About Us

About Hinze Pen Company

Origins

Hinze Pen Company was formally established in early 2018 in the Dallas, Texas area. Before that, founder Jim Hinze operated as a sole proprietorship, turning kit and component-based pens alongside wooden bowls, hollow forms, and other craft work. Drawing on a background in furniture making, hand-tool creation, and general craftsmanship, Jim gradually shifted toward fully custom pens. The company was formed to support that growth—enabling pen-show attendance, expanded online sales, and a more structured path forward.

Teaching & Tools

Jim has long been committed to sharing the craft. Since 2017 he has taught aspiring makers through demonstrations and one-on-one sessions at pen-turner gatherings across the country. Helping kit makers transition to fully custom work remains a core part of his contribution to the community. He has also designed and produced specialized tools, including tenon cutters and mandrel sets, that help others move into fully custom work.

Innovation

Growth has been deliberately measured under the guidance of Jim Hinze and Francisco Lopez. The priority has always been to deliver on every commitment rather than expand faster than capacity allows. This disciplined approach has protected customer relationships and created space for ongoing innovation.

One of the most distinctive of those innovations is Hinze’s custom-color electroplating process. The company originated color-electroplated nibs and clips in the United States, using a specialized nano-ceramic coating applied through electroplating. The result offers vibrant color, improved durability, and a distinctive finish. Hinze has plated components for brands including Esterbrook, Nahvalur, Pen Realm, and a range of independent makers. Color plating remains the company’s clearest differentiator.

Equally important are the in-house resins created by Starry Night Resins. These hand-poured materials give Hinze pens their distinctive depth, color, and character, and set them apart from makers who rely solely on commercially available blanks.

Retail Growth

Hinze has focused on bringing handcrafted quality to a wider audience through collaborations, limited editions, and retail partnerships. It is one of the few small makers to have successfully entered the retail channel. Atlas Stationers began carrying Hinze pens in 2021, shortly after the height of the pandemic; the assortment has since grown to more than a dozen models. Pen Chalet added the brand in 2023, first with a limited edition and later with standard models. Additional partnerships with retailers such as Dromgoole’s, Vanness, and others have further expanded availability. Today Hinze is widely recognized as a small American manufacturer rather than solely an independent maker.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing continues to rely on traditional methods. Two full-time makers work on manual machines to produce every pen that leaves the shop. In late 2026 Hinze plans to introduce its first CNC machine and to divide the product line into Custom and Commercial offerings. This move will support further growth and additional retail relationships while preserving the handmade and custom work that defines the company’s roots. Even with the addition of CNC capability, every pen will continue to be finished, written with, and tuned by hand.

Customer service has always been a point of pride. The team consistently goes to significant lengths to ensure every customer is fully satisfied with their pen.

Core Team

Jim Hinze – Principal

Pen maker, designer, and teacher. A software engineer by profession, Jim has spent many years refining his craft through experimentation and practice.

Francisco Lopez – Principal

Sales, marketing, and relationships. Francisco works in commercial insurance by day and provides the organizational balance to Jim’s creative focus. The two met at a Dallas farmers market where Jim sold kit pens; Francisco encouraged the move into full custom manufacturing and has been a constant presence in the pen-show community ever since.

Rachel Washington – Senior Pen Maker

Jim’s niece, Rachel joined the company in 2021. She originally intended only to help with polishing, but Jim encouraged her to try manufacturing. She adapted quickly and has since become one of the strongest makers in the field.

Elyce Longazelle – Starry Night Resins

Elyce creates the majority of the resins used by Hinze. She began working with resin in 2018 after she and Jim started dating; Jim was struggling to match a specific resin for a Papier Plume project, and her background in painting and craft allowed her to achieve the desired result on the first attempt. She has continued pouring resin ever since and operates Starry Night Resins, supplying both independent makers and commercial pen companies.

Natalie Longazelle – Chief Polishing Officer

Elyce’s daughter, Natalie handles the final sanding, polishing, and finishing of every pen that leaves the shop.