As you know from my 2020 wish list post, I fell in love with Den’s Pens‘ Baetylus model the first time I saw it. I thought it would look amazing in the right colors to make it an “amethyst” crystal. I wasn’t wrong.
Dennis was kind enough to reach out to me after the wish list post to let me know that he can make custom blanks. So, I got to bypass the material search and jumped on his waitlist. He’s got a great order form that takes you through all the options, step-by-step.
Before I get very far into this post, I want to acknowledge how much I appreciate Dennis’s communicativeness. He kept me updated on the entire process and sent me photos along the way. I don’t mind if the process gets delayed or takes longer than expected, as long as I’m kept informed. So, major kudos there.
The Material
It didn’t take too long for my turn to come along. Dennis walked me through the process. He’d make two blanks at a time, up to six, for me to choose from, then he’d make the pen.
I was given the option of starting from a technical drawing or letting him free-form it. I chose the latter as I figured it would be less stressful and more fun for him.
The first two blanks were pretty, but not quite what I was hoping for. The second two had one that was very promising, and I asked for it to be held in reserve. Dennis was getting some alcohol dyes that wouldn’t go quite so dark, so we tried a final set. That last set had one that was perfect.
Making of the Pen
I paid, and got photos of the pen as work progressed.
Unfortunately, the universe decided to throw us a curveball: the material went soft. At first Dennis hoped that it may have just needed some more curing time. Sadly, that ended up not being the case. Even with an extra week, the material didn’t harden up properly.
Dennis’ solution was to make a new pen and send me both. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Round 2
In fairly short order, Dennis had made six new blanks, I’d picked on, and he was ready to start pen #2. He finished a simple pen first, to ensure the material was sound, then got to work on mine.
Along the way, Dennis showed me some shaping and texture to make sure I was happy with everything. I had him leave in some “imperfections” to play up the crystal aspect some.
Getting My Pen
By sheer coincidence, Dennis finished the pens just in time for us to all meet up while Jim and I were in London. He and his family are lovely people, and it was wonderful to meet them. His daughters are adorable.
The pens were phenomenal, and Dennis enjoyed getting to see someone’s reaction to a commission.
Both pens are gorgeous. I can’t say if I prefer the polished version or the matte version. Both have their own unique something. I do somewhat prefer the material on the first one, but I think I prefer the shaping on the second one.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m very satisfied with my pens and the experience. I highly recommend Den’s Pens. His ability to make materials and his unique designs make for some truly one-of-a-kind pens.
Dennis is definitely one to watch over the next few years. I have a feeling he’s not done creating unique shapes, and I’m happy to have gotten a pen from him before his waitlist gets really long.
So, have you heard of Den’s Pens? Do you already have one of his pens? If not, do you think you’ll get one? Let me know in the comments!
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Oh, yes, I was lucky enough to get one of Dennis’ pens at the spring London Pen Show, the finish is gorgeous. It’s a plain black, but the feel of it !!! He’s making me another, a simple shape, but with coutout ink windows, and as you say, the communication and the whole experience is lovely. To me, waiting for a special pen is no trouble; someone is actually making something unique for you, and it takes as long as it takes. Your pens look beautiful!