Nib Making, Engine Turning, & Hand Chasing: the Art of Pen & Pencil Making with Giles English of Yard-O-Led
Description
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:
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 NEWSLETTER:
Get It & Our Weekly Gear Giveaways
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.




