Doctor Theme BCHR Pen

About the pen:

This Doctor theme BCHR pen is a nice example of how I can use laser engraving to create a theme pen. Here, I applied simple straight-line bars to both the cap and barrel. I then carried the bar pattern up to the final with a knurling design. And the two white marble bands on the barrel frame the bars on the barrel.

The pen is titled Doctor because it carries a Rod of Asclepius image on the barrel. Another new custom feature introduced with this pen is the solid silver surface-mounted clip engraved with my initials. The clip is also available in bronze for gold-tone pens.

About the engraving: As you look closely at the engravings, you may think they’re a bit rough. But consider what you are seeing. The pen is small, and the images are close-up, so you can see the detail. The laser’s engraving dot is only about .06mm, and the laser creates the lines by melting the acrylic. The engraved surface itself is rough, so the light has a lot of surface to reflect off of.

Usually, after the engraving is completed, there is fine debris left in the groves. So the parts have to be cleaned with a soft bristle brush to remove the loose debris. But because the material is polished before the engraving, I can’t brush too firmly, or it will scratch the surface. But as mentioned, the lines are quite thin. So the roughness you see in the photo’s, you won’t be able to see with your naked eye (unless you use a magnifying glass). The barrel diameter is 13mm, and the Asclepius rod pattern is only about 1/4″ wide. So you’re looking at very small images.

Highlighting patterns: Just like the original BCHR patterns, the engraved patterns are basically black on black. Tthe visibility of the pattern will depend on the complexity of the pattern, and how it’s engraved. The more complex the pattern, the more visible it can be. You can also adjust the depth of an engraving by changing the power settings (higher power will remove more material). However, another way you can highlight a pattern is with a color-fill. There are special paints for this, but standard acrylic craft paint can also be used.

Update March 2026:
If you’ve been here before, you’ll notice I updated the images. I replaced the white background images with ones against a black background. I found the engravings stand out much better against a black background. But althought it’s more visible, the darker background makes it looks lighter than it actually is.

Camera: Nikon Coolpix 990. Although the Coolpix is 25 years old, I found it still takes better photo’s than my newest cell phone camera (iPhone 16 ProMax).

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