Second only to woodworking is his love of fine writing instruments. It stems from grade school and learning how to write with a fountain pen. Although it was a big deal when the class graduated to ballpoint pens, he still yearned to go back to his trusty fountain pen. To paraphrase Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars, he considers a fountain pen to be "an elegant means of writing for a more civilized age."

According to Mr. Kowrach, "With computer technology, we've sacrificed style for speed. We've learned to settle for a cheap 10-cent pen to sign some of life's most important documents such as a marriage license, the deed to your first home or the acceptance of a job offer. However, there are a good number of us who still appreciate the qualities of a fine writing instrument."

And he adds, "I want people to be able to hand these down to their sons or daughters, so I've designed and crafted all my writing instruments with the best materials I can find. Quality lies in the attention to detail so each pen or pencil I create is carefully assembled by myself. No mass-production methods are ever used in my studio."

It has been said that Nature never creates the same exact thing twice and neither does Mr. Kowrach. Two pens made from the same tree, fabricated in the same style and shape will never be mirror duplicates. This means no matter what you choose, you'll know your gift will be as original as the person receiving it, or giving it.