Destiny, heritage, inheritance: powerful words that evoke a sense of tradition and continuity. Whether used in conversation or in writing, they should not be lightly applied. But in the case of Tim McKenzie, his company Mckenzie Penworks, and his dramatic, unique material—Diamond Cast—the words are appropriate.
McKenzie isn't joking when he describes himself as having grown up “hanging out in the backrooms of jewelry stores." His mother is a gemologist of more than 40 years, and spending time watching his parents work retail, he observed the marriage of luxury materials with genuine customer service.
After studying computer science and working in that field, McKenzie began to build custom drums to satisfy his musical urges. Not content with off-the-shelf options, he worked with a machinist and created the first magnesium alloy snare drum. Developing something unique from a new or previously unused material appealed to him.
McKenzie reflects on his first pens: “We built some drums from wood, so we had scraps lying around. It felt wasteful to throw those away, so I began pen turning.” He sold most of those pens and gave others to family and friends. While still working in IT, McKenzie decided to make pens more seriously and attend crafts shows.
McKenzie and his wife, Callie, formed McKenzie Penworks and sold at craft shows and on Etsy. Before long, he realized he wanted to create his own materials, hoping to make blanks unlike any others.
この記事は PEN WORLD の December 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は PEN WORLD の December 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
25 Years of the Levenger True Writer
The new Anniversary Origins collection celebrates the True Writer's silver anniversary, but its origins are over a century old.
LAMY and uni Unite
The Japanese company behind the Uniball brand and Germany's LAMY are now partners.
Wajima Earthquake: Lest We Forget
The New Year's Day earthquake took lives and livelihoods. The future of Wajima lacquerware is at stake.
Fontoplumo: Filling a Need
Frank van Krieken turned a hobby into a pen store, and he is spreading the gospel across the globe.
Styling and Substance: Sheaffer and Sengbusch, and One or Two Others: An Overview of Dip-less Desk Sets, Part IV
In the second installment of this series, we saw the R. Esterbrook Steel Pen Company get its start in the dip-less business.
The Power of the Pen
A Veterans Administration program in Arkansas turns former warriors into pen makers.
The White Dot Marks the Spot
Production by William Penn, distribution by Kenro: Sheaffer is back to basics.
Manu's Pen Nebula
The Pen Family represents Emmanuel Caltagirone's personal journey. Let's take a short trip through time and space.
Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way: An Overview of Dip-less Desk Sets, Part III
Once dip-less desk sets became entrenched in the business world, they naturally proliferated as more companies got into the game.
The Inkwell and the Imagination
A history of the inkwell as a source of inspiration.