Studio Handmade – Sycamore

Sycamore

A crafted writing companion, made with one-of-a-kind character

Option Sycamore
Four handmade sycamore fountain pens with marbled sycamore barrels and polished brass metal accents, arranged on a dark textured surface with matching gold pen stands.
Walnut
Yew
Olive Ash
Maple
Ash
Alder
Pen Type Rollerball
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My very first timber pen was made from sycamore, and for good reason. Its pale, buttery tones look every bit as beautiful as they feel in the hand. Every time I pick one up, I'm reminded of the endless hours I spent playing with its spinning 'whirligig' seeds as a child. (I was an only child, OK?)

Studio Handmade is a return to where Tom's Studio began. Ten years after the first handmade pen emerged from a tiny workshop, we've brought the craft back home. Each Studio Handmade pen starts with precision-machined brass components before being individually turned, finished and assembled by hand in our Somerset workshop.

The materials are what make each one special.

For this collection we've worked with carefully selected timbers, each chosen for its unique grain, colour and character. No two pieces of wood are ever identical, which means no two pens are either. The patterns, figuring and subtle variations you see in your pen belong entirely to it.

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.

Designed to be used, treasured and passed on, this is a pen made to accompany years of ideas, notes, sketches and creative adventures.

Choose your writing experience:

  • Fountain Pen – supplied with your choice of nib, a 5ml bottle of ink, a syringe for filling, and a Jesmonite pen rest.
  • Rollerball – supplied fitted with a refill, plus a Jesmonite pen rest.

Whether you're journalling, sketching, planning or writing everyday notes, Studio Handmade is designed to make putting pen to paper feel special.

Choose one of the following nibs:

The nibs used in our Studio Handmade fountain pens come fitted with an Ebonite Feed, each one heat set by hand here in the studio.

Ebonite is a game-changer for ink flow. Its natural hydrophilic properties (think super ink-grabbing powers) mean it holds more ink, giving you a smoother, wetter writing experience that’s perfect for those who like their pens to glide across the page.

Specifications:
Roller Ball:

  • Length capped – 135.6 +/- 2mm
  • Length uncapped – 116mm +/-2mm
  • Pen barrel diameter – 14mm
  • Weight – 63g +/- 0.5g
  • Solid brass grip and lid, with a hand-turned timber barrel

Fountain Pen:

  • Length capped – 135.6 (+/- 2mm)
  • Length uncapped – 100mm + bib length (+/-2mm)
  • Pen barrel diameter – 14mm
  • Weight – 63g +/- 0.5g
  • Solid brass grip and lid, with a hand-turned timber barrel

Every Studio Handmade pen is turned and finished by hand in our Somerset workshop, so no two are ever quite identical. You might notice small variances in grain, colour, or exact dimensions from pen to pen, and that's not a flaw to overlook, it's the whole point. Each one carries a little of the hands that made it, and a little of the tree it came from.

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.

Shipping costs are calculated at checkout.

For dispatch times, customs details, and more, please visit our Delivery page. Got a question? Just reach out via our Contact form – we’re here to help!

Hand-turned in Somerset

Every Studio Handmade pen is expertly crafted in our Somerset studio.

Natural timber

Each pen is truly unique and will develop its own character with use.

Solid brass grip and lid

Perfectly balanced with natural wood for a truly premium writing experience.

Selection of nibs

Available with a range fountain pen nibs or rollerball option.

An overhead flat-lay of multiple fountain pens and pen components arranged on rustic wood blocks and boards against a dark gray surface. The pens feature wood-grain handles, brass metal bodies, and some with white or cream grips.
The timber story

One of my favourites

(Don’t tell the others...)


This whole series is a bit of an obsession of mine. Each timber has its own character, its own grain, its own quiet charm, and I'm fairly certain I say "this one's my favourite" about all seven of them.

Fountain Pen Nibs

Choose Your Nib

Each of our Nibs lays down ink a little differently,
making your Studio Handmade truly yours

Hand Crafted & Unique by Design

The material makes the pen

A lot happens between a length of raw timber and a pen that's ready to write with. This is that process, unhurried and entirely by hand, in our studio.

Meet Martyn, our resident craftsman, who runs the workshop in our Frome studio. His skill, care and attention to detail are woven into every Studio Handmade pen.

An overhead flat-lay of multiple fountain pens and pen components arranged on rustic wood blocks and boards against a dark gray surface. The pens feature wood-grain handles, brass metal bodies, and some with white or cream grips.
Beautifully Presented

Perfect for gifting

Each pen arrives beautifully packaged, creating an unboxing experience that's every bit as special as the pen itself.


Nestled inside the box is a handcrafted pen rest, made with sawdust created during the making process. A small way to ensure nothing goes to waste – and a special place for your pen to rest between ideas.

Back to where it began

Handmade, in the truest sense

Ten years after the first handmade pen emerged from a tiny workshop, we’ve brought the craft back home. Each pen starts with precision-machined brass before being individually turned, finished and assembled by hand.

"The patterns, figuring and subtle variations you see in your pen belong entirely to it — no two are ever quite the same."

Tom Gyr, Founder

Made from Nature. Shaped by Hand.

A pen with its own natural character, ready to become part of yours.

Four wooden fountain pens with gold-toned metal nibs and caps are arranged on a light textured surface with wood shavings and small wood pieces. No person, animal, or real environment is present, so this is Product/Packaging rather than Lifestyle.