Father and son pen turners create and compete as their craft brings them together

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Gary Bowman and his son Andrew share a love for pen turning. They started the hobby in 2020 and now have separate workshops and businesses, selling their handmade pens to people all over the country and outside the United States.

Both admit it’s something that has strengthened their bond over the years.

“Anytime we got together that was all we talked about. Wood this, pens that, new tools we want to get,” said Andrew Bowman. “And even now, I mean, what? Four years later, I mean, that still dominates most of our conversations, I mean it’s really brought us together.”

“We call each other when we run into a problem, or something happens for the first time,” said Gary Bowman. “We talk about it and solve each other’s problems.”

While teamwork and guidance have been important aspects of their craft, you could say these two are a little competitive.

“I make better pens than him and now I want Fort Wayne to know it,” said Andrew Bowman, with a cheeky grin.

So, what does dad have to say about that?

“I make the best pens in Indiana, which includes Fort Wayne,” said Gary, with a confident tone.

It’s said that competition is good, healthy in fact, and the Bowmans set the bar high. Gary says the two feed off of each other, and pranks have been pulled over the years. He recounted a time he tried to put a license plate promoting his pen business on his son’s car. Lucky for his son, there was nowhere to affix the plate.

“I think a couple years ago he bought magnets to put on his car to advertise his Facebook group selling pens, and somehow his sign was found on my car,” Gary said with a chuckle.

The jokes aside, Andrew and Gary have a true respect for each other’s craftmanship and work ethic.

“He’ll get on YouTube and do research and find out what he wants to do and how he wants to do it, and then he’ll come to me and share that with me,” said Gary, who started making acrylic pens with encouragement from his son.

“You make beautiful pens, I mean you do, I can’t deny that, anyone who has watched this can’t deny it,” said Andrew, before landing one last jab. “You just have to admit that I make better.”

You can see and buy Gary’s pens on his Custom Pens by Gary Facebook page , and Andrew’s pens on his Andrew’s Handmade Pens Facebook page .

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