is softer than acrylic but more resilient than wood, making it forgiving for beginners yet capable of a glossy finish. It can melt if overheated, so use light cuts and high speeds to prevent stringy chips or deformation. The banks have two different densities of material with the plastic seat and the resin making the blanks a bit more delicate to turn. Heinz Field seat material turned by Karl Henschel 2. What tools and setup do I need to turn plastic seat blanks? Lathe: A mini or full-size wood lathe works well; ensure it's stable to minimize vibrations. Turning tools: Sharp carbide-tipped pen turning tools (e.g., gouges or scrapers with polished edges) are essential—dull tools cause melting. High-speed steel (HSS) is also good but a scary sharp edges is an absolute requirement. Bushings: Use a pen-turning mandrel with the appropriate kit bushings to mount the blank securely, or a set of Turn Between Centers bushings for proper aligment. Other essentials: Progressive grits (220–1200 or higher), our Magic Juice polishing compound, CA glue for sealing, and a soft microfiber cloth for buffing. Start by squaring the blank ends with a saw or disc sander before mounting. Again, using light taps on the sander to prevent over heating the material. 3. What lathe speed should I use for turning HDPE blanks? Run your lathe at the highest comfortable speed—around 2,000–3,000 RPM for mini lathes. High speeds reduce vibrations and heat buildup, which is crucial for HDPE to avoid melting. Start slower for roughing (1,000 RPM) and ramp up for finishing. Always listen to the lathe: if it chatters, slow down slightly. Citizens Bank Park seat material turned by Karl Henschel 4. How do I avoid chipping, melting, or poor finishes when turning? Light cuts: Take shallow passes (0.005–0.015 inches per revolution for roughing, 0.002–0.005 for finishing) with minimal pressure—let the tool do the work. Sharpness first: Hone tools frequently; a polished rake face on carbide inserts glides through the plastic seat blanks smoothly. Cooling: Use compressed air or a light mist of water-based coolant to dissipate heat. Avoid oil-based lubricants, as they can cause buildup and affect the final finish. Technique: Turn light touches and high speed  to minimize chip outs. 5. What are the best sanding, sealing, and polishing techniques for a glossy finish? Turning our plastic seat blanks—especially the v2 versions with their chaotic shredded material embeds—requires a bit of patience and very sharp tools. Due to the recycled nature of the reisn and plastic seat material, you may encounter a few pin-hole air pockets that didn't fully compress during casting. These are normal and easy to address: clear them with compressed air before filling with thin CA glue, allowing it to wick in and cure fully. After turning to shape, sand progressively: Start wet sanding at now lower than 220 grit on the lathe (running), then 320, 400, 600 and up to at least 800 grit or up to 2000 grit if desired to smooth the surface further—this helps reveal the vibrant colors and textures of the stadium seat material. Post-sanding, our v2 blanks often develop fine "plastic hairs" (tiny raised fibers from the recycled shreds). To tame these, we recommend a "double CA" sealing process before final polishing: First CA layer (3–5 thin coats): After wet sanding, thoroughly dry the blank andapply thin coats of medium or thin CA glue, allowing each to cure according to your CA brand instructions. Rotate the blank on the lathe between coats to ensure even coverage. This step embeds and flattens the plastic hairs without buildup. Wetsanding: We recommend wet sanding, the blank, not to at least 800 grit. Second CA layer (5–8 thin/medium coats): Once hairs are tamed, apply additional thin or medium coats for a robust sealant and high-gloss base. Cure fully between coats, then lightly sand with 600–800 grit if needed for smoothness. Lincoln Financial Field seat material paired with our Steampunk Watch part blanks were turned by Karl Henschel For that ultimate mirror-like shine on sealed plastics, nothing beats our own Magic Juice polishing compound—available right here at StadiumPenBlanks.com! Magic Juice (MJ) is water-based and specially formulated for HDPE, recycled plastics, and CA-sealed surfaces (it's also great for resins and Craft Coat finishes). Here's how to use it: Ensure your blank is fully cured and sanded up to at least 800 grit (2000 grit for extra smoothness). We generally like to use Norton SandWet paper up to 2000 grit. Mounted on the lathe at 2400–3000 RPM. Work through the six-bottle Magic Juice set in order (Step #1 to #6): Apply a pencil-eraser-sized dab from each bottle to a soft cotton cloth or applicator. Polish with mild pressure for 20–60 seconds per step, advancing when the surface feels smoother and less gritty. Wipe clean between steps and finish with a final buff on clean cloth for a glass-like sheen—no topcoats needed! Tips: Magic Juice pairs perfectly with your double CA seal for hybrid recycled blanks like ours. Avoid excessive heat or pressure when polishing with MJ or any other polish. Additionally, avoid using it on raw wood or friction polishes. It's not freezer-friendly, so store at room temperature. Common pitfalls? Rushing steps—let CA cure properly to prevent clouding, and use light pressure on Magic Juice to avoid heat buildup. Test on a scrap blank first for confidence. This combo delivers a durable, "hair-free" finish that highlights the unique stadium heritage in every pen. Highmark Stadium seat material turned by Karl Henschel 6. How do I drill the blanks for pen kits? Drill on the lathe for precision: Mount the blank in a collet chuck or between centers, then use a sharp brad-point or parabolic bit at low speed (500–800 RPM) with steady pressure. Use a drill press with a pen vise if your lathe setup is tricky. Drill to the depth needed for the tubes for your kit . Always measure twice! 7. What safety precautions should I take when turning plastic blanks? Wear eye protection and a dust mask (plastic seat dust is generally non-toxic but messy). Secure the workpiece tightly—loose blanks can fly off at high speeds. Work in a well-ventilated area; use a dust collector for sanding and air filtration for ambient air cleanup. Keep tools sharp to minimize kickback, and never leave the lathe unattended while running. Our plastic seat blanks are stable and fume-free when turned dry, but monitor for heat. 8. What are common mistakes and how can I fix them? Melting/stringy chips: Too slow speed or dull tool—sharpen and speed up. Vibrations/chatter: Unbalanced setup—true the blank ends to the tube (not the blank) and use quality bushings. Dull finish: Skipped grits or rushed sealing—always progress sequentially and let CA cure. Cracking: Over-tightening the mandrel—loosen slightly for expansion. For pin-holes or hairs, follow our double CA method. Practice on scrap blanks; our HDPE is forgiving. If issues persist, share photos with our community for tailored advice! Happy turning! These blanks capture the spirit of the game—turn one into your next heirloom pen. For more inspiration, check our gallery or contact us. Grab your Magic Juice today and elevate your finishes

At Stadium Pen Blanks, we offer pre-tubed label cast blanks designed to fit a variety of pen kits. To help you choose the right blanks for your pen turning projects, we’ve compiled a detailed guide to the tube sizes compatible with popular pen kits. Below, we’ve organized the kits by tube size and listed them alphabetically for easy reference.  Jr. Series Pen Kits (12.5mm & 10.5mm Tubes) Our Jr. Series pre-tubed blanks are compatible with both 12.5mm and 10.5mm tubes, fitting a wide range of pen kits. The following kits are compatible with these tube sizes. Note that this is not an exhaustive list, but it covers many popular options. Jr. Series Pen Kits Atrax Jr. Aaron Jr. Anthony Commander Cyclone Desire Jr. Citizen Jr. Diamond Knurl Jr. Duke Jr. Emperor Jr. Gentlemen's Jr. Gentlemen's II Jr. George Jr. Great Palace Vine Jr. Hamilton Jr. Harold Jr. Imperial Jr. Independence Jr. Lincoln Jr. Majestic Jr. Milton Jr. Monarch Jr. Morgan Jr. Retro Jr. Statesman Jr. Zeus Kojent Triton Venus Voyager Sierra Clone Pen Kits (27/64” Tubes) Our Sierra clone pre-tubed blanks are designed for kits that use 27/64” tubes. These blanks are compatible with the following kits, listed alphabetically. Sierra Clone Pen Kits Broadside Diamond Knurl Diplomat Ellipse FlatTops Virage Liberty Liberty Click Major Mesa Monarch RoundTops Sienna Sierra Elegant Beauty Sierra Grande Sierra Vista Sirocco Wall St. II Wall St. III Zepher PSI Baseball Pen Kits (3/8" Tubes) For the Penn State Industries Baseball Pen Kit, our pre-tubed blanks are designed to fit 3/8" tubes. The compatible kit is: PSI Baseball Pen Kits Baseball Pen Kit Full Size Gentleman's Series Pen Kits (37/64"& 15/32" Tubes) Our Full Size Gentleman's Series pre-tubed blanks are compatible with both 37/64" & 15/32" tubes, fitting a wide range of pen kits. The following kits are compatible with these tube sizes. Note that this is not an exhaustive list, but it covers many popular options. Full Size Gentleman's Series Pen Kits Gentleman's Emperor Harold Pharaoh Monarch Oriental Dragon Great Zeus Great Palace Vine Abraham Major Crown Imperial Lotus Nobleman Genteelness's NASA Pen Kits (10mm Tubes) The WoodTurningz NASA kits, specifically the Shuttle Rollerball or Fountain Pen Kit, use 10mm tubes. These are distinct from the Sierra clone 27/64” tubes and require our 10mm pre-tubed blanks. NASA Pen Kits Shuttle Rollerball Pen Shuttle Fountain Pen PSI Bolt Action Pen Kits (3/8" Tubes) Our 3/8" pre-tubed blanks are compatible with the following Penn State Industries Bolt Action Pen Kits, listed alphabetically. Note: Our 3/8" Bolt Action tubes are not compatible with other bolt action styles (e.g., Mini 30 Caliber, Magnum, Vertex, Bolt Action Tec-Pen, Mini Bolt Action Keychain, or Detachable Bolt Action Keychain) due to differences in length or tube size. Bolt Action Pen Kits 30 Caliber Bolt Action Pen Bald Eagle Insignia Flag Bolt Action Bolt Action Ceramic Red, White and Blue Flag Deer Hunter Bolt Action Salute The Troops Bolt Action Statue of Liberty Flag Bolt Action PSI Nautical Pen Kit (3/8" Tubes) Our 3/8" pre-tubed blanks are compatible with the following Penn State Industries Nautical Pen Kit. Nautical Pen Kit Nautical Twist Pen PSI Civil War Pen Kit (3/8" Tubes) Our 3/8" pre-tubed blanks are compatible with the following Penn State Industries Civil War Pen Kit. Civil War Pen Kit Civil War Pen We hope this guide helps you select the perfect pre-tubed blanks for your pen kits. At Stadium Pen Blanks, we’re committed to providing high-quality blanks that fit your favorite kits. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out!

This video explains how to salvage some of the original surface of pen blanks for a subtle display of the original surface after turning, sealing, polishing, and finishing. It works for blanks made from sports stadium seats, basketball flooring, whiskey barrel staves, wine barrel staves, driftwood, and other materials. This method is applicable to charred edges from whiskey barrel staves, stained wine barrel staves, weathered edges of driftwood, and various other materials where preservation of the original edge is desired.  

  We are very excited to announce that Maneater Crafts is now a part of the Stadium Pen Blanks family of products! All Maneater products can be found searching the collections listed below or a simple search of Maneater in the search block.   In March of 2022 Stadium Pen Blanks and Maneater Crafts negotiated the sale and transfer of ALL business operations and manufacturing of Maneater Crafts to Hardin Penworks, LLC (parent owner of Stadium Pen Blanks). Stadium Pen Blanks will continue the long tradition of quality manufacturing of HDPE molds and silicone inserts, casting the original Maneater alligator jawbone blanks, and our full line of mica powders and mold releases. While the mica powders and silicone inserts will be immediately available, we will temporarily have limited stock of the HDPE molds as we get fully up to speed with the manufacturing process. As soon as the HDPE molds are fully back online, we will continue the casting of Maneater alligator jawbone blanks. Bringing Maneater Crafts into our product line, the updated Maneater Crafts logo colors blend in the original Maneater green with the Hardin Penworks and Stadium Pen Blanks gradient color scheme.      You can find all the Maneater products here on the Stadium Pen Blanks page. Below are links to the section for each of the product groups. Maneater HDPE molds can be found in the HDPE mold section here.  Maneater Casting Pigment can be found in the Casting Dyes, Pigments, and Micas section here. Maneater Mold Releases can be found in the Casting Accessories section here. Maneater Alligator Jawbone blanks will soon be available under the Maneater Blanks section.      

The plastic seat blanks are blanks that NO other vendor has available. Many vendors and casters have blanks in team colors, but Stadium Pen Blanks' Plastic Seat Blanks contain plastic seat material from actual stadium seats. There is a wicked cool factor for these blanks as they are generally from newer stadiums that never really had wooden seats. The v1 blanks are not as easy to turn for the new novice turner, and a more experienced turner tends to get better results. The v1 blanks turn very similar to coffee bean (pictured below left) and seashell blanks (pictured below right) as these blanks have hard and soft spots throughout the blanks. This requires a very delicate touch to complete the turning process successfully. Some turners tend to use the 100-grit gouge to turn these blanks. The v2 plastic seat blanks are much more consistent material to turn as the plastic seat shredded material is much smaller in these blanks. Since we have acquired our own processing equipment, we have been able to refine the seat grinding process to get a much better product. The v2 blanks are easier to turn and finish with far less chip out than the v1 blanks, but they are still very sensitive to excess pressure with the lathe chisel. Turning and finishing tips: Turning these v2 blanks will still require a bit of patience and very sharp tools.  With the nature of these chaotic shredded material embedded blanks, there will likely be a few pin-hole air pockets that did not get squished out during pressure casting. These pin-holes can easily be filled with CA. Clearing the pin-holes with compress air prior to filling is highly suggested. After turning and sanding, the v2 blanks may have plastic "hairs" sticking up from the blank. The plastic seat blanks should be sealed with CA or similar sealing finish prior to final finishing and polishing to remove the plastic "hairs" from the finished blank. Check out the sample image below for more details. For samples of finished pens, take a look at our Customer Photo Gallery. Sample of v2 blanks:   Sample of v1 blanks: The v1 blanks will be available for now until they are all sold out. I will not be making more v1 blanks. All new blanks will be v2 blanks moving forward.

This Google Sheets link is a complete document that is regularly kept up today for the available stadiums from Stadium Pen Blanks. I have included the shortened TinyURL to make it easier to copy and paste. https://tinyurl.com/MaterialsList1 (Clicking this link will make the list easier for viewing.) This link can be shared with your customers to use as a catalog of sorts to shop from. This list will never show Stadium Pen Blanks or Hardin Penworks in this document. It will always only have a list of available stadiums allowing you to show off your potential inventory without revealing your source.  

How to make a Parker Style ink pen from the BMG .50 cal shell casings from Stadium Pen Blanks. Currently there are several options for the BMG .50 cal shell casings available here at Stadium Pen Blanks. Options are plain shell casings fresh from the media tumbler... Or engraved with the seals from United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and coming soon... Space Force.  You can also get custom engraving images or names on your shell casings. The BMG .50 cal Bullet Pen provides you with a .50 cal shell casing and you can use a 3.625"x 0.5" round derlin rod or wooden dowel. Maple or Birch dowels rods work really well. What is not supplied: thicker larger sierra clone pen kit. What is not needed from the kit? You will not need the finial combo top and clip or the tube from this kit. Save those for future plans and projects. What tools are needed to make the Custom BMG .50 cal shell casing pen? Drilling on the lathe with a collet chuck with a 1/2" collet. THREE drill bits are needed. Sizes are: 25/64", 9mm, & 7mm. As you can see, I am using Fisch and Colt 5-Star drill bits that are 150mm long. Test fit your derlin rod with your shell casing. The derlin rod will be slightly too long by about .125". Mark the excess needed to be trimmed to make the derlin rod fit flush with the tip of the shell casing. If your BMG .50 cal shell casing is not a near perfect round, you can use a large round metal rod (large screwdriver or punch rod) to fix the out of round. Insert the metal rod in to the casing and role it around the edges at an angle. The brass will bend out in to a round opening. The larger the diameter of the rod the better your result. Using your collect chuck on the lathe with the 1/2" collet, secure the 1/2" derlin rod in the collet with 30mm of the derlin rod sticking out of the collet chuck. With a parting tool, trim the excess derlin rod length so that the derlin rod will fit flush within the shell casing. Using a sharpie to mark your drill bits for the exact depth does help make it easier. Some may suggest tape, but that can lead to clogs of the drilled shavings as the flutes are blocked by the tape. A little acetone will remove the sharpie from the drill bits when you are finished. First Drill Bit: Drill to a depth of 20mm with the 25/64" drill bit. (trying to get a pic of the caliper at 20mm was quite tricky) Second Drill Bit: drill to a depth of very close to 58mm with the 9mm drill bit. (again... trying to get a pic of the caliper at 58mm was quite tricky) Third Drill Bit: drill a depth of very close to 70mm with the 7mm drill bit. (once again, trying to get a pic of the caliper at 70mm was quite tricky) After the three step drill process is complete, test fit your nose cone and transmission into the drilled out derlin rod. There should be a snug fit into the derlin with the transmission. There should be a free flow feel of the transmission extending and retracting the ink. Remove the transmission and nose cone from the derlin rod. Using 100-grit sand paper, rough up the exterior of the derlin rod. At this point, I like to use a few tiny drops of Loctite Blue Threadlocker on the threads of the transmission to the nose cone sections. This will help accidental separation of the transmission and nose cone body, but still allow the separation of the threads to change out the refill. Using 5-minute epoxy, mix bout about a table spoons worth of epoxy per shell casing and pour about one tablespoon of the mixed epoxy directly into the shell casing. Then insert your derlin rod into the shell casing with the non-drilled side going into the shell casing. You may need to put a clamp or weight or tape over the top of the derlin insert to ensure it does not rise up out of the shell casing while curing. Allow enough time for the epoxy to cure. Using a half sphere Steel Dapping Block of Half Spheres, you can round over the rough and sharp edges to the shell casing. Find the 1/2" half sphere and insert the neck of the shell casing in to the sphere. With a hammer use a very light tap to gently round over the tip of the shell casing. To much force and can lead to a neck that is rounded too far to match the large sierra clone kit components. Too much force can also cause extra pressure on the neck causing the derlin to shrink and the shoulder of the large sierra clone insert will no longer fit properly. A countersink bit can be used to clean up the neck tip of the shell casing. 5/8" or 3/4" countersink bit will be needed. Then insert your assembled nib section with transmission and ink refill installed in to your shell casing with derlin rod.

So how do you use blanks with bolt holes in them? Some people hate them, and some people love them. I am in the "love them" camp. Here are some sample blanks with bolt hols in there.  Ever wondered why there are bolt holes in the seats before? Take a look at this red seat bottom from Sportsman's Park. You can see the four corner bolt holes in the seat. Those holes were used to bolt the seat bottle to the frame of the stadium seat. Look closer at the small line of spacers between each seat slat. There are two lines of spacers where a steel rod runs the length of the seat. This rod holds all the slats together. Looking at the bottom of this Boston Garden seat bottom you can see that the wood is attached to the stadium frame a bit differently. This type of chair has 1/2" holes shallow drilled into each slat. You can see this type of hole in the Ebbets Field blank in the first image. You can seen the back of the closest seat slat where there is a small hole; this is the metal rod that holds the metal seat arm to the wood slats. Putting the use of the bolt hole in perspective, I make use of the bolt and support holes as features on my pens. Take a look at these two pen examples where the bolt holes were made a feature. This pen was made from Yankee Stadium seat wooden slats.   Here is another example of a pen made by Ron Both. The wood is from a Chicago Stadium seat. You can see the rust patina that has sent into the wood from the rusted metal rod of the seat. I recently did a Yankee Stadium pen grouping of four pens.... all the same Jr Retro Rhodium kit from Craft Supplies USA. Pen One was cleanly turned and no defects of blemishes. Pen Two was turned off-center so that there was paint left on the finished pen. Pen Three was cleanly turned with a bolt hole similar to this one. Pen Four was turned off-center with a bolt hole.  Pen One sold for $189Pen Two sold for $279Pen three sold for $249Pen Four sold for $359 This is Pen One. This is a pic of Pen Four. And here is the bolt hole of Pen Four.