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Creating a Forever Object: Ian Schon's Pen Project

By Rain Noe - July 19, 2012

in Object Culture

Think about it: How many "forever objects" do you really own? The computer I'm typing this on, that'll be gone in a few years. My cell phone and camera will shortly be obsolete. The object I've owned longest is a metal Zippo lighter, but as I'm trying to quit smoking I hope to soon throw it into the recycling bin triumphantly. My hand tools and all-metal sewing machines will outlive me, but those are about it.

Bicycle racer and recent Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering grad Ian Schon wanted to create an object that he could use and carry for the rest of his life. Presumably a frequent sketcher, he struck upon the idea of creating a pen, and engaged in the sort of "pure" design process those of us working for organizations can only dream about: The pen's form would be determined solely by Schon, and designed to fit his needs and tastes exactly (though he would later observe how others used it to willfully tweak the design). There were no focus groups, no selling to upper management, no meetings and no reviews. And it had to be manufacturable by the metal lathe he had sitting in his apartment, making the contracting process rather simple.

While carrying a prototype around in his pocket, Schon noticed the aluminum body was being weathered by his keys. And in his eyes the resultant patina was a good thing: "I feel that the wearing of objects should be something that makes them valued," he explains, "rather than in need of replacement." Hear hear.

After designing the perfect pen for himself, Schon decided to dip his toe into the mass manufacturing world and commissioned 1,000 of them from a local manufactory. They were quickly green-lit on Kickstarter, and with roughly a month to go you still have plenty of time to get yourself one for $30.

For the production run, Schon conceded a design point to the mass market: Users found the knurled grip to be too abrasive, so he replaced it with a series of three fine grooves, which feel smoother while still providing some purchase. But in his pocket he still carries the real deal, the original with the knurled grip he likes, the one that he made himself and will carry forever.

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JJ

12 years ago

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@Vova - the functionality comes from having a more comfortable grip at the expense of the rolling. This isn't a drafting pencil - it's designed to go into your pocket in the morning, taken out when you need to write/draw, then go back into your pocket.

I ordered one of these to replace my Fisher space pen, which is what I currently carry in my pocket, but isn't comfortable to write with for longer periods.
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Jaineel

12 years ago

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I think any product can be timeless design, if thought and made carefully. I think you feel the same, because you have dedicated lot of time and motivation towards your work.
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Vova

12 years ago

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doubhtful functionality, it will roll out from any flat surface. It's not exidetialy that pencils and other pens are made six or 3 edges.
its just a piece of alu tube.
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Thomas

12 years ago

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I love my Faber Castell TK 9400
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davie

12 years ago

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The thing I constantly run into buying "forever" items like pens or backpacks, or other items used daily, is that they either get lost or stolen eventually.

Now that's a design problem.
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aarn

12 years ago

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I have one of these pens and it is built like a tank and writes like a dream. It's light and compact enough to carry in your pocket. Nice work, Ian.
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Joe Kerr

12 years ago

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My thesis was on "future-proof" products, or these "forever" objects as they are called here. I have my own "forever" pencil that I've had for 11 years now: http://www.montgomerypens.com/xlpictures/46581_RO600Blk_MP_C%20400.jpg
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