Just Turning Opal Fountain Pen Review: A Customisable Artisan Pen from Australia

Introduction

One of the genuine pleasures of following the fountain pen hobby is discovering makers you had not encountered before. That is exactly the case with Just Turning, a small artisan workshop based in Brisbane, Australia, run by Stephen, who started woodworking as a hobby roughly a decade ago. When his hours at his day job were reduced a few years back, he used the spare time to learn how to create bespoke fountain pens, became one of the only local pen makers, and things snowballed from there. He now makes pens full time, pouring much of his own resin, with help from his wife from time to time, alongside resins from other makers such as Jonathan Brooks and even some old Conway Stewart stock.

The pen reviewed here is built around a single core design that can be ordered with or without a clip, and its standout trait is how customisable it is. Here is how it all comes together.

The Resin: Tim Crow’s Opal

This particular model uses a resin from Tim Crow of the Turnt Pen Company called Opal. The material has a high pearlescence, made up of a swirling white base mixed with hints of pink and blue, and there are tiny wisps of yellow, purple, and red that give it an extra layer of character. It is one of those materials that looks slightly different depending on the angle you hold it at, which keeps it interesting over long writing sessions.

The pen arrives in a simple box with a printed sleeve featuring koalas and kangaroos, a fitting touch for an Australian-made pen.

Design and Build

The finial has a rounded top that transitions into the clip, which fits the overall aesthetic and functions nicely as well. The cap angles up only slightly, about a millimetre and a half from beginning to end. There is no external branding anywhere on the pen. This has been a recurring criticism of smaller bespoke makers: pens from many different artisans can look similar, and nothing on this pen immediately identifies it as a Just Turning piece. Even a small mark on the nib would help, and it is worth considering if you care about recognisability.

At the end of the cap there is a slight rounding and a small step down to the barrel, which runs straight for about half an inch before tapering at the end. A thin silver band sits there, and the barrel end is rounded like the cap top.

Interchangeable Finials and Trim

Because this is a bespoke pen, you can make requests when ordering. You can ask for a different resin on the finial or the end of the barrel, or order an extra set of these materials entirely. Swapping them is genuinely easy: the finial unscrews, and you can change the finial, the barrel end, the clip, and the trim ring at will. That means a silver-trimmed white pen can become a gold-trimmed pen with a pink finial in a couple of minutes.

Nib and Section

The cap twists off with about one and a half rotations, revealing a nib from Mr Cypress, a maker based in Taiwan. This is a number six stainless steel nib, available in extra fine, fine, medium, and broad. If you prefer gold, the pen can be fitted with a JoVo nib in extra fine through double broad, plus 1.1 and 1.5 stubs. A plastic feed sits underneath.

The section is concave and transitions into the threads with a medium-sized step up to the barrel. If you tend to grip a pen close to the end of the section, the concave swell sitting in the middle pushes your grip slightly further back. It is not a big deal, but it is noticeable.

Cap, Posting, and Filling

The pen is plenty long enough to use unposted, which is the preferred way here. The cap does post securely, but not deeply, and it adds noticeable length, creating a bit of a mushroom look. It is not heavy, so it does not back-weight the pen, but unposted is the more balanced option.

This is a cartridge converter pen that accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is included. Since the back piece of the barrel can be removed and interchanged, eyedropper conversion is not recommended. In theory, silicone grease on the section and back piece might work, but you would be pushing your luck.

Pricing and the Custom Body Programme

Just Turning pens range from around $185 to about $285, with this Opal configuration at $255 including finials in the original material. Additional finial sets cost extra, and you can always email Stephen to customise a pen before it is made.

There is also a unique side offering: pen bodies designed to accept the sections of other pens. These fit Sailor Pro Gear, Pro Gear Slim, 911 large and small, the Platinum 3776, and a range of Pilots including the Custom 74, 91, 912, 743, and 742. The threading is cut so your existing nib unit simply screws in. They are not currently listed on the website but are available by request via email, with pricing varying by resin.

Writing Sample and Performance

Testing was done with the fine stainless steel nib and Montblanc Lucky Orange, a saturated orange ink. While mediums or broads are usually preferred, this fine nib is pleasant and offers a little line variation. It runs somewhat on the dry side, and the ink flow would not be called generous, though it gets the job done. Reverse writing produces noticeably lighter flow.

During fast writing there is a hair of feedback, but it is never sharp or scratchy, which is often what spoils fine nibs. It reads as a fair amount of pleasant feedback rather than any kind of grittiness.

Things to Consider Before Buying

• The lack of any branding or maker’s mark means the pen does not identify itself as a Just Turning piece.
• The concave section pushes your grip slightly back if you write close to the section end.
• The cap posts securely but shallowly, adding length and a mushroom-like look.
• Eyedropper conversion is not practical given the removable back piece.
• Custom options such as alternate finials or bespoke bodies are handled by email rather than a standard web listing.

Buying Advice

The Just Turning Opal makes sense for buyers who want a genuinely handcrafted pen with options most factories cannot offer: pick your resin, add a spare finial set, choose a steel or gold nib, or even order a body to accept a nib section you already own and love. At $255 it sits in the accessible end of the bespoke pen market, and the Opal resin itself is a strong reason to pick this specific configuration. If recognisable branding matters to you, ask Stephen about adding a personal mark when you order.

Conclusion

The Just Turning Opal is a well-built, customisable artisan pen with a beautiful pearlescent resin, a serviceable Mr Cypress steel nib, and a level of personalisation that is rare at this price. The missing maker’s mark and the slightly odd posting feel are worth knowing about, but neither undermines what is otherwise a charming first impression from a growing Australian workshop.