Wancher PuChiCo - A Pen for Ants?

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

We all have our reasons for picking the pens we buy. Often, there is something about its look, design, shape, or color. Maybe it has a really cool nib - Monoc, stacked nibs, and flex nibs are some that come to mind. Maybe there is some personal history like a Pilot Myu that was manufactured and stamped with your birth month and year. Other times, something is so ridiculous, you can’t help but get it. That’s what happened to me at last year’s SF Pen Show.

I was at Kirk Speer’s table getting a nib grind when I saw one of the most adorably cute pens I had ever seen and I had to have it.

Wancher PuChiCo, Black Chocolate Orange, though it’s hard to tell how ridiculous it is on its own.

The PuChiCo is part of Wancher’s sub-brand 1xOnexWan, which focuses on more affordable offerings. The PuChiCo is one of three models in that lineup (the other being PoChaCo and Mofu) and costs around $25-30.

The PuChiCo is only available as an eyedropper, and it can hold ~0.5 ml of ink, which is a wee bit more than a Kaweco mini converter (a standard international cartridge can hold about 0.8 ml). I inked mine up with Diamine Orange and quickly realized that I had to leave room for the nib unit, so don’t fill it all the way!

Looking down into the barrel of the PuChiCo, you can see that there is a black o-ring - this is where the nib unit sits against once it’s screwed back in, aka this is your fill line.

I put some dark ink in it so you could see roughly how much ink it holds. The dark part near my fingers is from the black nib unit, and the bottom ⅓-½ is the ink.

You can get the PuChiCo in Extra Fine or Fine - I chose Fine. It wrote right away with no issues. I used it 26 times since I first inked it on Sept. 1 and finally wrote it dry a couple weeks ago, each time with zero issues despite how long it was since I last used it. There is also an o-ring on the nib unit to prevent leaks and having been on a dozen airplanes since I got it, there have been no burps either. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and smooth the Fine nib felt. The nib and feed are similar in size and shape to a Kaweco Sport, but they aren’t exactly the same.

PuChiCo, Fine, with Diamine Orange.

Writing samples of the PuChiCo Fine (top), Kaweco Sport Fine (middle) and Pilot VP Fine (bottom). It’s pretty close, but the Pilot Fine is finer than the other two.

Similar size/shape nib as the Kaweco Sport (ignore the not-yet-cleaned PuChiCo.)

PuChiCo’s feed (left) has more fins and a slightly different shape.

I usually don’t post my pocket pens, not even my Schon Pocket 6 or Kaweco Sport, but I have to post the PuChiCo. It is less than 2.5” long (60mm) un posted and only 3.5” (90mm) long when posted. Even though I love how cute this PuChiCo is, as well as how nicely it writes, I wish that it posted more securely. You really have to push the cap onto the barrel, otherwise the cap pops off easily. Despite my firm posting, I haven’t seen any marks or scratches on the barrel, so that’s a plus.

PuChiCo (left) next to a Kaweco Sport.

Uncapped - I did mention how small this thing is, right?

Posted PuChiCo next to an unposted Sport. It’s still not as long as the Sport, but it’s getting there and is usable for me. Probably still unusable for folks with larger hands or who like gripping their pens further back.

This is ridiculously small unposted. It’s like I have giant hands, lol.

So much better when posted.

Comparison with other pocket pens: Left to Right: PuChiCo, Schon Dsgn Pocket 6, Ensso XS, Kaweco Liliput, Kaweco Sport, Sailor Pro Gear Mini, TWSBI Mini.

Even posted, the PuChiCo is nowhere close to the other posted pocket pens in length.

This article wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t show the PuChiCo with my other stationery for ants, the Kokuyo Campus notebook keychain (approximately A9 in size,) and a normal-sized Aurora Optima and A5 sized Kokuyo Campus notebook, both of which look enormous by comparison, lol.

I love showing it off at meetups and shows because it always elicits plenty of “Omg, what is that little thing? Does it write?” reactions. I’m hoping to get its sibling, PoChaCo, which is the larger version, and also comes in eyedropper or cartridge. The Wancher PuChiCo is available from Kirk Speer of Pen Realm in other colors, including Hawaiian Blue, Peony Pink, and others. Now to re-ink it in time for the St. Louis Pen Show next weekend!

(Disclaimer: I paid full price for the PuChiCo from Kirk Speer at the 2024 SF Pen Show. All other pens/products shown are mine.)

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The Hooligan Pen Experience

It’s rare that I’m left speechless, but when Tim Cullen of Hooligan Georgia Pens says “I’m going to make you a pen,” what do you say?

Yes, please.

That’s how it began with Tim and I at the 2024 Atlanta Pen Show. That is where we met for the first time, a few months after Caroline’s Meet Your Maker profile. I had seen Tim’s work before, which always stood out to me as being extremely unique and customized to the client.

So yeah, Tim basically said “I’m making you a pen. I’ll be in touch later in the year when your spot comes up.”

That’s the thing with Hooligan. Since Tim’s pens feature hand-turned and hand-made customizations, they take time to make. I think he told me somewhere around 60-70 pens a year? Given the time and detail he put into my pen, I’m surprised it is that many.

If you couldn’t tell by the title, I’m calling this post an experience, rather than a review. Each pen Tim makes is a 1 of 1, and during the making of mine, he communicated with me every step of the way, and involved me in every decision.

“Which material do you want?” Ebonite.

“Which color?” Green and Black swirl.

“What metal for the clip?” That Bronze one looks cool.

“Clip etching?” Duh.

“You know I draw and hand-engrave that myself, right?” Whoa.

“I’m making the nib today. I’ll send it to Mark Bacas when done and you can get a grind on it.” Medium Stub will be perfect.

This is just a sampling of our discussions throughout the process. Tim even asked if he was sending me too many messages, and I said “heck no!” He was legitimately excited to make something and share it with me as he went. I’m the lucky one to be on the receiving end of his craftsmanship.

On delivery at the 2025 Atlanta Pen Show, Tim and I went and sat at the bar so he could spend time with me going over every detail. For example, since he makes his own nibs, he has custom dual-channel feeds made for them. In conjunction with a high-capacity converter, his pens are made to lay down the ink. He also serializes each nib - by hand, of course.

Tim sent me this image before seating the nib.

How the pen writes is a statement befitting the pen itself. It’s a big pen that is well-balanced, and comfortable to use. The ink flows smoothly and consistently, and the addition of the nib grind allows it to fit my handwriting style perfectly. It’s as awesome to use as it is to look at.

The Waterfall Clip, in all its glory.

I hope using the pen is the end goal of anyone working with Tim. I think that is the best way to respect craftsmanship like this. I’ll be using it frequently, and I’ll be sharing it with others, too. This pen deserves as much, and to be on the receiving end of a gift such as this, well, that’s the least I can do.

In a bit of fortunate timing, I learned Tim is starting up a YouTube channel to share his work, and to help makers who are interested in making their own pens. From his Instagram:

“Have you ever wanted to learn to make truly one of a kind custom fountain pens? Well I’ll be making easy to follow instructional videos that explain my process on a wide range of topics, from nib making to hand engraving. I also hope to have a few special guests during this chapter of my pen making career.”

How lucky are we to be in a community that loves to share like this? We have seen it for years with people like Jonathon Brooks, Jim Hinze, Shawn Newton, Jon Tello, and on and on and on. I try to do the same, and will always support those who do.

To wrap this experience up, how can you get a Hooligan Pen, and how much are they? Tim only does custom work, so you can contact him via his website to discuss your ideas. And as you might imagine, the cost varies based on the design and materials. My pen was a gift from Tim, and I never inquired as to what it would sell for. Based on time, materials, and the level of detail and craftsmanship, you can assume it will have a cost relative to the work involved.

Teranishi Guitar Night Time Soda ink, on Life Stationery Letter Paper.

If you have dreamed about creating a specialty pen just for yourself, or to tell a story and share with others, I can’t imagine a better choice than working with Hooligan Pens and seeing what you and Tim can create. Thank you Tim for letting me be part of your journey!

(Hooligan Georgia Pens gifted me this pen at no cost.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

8 is Auspicious

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

In many Asian cultures, especially in the Chinese culture (of which I am a part), the number 8 is an auspicious/lucky number. The number 8 in Chinese sounds similar to the word prosperity so it is quite common to see the number 8 for personalized license plates, addresses (it’s lucky to have a street address with 8, but 4 is a no-no because it sounds like death), etc. In my case, it’s been 8 years since I got my first fountain pens on May 31, 2017, so let’s take a walk down memory lane to see the early days.

I discovered fountain pens by way of Bullet Journaling so I pulled out my first BuJo to see how this turned into a pen addiction 🙂

First pens (top to bottom): Lamy Safari, Pilot Metropolitan, Platinum Preppy.

One of the spreads in my Leuchtturm 1917 A5 dot grid notebooks shows the beginning of the fall down the rabbit hole. There were many, MANY purchases in rapid succession.

My bullet journal has always been for my personal use and never something I created for social media. Clearly, I did not care about the handwriting in my bullet journal back then (or even now), lol.

This was kind of fun to look back at and see what pens I wanted.

Looking back, I would have no idea that I’d really get into certain pens (TWSBI Eco, Lamy AL-Star, cough cough), or that I’d eventually own quite a few on the list (Pilot Custom 74, VP, Platinum 3776, Visconti Van Gogh), and which ones I put in the “Dream On” column that aren’t on my radar at all, as well some that I ended up getting like the Aurora Optima Nebulosa (I realized I prefer the Optima to the 88) and Pelikan M800 Souveran. I remember adding the Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age because it seemed like that was everyone’s grail pen back then (and still is for some folks), but the black with bronze trim didn’t really excite me (still doesn’t), but everyone else must know something I don’t, right? Wrong! We all like different things, so go ahead and like what you like! It’s also good/fine/normal/natural to like/love some things and having your tastes change over time. It’s a healthy part of any hobby and makes this rabbit hole all the more interesting.

One of the things that drew me into this rabbit hole was not only the cool looking fountain pens, but all the different colors of inks! I had used the Sheaffer calligraphy set when I was a kid, and it came with ink cartridges in 8 colors (blue, blue-black, and black being 3 of them). Not only were there more colors but sheen was becoming a big thing too - Akkerman Shocking Blue, Diamine Majestic Blue, Organics Studio Nitrogen, etc. just looked magical on paper!

My first pen/ink log. I maintained this throughout multiple bullet journals until a couple years ago. Also, goodness gracious, I clearly don’t care how ugly my writing is.

My ink wish list - clearly I am a blue and purple ink fan, but we already knew that. With very few exceptions, I think I own everything on this list, and then some, oops!

Bullet journaling also led me to fountain pens by way of Rock Your Handwriting, where folks posted pictures of their handwriting practice along with their pens and inks. As soon as I got my pens, I started my own journey to improve my handwriting, which used to be really nice from middle school through college, but went to crap after a long career in front of a computer.

One of many Clairefontaine French-ruled notebooks that I used to practice my handwriting daily. This was the prettiest I could make it back in June of 2017.

While I don’t use writing prompts any more, I do still practice my handwriting, still using the same Clairefontaine French-ruled notebooks, only now I’m working on Hamilton lyrics.

Eight years in and I write even more today than I did back then, whether it’s the day’s to-do list in BuJo #11, a packing list for the next pen show, transcribing Italian kids’ books, Meditations in typewriter font, journaling in my TN, or creating my next Currently Inked. I still get excited for new releases, whether they are Kaweco Sports and TWSBI (thank goodness the Precision now comes in Gemini Blue!) or other eye candy. Heck, I even love some non-fountain pens! I love using my pens and inks to learn, remember, be productive, and get thoughts on paper. I still love going to & working at pen shows, making new friends and seeing folks that have since become family. There’s always something new to learn, discover, and try, and I can’t wait to do more. It’s been a wonderful eight years, thank you for being a part of it. Eight more years (and beyond), let’s GO!!