About Us

Who We Are

Spoke Design is a creative partnership between Brian Conti and Brad Dowdy, based in South Carolina and Georgia, respectively.

Spoke was founded by Brian in 2012 with a Kickstarter campaign focused on innovative, precision-made products. In 2019, Brad joined the team with the launch of our second Kickstarter project—the Spoke Pen. Since then, we’ve steadily expanded our lineup to include a wide range of pens, mechanical pencils, and accessories.

Before Spoke, Brian worked as a new product development engineer in the corporate world. Brad left the corporate life to become “The Pen Addict,” building a beloved blog and podcast that’s become a cornerstone of the pen community.

---

What We Do

We design pens and pencils—plain and simple. Using advanced 3D CAD software, we create detailed digital models and bring them to life with in-house prototyping tools like 3D printers, a laser cutter, a metal lathe, and other specialized equipment. We’re always testing, refining, and making lots (and lots) of prototypes.

While we’re not a production machine shop, we partner with skilled manufacturers to produce our components. Originally, we worked exclusively with U.S.-based shops, but as our product line has grown—with a wide variety of parts, materials, and finishes—we’ve expanded to include trusted international partners as well. This high-mix, low-volume approach isn’t a great fit for many domestic shops, but we’ve built strong relationships with suppliers who specialize in the kind of work we need.

Once parts arrive, we handle all final assembly, testing, and quality control in South Carolina. Packaging and shipping are done from our Georgia location.

---

Thanks

Thanks for checking us out—we truly appreciate your interest in Spoke Design!