(Caroline Foty's first fountain pen was a 1970s Sheaffer No Nonsense that still writes perfectly. Since she discovered pens by independent makers, she wants "one of each, please" and wants to meet all the makers. Maybe you do, too. She lives in Baltimore with pens, cats, and all kinds of fiber arts supplies.)
Zach Skogsberg credits his upbringing on ranches in Montana and Wyoming with the impulses that led him to make pens by hand. “My dad fixed things, did everything for himself. I became a tinkerer.”
Although he always liked pens, and cites the Pilot G2 and the Zebra stainless as pens he used in his construction jobs, it wasn’t until he was gifted a Cross fountain pen that his DIY impulses began to intersect with the love of pens. “I didn’t know people still used those. I looked them up online, and found it all. It got expensive fast…”
About year after he began collecting, the As The Pen Turns podcast started, and with a carpentry and construction background, Skogsberg became interested in trying to make pens, and maybe fund his pen hobby. The third pen that he shared on Instagram drew questions about whether it was for sale, and a business was born, named with his high school nickname that had stuck.
Like many new makers, he reached out to other makers for helpful hints. “I didn’t want to bug one person too much.” His go-tos were Jason Miller, Eric Sands, and James Smith of Pensmiths. Jason’s Instagram Lives were a chance to observe closely as a pen was turned, and ask questions on the fly. As he got more experience and met more people, he also turned to Shawn Newton, Jonathon Brooks, and Rob Sanchez of Rob’s Pen Works. “Rob has so much knowledge of machining from his day job, he loves the craftsmanship and engineering involved in making pens.”
Skogsberg began his penmaking with small maker resins, but bought a pocket knife that used micarta, and was intrigued by it for its durability, its tendency to take on a patina over time, and the visible fabric texture. Once on a sailboat he saw a micarta pulley holding one of the sail lines, still fully in service after decades in the sun and the salt air. “It’s hard to work with – hard to drill and cut, it wears tools, it takes work to line up the grain, but I love it when it’s done.”
Micarta has become a signature Skogsy material; if Skogsberg were to make his own materials, it’s micarta he’d try. “So many makers of the colored resins are experts, it would take so long to get to that level.” Micarta is constructed in alternating layers of fabric and resin that are then pressed together in blocks (in some cases, a toxic phenol resin is used).
Skogsberg’s first pen show, San Francisco in 2022, made a bit of a splash. He only brought 30 pens, and sold out practically instantly. In 2023 he decided to try to make a go of it as a fulltime pen maker. His wife Amy has a day job as a bookkeeper, so she keeps the books, and she did some sanding and polishing at first in the shop. She continues to help pick colors and discuss design options, and she does the design and layout of the Skogsy show tables.
Most of Skogsberg’s evolution as a maker has been focused on changes to increase the quality of his pens, but he now wants to work the same way with design considerations and new models. His flagship, the Cholla, is named for a type of cactus that grew in the desert outside Phoenix AZ, where he was living at the time he started making pens. His other current models are also named for desert plants. “I have strong opinions about pen ergonomics – shape, design, feel. Not everything you can design is useful. I don’t want to sacrifice comfort for looks.” Skogsberg says he “thinks any change through a lot.” One of his rules of thumb is “shorter is better” – most of his pens tend to be shorter in length, and he ensures they don’t have a large step down from the barrel to the section.
For his personal pens, Skogsberg is flexible about nib size, but wants to be sure they are all tuned to his liking: very wet. “I want them to dump out ink!” His favorite pens that he didn’t make come from Pilot, mostly the Custom Heritage 92 and 912.
Having been an enthusiast first, he insists “functionality and writing feel is the first thing,” which leads to a focus on nibs. He makes all his sections large enough to take converters larger than standard Schmidt K5s, such as Sailor and Platinum, so that people can use Flexible Nib Factory housings to swap nibs into his pens. “I want to see people make the pen custom and unique for them.” The pens will still work with the standard Jowo nib/housing and K5 converter as well, despite the small size differences.
Skogsberg’s favorite things about being a pen maker look both outward and inward. The design process keeps him engaged in an inward direction. “I can think of something over a long time, and make it come to fruition in so many materials, shapes, sizes.” And the community of pen enthusiasts draws him outward. “I like getting to interact with people who have the passion for pens, and give them a great writing experience.”
Zach Skogsberg’s work can be seen on his Instagram @skogsy_pens, on his website Skogsy Pens, and at pen shows in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago, DC, and San Francisco.
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
