The black irregular lines in this wood bottle cap opener are due to a natural phenomena called spalting. This process occurs when fungi colonize the wood extracting nutrients leaving behind the black pattern. The process of spalting occurs normally when the tree is undergoing stress. Wood with evidence of spalting is highly sought after by woodworkers for its visual interest.

The black accent rings on this bottle opener were created by carefully applying a wire to the surface of the rapidly rotating piece. 

304 Grade stainless steel is comprised of at least 50% iron with no more than 0.08% carbon. With that much iron content it would seem the material would be subject to corrosion. Yet, it is the elements represented by the second set of numbers, 18/8, that chemically protect the iron. The 18/8 designation refers to how much chromium and nickel respectively are present in the stainless steel.  In example, 18/8 stainless steel has 18% chromium and 8% nickel. The chromium acts to bind oxygen to the object's surface thereby protecting the iron from the process of oxidation. This protection is enhanced by the presence of nickel. The greater the nickel content, the greater the corrosion resistance.  

Orders and Shipping

Shipping is one flat rate for all orders by USPS Ground Advantage. This just means you can game the system by buying multiple stoppers and still only pay less than my actual cost to ship just one stopper. Clever of you! I will confirm your order and supply a tracking number by email. Please refer to the Helpful Stuff tab at the top of this page to find the complete orders and shipping policy including the current flat rate in Policies of Parus Pen.

Happy Returns

I want you to be happy with your purchase. If you're not, please return your purchase in its original condition within 10 days for your choice of a refund, exchange, or credit. You don't have to tell me why you're returning your purchase. Please package items well, insure the package, and ship with a tracking number. Please refer to the Helpful Stuff tab at the top of this page to find the complete return policy in the Policies of Parus Pen.