Archivi tag: fountain pen

Fountain Pen Review: Stipula La 91 Black 0.9 Italic

24 ottobre 2008 Di in Reviews Tag: , , , , 2 commenti

1) First impressions
I chose to receive this pen as an university degree gift of the last year for the following reasons: it’s Italian and like all high-quality Italian things with time it acquires value, it’s a technologic pen with its retractable rotary mechanism, it’s small and it’s standing perfectly fine to leave on the desktop, it’s elegant and it’s something that lasts over time being totally metal. I saw it for the first time at Giardino Italiano site where later it was bought at and then I read a review about it on FPN. As always, Giardino Italiano has been reliable in the shipment and the package contained a Visconti Opera Club (of which I will write the review soon), several ink cartridges and it should also contain an inkwell with aluminum cap, kind gift of the site, which it was sent later with other inkwells I purchased. The pen arrived with the classic red box with hidden drawer which contained the instruction booklet / maintenance / warranty and 2 Stipula Blue della Robbia cartridges.

2) Aesthetics and finishing
The pen is pretty solid and compact because of it is almost completely of metal. The body of the pen that is also the grip is covered in shiny plastic, the rest is just metal chrome. It’s a bitonal black / chrome, perfect in detail and finishes. Of course all these shiny surfaces suffer of the hand sebo. In photo the black seemed dull, but in this way it’s much more elegant and I am very satisfied.

3) Design, size and weight
The pen is completely metal and this obviously affects the weight that despite its small size is gr.59. The grip diameter is 13 mm. The whole design of this pen is special and unique, hard to describe but this design allows the pen to be stably positioned vertically when not in use, while maintaining a sleek line and securing the nib with a patented retractable mechanism system. When you use the pen the flat base shows the visible symbol of Stipula nib while around the nib the metal is engraved with “La 91” which is also the length in mm of the pen when it is closed while when it is open it measures 112 mm. Although the balance of the pen is perfect, its weight is felt and then relegates the pen for sporadic use only i.e. for signing documents or for short letters. In any case, photos do not make justice to this jewel.

4) Nib design and performance
The nib is a rhodiated 14kt solid gold with Italic 0.9 line, its length is 21 mm and the wingspan is 8 mm. Since the first use with the FPN Bexley I always liked the italic stub nibs so that if the pen is of high quality I always try to get it. I have another Stipula with italic nib but it is 1.1 and I still have to write the review. The stroke is soft and smooth and the nib is of the hard type. It keeps very well the ink that hardly dryies even though the flow is not particularly abundant but it is such to make a good shadow effect with the Stipula Terra di Siena ink. Unfortunately due to its small size, the feed plastic system can not be unscrewed but can only be jointed, which I haven’t checked for obvious reasons. The line is great with the Stipula Terra di Siena ink on all types of paper tested.

5) Filling System
The small size and the bayonet mechanism have constrained designers for use of short cartridges exclusively, and when the pen is closed, they arrive almost at the base and then the pen is incompatible even with the smaller converter. I usually prefer the piston filling system but considering that the pen is meant to be used occasionally and looking at its beautiful design, I am fully satisfied with this system that, unlike other pens, let the ink dry very slowly allowing the use of a mounted cartridge even after several months of time, preceded by a quick nib immersion in distilled water to dissolve just the dryed ink on the tip. Only drawback: it is very difficult to clean.

6) Cost / Value
Apart from the fact that the pen has been selected by me as an university degree gift from my aunt, I recommend strongly the purchase because it is out of production and then entered the firmament of rare pens. On September 4th 2007 the pen was paid EUR 215.00 from Giardino Italiano, official Stipula distributor and retailer. The pen was obviously new and perfectly packaged in its original box with lifetime warranty. I am always satisfied with my purchases at Giardino Italiano, and about the excellent assistance of Susanna and Marcello.

7) Overall opinion and conclusions
It is strange that a pen so beautiful and special has been publicized not so much. I am very happy because it actually respects the requirements for which it was designed: to catch the eyes of those people around us, to always be near hand, and to write well without too many thoughts at the ink. It’s a sin only for the cleaning difficulty but it’s an acceptable problem due to its design. This pen will remain one of the best and most unique pens in my collection, even if in future there will be more rare and expensive pens.

From what I read on Giardino Italiano and FPN it seems that in 2009 Stipula will release a new version of the pen, not only a simple nib change from titanium to gold as it happened in the past. At this point I am very curious, who knows if I will have the opportunity to have one of them in the future, to place side by side to this version.

Fountain Pen Review: Parker Frontier Blue Medium

12 ottobre 2007 Di in Reviews Tag: , , , , Lascia un commento

1) First impressions
Before I decided to collect fountain pens also of a certain value, I was willing to stay in the medium-low class pens and this model is considered the entry-level model of Parker brand so I looked for a few seller on ebay and I was attracted by either the low price and the Iridescent color that in some photos made up the pen color purple.
This pen is one of the first purchased on ebay, practically the beginning of my collection. Despite coming from Great Britain the shipment was fast and arrived packed in padded envelope with its original packaging in plastic blister with cardboard. Inside there were the classic Parker Sapphire cartridge and package of the lifetime warranty and instructions.

2) Aesthetics and finishing
As you can imagine, being a cheap pen, it is built in series in large numbers and so it is difficult to find any defect that does not belong to the whole series. The pen has a metal satin cap, plastic body with iridescent blue-violet effects and a rubber blue-purple handle. Watching carefully, the pen is almost perfect seamless symmetry. The only flaw in my opinion is that the cap remains not so tight when the pen is capped but this does not seem to affect in any way the ink flow in the nib. Considering the price I am quite satisfied with the appearance of the pen.

3) Design / Size / Weight
The pen is in plastic and metal and it has a cigar shape is a cigar with a flat end cap. The clip is a classic arrow-shaped Parker. The shape is comfortable and perfect for a battle field or street pen. The measure is a regular or medium-regular, according to various opinions. It ‘s very light, infact it only weighs gr. 15, which may be disturbing to someone, but that makes it attractive as an every day pen. Having the pen posted or uncapped will change little as the weight is so low. The dimensions are in mm: capped 133, uncapped 123, posted 149, body 76, body diameter 12, cap 56, cap diameter 13, grip 48, grip diameter 11, nib 18, nib wingspan 8.

4) Nib design and performance
The medium nib is dark polished steel and is a real Medium. The nib writes well but not perfectly smooth, which is quite normal considering the cost of the pen. It’s rigid and the flow is perfect even allowing long pauses with no obligation to cover the pen. The feed is made of plastic with sided strips, it’s screwable and replaceable and, in some cases, interchangeable with those of the Sonnet series. It doesn’t skip but over some papers is a little rough. Overall I am very satisfied.

5) Filling System
As all the entry level low cost pens, the filling system is always a cartridge also if the pen is able to accept any Parker or Aurora converter (not supplied). Parker and Aurora cartridges , that exist only in long version, are quite comfortable and allow an economic use of the pen by buying compatible cartridges. Just pay attention to ink quality.

6) Cost / Value
I paid the pen € 6.00 + € 3.00 for shipping costs and at the time of purchase its value was € 15.00. I bought it on ebay from sheildcosmetics and despite being a private, the pen has a lifetime warranty, but obviously without proof of purchase. I got it still sealed with its transparent and card-blistered box. For what I have written I can say that I have well spent my money because in Italy this pen is not easy to be found. In any case it is part of a low level class in my collection. I have nothing to complain even for the transaction on ebay.

7) Overall opinion and conclusions
Overall, the pen is very good, though in the long writing period its lightness may tire. Many people find the Frontier’s writing better than or equal to the Sonnet’s one. Personally I find it slightly more rough, although there are several versions of Frontier and perhaps the most expensive ones could be better, but I think the change is only about the finish and the material of the pen. Surely I suggest the pen to all those people who want a pen that writes well, is convenient and cost so low that you can carry around and use it in any situation without risking a heart attack showing, losing or breaking it.

Fountain Pen Review: Waterman Expert II Dune Blue CT Medium

12 ottobre 2007 Di in Reviews Tag: , , , , Lascia un commento

Waterman Expert II Dune Blue CT Medium cap posted1) First impressions
I always liked the blue pens and when I saw this pen at an ebay auction I have not hesitated to participate in view of the beautiful sea color. I bought it on November 14th, 2006 from the ebay seller lazylombster, paid € 16.86 + shipping cost of € 9.97, a bargain considering that the quotes for a new pen from dealers were of € 75.00 at the purchase date. The pen, however, was new and arrived in perfect condition in its box and in fairly reasonable time. The pen was accompanied by the medium value Waterman standard blue carton box with shell opening, double bottom, 2 cartridges and instruction booklet, but since the sale was not from a dealer it had no warranty.

2) Aesthetics and finishing
The pen, with an intense blue color and chromed trims, has a black smooth plastic handle and the rest of the pen, including the cap, is metallic effect shiny lacquered metal. Hence the name of the model that recalls the undulations of dunes. The pen appears solid and sturdy, perfect in detail, with no smudges or imperfections. The pen is considerably above expectations since the photo did not give the correct value.

3) Design / Size / Weight
The pen is almost entirely in metal except for the grip and the final part of the body. The design is very aerodynamic like almost all modern Waterman pens of the medium-low class. The back of the body is flat while the end of the cap is slanted. The pen is not perfectly cylindrical but has a cigar shape, and the cap follows the same line too. The pen is medium-sized regular and meets my taste. The balance of the pen is good even without the cap; however it is preferable to use it posted to avoid fatigue in long hand writing and in this way the pen is even more elegant. The weight of the pen is gr. 30 while its dimensions are: 142 mm closed, 126 mm uncapped, 152 mm posted, 79 mm body, 13 mm body diameter, 65 mm cap, 14 m cap diameter, 47 mm handle, 11 mm handle diameter, 18 mm nib, 7 mm nib wingspan.

4) Nib design and performance
The polished dark steel nib is a medium-small with a Medium line, and comparing it with others it seems right even though with some highly absorbent papers the line seems broad. The nib is smaller than the one on Waterman Kultur series but it seems much more performant because it slips well on any type of paper, and doesn’t even sled where hand was resting. It is hard and the ink flows well even though, when pausing, it tends to accumulate and create a first word darker. It has a plastic feed with strips inside. It appears blocked because also applying a medium force I cannot unscrew it and I do not want to further force in order not to damage the pen. Overall I am satisfied with it, having even tried different types of paper, but with Moleskine shadow effect is more pleasing.

5) Filling System
Like all mid-pens, this pen is cartridge / converter, but it was not included in the package. The pen can operate only with long cartridges as it has the internal brass protection that prevents the use of the short cartridges while permitting the use of the converter. I always suggest to use only Waterman cartridges in Waterman pens because the section of the international and Pelikan cartridges is smaller than the Waterman feed, and forcing it can break.

6) Cost / Value
As already mentioned, this pen was a bargain because it was paid € 16.86 + € 9.97 of shipping cost and the price of the new one at the dealers was € 75.00. Compared to my collection the pen is placed in an intermediate area. However I am fully satisfied with the purchase.

7) Overall opinion and conclusions
Before buying the pen I had ever seen any advertising on it but as soon as I saw the auction, I immediately liked it, by instinct, “by skin” and I have never regretted it. Although it is a mid class pen, it is comfortable and charming and knows how to attract all eyes. Of this model there are many versions that change the name depending on the color and finish, but this Dune Blue CT is very beautiful. I can only be a happy owner and recommend it to others.

Fountain Pen Review: Waterman Carene Islands Lagon ST Fine

8 giugno 2007 Di in Reviews Tag: , , , , Lascia un commento

waterman_carene1) First impressions
I have always wanted to have a Carene, since the very first moment that I saw it online on ebay from lewertoski in the Deluxe or Tobacco versions. I was fascinated by its line and design, even though already possessing many dark pens, I was braked by the color and even more I did not know anything about nib performance. Moreover it was always expensive.
When, after several Waterman, I realized that the nib I wanted was Fine, I looked for it paying attention to the price.
So I found an auction without any bidders on lewertoski and for “few” euros I won a new model, very beautiful in its coloring. As always lewertoski was fast even though I could not pay him immediatly because the system was messed up with multiple purchases and shipping costs.
The pen arrived accompanied by a Waterman classic elegant hard cardboard blue box, with a converter included in the pen and a box of long cartridges Waterman Florida Blue; there were also two leaflets for warranty and for the Carene Islands line. Everything had an elegant but, at the same time, young and fresh look.

2) Aesthetics and finishing
The pen, in its metallic aquamarine green color, takes the name of Islands Lagon with one “o” and for its chromed details is a ST. The pen is very well defined in its structure and finishing, having a solid matter too. The line is continuous, without interruptions or imperfections of any kind and is much better than how it appeared in photos except for the handle that as all shiny handles tends to show dirt and fingerprints. Overall, the pen is very well done.

3) Design / Size / Weight
The materials that make up this pen are metal and plastic. The handle, the feed and the internal structure of cap and body cylinders are in plastic. The clip, the trims and all the thin metallic coating that covers the cap and pen body are in metal. The design is a cigar-shaped, with acute ends, and draws the hull shape of a ship, from which its name. The clip is very stiff and slightly curved and follows flat for almost the entire length of the cap. The design reflects what I expected although once the body is screwed to the handle, the nib is not aligned with the rear of the pen.
The pen has standard size, at least for my small hand. Its dimensions are: 150 mm closed, 80 mm body, 65 mm cap, 128 mm uncapped, and 148mm posted and diameters are for the cap 10.5 mm in the wider part that is the area of screwing, and body 12 mm.
The pen is enough heavy (gr. 32) also if it is dry and without converter but is very well balanced even when uncapped and doesn’t tire the hand for long time of writing.

4) Nib design and performance
The nib of this pen is one of the distinguishing features, perhaps the principal, and let immediately turn the eyes of those persons around us. In this case the magnitude follows the body profile and has shape of a bow; whereas the profile I can say that its extension in the upper deck 2D is 2 x 0.9 cm. The line  is fine, really, neither too thin nor too large, even compared with other already owned. The nib is hard and runs well although not as others. In any case I am very satisfied and the flow is constant with any ink or paper, while not abundant, but medium so that it dries 1 second after writing.
The peculiarity of this nib is that the feed is separated as the air system, that has the hole away from the nib at the bottom of the plastic section. It might seem an armored nib as the one on Parker 45 but it is a completely outer nib glued to the plastic feed system. This obviously means that the nib is not removable, at least not by the medium user.
I am very pleased with this nib so much so that the pen still remains one of my favorites to write on any paper.

5) Filling System
The pen has a cartridge/converter system and comes with a Waterman deluxe converter and 1 box of Florida Blue cartridges. Although it seems it can mount Pelikan cartridges I do not recommend using it because of the fact that the Waterman feed is different from Pelikan one and that there may be loss of ink or in the worst cases, it breaks the feed.
I suggest the use of converter if you use the pen in the office or at home because the bottle ink is cheaper 3 times less than cartridges. Traveling cartridges are obviously more practical remembering that in the airplane it is better to have the pen without cartridges and clean because of the air pressure that would leave the ink.
The peculiarity of this pen charging system is the presence of 2 rubber rings for tightness in the area of screwing between grip and body, perhaps to prevent any leakage of ink when you travel.

6) Cost / Value
The pen was bought on ebay from lewertoski (Pensellerfromfrance) on March 3rd, 2007 and it was paid € 77.00 plus shipping cost of € 8.00. The list price was of € 178.00. Being a high-end pen, as with all of the same class Waterman pens, it has a life warranty. Of course like all the lewertoski pens also this pen was brand new. After some months I can say that the pen value is certainly the money I spent. In my collection is one of my favorites and not only for the value but also for the rest. At the date of this test, based on the purchase price, the Carene is at the eighth position from the most expensive piece of my collection. Overall I was fine with lewertoski and I recommend him to others.

7) Overall opinion and conclusions
This is my first pen review, and now that I have reached the end I’m finding difficulties to avoid repeating the same things of other sections but there are people who do not have time and desire to read everything and read only the conclusions, as often I do too.
It’s obviously impossible to give an assessment of each pen comparing it with other pens but relating to the best or the worst score, I consider only my experience with this pen that belongs to the high-average class both in the commercial pens market and in my private collection. The pen is available in several versions with names that change not only for the color but also for the set (Deluxe or Standard). But all of them should have the same physical features, at least for those with the fine nib.
Surely it is a pen that I was very satisfied of and I would recommend it to others.

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