@Fred Bruche made me aware of this kit a few weeks ago, and I was intrigued. I think maybe it has been discontinued by Woodcraft, because it's only available on clearance and in a single plating. In any case, they were so inexpensive that I picked up a couple of kits.
This pen was a bit of a hodgepodge. Trying out a new kit, trying out a new blank making technique (3D printed structure for making 3D herringbone segmented patterns. The herringbone printed structure works great, but my technique for segmenting still needs some serious work. I ended up only keeping the least-gappy piece of the segmented blank and combining it with some diagonal cut bocote. In the end, I have a pen with bocote, cedar, aspen, and faux-metallic gold silk PLA, combined with chrome hardware. Ah well.
What really surprised me though was how good the pen is. I'm kind of a pen snob, and I have a good collection of fountain pens that I've curated pretty heavily based on writing experience. Kit pens generally come with cheap IPG nibs that are almost universally terrible. A few kits come with somewhat nicer nibs, but no kits come with nibs that compete with my nicer Pilots or even like a well-tuned JoWo #6. I expected more of the same with this interesting, fine tip hooded nib of unknown provenance.
Turns out it's an excellent writer. Really good, consistent flow leaning on the wet side of things (where I prefer it), and very smooth, especially for a fine nib. I'm a big fan. The pen has nice heft and balance too.
I may need to stock up on these kits in case my hunch about their discontinuation is correct.
This pen was a bit of a hodgepodge. Trying out a new kit, trying out a new blank making technique (3D printed structure for making 3D herringbone segmented patterns. The herringbone printed structure works great, but my technique for segmenting still needs some serious work. I ended up only keeping the least-gappy piece of the segmented blank and combining it with some diagonal cut bocote. In the end, I have a pen with bocote, cedar, aspen, and faux-metallic gold silk PLA, combined with chrome hardware. Ah well.
What really surprised me though was how good the pen is. I'm kind of a pen snob, and I have a good collection of fountain pens that I've curated pretty heavily based on writing experience. Kit pens generally come with cheap IPG nibs that are almost universally terrible. A few kits come with somewhat nicer nibs, but no kits come with nibs that compete with my nicer Pilots or even like a well-tuned JoWo #6. I expected more of the same with this interesting, fine tip hooded nib of unknown provenance.
Turns out it's an excellent writer. Really good, consistent flow leaning on the wet side of things (where I prefer it), and very smooth, especially for a fine nib. I'm a big fan. The pen has nice heft and balance too.
I may need to stock up on these kits in case my hunch about their discontinuation is correct.