[Pen/Pencil Review] The Mithril Mechanisms Chess Knight Pen
SoonerCon is one of my favorite science fiction conventions. They have great programming and an amazing Art Show. I love hanging out with some of our favorite artists and meeting new ones. Especially ones that create wondrous works in ink pens. Allan Seyberth is just the newest one. He had an amazing display. He’s currently a hobbyist who is just starting to sell his work, so hopefully we’ll be seeing him at more art shows (maybe Fencon in February 2024).
I had a hard time choosing just ONE to bring home, and I am happy with the one I chose. This is the Chess Knight. This pen is also a piece of art. It’s crushed silver and black segmented acrylic on black and satin chrome. What that MEANS is the body is a waved checkerboard to represent the chess board. The satin chrome cap is etched with chess pieces. The black metal clip is the “horse” knight piece with a rook as the topper. The cap is a screw on cap that also screws onto the black base to securely post.
The grip is a long, narrower taper black that has a rounded lip before the tip. It came with a thick Schneider refill in black that is a smooth and supple ink. But Allan mentioned that he created the pen to also take the Pilot G2 refill, so I had to try. And it does take the G2, and now currently has a black G2 refill in a 0.5mm point. Because I do love me a good extra fine point. It’s just under 6” with the cap posted, just under 7” with the cap posted, and just over 4.5” uncapped.
This pen has a decent weight and heft with a decent balance. It should be more awkward to write with but it’s actually quite comfortable. Allan mentioned that this was one of the more complicated pens he’s built to date, taking three attempts to get right. Fortunately, know that he has the knack, there may be more. Which is a good thing.
This one was $50, which was the average price of the pieces Allan brought with him. For the quality of the craftmanship and the intricacies? That’s VERY affordable. It’s a functional work of art that is completely refillable with easily available refills. The trick will be finding them. He’s still rolling out his online presence and this may have been his first outing to sell them. But I had to share this one, so if you see them in your travels, you can snag them.
The Numbers:
1. How does it work? – 1 It works well. The design should be bulkier than it is. The fact it is takes multiple refills makes it easy to use. The cap is a secure post.
2. Grip and feel – 0.5 – The grip is smooth, so no serious ergonomics, but the taper to the grip is narrower than you’d think, but not so much that it throws off the feel or balance. There are some ridges that could cut into the finger if you choke down.
3. Material – 1 This is chrome and metal. It’s completely solid and strong. The threads on the barrel and tail end make for a secure capping and posting. It’s a solid work of art.
4. Overall Design – 1 -It’s amazing. Allan has a great eye for detail. This is intricately designed and sturdily built. It’s a great piece of artistic engineering.
5. Price Point – 1 – It’s not expensive for being a handmade piece of functional art. I will say that all day long, but it’s not a BIC. These pens start out at $50, which is low for this kind of craftsmanship.
4.5 out of 5 Bronze Pencils
