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If you’ve been around for a bit, you might know the Scribedriver pen and pencil wasn’t originally part of the plan. It all started with a problem: a batch of screwdriver shafts that couldn’t actually be used as screwdrivers. The knurling lacked fully formed diamond peaks, and some areas showed signs of double-tracking. The quality just did not meet our standards to be used in the screwdrivers. Most companies would toss them, but we figured, “Wait, what if we didn’t add to the giant metal graveyard?”
So instead of scrapping them, we turned those shafts into something new: the Scribedriver Bolt Action pen. And you all went absolutely wild for it.
Designing it came with some fun constraints. The outer diameter was locked in because of the recycled shaft. Although not strictly required, the inner diameter was intentionally specified to accommodate a widely used standard refill, to uphold our commitment to repairability and straightforward component replacement. Within our own team there was no single favorite refill and we know you will have your own preferences, so we chose the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 as a reliable all round option while still giving you the flexibility to use the refill you already know and love. To meet the above requirement it meant the threads between the two halves ended up extremely fine.
Take a look at the scribedriver prototype map below to see the journey of how a failed scribedriver turned into a crowd favourite writing tool.
Your support blew us away and it pushed us to begin work on the Scribedriver Mechanical Pencil right away. During development we chose not to include an eraser because we could not find a replaceable version that met our quality standards.
Because of that overwhelming support, we are now reaching the end of our recycled shaft supply. There are no additional recycled units coming from the factory, so the remaining inventory in our warehouses is the last of it. We saved a limited number of the original shafts for a special project later on. As we transition to fully manufactured shafts, we are improving consistency, durability and overall build quality. We also spent a surprising amount of time matching the original knurling without making it overly aggressive. It sounds straightforward but it was not!
Just take a look at the below for all the knurling we tested.
Over the past year we pushed the design even further. We started lubricating the O-ring to prevent breakage, and we adjusted the pen tip opening from 2.63 +/- 0.03mm to 2.6 +/- 0.01mm for better stability. With those refinements finalized, we were ready to build something special.
We’re launching the Black Scribedriver Pen & Pencil. These have a sleek, refined black finish using a tough PVD coating that resists scratching. They’re stylish, durable, and the first to feature our new knurling. Quantities are limited for this release, though we’re open to restocking if there’s strong interest.
As for what’s next, we can’t promise anything yet, but we’re exploring some ideas. If you remember the original screwdriver launch, you might recall the black-shaft version. It didn’t stick around because the electrophoresis coating didn’t meet our durability standards. This new PVD coating solves those issues, so let’s just say a black-shaft screwdriver making a comeback isn’t off the table.
* Although the PVD coating resists scratches from everyday items like keys, harder materials may still mark the surface.
Thank you so much for the support. You’re the reason projects like this exist. If you want to check out the new Black Scribedriver Pen & Pencil, they’re available now on the LTT Store.
Thanks for being here,
The LTT Store Team
The LTT Store Team
