Bamboo Reed Dip Pen
Price range: $11 through $17
Hand-whittled bamboo reed dip pen, crafted for expressive mark-making and non-traditional calligraphy. Each pen is a tool for intentional, tactile creation.
I hand-cut local, invasive running bamboo into various lengths and nib styles, then carefully sand each tip for precision. Each reed is sanitized in a mild vinegar-and-water solution to eliminate burrowed insects, baked to remove any remaining spores, and finished with a protective layer of polycrylic.
The pens vary in length, tip shape, and reservoir design, each encouraging a distinct type of mark:
- Small (<5" length): Broad or fine tip with a reservoir for delicate, wrist-controlled strokes.
- Medium (5–7" length): Broad or fine tip with a reservoir, ideal for balanced, expressive lines.
- Large (7–10" length): Broad tip without a reservoir, designed for bold, gestural marks using full-arm movement.
Selecting a bamboo reed dip pen is more than choosing a tool; it’s an opportunity to engage fully with hand, body, and surface. Every cut, sanding, and finish embodies the intentional labor and philosophy of Labor de Arte.
