Official Gadgeteer Hands On Review: Wooden Stylus Pen
by Judie Clark
Last date revised: 12/05/2000

Product Requirements:
Device:
Any touch screen device

If you are ready for something different and a bit more customized for your PDA stylus, maybe you should take a look at what James Lambert is creating at Woodpens.com.

Realizing that many people are not satisfied with using a thin stock stylus, James has created a distinctive line of beautiful hand-turned wooden pens, equipped with what appears to be the PDA panache cross pen refill. Since that happens to be one of my favorite types of stylus tips, I already figured that I would be pleased with the writing quality on my PDA�s screen � and I was not disappointed.

Some of the finest woods available from all around the world are being utilized to create custom styli made to your specifications. In fact, James offers over 40 choices of domestic and exotic woods to choose from. I know we�ve all heard of Maple, Oak, and Cherry, and he does use those woods. But if you�re into something a little more unusual, what about trying Chechen (from Central America), Bubinga (from West Africa), or Pink Ivory (from East & South Africa) � one of the rarest woods in the world?

My first impression of the stylus that I was presented with for review was very favorable. The wood is beautiful, and the style of the pen is timeless. Basically, it looks like the classic Cross style, with gold plated accents at the clip, middle, and the tip.

My stylus is made of Tulipwood, which I confess, I had never heard of before.

Tulipwood is a beautifully striped hardwood with so many colors that it is quite lovely to look at. In my particular pen, I can see pinks, dark browns, an almost purple red, and a yellowish tan. It�s all quite pretty how the colors go together.

Who knew that wood could be so beautiful?

The way his pens are done really shows off the grain of the wood, and makes your stylus look like something truly personal and custom made, which it actually is. My stylus also feels so smooth and looks so �silky� that I actually caught myself rubbing the barrel of the stylus, just to enjoy the feel of it.

My particular stylus has a titanium nitride finish, under 24k gold plating. That meant absolutely nothing to me, until I read James�s informative FAQ page, and found that this basically means that I should never have to worry about my gold finish wearing off � which is very cool.

I was pleased to find that custom laser engraving is also an option for an additional $5. What a perfect gift for someone who either has �everything�, or is generally impossible to buy for.

Speaking of gift giving, the wooden stylus comes with a velveteen sleeve at no extra charge. This is perfect when you are giving the gift to yourself, and you�re not expecting a gift box. However, if the gift is for someone other than yourself, you might want to opt for the upgrade to a wooden presentation case ($5.00), a leatherette case ($5.00), or a velvet case ($5.95). Personally, I�d continue the theme, and go with a wooden case.

Something interesting worth noting, is that James will even use your wood to make a custom stylus or pen from, if you have a particular piece that has sentimental value to you � at no extra cost.

Truly, this is a great product at a reasonable price. I have actually had to fight off people that wanted to �borrow� mine, and I imagine that if you get one, you might want to opt for the personalization, just to make sure that honest people are kept honest. J

 

Price: $34.95, with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee

Pros:
Beautiful, custom made styli
Chose from over 40 exotic and native woods
PDA panache style tip
If stylus tip is ever damaged, they will replace it for free

Cons:
None

Let me know your comments on the Wooden Stylus and read what others have to say.