Independent Pen Manufacturer – Schon DSGN

I believe in supporting small businesses. Especially now. One independent pen manufacturer that’s been a reliable fountain pen source for me is Franklin-Christoph. I feel as though I am getting a complete package deal. Quality products, quality control, and fantastic customer service. This is a check list for me when I look at other pen manufacturers.

There are many independent pen manufacturers in the US. Many have websites and a few strictly do business via Instagram.

I have shopped with a pen manufacturer on IG. It’s a different type of shopping experience. It starts with a picture of a beautiful fountain pen or a tray of stunning pens posted on their IG page. I have had opportunities to ask for additional pictures and even a video of a pen twirl. There’s a lot of back and forth messaging as a lot of the important information (like pen specs) are not specified (no website). I see many folks who know what they are purchasing and enjoy these quick purchases/transactions. That’s why many pens are sold quickly when I see them on IG.

I prefer to do my window-shopping through a website. That way I can see pictures and descriptions of the pen products. Make comparisons. Tell myself I do not need another pen. Change my mind. Make a decision.

A few months ago, a compact pocket pen kept appearing on my radar. I remember seeing this aluminum pen with swirls of colors at one of the online pen shops. I also saw a few YouTube videos where folks were writing with these compact cartridge pens by Schon DSGN.

I went to this independent pen manufacturer’s website to look at their pen offerings. There were several Pocket Six models including multicolor with matching grip, solid brass, solid copper, facet anodized aluminum and a custom option. I knew I wanted the multicolor offering with matching grip. I had a hard time deciding which color scheme I wanted. I narrowed it down to my favorite colors of blue and purple and selected LaCroiy. I had a choice of a variety of nib tip widths from Extra Fine to Stub 1.5. I selected a Fine nib.

My Schon DSGN fountain pen arrived this morning and I dropped what I was doing to take pictures and enjoy my lovely compact pen.

Schon DSGN Pocket Six in LaCroiy with matching grip

Here’s a few pictures from my unboxing.

A wonderful surprise! A complementary pocket notebook was included.

Lovely packaging which included a complementary pocket notebook, thank you card, stickers, ink cartridges, and my LaCroiy pen.

The back of the plastic pen box shows how to insert the ink cartridge

As you can see from my picture, my pocket pen is quite small.

The “six” in the Pocket Six name refers to the nib size of this pen. Yes, that is a JoWo #6 Fine nib in my compact pen.

Uncapped, the pen is really tiny. There are threads at the end of the body where the cap screws in. Here’s another picture of my Pocket Six posted.

It looks like a normal size pen when posted

This aluminum pen is lightweight and well made. It’s comfortable to hold and I feel as though I could write for hours. I like that it has a somewhat long grip/section that is pleasantly shaped. Even with my joint issues, I have not experienced any writing discomfort or twisting the pen while I write.

I do notice my writing experience with this compact pen and a larger nib. It’s an enjoyable experience and my fingers are not cramped, but more relaxed. I know it has to do with the angle of writing with a #6 nib versus a tiny Kaweco Sport nib and it shows in my handwriting. This is a winning combination for me as this pen feels well balanced in my hand.

Sometime last year I noticed Schon DSGN had switched their standard nib offerings from Bock to JoWo. I’m glad I waited on purchasing this pen. Some of you may remember that I love swapping around my JoWo #6 nib units between different pen manufacturers. Now, I can use my F-C #6 nib units (italic, SIG, flex) with this pocket pen. Do you see how my mind works?

After spending some quality time with my Pocket Six pen, I pulled out my other compact pen a Kaweco Sport. It’s only natural that I show a comparison of the two pens.

When posted, they are almost the same length!

I mentioned how I enjoy my writing experiences with #6 nibs. Check out the nib size between the two pocket pens:

Nib size comparisons with Schon DSGN on the left and my Kaweco Sport on the right

Knowing that it’s made of aluminum, I won’t be able to eyedropper this pen. I can only use short international cartridges and I don’t mind refilling my spent ink cartridges with the ink of my choice.

Reasons why Schon DSGN caught my attention:

Lovely fountain pen design
Small and compact
Durable and well made. There’s an o-ring inside the cap that creates a nice seal when the pen is capped.
Large nib size (#6 JoWo)
Can swap the nib unit and use the standard JoWo nib units from other pen manufacturers
Selection of pen colors and finishes
It’s sooooo cute!

I’ve been so busy playing with my pen and taking pictures that I forgot to do a writing sample. I’ll be back later today to include a picture and add any interesting features I uncover about my pen.

Pen: Schon DSGN Pocket 6 in LaChoiy with JoWo #6 Fine nib

Ink: Diamine Steel Blue (cartridge)