MAZE

Most fountain pens hide their ink. MAZE is designed to do the opposite. According to the makers, the pen's lightweight resin body contains an intricate internal pattern, and the ink can be seen moving through it, turning the mechanics of the pen into part of its appearance. It is a collaboration between Endless Stationery, a global stationery brand from India, and Arclayer, a design-driven brand that works with 3D printing.

Endless Stationery has previously released products including the Alchemy Ink Series and the Phantom: Retractable Fountain Pen. The source states that Phantom raised more than $234,000 from 2,900 backers on Kickstarter. MAZE is likewise presented as a Kickstarter project.

Printed ink architecture

Both versions of the pen use a 3D-printed internal ink architecture made with high-resolution stereolithography (resin printing). The maker says building the part up in fine layers allows precise ink chambers, optical clarity, and structural strength at a low weight, along with geometries that would be difficult to produce by casting, machining or molding. The upper body and grip are made of high-quality acrylic, while the barrel is a durable resin described as safe for human contact.

The development team says it tested the printed channels with shimmer inks, highly saturated inks and dry inks so that varied formulations would flow smoothly and stay clearly visible. Wall thickness and geometry were tuned in 0.1 mm increments to balance transparency against strength, and the weight distribution was adjusted repeatedly. Getting true clarity from printed resin was a particular hurdle: early prototypes showed clouding, tiny trapped bubbles and uneven surfaces, which the team addressed by changing the resin formulation, reworking support structures and adjusting the curing process. For upkeep, the maker says internal parts are easy to reach and can usually be kept flowing with a simple water rinse, with no complex mechanism to service.

Two versions, shared nib choices

• MAZE: standard eyedropper filling, using the barrel itself as the ink reservoir for a large ink capacity.
• MAZE PRO: a Japanese-made eyedropper system with a shut-off valve that isolates the ink when the pen is not in use, which the maker says prevents leaks caused by pressure changes, such as on flights or while moving around.
• Nibs for both: #6 steel in EF, F, M and B, plus a special architect nib intended for a distinctive writing feel suited to sketching and decorative lettering.