The infinitely variable characteristics of wood, ie grain, colour etc make each pen unique. The challenge undertaken is in the degree of difficulty - pen making is not particularly difficult – it is often made difficult to obtain even more unique writing instruments.

John Lucas’ Writing Instruments are made from spalted (half rotten) wood, dead wood, green wood, knotty wood and distressed wood. It is by this ‘degree of difficulty’ that a pen is often priced. Some take a comparatively short time to make others can take days.