Every pen features a solid brass grip and lid, paired with a hand-turned timber barrel that will develop its own character with use. Over time the brass will naturally patinate, creating a writing tool that becomes more personal the longer you own it.

We source our timbers from carefully selected mills in the UK, France, Germany and the USA. Every piece of timber is imported in accordance with UK Timber Regulations, with legal sourcing verified through supplier due diligence.

Wherever possible we purchase from PEFC-certified sources, and our American hardwoods come from sustainably managed forests where growth continues to exceed harvest.

• Length capped – 135.6 (+/- 2mm)
• Length uncapped – 100mm + bib length (+/-2mm)
• Pen barrel diameter – 14mm
• Weight – 65g
• Solid brass grip and lid, with a hand-turned timber barrel

• Length capped – 135.6 +/- 2mm
• Length uncapped – 116mm +/-2mm
• Pen barrel diameter – 14mm
• Weight – 65g
• Solid brass grip and lid, with a hand-turned timber barrel

Absolutely! Our Studio Handmade pens work beautifully for left-handed users. However, as with most fountain pens, smudging can occur depending on your writing style.

Fountain pen nibs are usually ready to use straight away. If you notice any ink flow issues, we recommend giving your pen a flush with warm soapy water or using our Nib Cleaning Solution for best results.

For tips, check out our visual guide and video tutorial.

We recommend MD Paper for its smooth finish and fountain pen-friendly qualities – it prevents bleeding and ensures your lines are crisp and clear.

The Studio Handmade Rollerball Pen performs well on a wide range of papers, making it a great everyday writing pen. During our testing, it wrote smoothly across everything from standard notebook paper to higher quality stationery.

If you're looking for the best writing experience, we recommend using good quality paper with a smooth finish. While the rollerball works beautifully on most papers, we particularly recommend MD Paper as it offers excellent ink performance with minimal feathering or bleed-through.

Yes! The Studio Handmade Rollerball Pen comes fitted with a Medium Schmidt 5888 refill, but it is also compatible with the Fine (0.6 mm) and Broad (1.0 mm) Schmidt 5888 refills.

All Schmidt 5888 refills use the same Standard International (Euro-size) dimensions, so you can easily switch between line widths to suit your writing style.

The Schmidt 5888 refills are not refillable. Each Studio Handmade Rollerball Pen comes with two pre-filled refills, one fitted inside the pen and one spare. Additional pre-filled Schmidt 5888 refills are available to purchase separately.

Yes! You can easily switch between a rollerball and fountain pen using our conversion sets.

Conversion sets are available to purchase separately, and if you buy one alongside a Studio Handmade pen, you'll receive 20% off the conversion set.

Each conversion set includes everything you need to swap between the two writing systems:

Rollerball Conversion Set

• Pen grip
• Two Schmidt 5888 rollerball refills
• Spring

Fountain Pen Conversion Set

• Pen grip
• Fountain pen nib (available in your chosen nib size)
• Ink converter
• 5ml mini bottle of ink

Please note that the price of the Fountain Pen Conversion Set varies depending on the nib selected.

The Studio Handmade Rollerball Pen uses the Schmidt 5888 rollerball refill, which contains a smooth-flowing, low-viscosity, water-based (aqueous) liquid ink specifically formulated for use with a ceramic rollerball tip. It is a Standard International (Euro-size) rollerball refill, making it easy to find compatible replacements. You can find replacement refills here.

You can send your used rollerball refills back to us, and we'll ensure they're recycled responsibly!

Send your used refills here: 

Tom's Studio Returns, Unit N3 Marshall Way, Frome, BA11 2FB, United Kingdom

Alternatively, many stationery retailers, schools, libraries and workplaces participate in public pen recycling schemes that accept used writing instruments and refills from any brand.

The lifespan of your refill will depend on the tip size and how heavily you write, but as a guide:

• Fine (0.6 mm): Around 1,100 metres of writing, or approximately 250 A4 pages.
• Medium (0.7 mm): Around 1,000 metres of writing, or approximately 230 A4 pages.
• Broad (1.0 mm): Uses more ink due to the higher ink flow, so lasts for approximately 200 A4 pages.

The Studio Handmade Rollerball Pen uses replaceable rollerball refills, which cannot be refilled with ink. The good news is that replacement Schmidt 5888 refills are inexpensive, widely available, and recyclable. You can purchase replacement refills here.

Our Studio Fountain Pen works beautifully with all fountain pen inks, and you’ll find a splendid selection here.

Avoid using calligraphy-specific ink, as it can clog the pen.

Our Studio Fountain Pens are refilled using an ink converter. You can see exactly how it’s done here.

Yes! If you prefer, you can use a standard international-sized ink cartridge (long or short) instead of the ink converter. We have cartridges available here.

Yes, you can! The Gold and Sterling Silver plated nibs resist corrosion, so it’s safe to leave ink in the pen.

If you’re unsure which nib is best for you, take a look at our handy nib guide to help you decide.

All our nib units unscrew from the pen for easy swapping. To change nibs:

1. Remove the ink converter.
2. Hold the nib and feed (the black part under the nib) between your fingers.
3. Twist anti-clockwise to unscrew the nib unit.

Paper acts as a natural abrasive, so with regular use, the nib will polish itself over time.

If you’d like to speed up the process, you can use micromesh – a fine abrasive that goes up to 12,000 grit. Carefully sand the iridium tip of the nib, starting with a lower grit (e.g., 1200–2400) and working your way up for a buttery-smooth writing experience.

Over time, a lovely patina will naturally develop on the brass part of your pencil, adding character to the pen. However, if you prefer to maintain the original shine, a quick polish will easily restore it. For tips on polishing brass, check out our helpful video here.

For the wooden body of the pen, wipe it with a damp cloth only. Never submerge the wooden barrel in water, as this can damage the finish.

Before cleaning the nib, unscrew and remove the brass grip section from the wooden body and remove the brass lid. You can then clean the nib and feed using one of the following:

• Nib Cleaning Solution
• Distilled water
• Water with a small drop of dish soap

Allow all parts to dry thoroughly before reassembling the pen.

Store your Studio Handmade Fountain Pen capped and in a horizontal position to prevent ink from drying out or pooling unevenly. For longer periods of storage, clean and dry the pen to ensure it’s ready for use when you pick it up again.

Here are a few things to check to get the ink flowing beautifully

• There might be dirt, grease, or dried ink on the nib. To fix this, soak the nib in warm, soapy water for a few minutes, rinse thoroughly, and reassemble the pen with the cartridge.
• Make sure your cartridge or converter is pushed in firmly, with no gap.
• Air bubbles trapped in the ink converter can disrupt ink flow. To resolve this, hold the pen upright over your ink bottle with the nib inside the bottle - so the air rises to the top, then gently twist the cartridge clockwise to push all of the ink out and then twist it anticlockwise to refill. Do this a few times to ensure all air bubbles have been removed. Then twist the converter clockwise to push some ink into the feed. Be sure to wipe away any excess ink before writing!
• It's also worth checking that your nib and feed are set up correctly. The feed should sit centrally and slightly back in the nib, not sticking out past it.

If the pen is leaking from the nib, it could be because the ink converter has been overfilled. Overfilling can create excess pressure inside the pen, pushing ink out through the nib when it’s not in use. To prevent this, leave a little space at the end of the converter when filling to allow for air.

If the leak is coming from the converter, double-check that the silver part at the top of the converter is tightly screwed on. It can sometimes loosen with repeated twisting and refilling.