Written by Shelby-Liza Ndumbi
Let us introduce you readers to Adriel Murta. He’s a No Frills worker, a Saint-Frère-André Catholic High School graduate, a construction worker, plus a pen and pencil maker. One of the many things he loves to do is watch Anime like Initial D, My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist and possibly even Attack on Titan.
Adriel. M is a smiley type of person, ready to make people laugh and start a conversation with one of his lived stories. His favorite color is blue, between sky or ocean. He’s a 21-year-old Portuguese individual, yet he’s turning 22 this year. Dark black hair, dark brown eyes, light tan skin and he’s about 5’6 or 5’7 more or less.
What’s important here to him is craftsmanship of his new money maker, pens and pencils made entirely by him. His workshop isn’t in your typical studio that you’d find in Downtown or somewhere very classy, he chose his garage as his location of operation. He buys his own tools, wood, machine using income from his other three jobs. He learned how to make pens in high school in wood shop when he still attended three years ago, 2018. You can visit his Instagram here: Adriel’s Pens
Why should this matter to anyone? The perspective of your own craft enterprise, the creation of your own work turned to the public eye. He did something he loved and made it into something bigger; although, it’s a hobby that makes money.
Shelby-Liza Ndumbi: What inspired you to create your own pens and pencils?
Adriel. M: “I just thought that cheap, store bought pens from Staples were whack. And I wanted to spice things up, make something authentic out of exotic wood. Something one of a kind.”
Murta created that business to be able to make some money while also paying student debt, he thinks that it’s better to get paid for something you love to do. Enjoyment is the superior option when dealing with business; otherwise, you get left on the upside-down corner of things. It doesn’t feel like work to him.
“Why did you choose to make pens and pencils rather than anything else?”
Adriel. M: “Pens aren’t the only things I make; I make a lot of other stuff actually. I make bookshelves, I have plans to make a cat tower. I might make one interior for my car; I really want to do that.”
Murta’s hobby gained attention after crafting a few pens and posting them onto his Instagram. Once it got noticed, people would come to him and describe what they want the design to look like. Murta would craft them according to the design the costumer wants, and because of this business, his pens can also get recognition in office buildings for example.
He himself thought that an everyday person that works at an office would wear one of his pens or pencils in their “office arsenal”, when another one notices, they can redirect them to the maker. All the types of engravings, shapes, colours he uses is to craft a pen for every personal taste.
“The types of wood that I use are Purpleheart, Paddock, Redwood, Pink Ivory, Cedar, Burntwood, Olivewood. There are so many different kinds of wood.”
Murta doesn’t have a favorite. The type of wood he finds fascinating is African Ebony, it’s black and it’s one the most difficult ones to work with. There is also Zebrawood he likes, the pattern it makes.
Murta wants to make a website as well so sales go back up, yet he isn’t sure if he’s ready for his pen making hobby to be an official business with dealerships and whatnot. He knows it can go further than being what it is currently, but he prefers to keep it small. Limited. “It can get kind of boring at times.” is what he said. It is, after all, a hobby.
Shelby-Liza Ndumbi: “You mentioned that you create other stuff, aside from pens and
bookshelves, what else do you make?”
Adriel. M: “I’ve made a cane too, baseball bats using a tool that can create a perfect circle. Something circular.”
Dealerships and partnerships are what could come next for his pens already gaining notice and sales, but if he had the opportunity to partner up with other experts, he wouldn’t. He started this side hobby on his own, and he desires to keep it that way. It’s too early right now to say otherwise.
“Why pens?”
“I like writing. Writing is very personal, and I feel like putting your thoughts on a piece of paper is the most personal thing someone can do. I feel that you should be doing that with a really special pen. Someone put thought into making the curves; making everything precise. It’s something nice to have.” Murta said “I kind of see it as a new type of fashion accessory, there are nice colours and stuff like that. For example, they have clips that you can put them in pockets and match it with an outfit. It’s a nice addition to when you’re going to the office.”
Murta works in his garage, as mentioned, and he decided not to move his workshop. With the space he has with or without his car being around, he likes working in that environment... and it keeps his cost down.
Speaking of costs, the machine, the other tools, the wood he uses to craft his pens aren’t cheap, but some can be less expensive. Like Spanish Cedar is less expensive than African Ebony, or the fine metal parts in the kits he buys, it really depends on the type of pen he makes for his customers. What kind do they want? His sales are up 50 per cent.
“Is there anything else you’d like to add?”
Adriel Murta: “It takes about 45 minutes to an hour on average to make one pen, so there is a lot of thought that goes into it, a lot of patience. Hard work. Buy Adriel’s Pens.”
Q&A
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