Connor Woodward

Mightier than the Sword
Towamencin boy puts twist on penmanship
By: BRIAN BINGAMAN
Staff Writer
The Reporter

Ever have a pen that became your favorite because you liked the way it looked or because it just felt better in your hand than any other pen?
Those are the kinds of pens 8 year-old Connor Woodward hand crafts in his basement in Towamencin with his doting dad, Kali, offering guidance and support when needed.
“Lathe, polish, buff, assemble, then write with and enjoy,” said Woodward, giving a quick overview of the pen-making process that he and his father discovered at a wood turning and pen show in Philadelphia.
Two of the first pens that the home-schooled Woodward made two months ago with his father were carved out of cedar and were about as thick as a cigar.
Subsequent creations got significantly fancier and upscale thanks to the pen kits they order. Materials that give the pens an appealing, exotic look include colorful acrylic, ebony, zebrawood, countertop-hard Corian, polymer clay beads, and even gold and platinum plate.
“This is our most prized possession,” Woodward beamed as he showed his “Tiki Tiki” pen.
Each pen is a one-of-a-kind creation, which is why the Woodwards keep a photo album of their pens. “I think that’s why people like them,” said Kali Woodward.
“It’s a good craft for kids because you get a sense of satisfaction. But you need the right tools.”
The tools of the trade consist of a lathe, drill press, band saw and a pen press to insert the pen mechanism.
The pens are available at Looks Salon on Skippack Pike in Worcester and Coffeehead in the Univest complex in Towamencin and range from $15-$65 (“They’re not cheap components,” Kali Woodward said).
“I think this boy is an entrepreneur and we’ll be hearing from him (when he makes a future fortune),” said Elaine Mario Pizzo, who operates Looks with her husband, Jim.
She said that the Woodwards were enthusiastic when they found out that instead of taking a percentage of the profit, the salon would donate 20 to 30 percent of sales to Indian Valley Housing Corp., an organization close to Pizzo’s heart because of how many women and children it helps.
“(Connor) said: “If I sell my best pen, you can give it all.’ He’s got a big heart too,” Pizzo said.
“It’s good to give back,” Kali Woodward said.
“We’ve sold about 10 of them,” said Kim Diehl, owner of Coffeehead, who’s carried the pens for about a month. “As soon as you say it’s from an 8 year-old, it changes the whole story.”

BRIAN BINGAMAN 215 412 8905 :

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Published – 03/13/06, The Reporter