Review: Chance Pens Wooden Ballpoint Pen + Stand

This beautiful wooden ballpoint pen and ridiculously cute little matching stand comes from Chance Pens. These wooden pens are handmade by Bonnie Jean of Lost and Found, and you can also see some of her awesome art (also available for purchase) on Chance Pens. Bonnie suggested a pen swap - she wanted to try out an eyedropper fountain pen and offered one of her wooden pens in exchange. I clearly got the better end of this deal, right?!

The pen takes a ballpoint pen refill which is clipped at the end to the appropriate size to fit into the wooden body. This particular refill is a Bic ballpoint refill, which are easy to get anywhere and cheap, so refills will never be an issue.

BONUS: DOES NOT ROLL AWAY.

The pen is quite light, much lighter than I was expecting for a wooden pen, but it's not at all uncomfortable to write with. I'm rather fascinated how Bonnie has managed to shape the pen so perfectly. It seriously feels like she measured my hand and looked at how I held my pen, then shaped this pen accordingly. It's just a perfect fit to my hand and grip. 

I think one of my favorite parts of this pen is the super cute wooden stand that comes with it. It has a wee little hole in it for the tip of the pen, and it sits perfectly balanced. It's like magic. No worries about it tipping over (unless you knock it over).

I love you, little wooden pen.

Here's a short little Q&A with BJW! 

Q: Do you take custom orders?

Yes, I can take custom orders; in as much as some one could choose light or dark wood and maybe a pattern type.

Q:  Where do you get the wood to make your pens?

Q: What kinds of wood do you use?

The wood that I use for my pens are all found scraps, or wood some people give me from left over projects. I often do not know what kind of wood I am using. Your pen was made from some blocks of wood that were used here in the library as shelf filler from some books shelves.

Q: How did you learn how to make these pens?

The big question. I have always done some wood working as part of my art making and general creative process. I was out in my shop/garage a few years ago looking at some scraps of wood leftover from something and they were too small for anything but kindling, but they were very pretty. Then I started thinking about drawing tools, pens. and I had a drawer full of cheap pens, bic specifically. So after a lot of trial and error and miss drilling I bought a small drill press, made a "jig" and figured out how to drill a relativity straight hole in an approx. 1"x1"x 51/4" block of wood, the size of a bic pen refill. From there it is a process of sanding and carving and shaping. It is all hand work I do not use a lathe so each one is different and none are perfectly round.

While you might be thinking "I don't need another ballpoint", you can't argue that:
a) this pen is really neat
b) it's always handy to have a pen at the ready on your desk or work station or wherever you may be
c) sometimes you just need a ballpoint for one reason or another

So why not have a nice little handmade wooden desk pen?

Price 
ChancePens -  $15.00 - $20.00

I think a handmade wooden pen is an awesome gift for yourself, for a family member, or for a friend! Talk about unique! Plus, if you are unsure what kind of pen someone might like, one can always use a ballpoint. This wooden pen is a lovely piece of work, and I am so thrilled to own it. A big thank you goes out to Bonnie :)