Pen 1811 3D Printed Fountain Pens: Sakura and Cobra Roll Stoppers Review

Introduction

Most 3D printed pens look exactly like what they are: layered lines of resin stacked on top of each other. The 3D printed fountain pens from Pen 1811 are the exception. From across a desk, you would never guess these are printed at all. The surfaces are smooth, the detail is sharp, and each pen is topped with a sculptural roll stopper that gives it a genuinely original character.

The pens on offer here are the black fountain pen with Sakura roll stopper and the black fountain pen with Cobra roll stopper. They share the same body and nib configuration, so the choice really comes down to which sculpture speaks to you: a cluster of cherry blossoms or a coiled snake.

The Maker Behind Pen 1811

Pen 1811 is the work of Yoshi Nakama, a craftsman based in Brooklyn, New York. He came to the United States from Japan in the late 1970s to study fine art and spent nearly 30 years working as a fabricator, building scale models and large fiberglass structures for a well-known artist. In 2012 he bought a wood lathe, started making bowls and plates, and eventually moved into pens, first making kit pens and then pouring his own resins to create fully original work.

The company name comes from the street address of his home in Brooklyn, and the operation is essentially a one-man shop, with family help on the business side. Every pen arrives in a plain box with a business card whose picture matches the pen inside, and a small felt sleeve to protect it.

His resin pens, such as the night sky Sakura and pink Sakura models, are widely admired for their engraved-and-filled flower detailing, where each blossom is a separate resin inlay rather than paint. The 3D printed models reviewed here are a different branch of his work, and a very affordable entry into the brand.

Design and Build Quality

Everything except the nib unit is 3D printed in a UV-curing resin. Under normal viewing there is no visible layering at all; only under heavy magnification can you find faint traces of the printing process. The finish looks cast rather than printed, which is a real technical achievement.

The barrel begins straight, then tapers down along its length, a shape reminiscent of a desk pen without being overly long. The taper is not purely aesthetic: it allows the cap to post at the same length as the thickest part of the barrel. The whole exterior carries a pebbled texture that feels soft in the hand and adds grip without any sharp edges. The cap edge in particular is smooth and does not bite into your hand when posted.

The cap twists off with a single rotation, revealing a stainless steel number 6 JoWo nib with a plastic feed. The section flares minimally and uses the same pebbled texture, so you can comfortably place your grip anywhere along it, forward or back. There is no branding anywhere on the exterior, and the cap-to-barrel transition is seamless.

The Sakura roll stopper is a cluster of cherry blossoms with impressive sculptural detail, while the Cobra version wraps a finely detailed snake around the cap top. Both are the defining feature of these pens and both are beautifully rendered.

Nib Options and Filling System

The stainless steel JoWo nib is available in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, and 1.1 and 1.5 stubs. Yoshi tunes and adjusts every nib before it ships, and it shows. The medium nib on the test pen was noticeably smoother than a standard out-of-the-box JoWo, with decent flow for a medium point.

The pen is a cartridge-converter design that accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is included in the box. Posting the cap is deep and secure, adds girth to the back of the pen without noticeable weight, and the pen balances well in that configuration.

Writing Performance

In use, the medium nib is about as smooth as a stock steel nib gets, likely among the best-tuned examples of this nib unit available anywhere. Reverse writing is a little sharp but workable, and the feed keeps up fine during fast writing.

With shimmering inks, flow stayed consistent and the pebbled section kept its grip even over longer sessions. The lightweight body means this is not a pen you feel fatigue from, whether posted or unposted.

Pricing and Availability

The Pen 1811 3D printed models are priced at $150 and are available only directly from Pen 1811. The brand runs its sales through an Etsy store, so expect the website to redirect you there. Availability is inconsistent by design: models come and go, and you never quite know what will be in the shop at any given time.

At that price, these feel reasonable for what you receive: a handcrafted, individually made pen from an experienced artisan with a tuned nib included. It is a genuinely accessible entry point into a distinctive brand.

Which One Should You Choose?

Functionally, the two pens are identical, so this is a decision about sculpture, not performance. The Sakura roll stopper suits anyone drawn to delicate, botanical detail, and pairs nicely with the floral resin pens in the wider Pen 1811 range. The Cobra is the more dramatic choice, with a coiled snake whose finely modeled head makes the pen instantly recognizable on a desk.

If you want a sculptural, conversation-starting pen with a properly tuned nib and an approachable price, either model delivers. The only real caution is availability: because these are made in a small shop, the model you want may not be in stock when you look for it.

Conclusion

Pen 1811’s 3D printed fountain pens are some of the most convincing examples of the technology in the pen world, with sculptural roll stoppers, a comfortable pebbled grip, well-balanced posting, and smooth tuned JoWo nibs. For $150, they offer a distinctive, handcrafted alternative to mass-produced pens and a very approachable entry into a respected artisan brand.