The rise of smaller penmakers

[dms525]

  On 8/25/2021 at 2:39 AM, sirgilbert357 said:

 

I worded my question badly...sorry. What I meant to ask was: from the 4th pen to the end, who makes them all? So the first one is a Jonathan Brooks Charleston and the last one is a Shawn Newton; what are the additional ones between them. It looks like that wooden one is a Ryan Krusac?

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Hoping I understand your query: The wooden pen is by Ryan Krusac. Then there is a Newton Knickerbocker, two pens from Atelier Lusso and another Newton.

 

David

[Ste_S]

Random thought whilst we're discussing indie pen makers. I'm kinda disappointed nobody in the UK is making pens, in the way indie pen makers in the US are doing. We have plenty of people making pens from kits with turned wooden barrels, but nobody yet has taken the step up.

[mizgeorge]

  On 8/25/2021 at 8:59 AM, Ste_S said:

Random thought whilst we're discussing indie pen makers. I'm kinda disappointed nobody in the UK is making pens, in the way indie pen makers in the US are doing. We have plenty of people making pens from kits with turned wooden barrels, but nobody yet has taken the step up.

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There are some great UK custom pen makers - both long established and new.

 

Take a look at (just off the top of my head)

 

John Twiss

Jake Lazzari (Applied Pens)

Rockster

Black Robin

Dens Pens

Loft Pens

John Garnham

Worcester Pen Co

Gilbert House

 

By no means an exhaustive list, just the ones that came first to mind.

 

 

 

[A Smug Dill]

  On 8/25/2021 at 8:59 AM, Ste_S said:

I'm kinda disappointed nobody in the UK is making pens, in the way indie pen makers in the US are doing.

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Is MrPen (or the Italix brand) not indie enough? (Disclaimer: No affiliation, and I haven't even bought from MrPen, nor am I tempted. I'm not even in the UK, so buying ‘local’ is not a concern there for me!) The question of whether anybody in the UK is not a question of (palatable) choice for the individual consumer. I'd love to see three or more local pen makers producing stuff they want to sell, that just happen not to suit the personal tastes of a particular Joe Random Consumer who prefers what he sees on offer by pen makers overseas. Which compromise the latter ends up accepting is his prerogative; but that does not speak to the actual industry at home, even if he can get no satisfaction from it.

[sirgilbert357]

  On 8/25/2021 at 3:40 AM, dms525 said:

 

Hoping I understand your query: The wooden pen is by Ryan Krusac. Then there is a Newton Knickerbocker, two pens from Atelier Lusso and another Newton.

 

David

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Yes, I think that answers it! Thank you!

[Carloa]

The artisanal fountain pen maker reminds me of the artisanal beer maker: here, too, there was a great and grand movement: Craft beer. Away from the giants, away from InBev, SabMiller and Heineken: towards local expertise.

 

Now, like fountain pen making, beer making is not that difficult. Any layman can do it.

The only question is: Does it taste good? Will it write?

It's not that easy to make a really good beer. I have tried it out. It takes countless attempts.
It's the same with fountain pens: They're complicated devices.
You have to be familiar with vacuum, viscosity, flow rates and pressure ratios. If you're unlucky, not a single drop of ink comes out because you've forgotten an opening for pressure compensation.

Or: Everything flows out unchecked and floods paper and desk. 
Sure, you can do a lot. But is it any good?

 

That's the advantage of beer. I drink it or not and the loss is limited.
That's why there are far more beer drinkers than fountain pen writers, and far, far, far more beer is brewed than ink is stirred.

 

[Garcia-Deschacht]

  On 8/23/2021 at 6:17 PM, dwwst12 said:

I've noticed in the last few years the explosion of smaller penmakers.

 

I've bought pens from Woodshed Pen Co. and Schon DSGN, and I'm very pleased with both. I enjoy supporting the smaller makers and their artistic endeavors.

 

That said... I've found two problems as I explore more:

 

1) It seems I will end up with the same nibs every time, because everyone just buys bulk Jowo nibs and sticks them in there! They write just fine, but I also enjoy experiencing what Pilot, Faber-Castell, PenBBS, etc do with their own nibs.

 

2) A lot of the designs are pretty similar -- and in fact it seems that many of the makers are buying or borrowing resins from a small handful of creators (like Carolina Pen Co?) to make theirs.

 

Just wanted to start a conversation in case anyone has recommendations for places to look for the most unique pens, or thoughts on the way things are trending!

 

Best,

Dan

 

 

 

 

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Hello Dan,

 

I just came across your post and wanted to share with you some of the creations that I am making. They are completely made by hand and from each pen there is only one in the world.

True, I generally work with Jowo and Bock but recently I have added Pelikan nibs to the possibilities.

My fountain pens come also with an in house created piston filling system. Before I montaged a syringe type ( made by myself ), but I finished a twisting system that will be available in our pens very soon ( next week ).

 

Except for the nib and housing, I create the complete pen by hand.

Feel free to take a look at my website.

 

With kind regards,

Andy.

 

 

[JosephKing]

Pierre, from Desiderata Pens, is doing cool things, all hand made in house, down to the piston fillers and feed! (No affiliation, I just really like my Soubriquet).

 

He also focuses on Zebra G nibs, but if that doesn't tickle your fancy, they're threaded for Jowo's so you can get a Flexible Nib Factory, non converter jowo housing (for a number of different big name nibs) along with it and have a pretty unique pen.

[PrestoTenebroso]

  On 5/25/2022 at 1:47 AM, JosephKing said:

Pierre, from Desiderata Pens, is doing cool things, all hand made in house, down to the piston fillers and feed! (No affiliation, I just really like my Soubriquet).

 

He also focuses on Zebra G nibs, but if that doesn't tickle your fancy, they're threaded for Jowo's so you can get a Flexible Nib Factory, non converter jowo housing (for a number of different big name nibs) along with it and have a pretty unique pen.

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Thanks for the mention. I empathize with the OP, and strive to do good work that is worth it.