Ryan Krusac Chronicle C17 Review: A Handmade Rosewood Fountain Pen With Real Character

Introduction

Some pens you go looking for, and some simply stop you in your tracks. The Ryan Krusac Chronicle C17 falls firmly into the second category. Spotted at a recent pen show, this new model from the Georgia-based maker stood out immediately thanks to its torpedo shape and a particularly attractive piece of rosewood. This review covers the design, the nib, sizing, and how it actually writes, with the aim of helping you decide whether a handturned pen like this deserves a place in your collection.

First Impressions and Design

The Chronicle C17 is a new model from Ryan Krusac, a maker who has been a fixture in the handcrafted pen world for many years from his workshop in Georgia, roughly an hour north of Atlanta. The 17 in the name refers to the length of the pen, part of a numbering system used across his lineup.

This particular example is turned from rosewood, also called tulip wood, with darker brown and reddish brown grain that gives it a warm, distinctive look. The profile is a torpedo shape: a rounded cap end, a cap that tapers up and then straightens about an inch and a half before the transition to the barrel, a smooth small step down, roughly two inches of straight barrel, and a tapering end similar to the cap.

The wood is genuinely the highlight here. It is not a particularly heavy wood, so the pen feels fairly light and comfortable in the hand. One practical note: this is not a pen meant for posting, and with a wooden barrel you would not want to force the cap onto the back end anyway.

Nib and Section

Under the cap, which twists off with about four rotations, sits a number six stainless steel JoWo nib with a plastic feed and the maker’s engraving. Ryan offers a wide variety of nib choices, including upgrades to gold, so the steel nib here is the starting point rather than the limit.

The section is ebonite, beginning with a slight flare and then angling up to threads at the back. While it might look like a large step up to the barrel, it is not intrusive. The section is long enough to push your grip out a little and bypass the transition, and even if your thumb rests on it, the join is smooth enough that it does not impede your grip at all.

Filling and Everyday Use

The Chronicle C17 is a cartridge converter pen. It accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is provided, so you can choose whichever filling approach suits your routine. Combined with the light weight and comfortable section, it behaves well as a daily writer despite its handcrafted origins.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing depends on the wood used, generally falling in the 325 to 425 range, with this rosewood example sitting right around 350. If you ever get the chance to visit Ryan’s table at a pen show, it is well worth spending some time there. His pens consistently show the highest quality of workmanship, and he has a real knack for sourcing interesting woods.

Size Comparisons

The C17 sits alongside a family of numbered models. Comparisons with a Legend 16, a Legend 15, and a Legend 14 show the range of sizes his numbering system covers, with the Chronicle 17 being a comfortable mid-sized option.

His other woods and materials are worth seeing too: an ebony Legend 16 made from a single piece of wood that transitions from black to blonde, a scrimshaw pen on aged moose antler with flame-treated nib, a cocobolo Legend 16, a Honduras rosewood Legend 15, and an ebony Legend 14.

Writing Sample and Performance

The writing sample was done with a broad stainless steel nib and Diamine Ancient Copper, a reddish brown ink that pairs nicely with the wood. For comparison, Private Reserve Copper Burst is almost the same color with a bit more shading, while Bung Box Piano Mahogany leans slightly more red.

As for the nib itself, this number six JoWo is very nice and nicely tuned. You can get a lot of line variation out of it, though ink flow for a broad is on the medium side. Reverse writing is a little hit and miss, but for fast writing the feed keeps up well, which matters for everyday use.

Buying Advice

The Chronicle C17 makes sense for anyone who wants a handturned wooden pen rather than a mass-produced one. Check the wood before buying, since price and appearance both vary by material, and consider whether the steel JoWo nib suits you or whether a gold upgrade is worth it. If you enjoy warm, organic materials and a comfortable unposted grip, this model is an easy recommendation.

Conclusion

The Ryan Krusac Chronicle C17 is a charming new model: an attractive torpedo shape in a lovely rosewood, a well-tuned stainless steel JoWo nib, a comfortable ebonite section, and straightforward cartridge converter filling. It is the kind of pen that rewards a look in person, and it would not be surprising to see this reviewer pick up another in a different wood down the line.