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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, I 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)