USS Texas (BB-35) Jr. Pen Blank Set Ship’s Seal Cap + Authentic Teak Deck Wood

Turn a piece of living naval history. This Junior-size pen blank set pairs a precision-cast resin cap featuring the official seal of the USS Texas (BB-35) with a solid lower blank cut from original teak decking recovered from the oldest remaining dreadnought battleship in the world.

What’s Included

• Cap blank: High-quality resin casting of the USS Texas ship’s seal
• Lower blank: Solid teak from the actual deck of BB-35
• Sized for Junior (Jr.) pen kits

Each set includes a Certificate of Authenticity documenting the provenance of the teak.

For guidance on tube sizes and compatible pen kits, see our detailed reference: Understanding Tube Sizes for Pen Kits at Stadium Pen Blanks

Historical Significance of the USS Texas (BB-35)

The USS Texas (BB-35) is the last surviving dreadnought battleship in the world and one of the most historically significant warships in American naval history. A New York-class battleship, she was commissioned on March 12, 1914, and served through both World Wars, bridging the era of coal-fired dreadnoughts and the modern steel navy.

When Texas entered service, she was among the most powerful warships afloat. Armed with ten 14-inch guns and protected by heavy armor, she represented the cutting edge of naval technology at the dawn of the First World War. During World War I she operated with the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea, helping enforce the blockade of Germany and standing ready for a major fleet action that never fully materialized.

Between the wars, Texas was modernized and continued to serve as a front-line battleship. She was the first U.S. battleship to launch an aircraft, pioneering the use of catapult-launched floatplanes for spotting and reconnaissance—an innovation that would become standard on capital ships. She also participated in early experiments with radar and other emerging technologies.

In World War II, Texas played a major role in both the European and Pacific theaters. On June 6, 1944, she provided critical naval gunfire support during the D-Day landings at Normandy, bombarding German positions on Omaha Beach and later supporting the breakout at Cherbourg. In 1945 she transferred to the Pacific, where she supported the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, delivering heavy shore bombardment against deeply entrenched Japanese defenses. Her service in both theaters made her one of the few U.S. battleships to see extensive combat on opposite sides of the globe.

Decommissioned in 1948, Texas was saved from the scrapyard and became the first battleship memorial museum in the United States. For decades she rested at the San Jacinto Battleground near Houston before undergoing major restoration work. Today she continues to be preserved as a floating museum, offering visitors a rare opportunity to walk the decks of a true World War I–era dreadnought that also fought in the Second World War.

Like most battleships of her time, Texas was fitted with teak decks. Teak was prized for its durability, resistance to rot and marine borers, and ability to provide a secure, non-slip surface under foot even in wet conditions. Over more than a century of service, wartime damage, and subsequent preservation efforts, original teak planking has been carefully removed and conserved. Each piece carries the physical memory of the sailors who served aboard her from the age of coal and dreadnoughts through the amphibious assaults of World War II.

This Junior set combines a resin-cast representation of the ship’s seal with a solid lower blank of authentic Texas teak. The seal reflects the proud identity of BB-35, while the wood itself connects the turner to more than a century of American naval history.

Owning and turning material from the USS Texas is more than a craft project—it is a tangible link to the last surviving dreadnought and the generations of sailors who served aboard one of the most remarkable warships ever built.