How’s that for a post title? I could have gone longer, adding in the pen size and material name, plus the ink, but I figured I would stop while I was ahead.
The story of this pen begins on Twitch, where I stream 2-3 times per week. A viewer with the handle “zskogsy” is a frequent viewer and chat commenter. As I got to know this digital presence, I learned more about them, eventually prying out information, such as “oh, I make pens.”
Boy, does Zach Skogsberg ever make pens.
As I got to learn more about the man behind the lathe, I learned he would be making his first ever pen show appearance at the 2022 San Francisco Pen Show. Seeing Skogsy Pens in person was at the top of my priority list that weekend, and I came away with this beautiful Cholla in Black Micarta. And by “came away with,” I mean “I had to pick one out quickly,” as these pens were flying off the table at a rate even Zach, and his wife Amy, were surprised by.
Seeing the quality craftsmanship, fun colors, and unique materials, I am not surprised in the least. Zach admitted that they were undertaking a big home move immediately upon returning from the show, so inventory wasn’t quite up to the levels he wanted, but still, having what, three total pens left by Sunday morning? That’s a pretty great show.
The Black Micarta Cholla is a pretty great pen, too. If you aren’t familiar with Micarta, it is a composite material with different types of fabric, or fiberglass, compressed in different laminates, such as various resins or epoxy. It’s a unique barrel material for fountain pens, and, according to makers who use it, not the easiest material to turn into pens.
From a user perspective, Micarta provides a hard barrel exterior, but with a warmth in the material once you start using it. The exterior is smooth, except for where the threads are cut, leaving some of the material exposed. And yes, if you get ink in that area it will stain. Easily. To buy a Micarta pen is to embrace the wabi-sabi, as not only will ink stain the pen if it gets on the barrel, your hand oils will continue to be absorbed over time, darkening the overall color. Micarta fans call these “features.”
My new-ish Skogsy Pen with my well-loved TWSBI Micarta.
A cracked internal nib housing left this stunning green stain on my TWSBI barrel. Own it!
My pen features a 16 mm grip section, which would be considered slightly wide. Skogsy also offers a more standard 14 mm grip section in most pens as well. The barrel width is sized to compliment either size grip section.
I’ve had this pen in regular use since returning from San Francisco, and it puts a smile on my face every time I use it. It’s that nice, and I made it even nicer, for me, with the addition of an Architect grind on the Medium steel Jowo nib I chose when purchasing this pen.
When I sat down with JC Ament, aka the Nib Tailor, I knew I wasn’t going with one of my standards (Stub, Cursive Italic, Needlepoint,) and wanted something cool, befitting this cool pen. I settled on a traditional Architect grid, and JC absolutely nailed it. My most-used Architect grind is more of a mini-style, befitting my small handwriting, so having this more traditionally-sized nib has been great.
I like pen and nib pairings, and I think I put together a perfect combination. But my results are only as good as the people behind the products, and Zach, Amy, and JC should all be proud of their work.
Zach and Amy are still settling in after their big move, so follow Skogsy Pens on Instagram for the latest info, and for when commissions open back up. JC can be found at Nib Tailor, and at a pen show, or stationery retailer, near you.
(I was provided the Skogsy Pen at no charge at the San Francisco Pen Show. I paid regular price for the Architect nib grind from the Nib Tailor.)
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