Note - May 2025. Because these are hand-made to order, these pens will be shipped as they are produced, expect some time between placing an order and the order shipping, depending on the volume of orders I receive. (Although I’m currently getting through all orders relatively quickly) You will receive a shipping notification when your order ships. Be aware that the economy postage method does not have tracking and can take between 10-60 days for international orders. Dan.
The Piston Blade Pen is an elegant, practical and innovative drawing tool designed to achieve a wide range of mark-making, from very fine to extra thick, to having brush-like or ruling pen qualities.
For more information on these kinds of pens, please see the FAQ.
This hand-made pen, made from brass has a weight of 25g and has dimensions of ~18cm in length and 6mm in diameter.
The pen has a sprung piston mechanism that allows you to suck ink into the pen. Compressing the button at the end of the pen with your thumb forces air out of the barrel. When released, this allows ink to be sucked up into the pen. The open ended design of the pen helps sure that there is no negative pressure inside the pen that could reduce ink flow, especially while making broad strokes that use a lot of ink.
For maintenance, the piston mechanism can be used to rinse water through the nib or alternatively, you can blow air or water through it with your mouth. It's recommended to use pigment inks and avoid Indian inks to prevent clogging. Also, cleaning the pen after each use will ensure that ink does not dry inside the nib.
The Piston Blade Pen uses no plastics used in its design, and is notionally entirely recyclable.
Please note that these are hand-made to order by a one-man operation, so will ship as soon as they are produced. Next-day/free delivery isn't possible for someone who doesn't have Amazon-like logistics at hand. There is also the possibility that customs charges may apply to orders outside of the UK.