Shibui North Dragonfly Cthulhu: A Fountain Pen Wrapped in Deep-Sea Horror

Introduction

One of the joys of the fountain pen hobby is discovering what independent artisans can create when they take a fresh direction. Shibui North, the one-woman brand of Ruth Bolton based in Newcastle in the north of England, is a good example. Her pens are made on a CNC machine and finished with techniques like engraving, anodizing, and combinations of those methods, and her recent branch into the Dragonfly line of engraved aluminum models shows real creative ambition.

The Dragonfly Cthulhu is one of those experiments, and in our view it works. It is a Lovecraft-inspired pen with original artwork, a practical cartridge-converter mechanism, and a price of $168 that feels reasonable for what it delivers.

Design and Artwork

The pen is made from aluminum and covered in deep engraving depicting Cthulhu, the fictional cosmic entity created by writer H.P. Lovecraft in the 1928 short story The Call of Cthulhu. Ruth’s artwork does a good job of capturing the creature, and the depth of the engraving adds a three-dimensional, chiseled element that is genuinely uncommon in this price range. The images on the cap and barrel are mirrored, and each side features its own creature.

The engraving is detailed without feeling overly busy, and the minor details hold up well on close inspection.

A few quirks are worth knowing about. The exterior finish is a bit rough, not sharp or uncomfortable, but cleaning the pen with a tissue will leave fibers caught in the nooks and crannies of the engraving. The barrel is slightly longer than the cap, so the barrel artwork is elongated a little to fill the space, which slightly compromises the mirroring. In an ideal world, the artwork would extend into new detail at the end of the barrel instead.

The pen arrives in a simple felt sleeve with a metal dog tag showing the full artwork, a thoughtful touch since art that wraps around a pen is hard to picture as a complete piece otherwise.

Build and Features

This is a clipless pen with a flat cap top, which suits the artwork well; a clip would interrupt the design. The cap angles up, then straightens near the top of the barrel with a minimal transition between the two parts. The barrel tapers evenly to a flat, slightly narrower end. It unposts deliberately: the cap loosely covers the barrel end but is not secure, so this is not a pen designed to be posted. It is long enough to be perfectly comfortable unposted.

The section is a highlight. It begins with a raised ring, angles down, then gradually rises toward the threads. The grooved design locks in your grip impressively well; you can pull on the barrel with minimal grip strength and the pen will not budge. As a 100% aluminum pen, though, dropping it would not be advisable.

Nib and Writing Performance

The Dragonfly Cthulhu ships with a stainless steel number 6 JoWo nib engraved with a simplified stylized Cthulhu motif, a smart choice that keeps the detail legible at nib scale. Medium is the default, but other standard nib sizes can be requested from Ruth through her website after placing an order.

On paper, the nib has noticeable feedback rather than glossy smoothness. Line variation is limited, ink flow sits around medium, perhaps a touch on the low side. Reverse writing produced a decent extra-fine line, and during fast writing the feed kept up very well.

It is a cartridge-converter pen that accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is included.

Buying Advice

At $168, the Shibui North Dragonfly Cthulhu offers a genuinely unique artisan product with chiseled engraving depth that is rare for the money. If you enjoy pens with character, don’t mind a slightly rough exterior texture, and appreciate the Lovecraftian theme, this is an easy recommendation.

If this model doesn’t speak to you, it is worth browsing the rest of the Dragonfly lineup, which includes other imaginative engraved designs like the Koi and the Unicorn Donuts. Ruth is consistently coming up with new and unique work, usually at fairly reasonable prices.

Conclusion

The Dragonfly Cthulhu is a successful experiment: original artwork, thoughtful grip design, and a reliable JoWo nib in a distinctive aluminum body. It has minor rough edges, literally and figuratively, but for anyone drawn to unusual artisan pens, it is worth a close look.