Episode 233: The Dark Side of STEM (with special guest Ian Schon)

Main image: Ian Schon of SCHONDSGN, machining custom fountain pen parts. Inset: A closeup of a fountain pen with the Monoc nib, a nib he designed and created. Photos provided by Ian Schon.

We’re back, after two months away! Sorry for the silence, friends. But we think we have something really special for you — a guest we’ve wanted to come on the show for almost 6 years. It’s Ian Schon of SCHONDSGN, a craftsman who makes incredible, unique fountain pens. We’re talking about his journey to  starting his own company, design and engineering challenges that fountain pens present, and his foray into his greatest challenge; making the Monoc, his own fountain pen nib from bars of titanium.

For this episode, we recorded video, available to Patreon subscribers! If you’re a patron, head over to see our faces and visual examples of many of the things we discuss. And if you’re not a patron, join us at any level and you can see this and other supplemental content at any time!