Arden Pen Co / Resources
Resources
Choosing a material
The configurator will ask you what you want your pen made from, which is a big question if nobody has ever explained the options. These are the short versions of my working notes — written for someone choosing a pen, not someone turning one.
Material guide 01
Wood
Roughly seventy species on the shelf, from English oak to Bhutanese yew. What each one actually looks and feels like in the hand, and which suits which pen.
Read the guide →Material guide 02
Resin & synthetics
Cellulose acetate, casein, ebonite, cast acrylic and heritage stock — including original Conway Stewart material. What each family is, and how it behaves.
Read the guide →Material guide 03
Fordite
Sixty years of car paint, baked hard and sliced through. What it is, where each type comes from, and why no two pieces can ever match.
Read the guide →Commission
Build the spec, and I’ll quote it
Pick the pen, the fittings, the plating and the material — including your own timber if you’ve got something with meaning to it. Takes about two minutes, and there’s no obligation at the end of it.
- 01 Pen type and model
- 02 Plating and accents
- 03 Material and species
- 04 Presentation case
- 05 Your notes and details