The Maker’s Story

I started making pens as a way to honor my father, who got me started in making pens after he passed away. SABr Pens is named for him, Stan A. Brown. Every pen contains my memory of him.

The focus when I make pens allows me to slow things down and concentrate on producing a beautiful piece of functional art. After years spent moving fast—through work, travel, and life across different places—I wanted something more deliberate. Something that required patience, attention, and a steady hand. Turning pens became that space.

Each piece begins with carefully chosen materials. Sometimes it’s wood, selected for its grain and character. Other times it’s acrylic, ebonite, casein, or materials like Tru-Stone, fordite, celluloid, or urushi—each with its own history, texture, and feel. No matter the material, the process remains the same: shaped on the lathe, refined by hand, and finished with care.

No two pens are ever the same. The material, the balance, even the way it catches the light—it all varies from piece to piece. What you end up with is something individual. Something made, not manufactured.

This work is also personal. The name SABr is in honor of my father, Stan A. Brown, whose influence continues to shape how I approach both craft and life. After his passing, this became a way to carry that forward—quietly, in every piece.

I don’t make these in large batches, and I’m not trying to. This is a small, ongoing practice—focused on making objects that are meant to be used, kept, and appreciated over time.

At the end of it, it’s still just a pen. But it’s one that carries a bit more intention, a bit more story, and something of the hands—and history—behind it.

— Michael A. Brown