Pam Tien – Page 2 – Hand Over That Pen

Review: Lamy Safari (Dark Lilac, Medium Nib)

December 23, 2016 No Comments

Hand Over That Pen, please!

Katherine: The Lamy Safari is a commonly recommended “beginner” pen. I didn’t try one until I had been using fountain pens pretty regularly for over a year — the design was never a “gotta have” for me, and I had always heard the nibs ran broad, which wasn’t what I thought I preferred. When I finally acquired a Safari (won it in a raffle at a local art supply store), I was pleasantly surprised by how well made it seemed, but quickly grew frustrated with the triangular grip. Of the common “beginner” pens, it’s the one I like least — I much prefer the TWSBI Eco and Pilot Metro, but that’s personal preference.

Pam: The Lamy Safari’s unique design makes it a definite standout among all the fountain pens, let alone an introductory pen. I have picked up the Lamy Safari and the Lamy Joy in the past, and they have since found happier homes. However, picking up Katherine’s Lamy Safari brought back some great memories and reasons why I was drawn to that pen in the first place.

The oddly shaped grip didn’t initially bother me, it’s only an issue when I grip too tight and the softer corners of the grip can dig into my fingers and the soft spot between my thumb and pointer finger. The color of the dark lilac with the black trim is quite awesome. In general, I do prefer the shiny chrome trim. The texture of the dark lilac is also quite different given that it has a more matte finish to the “shiny” and slick Safaris. The extra “grippier” texture does add to a good hand feel. I haven’t had the chance to try the AL (aluminum) version of the Safari and I would be curious to see if the feel in hand would be different.

Franz: When I started using fountain pens, I noticed that there is a disparity between pen people about the Lamy Safari through my online research. This was mainly due to the triangular grip that kind of forces one how to grip the pen. But because I liked how the charcoal version of the Safari looks, (and it was on sale on Amazon) I eventually got one when I was six months into the hobby. The grip actually did not bother me and I found that my fingers just rested almost parallel to the pen. This can be seen below in the unposted In the Hand photo.

I’m loving the Dark Lilac color with the black trim and the matte finish lets me hold the pen without my fingers slipping off.

In the Hand: Lamy Safari (posted) — from left to right: Franz, Pam, and Katherine

In the Hand: Lamy Safari (unposted) — from left to right: Franz, Pam, and Katherine

The Business End

Katherine: The Safari nib is smooth and pretty straightforward. I’ve tried a couple now and found that they have been pretty consistent. However, in general, I don’t prefer super-smooth nibs, so I find the Lamy Safari nib a little “too smooth” and would prefer something with a touch more feedback.

Pam: I am reminded and also surprised how much I enjoyed the medium nib on Tomoe River paper/Hobonichi and Midori paper. Maybe it’s Franz’s influence, but the broader line didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. Instead, I found the nib to be smooth and really easy to use. I enjoy stiffer nibs and I do feel that the Safari’s nibs are quite stiff. The line is always consistent and clean. I have had some experience that the nib can be on the drier side.

Franz: I love the black nib on this Safari however, it may develop scratches and eventually the coating will peel from use as you can already see some in the photo below.

This was my first medium Safari nib and it was quite smooth with a good flow. My first Safari had a fine nib and the ink flow was a bit dry. For those who don’t know, you can actually buy separate nibs in different sizes for cheap and switch it out ofthe feed. So you can have multiple nib widths with just one pen.

Please note that the Safari is cartridge/converter filled and they include one cartridge when you buy the pen, but they do not include the Z24 converter so that would be an added expense.

Write It Up

Katherine: The Safari is, overall, a comfortable size. The triangle grip was initially a huge turn-off for me, but after forcing myself to use it for a longer writing session I found that it wasn’t nearly as annoying as I thought. I still wouldn’t actively seek out a pen with a grip like this, but it isn’t as unusable as I thought it would be. Instead I found that I wrote very consistently since my angle never changed. Overall I found it usable and comfortable — but, like Franz, I wish it was a little bit heavier.

Pam: I found the Safari to be slightly top heavy when posted, but too light when unposted. Like the Eco, the length was just a tad too long, especially when posted. If the Safari was closer to the size of the Prera, or even the Pelikan M200s/M400s, it probably would have stayed in my collection. The plastic does make the pen really light, which can lead to comfort when writing for an extended period of time. It can also lend to feeling too insubstantial, like the Kaweco Sport. I very much enjoyed my time with the Safari and being reacquainted with the nib on paper. I was also reminded that I didn’t enjoy the body of the pen as much as I do the nib.

Franz: The length of the Safari is adequate for my hand in either posted, or unposted modes. The width of the grip section felt nice especially since I hold it higher. I really just wish the pen was a little heavier though. For 20 minutes, I wrote with the cap posted to give a little bit more weight. It was an enjoyable journaling moment.

EDC-ness

Katherine: The Lamy shines on this front — the snap cap makes it easy to grab and go, and the triangular grip helps you get yourself into the right position for writing quickly. If I needed to keep a fountain pen at my desk for quick notes or for people to borrow, the Lamy Safari would be a strong contender.

Pam: Snap cap and durability of the plastic makes the Safari a great work pen. The design is also really interesting and sure to spark a few conversations among your pen-curious co-workers. The medium nib is dry enough to work relatively well on copy paper with minimal bleeding or feathering.

Franz: The Lamy Safari is actually a great pen to use on a daily basis for its plastic ruggedness makes it easy to just bring along even without a case. The slip cap definitely made it a quick deploy pen and the medium nib was good for the copy paper at work as well. The Dark Lilac color also was admired by a customer of mine and had me talk a little about fountain pens. Yeah!

Final Grip-ping Impressions

Katherine: The Lamy Safari just isn’t my cup of tea. The triangular grip and lightness add up to a pen that I don’t actively dislike, but am not excited to use. Overall, I think of it as a very bland pen — it works, but doesn’t bring me joy.

Pam: I would recommend the Lamy Safari to those who enjoy the TWSBI Eco for the size and want to enjoy the versatility of swapping out nibs. The design is unique, the pen is relatively affordable, and a great introduction to Lamy as a brand and to fountain pens as a whole. My only quibble, which is a personal preference was in the size and weight. Those nibs though… definitely worth a try in any Lamy pen that will accommodate them.

Franz: Pam has listed some great reasons as to why the Lamy Safari has been recommended to fountain pen beginners, and doing these pen reviews made me appreciate this pen for what it is. The Safari is a pen that is a gateway for new users and is also great for experienced pen folk.

I like this pen a lot but it just seems a little light for me. It’s really the only negative thing for me. Granted, since I own three Safari versions at the present time, it’s not a very big negative for me. Haha!

Thank you for reading and your time.

Pen Comparisons

Closed pens from left to right: Parker 75, Pilot Vanishing Point, Pelikan M205, Lamy 2000, *Lamy Safari*, TWSBI Eco, Conklin Duragraph, and Pelikan M805

Posted pens from left to right: Parker 75, Pilot Vanishing Point, Pelikan M205, Lamy 2000, *Lamy Safari*, TWSBI Eco, Conklin Duragraph, and Pelikan M805

Unposted pens from left to right: Parker 75, Pilot Vanishing Point, Pelikan M205, Lamy 2000, *Lamy Safari*, TWSBI Eco, Conklin Duragraph, and Pelikan M805

Pen Photos (click to enlarge)

No Comments

Review: Pilot Metropolitan

October 26, 2016 1 Comment

pilot-metro-4

Hand Over That Pen, please!

Katherine: The Metro was my first pen as an adult (and therefore first pen in ~15 years). It’s a sleek, practical pen that is comfortable for me to write with. However, I don’t love the metallic finish and how light the pen is. I’ve commented before that if the TWSBI Eco was my first pen I may never have gone off the deep end, but it wasn’t, the Metro was my first pen. It’s a good enough pen that it lead me to love fountain pens and keep exploring — but wasn’t a pen I loved enough to be comfortable sticking with (as cliche as “buy it for life” is, that was my initial goal). But, to the Metro’s credit, I used it for nearly a year before I decided I was willing to spend more money to try another pen.

Pam: I was really interested and excited to get my hands on a Pilot Metropolitan once I found out from the Pen Addict Podcast that the nibs on the Pilot Metropolitan were interchangable with the nibs on the Pilot Prera, Pilot Plumix (a stub nib), Penmanship (a EF nib) and Kakuno (the smiley face nib). I bought an all black Metropolitan and was a workhorse pen for me at work. It was a great gateway pen as I learned to use a fountain pen more on a daily basis. The Metropolitan taught me how to swap out nibs, clean the pen and the differences between using a cartridge and a converter.

Franz: The Pilot Metropolitan is a neat looking pen with a satiny finish that I enjoy holding. Its torpedo shape gives it a timeless look that I’ve seen in the majority of Pilot’s pens. If you search for this pen on the net, you’ll find that this pen varies either by the overall color or the accent design on the barrel. These accents give the pen some personality but still maintains its simplicity and subtlety.

In the Hand: Pilot Metropolitan (posted) — from left to right: Franz, Katherine, and Pam

In the Hand: Pilot Metropolitan (unposted) — from left to right: Franz, Katherine, and Pam

The Business End

Katherine: I have had both a Fine and a Medium, and both have been smooth writers that are on the dry side — but not annoyingly dry. A great dryness for taking notes at work without having to worry about smudges. However these nibs don’t have a lot of character — I’ve never thought “wow, I’m EXCITED to write with this Metro!”

Pam: I preferred to use the Pilot Metropolitan with the EF steel nib from the Pilot Penmanship. It was the nib that worked best with cheap paper. My ink of choice “back in the day” was Private Reserve DC Electric Blue. The dark color was great professionally, however, there would be instances that the sheen would still come through, which is a treat for me! The EF nib had some feedback as one would expect, but surprisingly smooth for a $6-8 dollar pen nib. I suspect that if you like the Pilot Prera nib, you will like the EF steel nib. Both nibs state “Superior Quality” on them which gives me the impression that they are possible similar?

Franz: This medium nib is a very nice smooth writer with a little bit of feedback. I got to try out a fine nib before and even though it was a very good writer, my preference is a thicker line. I’ve always had good experiences with Pilot nibs out of the box.

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Write It Up

Katherine: Now that I’ve explored more pens, I know that I prefer slightly larger and heavier pens. However the Metro is sufficiently comfortable for me to use it for extended periods of time. I’ve journaled with it quite a bit and drawn with it. (No choice really when you only have one pen…)

Pam: I really enjoyed carrying the Metropolitan for quick notes and for journaling. It was overall, a very well rounded pen for daily use and carry. I actually prefer writing with this pen posted. Yes, it can feel a bit top heavy, but I really enjoyed the total weight of the pen when writing. My only complaint because I write with a “white-knuckle-grip-that-horrified-THE-Micheal-Sull” is that based on my hand placement, the step on the Metropolitan is quite noticeable for me. Depending on my stress level, the step may leave an impression in the area between my thumb and index finger. Yeah… I knew when I had a stressful day at work…

Franz: Because the Metropolitan is lightweight and has a thinner section, I prefer to post the cap and grip it higher. Writing with this pen for twenty minutes wasn’t really unpleasant but I felt my hand cramp a bit.

Just like Pam, the step from the barrel and section can be a bit sharp and dug into my fingers. So this pen isn’t an ideal journal pen for me.

EDC-ness

Katherine: +10 points for being a snap cap — easy to grab and get writing. Additionally, the metal body of this pen is durable — by the time I retired it, I had a small dent or two on either end, but no noticeable damage. It held up well to being thrown in my backpack (hopefully clipped to a notebook, but not always) day after day. However — of all the pens I own, somehow the Metro and the Prera (same feed, same nib, go figure) are the pens that spit the most into their caps when I fly with them. I’ve flown with at least a dozen pens at this point, and as long as I keep them nib up, other pens have been fine.

Pam: The Metropolitan was my most used “beginner” pen for it’s durability and snap cap. The versatility of the pen with interchangable nibs compelled me to purchase another Metropolitan when the retro pop ones were released so I can swap between the F nib and the stub nib (from the Pilot Plumix).

Franz: This pen is great to use on a daily basis for quick note-taking at work or on the go. I found no fuss when I used this at work as it easily clipped onto either my shirt or jacket pocket, and there was no delay in uncapping the pen.

I have to share that I found myself one-handedly capping and uncapping the pen compulsively at my desk. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this with snap cap pens.

Final Grip-ping Impressions

Katherine: The Metro is a solid entry-level pen. I personally didn’t find it particularly charming, but that’s just a personal opinion. It felt a little too sterile (and now we know why most of my pens are vintage. Complete with germs of generations past!) but checks all the boxes for a solid writer — good nib, durable body and comfortable to write with.

Pam: Up until the Pilot Prera or the Pilot Vanishing Point (oh, you will be missed my dear lost pen), the Pilot Metropolitan was my go to pen. Yes, the aesthetics of the pen may be bland as it doesn’t have the modernity of the Lamy Safari or the demonstrator quality of the TWSBI Eco (which wasn’t available when I first started dipping into the FP world), but it’s a solid pen for a GREAT price point. The price point is one of the best factors of this pen, as the threshold for entry of the FP rabbit hole is low. The pen even comes with a cartridge of ink! For a beginner “beater” pen that you can learn a lot from as one needs to get more comfortable with getting ink on their fingers, the Metropolitan is a wonderful introduction.

Franz: The Pilot Metropolitan is a great pen to have in your collection as it is a reliable pen that just writes when you need it to. This is a pen I recommend for no matter what hand size you may have. Of course, not every single person may like it so if you can, try before you buy.

In our TWSBI Eco review, I recommended the Eco as a second or third pen for beginners. The Metropolitan was actually the first pen recommendation I had in mind. I bought my silver Pilot Metropolitan from Goulet Pens in January 2013, and wrote with it for about four months until I gave it to a co-worker as she became interested in writing with fountain pens.(#Penvangelized!) This year, I gifted a Pilot Metro in Retro Pop Red Wave to another co-worker as her first fountain pen and she loved it as well.

Thanks for your time and hope you enjoyed our review of this cool pen!

Pen Comparisons

Closed pens from left to right: Pelikan M200, Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Vanishing Point, *Pilot Metropolitan*, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M800, and Lamy Safari

Posted pens from left to right: Pelikan M200, Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Vanishing Point, *Pilot Metropolitan*, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M800, and Lamy Safari

Unposted pens from left to right: Pelikan M200, Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Vanishing Point, *Pilot Metropolitan*, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M800, and Lamy Safari

Pen Photos

1 Comment

Review: Pelikan M200, B Architect

September 21, 2016 2 Comments

pelikan-m200-cafe-creme-8

Hand Over That Pen, please!

Katherine: Woohoo! I love the size of the Pelikan M200/400s — and this one is no exception! I love the shades of brown paired with the gold. However, I actually think it looks richer in photos than it does in person. When I started looking at more expensive pens, the Cafe Creme was high on my list. However, I saw it in person at Aesthetic Bay in Singapore and found that it didn’t live up to my hopes and dreams, so I never purchased one. That being said, it’s all relative — I just happen to prefer the uneven striations of vintage 400s.

Pam: The Pelikan M200 in review is actually Franz’s pen with a custom architect grind from Dan Smith. I really enjoy the warm tones of the pen as it is a standout from my usual black and grey pens. The cream and brown is simple but rich in color. The brown has a good red undertone that compliments the yellow gold well. My favorite part of the pen is the ink window! A trademark of Pelikan is their twist on the classic fountain pen with great materials and color designs. A great example of that for me is the Pelikan M400 White Tortoise. The Café Crème is no exception.

Franz: Aww yeah, a Pelikan pen finally for review! People who know me are aware of my fascination/obsession with this pen brand. Anyway, moving on with the review, the Pelikan M200 model is considered an entry-level model into the world of Pelikan pens. It is very lightweight and a compact size. Pelikan pens are noted for its reliable piston-filling mechanism and this M200 definitely one of them. There’s just something about filling a pen from a bottle with a piston. Yes, fountain pens with a converter is filled with the same action but it has a different overall feel. But maybe it’s just me.

The Café Crème is a beautiful finish and for a guy addicted to coffee, it seemed like a perfect pen to get. Being an M200, it is fitted with gold-plated clip, cap ring, and steel nib. As what Pam has said, the gold trim fits the finish very nicely.

In the Hand: Pelikan M200 (posted) — from left to right: Katherine, Pam, and Franz

In the Hand: Pelikan M200 (unposted) — from left to right: Katherine, Pam, and Franz

The Business End

Katherine: M200 nibs in general? Fantastic steel nibs — smooth, wet while still having a hint of springiness, avoiding the designation of “nail” in my book. But this grind? Not my cup of tea. I can write with it, but I don’t enjoy it. I tend to write in cursive and it makes my letters look weirdly… tall. But, to be fair, I’m not a big fan of broad stubs or CIs either — so ymmv. 🙂 If I were to purchase a M200 I’d steer clear of a Broad (too broad) and consider a CI grind to add some flair.

Pam: The architect grind is wonderful for me. It pretty much becomes a “stub” for me since I typically hold the pen at a 90 degree angle. I love using the architect grind in my journal entries when I want my writing to be short and chubby looking, or as other would say “blocky.” Nib is not too wet so shading comes through with certain inks and it’s smooth on Tomoe River paper and Midori paper. Cheap printer paper absorbs way too much of the ink which leads to feathering and non-crisp letters. Feedback is minimal and as usual, Dan Smith did a wonderful job. From my experience with Pelikans, the modern nibs tend to be quite wide and wet. I had an EF that wrote more like a M. I haven’t met a Pelikan nib that was scratchy or too dry. Granted, I am not Franz. He is our Pelikan expert amongst this triad.

Franz: Pelikan expert? Me? For real? Nope, not at all! I am merely a fan of their pens. A Pelikan pen addict if you will.

As I’ve mentioned above, the M200 is sold with stainless steel nibs and generally, they are smooth and juicy. There is also a little bit of bounce to it but not something that one would use for flex writing. For this specific pen, I asked Dan Smith to do something fun with the broad nib and he recommended to do an architect grind. I agreed since I’ve never had an architect/hebrew grind on any of my nibs before.

This grind is actually very cool as it sort of is a reverse italic. Instead of the usual thin cross-strokes, and thick down-strokes of an italic, it was the other way around. I primarily write in cursive, and sometimes print/block letters at work. I find the architect nib more suitable to write in print letters which made it look better. I didn’t really like how my cursive writing looked with it. I think it’s a matter of taste. I still recommend everyone to try an architect nib because you never know if you’ll love it or just like it.

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Franz’s writing sample of the Pelikan M200 broad architect nib on a Rhodia Weekly Planner

Write It Up

Katherine: The pen itself is very comfortable for me, and I prefer it uncapped. I love this size of pen and find it very comfortable for long writing and drawing sessions. I love this size so much that I own three Pelikans in this size, two vintage 400s and one 400NN. However, as previously mentioned, the grind on this pen drives me up the wall — so this isn’t my top pick for journaling. A stock nib or, perhaps, a CI on something less broad would be very compelling though!

Pam: The M200 is light and effortless to write with. As a “pocket size” pen of the Pelikan line, it’s a great size for me. It’s about the length of the Franklin-Christoph Model 45 and Franklin-Christoph Model Pocket 20. I can see this pen being too narrow for someone with average or larger size hands.I had no issues journaling with this pen and the “chubby” writing always gives me a bit of amusement.

Franz: I wrote with this pen posted for fifteen minutes of journaling and I found it to be okay. As usual, I grip the pen above the section threads by the ink window and I got a bit more girth to hold and the length was pretty okay. Even with the cap, I found this pen to be a bit too light for me though. I did write with the pen unposted for the last five minutes and that was not comfy for me at all.

EDC-ness

Katherine: I enjoyed using this pen as an EDC — it has a clip, uncaps easily and is a good size for either my notebook’s loops or just sandwiching in my notebook as I run around.

Pam: The pen is very light and with a screw on cap, it’s a great EDC pen in a “controlled setting.” Maybe it’s the fact that I recently lost a fountain pen at work, but I can see myself losing this pen within my white coat or not realizing that I don’t have it in my pocket because it’s so light. Pelikans aren’t super robust pens and dropping a Pelikan can damage the binde/body. I would recommend keeping your birdies clipped in a jacket or shirt pocket rather than pant pockets (no keys!) or tucked safely into a pen case.

Franz: The Pelikan M200’s size is actually a great pen for everyday use. At work, I found it to be a good pen to bring with me and in my shirt pocket. The pen uncaps with one full twist and is quite convenient for quick notes, or signatures. A quick comment about this nib, having a broad architect nib on it was borderline too thick for the copy paper used at the office. But if it were a medium nib with a round, architect, or cursive italic grind, it would’ve been just right.

Final Grip-ping Impressions

Katherine: Even if this particular pen isn’t the one for me, I love the M200 line. The size is perfect, they hold a ton of ink and the nibs are solid. However, if you’re willing to do a little hunting, for the money, I much prefer vintage 400/NN Pelikans. They’re cheaper (easily $100-$150) and often have more interesting nibs (I have both a semi flex fine and a semi flex OB). But, for those less patient with eBay and forum trawling, the M200s are solid pens that look great!

Pam: The greatest compliment I can give a pen is to purchase one. In this particularly case, as the Café Crème hits so many sweet spots for me with the architect grind, beautiful brown and cream material (did I mention the ink window?) , and well sized for my pixie hands, I currently have this pen on “layaway” from Franz. In exchange for permanently borrowing the Café Crème, I will “chip in” to Franz’s next pen fund…

Franz: The Pelikan M200 is principally a great pen to have and to write with. Pelikan has issued the M200 in their Classic line with different standard, or special edition finishes since it was introduced in 1985. So if the Café Crème is not your cup of coffee (tea), there are a number of choices available. As I said in the beginning of this review, the M200 is an entry-level pen for the brand and I recommend this to anyone interested in getting a Pelikan pen.

In my opinion, it’s a great size for users with small to medium sized hands. For people with larger sized, or bear paws similar to me, I’d say to try it out first. It may turn out to be a good fit or you might want to go to a larger size like the M600, M800, or even the M1000. Because I am a self-proclaimed Pelikan pen addict, I hope that my review of this pen comes off fair and as unbiased as possible.

Pen Comparisons

Closed pens from left to right: Edison Beaumont, Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Vanishing Point, *Pelikan M200*, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari

Posted pens from left to right: Edison Beaumont, Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Vanishing Point, *Pelikan M200*, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari

Unposted pens from left to right: Edison Beaumont, Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Pilot Vanishing Point, *Pelikan M200*, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari

Pelikan pens from left to right: M200 Café Crème, M400 Tortoiseshell-White, M620 San Francisco, M805 Vibrant Blue, and M1005 Demonstrator

Pen Photos (click to enlarge)

2 Comments

Behind The Hands (BTH)

August 9, 2016 15 Comments

It has been about a month since the launch of our blog! It’s high time that we introduce ourselves a little bit more and get to know you all, our awesome readers.

What do you do and how does that affect your pen choices?

Katherine: I work at Sift Science as a Solutions Engineer and team lead. I work pretty closely with many of our customers, so I’m constantly on the phone, in and out of meetings and generally running around. As a result I tend to carry a notebook and prefer pens I can get to easily (not looooong unscrews) so I can jot down quick notes easily. My office is pretty close to paper free, so I bring my own notebooks to work (currently a Travelers Notebook and a Nanami Sevenseas Crossfield) and, of course, supply my own pens and ink.

Franz: I work in a bank as a customer service manager. I am that person who goes around the office to meet a client, or assist a co-worker. And the job requires me to be able to jot down notes or sign my name multiple times in one day. Before I got into fountain pens, I used to be that guy who kept on asking, “Do you have a pen?”. Now, I have a backup pen (or two) just in case I left my main pen of the day on my desk.

As for pen choices, as long as it is comfortable, the cap doesn’t take forever to unscrew, and it writes okay on cr-opy paper. I tend to choose either fine, or medium nibs on my pens as a compromise between Tomoe River paper for personal use and the copy paper used at work.

P.S. Now, I am that guy who tries to spread the joys of writing with a fountain pen (Penvangelism).

Pam: I am a pharmacist at a hospital. I work both in the pharmacy itself and on the patient units. At work, I have been called the “pen pusher.” I have introduced Jetstreams and Pentel Energels to my colleagues in the hospital. Sadly, our supply closet is still filled with generic, gummy, ballpoints.

The only paper available is cheap copier paper. Luckily, I really enjoy EF and F nibs. They work pretty well on the cheap paper and I prefer pens that are really fast to deploy for quick notes given how healthcare can go from 0 to 60 in a couple second flat. A finer and stiff (steel) nib really helps keep my lines consistent due to my small handwriting as well.

What was your first fountain pen?

Katherine: Ha. I had a cheap, bright yellow Sheaffer as a kid. I was about 9 when my mom got it for me, complete with a bottle of Skrip blue with the old-style side pocket to make filling easier. I loved the pen, but generally made a mess. Fast forward many, many years and I rediscovered fountain pens by buying a Pilot Metropolitan off Massdrop. It’s hard to believe, but I bought my Metro and a bottle of Noodler’s HoD because it was CHEAPER than the number of gel pens I was going through.

Franz: It was an onyx Cross Aventura with a medium nib and I still have it. As I wrote with it, I found that the writing was too bold and that it almost bled through the paper. I was a little bit turned off at first but I think I loved the idea of writing with a fountain pen more so I kept on it.

I later found out (probably the next day) that there are different types of paper and more fountain pen friendly paper exists, I also found that writing with a fountain pen does not require bearing down on the pen with pressure like I would on ballpoints. And so the pen addiction began.

Pam: A green/grey Kakuno, F nib (of course). That was soon followed by the Pilot Petit and the Metropolitan.

The Cross Aventura: Franz's first fountain pen — The Cross Aventura: Franz’s first fountain pen

How do you carry your fountain pens?

Katherine: I typically carry mine in either a zip pouch from Franklin-Christoph or a three-pen sleeve I made out of a piece of fleece. The former gives me more flexibility with pen sizes (it fits ALL of my pens). The latter gives me more protection from leaks, and if I want to bring multiple pens, stops them from rubbing together. Sometimes I’m lazy and just clip my pen to the inside of my notebook and throw it in my backpack… but I’m pretty sure this is how I end up losing a pen and try not to do it too often.

Franz: It has been a while now since I’ve been using a 4 pen leather case to carry my pens to work. I got this from the Andersons’ table at the 2014 LA pen show. This is my go to case and it’s just perfect for me.

More recently though, I’ve been slinging a bag that contains the 4 pen leather case, and a Nock Co. Sinclair. Also in the bag are a couple notebooks, and a planner. I guess I went from carrying four pens to ten (or more). Don’t judge… ;-P

Pam: I have been using the Lihit Lab Smart Fit Actact Open Wide pen case. I also keep pens with my Hobonichi Weeks and Hobonichi Cousin. Interestingly, I have been carrying more pens since meeting Franz and Katherine. Interesting indeed…

Franz's 4 pen leather case. It can carry 5 pens as well. — Franz’s 4 pen leather case. It can carry 5 pens as well.

Pam's Lihit Lab case — Pam’s Lihit Lab case

Dear reader, answer us this, what was your first fountain pen?

15 Comments

Review: TWSBI Eco in Clear Demonstrator (Extra Fine)

August 3, 2016 12 Comments

TWSBI Eco-1

Hand Over That Pen, please!

Franz: If I am not mistaken, the TWSBI Eco fountain pen has been in the works since 2013. Fast forward to late 2015, I held an Eco with the black cap and piston turning knob. The pen looked cool and reminded me of the TWSBI mini I had. Actually, the Eco’s nib size is the same as the mini. I really like the design of this pen but for some reason, I never got myself to purchase one.

Pam’s Eco in the clear version is very nice as well. As seen in the photos, it is a piston-filler pen and the capacity is very nice. I really love seeing ink sloshing in the pen as I use it. I’m sure that this is not the first time this was said about certain demonstrator pens but I wish that the plastic liner in the cap was transparent.

Pam: I have had a TWSBI before. The TWSBI Diamond mini with a fine nib was lackluster to me so I gave it to a colleague who would appreciate it better than I could. Nonetheless, I was really curious when I saw the TWSBI Eco. I was very excited when TWSBI released the clear “demonstrator” version of the Eco. It was well worth the wait for this version than the colored versions in my opinion. Given the reasonable price for the look and a decent nib, which I was able to test out at a SF pen posse meet up, I took another leap of faith and bought the pen from Goulet Pens.

The plastic feels better than the plastic from the TWSBI Diamond mini and from what I have heard, less prone to the “defects” of the previous TWSBI models. Unlike other models, the Eco is a piston filler with a friction fit nib. So the nib units from the 580 or diamond mini are not compatible with the Eco

The length is longer than my preferred length, especially posted, but the plastic is light enough that it’s not crazy bothersome. When capping the pen, the plastic-y sound is pretty satisfying and it’s very smooth with each turn. My only complaint for the Eco is that there is only a rubber ring to secure the cap when posting to the back of the pen. It is a cheap but effective way to secure the cap when posting, but it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing and also results in the cap not posting very deeply, leading to a slight imbalance.

Katherine: I love the way this pen looks! I know this isn’t technically a demonstrator, but everyone seems to use the term to mean “pen you can see the insides of”, so I’ll keep doing that. I love demonstrators, and this is a clean looking demonstrator without breaking the bank. My one nit is that the translucent white liner inside the cap is visible — but it is a pen after all, gotta be functional!

TWSBI Eco Posted 2 — In the Hand: TWSBI Eco (posted) — from left to right: Franz, Pam, and Katherine

TWSBI Eco Unposted — In the Hand: TWSBI Eco (unposted) — from left to right: Franz, Katherine, and Pam

The Business End

Franz: From prior TWSBI pens I have owned, their nibs have never been a disappointment for me. This is the first time I’ve written with an extra fine from their lineup and this was no exception. It wrote smoothly and the feedback felt nice. I used the Eco for two weeks and I have not had any negative issues with the nib as it just wrote as it should.

Pam: I wasn’t impressed by my experience with other TWSBI nibs, as they were not the Japanese EF or F that I was looking for. Maybe my taste in nibs are changing, but I find the EF nib on this TWSBI to be a wonderful nib right out the box. It’s more of a Japanese F which works out just fine with me. Inking it up with Franz’s stash of Bungbox Sapphire, the pen provides just enough wetness and line width to enjoy the color and sheen of the ink. I found the nib smooth and really enjoyable to use. I even considered using this nib and feed unit in a custom pen because the pen itself is too long, but I find myself wanting to use the nib more and more.

The nib and ink combination does wonderfully in my Hobonichi and great on Midori paper, however, it feathers on cheap paper.

Katherine: This is a very solid nib on a cheap pen. If I bought the Eco as my first pen (instead I got a Metro), I’m not sure I would have ever ventured out to other pens. It’s a very comfortable, smooth and wet nib on an affordable pen. I’d compare it to my Metro’s Fine in terms of line width — pretty fine, but not the Extra Fine I’d expect from a Japanese pen (which makes sense, since this pen isn’t Japanese…).

TWSBI Eco-3 — a close up of the extra fine nib and section

Pam's writing sample of the TWSBI Eco, EF nib — Pam’s writing sample of the TWSBI Eco, EF nib (on a Hobonichi)

Write It Up

(20-minute writing experience)

Franz: I wrote very comfortably with the Eco posted for the first ten minutes, and unposted the next ten minutes. Because of the pleasant nib, and the abundant length of the pen, I did not experience any hand cramps or fatigue. This is a great pen to use for my journal time. If I were to choose, I’d write with the pen unposted because the balance seems better.

Pam: Unsurprisingly, I find the length of the Eco to be too long for me, especially posted. The balance isn’t perfect in my tiny hands, however, maybe if the cap posted deeper? Unposted, the pen is an okay length, but still not ideal. Not to mention, I prefer posting my pens, especially at work, given how easy it is for me to forget anything that isn’t already attached to me. (Just ask my keys, wallet, thermos, other non-fountain pens, etc.)

Overall, the writing experience is comfortable as the plastic is light. In my iron grip, the width of the pen is great. Again, the nib is the best part of the pen and the piston filler filled with ink is beautiful to behold when you are not using the pen.

Katherine: The Eco is a little large for me posted, so I wrote with it unposted. Overall, a comfortable and solid pen. It puts down a fine, wet line that makes it quite comfortable to use, even with more “interesting” inks that sheen. I would have no qualms about this being a pen in my regular journaling or letter writing rotation. An added perk is that it’s fun to watch the ink slosh around and settle as I think about what to write next.

EDC-ness

Franz: At work, this pen came in handy as the extra fine nib was actually nice to write on the copy paper we use. Unlike the two ladies, unscrewing the cap did not bother me at all. This may be due to my daily use of a Pelikan M805 at work for the past three years. When a pen uncaps in less than one and a half turn, I am actually pretty happy with it. I actually can see myself use this pen on a daily basis.

Pam: The Eco has been clipped to the pen loop of my Hobonichi specifically for both quick deployment as well as the longer journaling/planning sessions. The cap is on securely enough that I don’t worry about the pen and planner getting tossed around in my backpack. The plastic isn’t the best material to get scratched up, especially if you enjoy watching the ink slosh around without distracting scratches or scuffs. No scratches on this puppy yet, but I wouldn’t chance it by throwing this pen into the same pocket as my house keys.

It is inconvenient for me to use the pen at work due to having to screw the cap on and off. And given that the nib and ink has been feathering, it’s less than ideal for work. This is a great beginner fountain pen and planner companion.

Katherine: I like the Eco at work because it has an easy to see ink capacity (big plus so I don’t run out of ink partway through a meeting before… it’s happened before), it’s cheap (I’ve never lost a pen, but there could be a first!) and it’s comfortable to write with. The one downside is that the cap takes more turns than I’d like to unscrew. As I’ve mentioned before, I tend to be pretty stop-and-go with my note taking at work, so being able to quickly uncap and cap a pen is a big plus for me.

Final Grip-ping Impressions

Franz: The TWSBI Eco is a nice pen with great, great value. I do recommend this pen for anyone who likes the pen size, and is looking for a large ink capacity. The Eco just writes and there’s really no frills to it. Okay, maybe aside from watching the ink sloshing in the pen. hehehe…

Would I recommend this as a first fountain pen for newbies? I would probably recommend it to be a second or third pen to own. When I started, I got a cartridge/converter as a first fountain pen and I appreciated the fact that I can just insert the supplied cartridge and write. It took me a couple weeks to buy my first ink bottle (Waterman’s Serenity Blue) and filled up my converter with it.

Anyway, I am quite impressed by the TWSBI Eco and I’ll probably purchase one. I just need to decide between the clear or the black version of this pen. Thanks Pam!

Pam: Katherine has a self imposed 15 pen limit where as the Eco convinced me to have a “beginner pen” collection. It’s also my excuse to keep the TWSBI Eco. (There goes those rationalizations again…) This will be, of course, in addition to my “completed” grail pen collection.

I enjoyed the Metropolitan and the Safari, but in terms of performance and aesthetics the Eco is my favorite of the three. A $29 piston filler with such good steel nib beats the Lamy Vista by miles. The comfort and EDC-ness of the Eco has the Metopolitan beat hands down. TWSBI really did hit it out of the park with the Eco. I have finally been converted to a TWSBI fan!

Maybe this nib should go into a custom pen body after all… it’s just too much fun!

Katherine: As previously mentioned, if the Eco was my first fountain pen I may have not ventured further into the world of fountain pens. But, it wasn’t, so instead I’m here blogging… Back to the Eco — it’s a very solid and nice pen for the money. The writing experience doesn’t have a lot of character, but it’s a great workhorse pen. For this review, I borrowed Pam’s Eco, but I’m seriously considering purchasing my own. In the end though, it’s not a pen with a lot of character so I’m not willing to “cut” another pen for it.

TWSBI Eco-2

TWSBI Eco-5

TWSBI Eco-6

TWSBI Eco-9

TWSBI Eco-7

TWSBI Eco-10 — Closed pens from left to right: Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Edison Beaumont, TWSBI Eco, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari

TWSBI Eco-11 — Posted pens from left to right: Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Edison Beaumont, TWSBI Eco, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari

TWSBI Eco-12 — Unposted pens from left to right: Parker 75, Franklin-Christoph Model 20, Edison Beaumont, TWSBI Eco, Pelikan M805, and Lamy Safari

12 Comments

Review: Franklin-Christoph Model 45 (Fine Cursive Italic)

July 8, 2016 6 Comments

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Hand Over That Pen, please!

Pamela: The Model 45 is a sexy panther of a pen. The lines of the pen are soft, curvy and sleek. The shape and the size reminds me a lot of the Pilot Prera, which is one of my favorite pens to use.

Katherine: It’s a clean, sleek pen. It’s not too flashy, but it looks like someone put some thought into designing it. I know a lot of people wanted to wait and see what others colors came out post-IPO, but of the prototypes I saw, the only one I liked more than the black was the Bronze. So, I got the black. (And at $110, it’s a pretty good deal!) One nit (which is hopefully uncommon) is that my pen showed up with a pretty scuffed nib. There’s an obvious scuff between the slit and the logo, and about half the gold-coloring on the nib is gone. I’m guessing this is a remnant of the nib being hand-ground, but it was a little disappointing anyway. Thankfully, it doesn’t affect writing quality at all — just gives me pen a little more “character”.

Franz: The Franklin-Christoph Model 45 XLV may be a simple looking pen but it has some elegance and the term aerodynamics come to mind. There are a number of different color acrylic prototypes of this pen floating around from the past few pen shows, but similar to Katherine, the black features the shape well.

The Business End

Pamela: It’s a Mike Masuyama nib. Need I say more?

The nib alone is well worth the price of the pen. Not only are cursive italic nibs typically only available after a custom grind from a nibmeister, this is a cursive italic grind completed by one of the best nibmeisters available. The CI nib is smooth and crisp. I have read that CI is usually less forgiving when it comes to finding and maintain a “sweet spot” but I don’t find that to be case with this particular nib.

Katherine: As Pam mentioned, it’s a crisp and smooth nib. But, magically, its very forgiving and I’ve never caught paper with it. It does run a little drier than I’d prefer — but that makes it great on cheap paper.

Franz: The Model 45 sports a No. 5 size nib which for me seems small, but it works out in the design and for the pen’s small size. Similar to the ladies above, I found the fine cursive italic nib quite smooth and seemed to have a wider sweet spot than I expected. The supplied blue ink cartridge may have been the issue but I found that the flow was too dry for my liking. I think that if I used a better flowing ink, I would have been happier with it.

A writing sample in Katherine’s messy handwriting. (Pilot VP fine for comparison)

The 45 hanging out on a coffee table in Katherine's office. Notice the scuffs on the nib. — The 45 hanging out on a coffee table in Katherine’s office. Notice the scuffs on the nib.

Write It Up (20-minute writing experience)

Pamela: Posted, the pen is well balanced and rests perfectly in my pixie size hands. The girth of the pen is just wide enough for the traditional tripod grip to be comfortable for a relatively long writing session. I am not used to the traditional grip so my hand tends to cramp up with any pen with a stub or CI nib. I experience fatigue with this pen, but taking a quick break to shake it off is easy enough.

Due to the nature of the grip (the traditional tripod grip) and the nib, my writing speed is decreased to ensure that the CI nib really shines through with it’s crisp, clean lines and edges.

The results from the pen is well worth the extra time and effort.

Franz: I had to write with this pen posted the whole time and it was fairly comfortable. Journaling with it’s cursive italic nib was very nice and pleasing but after an A5 size page of writing, the pen’s size made my hand tired. The longer I wrote with it, my hand seemed to squeeze on the pen tighter.

Katherine: For longer writing sessions, I tend to prefer this pen posted. It stays comfortable in the hand and I like to think the cursive italic helps me keep my hand writing even and (marginally) nice looking. Additionally, putting the threads on the end of pen is an awesome touch — even if I move my grip around (my lazy hand cramps sometimes) I don’t worry about holding threads.

In my small hands, this pen is totally usable unposted, but it feels pretty light. (I have eczema, pls ignore. :<)

EDC-ness

Pamela: I don’t use the model 45 at work since I have other pens that are better suited for the quick deployment like the Pilot VP. I also don’t feel comfortable carrying this in my white coat without a clip or using it on the patient units without a roll stop. On the flip side, it’s a great opportunity to get creative and customize this pen.

I reserve the Model 45 for the reflective/contemplative writing sessions. Using this pen is almost meditative for me as I slow my pace and be more intentional with my writing. Watching this pen in action brings me a sense of joy and ease as I practice a little slice of mindfulness.

Katherine: The 45 uncaps quickly, which is nice for jotting down quick notes. And the dry nib makes taking notes on mediocre work paper a possibility. Perhaps because of the dryness of the pen, it doesn’t seem to spit into its cap as I drop it and throw it in my backpack or pocket. The only downside is the lack of a cap or rollstop — so if I’m not careful with where I put it, the 45 can easily roll away.

Franz: I brought this pen to work for one day and it was actually very good for writing quick notes. Just like Katherine, I appreciated the quick uncapping capability. However, being a clipless pen made it difficult to store in my jacket pocket, or even in my shirt pocket. I found that I was having to “fish” it out of the pocket each time I needed it. So, it just stayed on my desk and only used it when I got to sit down.

Grip-ping Impressions

Pamela: I was initially apprehensive about the Model 45 given how small it is that it would feel too insubstantial and well, plastic-y. I am pleasantly surprised that the material is sturdy and has great acoustics. Yes, acoustics. The sound of the cap separating and meeting the body of the pen is satisfying and even enjoyable for me. (It’s really the little things in life right?) It takes less than a full turn for me to get the cap off the pen for fast and easy deployment when needed.

Posted, the pen is the perfect length for comfort and is well balanced. Despite the small size of the pen, it’s really comfortable for me to hold in the traditional tripod position for the optimal use of the wonderful CI nib. Writing a couple sentences with it is easy, breezy and beautiful.

I can’t think of a better way to express my appreciation for a pen than with a purchase! The review is was a very convenient rationale. I know, the sacrifices we have to make…

Just be aware that between both our pens, our fine CI nibs were on the dry side out of the box. My writing pressure is significantly heavier than Katherine so a small tweak was all it took for me.

Katherine: I tried Dan’s (hello Dan! Do you have a website?) 45 before purchasing my own — I was wow’d by how comfortable it was to hold, posted or unposted, and by how smooth the F CI nib is. So I got my own, and it hasn’t disappointed. I tend to use it unposted (I’m that lazy), but it’s equally comfortable either way for me.

Overall, I think this pen is great value for $110 (we’ll see what the post-IPO price looks like!). It’s a small pen (it easily fits in my skinny jeans’ pockets) that is comfortable to write with even for long durations. It’s a solidly built writer with an interesting nib that transitions well from my workday to my before-bedtime journaling.

Franz: I feel that the Model 45 is a very good pen for people with small to average sized hands. With my larger hands, I can say that the 45 is not for me. I was only able to use the pen posted unlike Pam and Katherine. This is coming from a person who owns and enjoys writing with a Franklin-Christoph Model 66. But that’s probably reserved for another review.

Since pens are a very personal and tactile experience, I do recommend everyone interested to try out and hold this pen to see if it’s right for them.

Large hands notwithstanding, I do like the pen’s appearance, build quality, and nib variety. I also feel that it’s a very good value for the money. Thanks for letting me use your pen Katherine!

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20160710_HOTP F-C Model 45_001 — Closed pens from left to right: Pelikan M805, Edison Beaumont, Pelikan M200, Franklin-Christoph Model 45, Parker 75, and Lamy Safari

Posted cap from left to right: Pelikan M805, Edison Beaumont, Pelikan M200, Franklin-Christoph Model 45, Parker 75, and Lamy Safari

Unposted from left to right: Pelikan M805, Edison Beaumont, Pelikan M200, Franklin-Christoph Model 45, Parker 75, and Lamy Safari

6 Comments

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