Schon Design Peak (Peekaboo) Review: A Fountain Pen Made From PEEK

Introduction

Schon Design, the Philadelphia-based manufacturer run by Ian Schon, has built a reputation for experimenting with new designs and unusual materials. The Peak, nicknamed the Peekaboo, continues that run. It is machined from PEEK, a high-performance engineering plastic rarely seen in consumer goods, and it is produced as a limited run of just 200 units. The unit reviewed here was the very first model off the production line.

First Impressions

The name works on three levels. PEEK is short for polyetheretherketone, the material the pen is made from. Peekaboo is also a song by Devo, and a small ghost engraved on the barrel nods to the wordplay and the near-Halloween launch. The engraving is machined rather than laser-etched, and the quality shows: the lines are crisp and clean, and the branding blends in without being distracting.

Visually, the material is a straight tan, and the finish does not feel cheap in the hand. It is a light pen, but it reads as a quality object rather than a budget one. Notably, this is the first Schon Design pen to carry exterior branding, a suggestion the maker appears to have taken on board. Because machined engraving presented some production challenges, it remains to be seen whether it will appear on future models.

Material and Design

PEEK is used in aerospace, oil and gas, medical and science applications, food and beverage production, and semiconductor manufacturing. This specific material is virgin PEEK, which is naturally abrasion resistant and offers excellent strength, stability, and resistance to harsh chemicals. That background makes it a genuinely unusual choice for a pen.

The Peak shares its dimensions with the other models in Schon Design’s engineered plastics lineup, the Ultem and the black Ultem, and the parts are interchangeable across those models. The cap is clipless and comes to a rounded point, angling up slightly over about a millimeter before straightening out. The barrel runs straight for roughly two inches before tapering to a rounded point slightly smaller than the cap’s. The cap twists off with two and a quarter rotations.

Nib and Writing Performance

Under the cap sits a number six stainless steel JoWo nib, available in extra fine, fine, medium, broad, and both 1.1 mm and 1.5 mm stubs. There is no larger section for a Bock 380 nib like the one offered for the Ultem, but since parts interchange across the engineered plastic models, an Ultem section will fit and effectively create a hybrid Peak-Ultem pen.

In testing, the medium stainless steel nib wrote very well. As with most steel nibs, there is little line variation even under firm pressure. Ink flow was decent, and the feed kept up with fast writing without issue. Reverse writing was not a strength of this particular nib. The section is concave and medium in size, with threads that are not sharp or uncomfortable if your grip lands on them.

Filling System and Eyedropper Potential

The Peak is a cartridge converter pen that accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is included in the box. Because the barrel is one solid piece with no metal inside, the pen is a strong candidate for eyedropper conversion if you want maximum capacity. There is an O-ring on the section to provide a solid barrier, though a little silicone grease on the threads would still be sensible.

The cap also carries an interior O-ring that engages during the last half turn of capping, which keeps the pen securely sealed. One small care note: some inks may seem to stain the section, but a dry tissue alone will not lift it. A wet tissue removes the residue immediately.

Size, Balance, and Comparisons

The Peak is plenty long enough to use unposted, and it feels comfortable and well balanced in the hand. The cap is not designed to post. It can be forced onto the barrel, but it is not secure, so this is a pen meant to be used unposted, and it works well that way.

Side by side, it matches the Schon Design Ultem exactly in dimensions and nearly exactly in weight. It sits comfortably alongside other pocket-friendly and full-size pens in a comparison set that included the Kaweco Sport AL, the Schon Design Pocket Six, the Spoke Icon, the Faber-Castell Loom, and the Lamy 2000.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The Peak retails for $275. That is not insignificant, and the light weight of PEEK will not suit anyone who wants a hefty pen. The cap does not post, and the branding, while charming, is minimal. On the other hand, you get a solid pen in a genuinely rare material, engraving quality that reflects real attention to detail, and the support of a small manufacturer that keeps innovating.

Buying Advice

With only 200 units in this run and no indication of another, the Peekaboo is unlikely to stay available for long. If the material, the design, or the ghost appeals to you, acting sooner rather than later is the practical move. Fountain pen enthusiasts who value unusual materials and small-batch manufacturing are the clear audience here, and for them it is worth a close look.

Conclusion

The Schon Design Peak is a well-executed use of an uncommon material, pairing virgin PEEK’s durability with a reliable JoWo nib, thoughtful sealing details, and the option to eyedropper it. It is not cheap, but it is distinctive, limited, and made by a brand that keeps raising its own bar. For collectors and material-curious writers, it is an easy recommendation while stock lasts.