Writing with actual pen and paper is a rarity today. If you still do so and you are a major petrolhead, then here are two must-have stationeries to show your love for the good’ol ICE.
The first is called Piston Pens. Piston Pens is, as the name implies, a pen that mimics the look of an engine piston – in anodized aluminum no less and complete with the grooves for respective rings and a hole for the piston pin (wrist pin).
Obviously, only part of the pen mimics an engine piston because a piston is pretty short. But that’s not to say the rest of the body is not cool. It is, featuring a 100% Real 2/2 twill 3K carbon fiber tube before finishing off with an aluminum anodized tip.
The Piston Pens is designed and made in the U.K. and it is available as a single pen, a set of pens, or with a matching machined V-engine block pen holder. The V-engine block is available in a choice of V8, V10, or V12.
The Piston Pens was a successfully funded Kickstarter project. It’s OK if you missed it because you can pre-order it on its website, Pistonpens.com. However, it is not cheap, with each pen costing 38 quids (around US$50) and the V engine block set selling for 160 pounds and up (about US$210+).
Plus, it will be quite a wait – up to 6 months, we heard – because Piston Pens is still fulfilling its Kickstarter orders. If you don’t mind not having engine piston-style pens, there is an alternative – a better one, IMHO, because it has a lot more detail as far as the V8 engine goes. Details the nooks and crannies, the water jacket holes, and whatnot.
The CNC Machined V8 Engine Block Pen Holder, as it is called, is from another U.K. maker, GtscientificLLC. It also had a successful campaign on Kickstarter which ended recently.
Again, it’s alright if you missed the campaign because you can still pre-order it from its store on Etsy. It does not come cheap, however. Expect to shell out US$129 and also, expect quite a wait for it to ship too. Last heard shipping will only happen in June 2022 if you order now.
Images: Mechatron CNC/Etsy (GtscientificLLC).