Some people just seem to be born entrepreneurs, take for instance Yianni Giannaris at 16 years of age he has recently launched his own business making pens using natural materials.
His passion for woodworking developed as he was growing up, watching his creative father for hours on end in their basements professional workshop.
Yianni recalls on his web site nfpens.com how seeing a pen making a demonstration at a woodworking show prompted him to ask his dad to buy him everything he needed to start making his own pens. After learning how to use a lathe this young man has honed his skills & been making turnings & pens from an early age.
With the full support of his parents, he has used his creative flair & talent to create North Fork Signature Turnings. Each pen is crafted using time & patience, cutting the chosen material with a band saw & using materials like brass tube, chisels, a lathe & drill press. The finished products can take anything from one & a half to ten hours depending upon the material being used.
There are a number of pens for sale, including the North Fork Driftwood, crafted from things like maple found on a Santorini beach, antlers & coffee beans from a world-renowned coffee roaster.
Yianni also offers a bespoke service and suggests that an old piece of furniture that has outgrown its use can be immortalised “by turning some of it into a pen, letter opener or shaving brush”
Not yet sure of the path he will follow in the future, Yianni is certain that pens will always be a creative pastime, he feels a connection with nature & the outdoors when working with wood & enjoys watching the expression on peoples faces when they see the fruits of his labour for the very first time & to use Yianni’s words “each pen tells a story”
