How We Craft Your Own Grail Pen: A Quick Guide
This is Leon, and most of the lacquerware pieces in our shop are created by me. To make communication more efficient, I have prepared a guide on how to customize a fountain pen.
First, let me talk about my lacquer techniques: I can handle most urushi methods, and I am especially skilled in raden (mother-of-pearl inlay). As for maki-e, I am only able to work on simpler designs. If the design is highly complex, I may decline the commission.
Next, based on past customization cases, here are the ways you can communicate your design ideas with me:
The first case is when you already have a specific design in mind. You can send me a drawing of your fountain pen design, or provide a photo of an existing pen and describe the modifications you want (such as changing the type of mother-of-pearl, adjusting the lacquer color, or altering the raden pattern). You may also simply describe your design clearly in words. Once I confirm that the design is feasible, I will provide the price and timeline.
The second case is when you don’t have a concrete design but do have a preferred theme (for example, the universe and starry sky, birdwatching, or even The Ring of the Nibelung). You can share your preferred theme with us, and we will create the design. After you confirm it, I will provide the price and timeline.
The third case is less common. Occasionally, I take on projects to challenge myself, and I will post product links and introductions on our website in advance. If you are willing to pay the listed price, the finished fountain pen will be yours.
Our studio offers more than lacquer finishes on fountain pens—we also provide custom pen barrels made of ebonite, titanium, stainless steel, and copper. So when designing your urushi fountain pen, you can also consider the pen’s shape. In addition to the common dorsal fin style, we can create barrels of various shapes, thicknesses, and lengths.
Regarding raden materials, we provide mother-of-pearl of much higher quality than what is commonly available on the market. In addition to the usual Turbo marmoratus (夜光貝), abalone, white mother-of-pearl, and black mother-of-pearl, we welcome requests for other types of materials（like gold）. Our studio is equipped with a laser cutter, which allows us to customize mother-of-pearl fragments into patterns such as numbers, letters, or symbols.
Finally, here is a price reference: the starting price for raden customization is 550 USD, with a typical production time of 2–3 months. More complex designs may take longer. Other lacquer techniques start at 450 USD. For especially intricate work (such as digital raden with thousands of mother-of-pearl pieces), the price ranges from 1,000 to 2,000 USD.
Once your order is completed, I usually ship via FedEx or DHL. Custom pen designs from the shop are available, but please contact me first to confirm feasibility.
For any customization ideas, please feel free to contact me at: leondrinkswater0@gmail.com
I hope this guide helps you bring your ideal fountain pen design to life.