The Enduring Appeal of Yard-O-Led

There are some things in this life that you don’t so much choose as fall into. Love, for instance. Or jazz. Or oysters. Yard-O-Led is one of those things.

When I say I love Yard-O-Led, I’m not being metaphorical or florid for the sake of a blog post. I mean it in the real way one might love a cherished scarf, or a favourite movie you watch every year without fail. It’s a love that grows with use, with familiarity, and appreciation of craft.

I remember the first Yard-O-Led I ever held. It was a pencil and I noticed the coolness of the silver warming slowly to the touch. It was clearly made with care, with pride, with intention.

Yard-O-Led, if you don’t know, is a small English company that’s been around since 1934, though its roots stretch back to the 1820’s. They make pencils and pens, all in sterling silver, all handcrafted in a small workshop in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, in a building built by James Watt with the proceeds from his steam engine patent.

Each writing instrument passes through the hands of no fewer than eight artisans, and you can really see the human touch in every one. The engraving is done by hand, not machine, and no two pieces are exactly alike.

There’s something wonderfully anachronistic about Yard-O-Led: they make things slowly, by hand, in sterling silver. Their motto might as well be: “This’ll last longer than you will.”

And it will. I’ve had some of mine for decades, and they’ve only grown better with time. The patina deepens, the engravings soften slightly at the edges, and the silver seems to remember every adventure. It’s not just a tool—it becomes a companion who knows your secrets.

Of course, they write beautifully. The solid gold fountain pen nibs are smooth and expressive and the pencils use a clever internal magazine that holds—yes—a yard of lead. Hence the name. Not some arcane title, but a simple promise: three 12-inch 1.18mm leads, tucked away in the barrel and ready when you are. It’s tidy, clever, and rather charming— a bit like the brand itself.

I suppose what I love most is that Yard-O-Led doesn’t try to constantly reinvent itself. “New” models are often revived from their own decades’ old catalogues. Making the same beautiful objects, with the same care and precision, decade after decade is something I find that deeply comforting.

I have, at last count, six Yard-O-Leds of my own. Two pencils, two ballpoints, a fountain pen and a rollerball. They sit in my rotation with all the other pens I use—German, Japanese, Italian, American—but I return to my Yard-O-Led pencils like one returns to an old friend for a good conversation. They do their job beautifully.

Now, here’s the thing: I’m not alone in this. There is a quiet epidemic that has swept through the staff at Laywine’s over the years. One by one, almost every team member has eventually succumbed to the charms of a Yard-O-Led. Some hold out for a while. One day, they pick one up. Just to try it. Just to see. And before long, they’re standing at the cash and muttering, “Well, I guess this is happening.”

We’ve been carrying Yard-O-Led at Laywine’s for most of our 38 years.  It’s one of those brands we’re proud to represent—not just because of the product (though that alone would be enough), but because of the story. The people who make these pens and pencils are artisans, many of whom have been with the company for years. Their skills are etched—quite literally—into every piece they make. That’s something worth celebrating.

So, if you ever find yourself in the shop and someone hands you a Yard-O-Led, consider yourself warned. You might think you’re just admiring a pretty pen. But you’re standing at the edge of a slippery slope, my friend. One day you’ll be saying, “Well, I don’t really need another pen,” and the next you’ll be showing off the subtle curve of a hand-hammered finish like a proud new parent.

And honestly -- You won’t regret it.