Ordered these two online sometime last year and slowly put them on rotation. Iād come across them while researching Namisu and other UK-based craft pen makers. I was intrigued by the minimalist and mildly steam punk aesthetic of Makers Cabinet but hesitated for a while becauseā¦ I really donāt use wooden pencils anymore. Anyway, curiosity got the better of me and here they are!
The LAZLO is a capless rollerball (labeled a ballpoint online) that uses an Euro format cartridge. Whatās neat about it is the magnetic rotary knob. Rotate it in any direction and it snaps into place to deploy the writing tip. It reminds me of the USUS.pi in terms of the āon/off snapā. Love the brass finish, which is ageing beautifully, and the tactile feel of the milling on the knob. Whatās less endearing is the clip, which follows a style popularized by many āmachined penā makers. It is a stiff piece of steel with zero flex, and held on by a hex screw. Under the clip is a round protrusion that helps with alignment. When reattaching the clip, it is necessary to twist the knob so that the mechanism also aligns with the 2 holes, otherwise the bolt will jam it when tightened.
The FERRULE is even more gorgeous and I love how the flared hexagonal grip section twists and tightens on wooden pencils. It also has a much more thoughtful and usable clip made from springy steel. The letters spelling out āFERRULEā are etched around the mid-section, and is visible when the grip is is the loose/open position. The package includes eraser refills that plug firmly into the screw-on holder. I found it a very tight fit and Iām worried the eraser might break as I try to pull it out to extend it. I feel this is the main drawback for the FERRULE.
Overall, quite impressed with the quality and finishing, although both products honestly need some finetuning to be even more usable and popular.
