Nib Making, Engine Turning, & Hand Chasing: the Art of Pen & Pencil Making with Giles English of Yard-O-Led

Since 1822, Yard-O-Led has been making some of the finest pens and pencils in the world. They’ve survived wars, they created the “self-propelling pencil,” and today, we talk with Giles English, about the nearly 200-year history of the company that invented the mechanical pencil and still hand-crafts every sterling silver pen in their Birmingham workshop. We dig into the artistry behind engine-turning and hand-chasing, Yard-O-Led’s story of wartime survival, and what it means to carry Victorian tradition into the 21st century. We Want to Hear from You! Have a topic, craft category, or craft company you’d like to see us cover? Email us here to share those or any other thoughts you have about CRAFTED. RELATED LINKS: SennzaFinne Blister Craft Collective Become a BLISTER+ Member Yard-O-Led TOPICS & TIMES: The Custodian of Yard-O-Led (3:41) Origin Story of Yard-O-Led (5:36) Nibs & Nib Making (9:30) The Self-Propelling Pencil (13:33) The Craft of Penmaking (22:27) Ink Propulsion (34:20) Yard-O-Led’s Lineup (40:50) Why Pens Matter (44:38) Surprises in the Pen Making World (48:34) The Yard-O-Led Arcade (54:42) SEE OUR OTHER PODCASTS: Blister Cinematic Bikes & Big Ideas GEAR:30 Blister Podcast BLISTER NEWSLETTER: Get It & Our Weekly Gear Giveaways Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.