Although it is smaller in size and quite simple when you look at it, one of my all-time favorite pens is the pen by Ian Schon of Schon DSGN. When I need an ultra-portable pen to toss in my pocket, 9 out of 10 times it is one of these.
At this point I think I've owned 4 different versions, but I'm always excited when I find out Ian has done something new with the material as it will create a different experience with the pen. The most recent iteration of the pen is made from stainless steel and Ian was kind enough to send me one to check out.
In a nutshell, the Schon DSGN pen is a compact all-metal, USA made pen that takes the durable Fisher Space Pen refill. It is designed to be a pants pocket carry (no clip) coming in at only 4" long closed, but the cap posts onto the end of the barrel to extend it to 5.75" for normal writing.
The first pocket pen Ian designed was made from aluminum and was an awesome, very light carry. Later he came out with titanium, bronze, and brass versions which gave his customers some additional options in how hefty they wanted their pen to be, but there are some considerations to be taken into account....
A couple of examples: brass and titanium. Brass is heavy and it develops a cool patina over time (if that is your thing), but brass pens tend to smell after awhile which may not be super appealing. The titanium is a cool grey color, is a bit heavier than the aluminum, and is a nice weight, but is three times the price.
I feel this is where the stainless comes in as an awesome middle ground. You get the heft of the brass without the smell and the color and durability of the titanium (close enough), but you're paying less for it. The pen is pretty weighty at 2.9 oz, so it packs a punch for being so small in size.
Now the stainless versions are $100 which can be understandably pricey, but this is a possession you'll buy and likely keep forever, is made by a small business (not a big factory), and is unique. Value is subjective from person to person, but these are things I find worthy of the price.
Design wise the pen is very simple being mainly a smooth, cylindrical shape, but there are some machined lines at the very top of the cap for a subtle decoration. The pen has no taper, and with the cap removed the grip section is also a straight cylindrical shape that goes into conical tip.
To swap the refill does require a screwdriver to remove the brass set screw. Luckily, the Fisher refills tend to write for quite awhile and I see this pen as more of a "jotting" rather than "memoir writing" type, so swapping shouldn't happen too often anyway. The weight of the stainless would make really long writing stints pretty uncomfortable I'd think, but perfect for quick notes.
The finish on the pen is smooth, but the surface appears that it may have been tumbled as it has some visual texture.
Again, not sure if I can say anymore than I have how much I enjoy the Schon DSGN pen. Its likely a mix of its simplicity in design, weight and substance of the material, and high functionality that combine into something interesting and unique. If EDC is a thing for you, I feel like these would be a standard.
Thanks again Ian!