The Best Woods for Handmade Pens, And Why I Choose Them

There are two things I’ve learned since I started making handmade pens.

First, you can never have too many pieces of wood.

Second, apparently, there is such a thing as having too much wood.

I’m still working on that second one.

Walk into my workshop, and you’ll find pieces of timber that I have bought because I had a particular pen in mind, pieces I bought because they were too beautiful to leave behind, and pieces that I’m still not entirely sure what I’m going to do with.

That is one of the things I love about making wooden pens. Every piece of timber is different. The grain, colour, figuring and character all change the way a finished pen looks. Sometimes I know exactly what a piece of wood is going to become. Other times, I put it on the lathe and let the wood tell me what it wants to be.

And yes, that sounds slightly pretentious.

But when you've spent an afternoon turning a particularly stubborn bit of wood, you tend to give it some personality.

So, here are some of my favourite woods for handmade pens,  and, more importantly, why I choose them.

Ziricote – The Wood That Shows Off

Ziricote is one of those woods that makes my job look much more complicated than it actually was.

It has an incredible range of colours, from deep browns and chocolate tones through to almost black areas, often with dramatic swirling grain and distinctive figuring.

No two pieces look quite the same.

That is exactly why I like it.

When I turn a piece of Ziricote, I’m never quite sure what will emerge as the outer surface is revealed. A piece that looks fairly ordinary before turning can suddenly develop an amazing pattern.

It can also have a rather spectacular shine once it has been polished.

Ziricote is particularly good when I want the wood itself to be the star of the pen. It doesn't need fancy decoration shouting for attention.

It has already arrived wearing the loud shirt.

Bocote – Naturally Dramatic

Bocote is another favourite of mine.

It tends to have warm golden-brown colours with darker streaks and dramatic grain patterns. Some pieces have a wonderfully striped appearance, while others are much more chaotic.

And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

The beauty of Bocote is that I don't have to do much to it. My job is essentially to reveal what's already there.

That is one of the great things about turning wood.

I don't create the grain.

I just try very hard not to mess it up.

Amboyna Burr – Nature Showing Off

Amboyna Burr is one of those materials that makes me stop what I'm doing and have a proper look at it.

The swirling, interlocking grain and burr figuring can be spectacular. Rather than the relatively straight grain you might find in many timbers, burr wood can have an almost three-dimensional appearance.

It can look like the grain has decided to ignore all the normal rules.

And that's precisely why I use it.

A pen made from Amboyna Burr doesn't need much embellishment. The material itself provides the decoration.

There is something particularly satisfying about taking an irregular piece of timber and turning it into something precise, smooth and functional.

It’s a little like taking a rather scruffy looking dog to Crufts: beneath the rough exterior, you suspect there’s something impressive waiting to emerge.

Although, thankfully, the wood doesn't need bathing first.

Marlee Burr – Character in Every Turn

Marlee Burr is another wood I love for its character.

Like other burrs, the grain can be wonderfully complex, with swirling patterns, knots and figuring that make every piece individual.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy working with burrs so much.

When I make a pen from a straight-grained piece of timber, I have a fairly good idea of what I'm going to see.

With burr wood?

Not so much.

It's a little bit like opening a Christmas present.

Except I’ve already bought the present, wrapped it myself and then spent several hours attacking it with a lathe, which is not how most people approach Christmas.

African Snakewood – Small, Dark and Seriously Special

African Snakewood is one of those timbers that immediately gets your attention.

It is generally a rich reddish-brown to deep brown colour, often with darker figuring that can give it a wonderfully intricate appearance.

It is also a very dense and hard timber, which means working with it requires a little more care.

But that's part of the appeal.

Some woods are forgiving.

Snakewood basically looks at you and says, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

I like woods that have a bit of attitude.

When finished properly, though, the reward can be fantastic: a beautifully dense, smooth pen with a luxurious appearance.

Indian Rosewood – Classic for a Reason

Indian Rosewood has that classic combination of rich colour and attractive grain that makes it such a popular timber.

Depending on the piece, it can range from warm browns through to deeper chocolate tones, often with darker streaks running through the grain.

I particularly like it when I'm looking for something that feels traditional.

Some woods shout.

There are woods that whisper.

Indian Rosewood tends to sit somewhere in between, quietly looking expensive.

And that's not a bad quality in a pen.

Indian Palm Wood – Completely Different

Indian Palm Wood is rather different from the conventional hardwoods I use.

Its appearance is created by the structure of the palm itself, producing a distinctive pattern that can look almost like hundreds of tiny dots or flecks across the timber.

It doesn't look like ordinary wood.

And that's exactly the point.

I like having materials in my range that make someone pick up a pen and ask:

"What on earth is that made from?"

That's a pretty good starting point for a conversation.

And, let's be honest, if I'm going to spend hours making something, I don't mind it being a conversation starter.

Kingwood – Small Pieces, Big Impact

Kingwood is another dense, richly coloured timber that I particularly enjoy using for smaller turned projects such as pens.

It tends towards beautiful purplish-red and reddish-brown tones, often with subtle darker figuring.

It has a refined appearance without being boring.

That's an important distinction.

A handmade pen should look special, but I don't think every pen needs to scream LOOK AT ME!

Sometimes understated works better.

Kingwood is very good at that.

Once it’s polished, though, it has a habit of catching the light and changing its mind about being understated.

African Blackwood – The Dark Side

African Blackwood is about as dark and dramatic as timber gets.

It can be extremely dark brown, often appearing almost black, with subtle grain that becomes more visible as the pen is shaped and polished.

I love it for pens where I want a sophisticated, understated look.

It doesn't need bright colours.

It doesn't need dramatic swirls.

It doesn't need me adding anything to make it interesting.

It just sits there looking rather serious.

It’s the timber equivalent of someone arriving at a party in a perfectly tailored black suit while everyone else is wearing loud shirts and competing for attention.

Choosing wood is one of my favourite parts of making a pen. I can start with a plan, but the grain usually has ideas of its own, and, more often than not, it wins. That unpredictability is exactly what keeps me going back to the workshop, even if it also gives me another excuse to buy just one more piece of timber.