Sailor HighAce Neo Clear Fountain Pen Review

In the conversations I have around beginner fountain pens, the Sailor HighAce Neo usually gets left out. Rightfully so, which I will elaborate on as we go, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a fun pen to use and great in the right situation.

The HighAce Neo has been around for years, even warranting a couple of guest reviews on this very blog. I enjoyed the orange model myself when it first became available. Two clear barrel models are now available, with the black cap version the one in my hands for review.

You will notice immediately when picking up the HighAce Neo how light it is. The plastic barrel is no frills, with an ice-type finish and a smoke grey section. The black aluminum cap lends to the lightness. Put this pen in a pocket or a bag and you will forget it is there. That is good, but could end up bad if it makes a trip through the washing machine.

The nib is what makes this pen a consideration. I’ve had bad luck with the fine steel nibs found on Sailor’s other entry level pen, the Clear Candy, but every HighAce Neo I have used has been perfect. The nib is firm without being a nail, and as smooth as you would hope a fine Japanese nib would be. The line output is clean and sharp.

While there is no real problem with the pen on its own, it happens to play in an increasingly crowded field. For a time, the Platinum Preppy was its only competition, and a far superior one at that at a fraction of the cost. More recently, the Pilot Metropolitan came in and is dominating the beginner fountain pen market with its combination of price, style, and performance. It’s almost impossible to beat as a first fountain pen.

So where does that leave the HighAce Neo? Sailor has its fans, and for those who need a cheap, portable way to use their waterproof Nano Black and Blue Black inks, then this is your choice. Many people swear by this ink, and this is a way to take it on the road when heading out to write or sketch.

If you want the best beginner fountain pen, choose the Pilot Metropolitan. If you are a fan of Sailor and their ink cartridges then you may find the HighAce Neo a pleasant surprise.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Pelikan Special Edition M120 Green/Black: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Pelikan Special Edition M120 in green and black is a tribute to the vintage version from the 1950s. Like its predecessor, the pen is cigar shaped with a black cap and piston knob, green barrel, and Pelikan-beak clip.

My pen came in a cardboard presentation box with a drawer. The pen is nestled inside a leatherette Pelikan pen envelope tied with brown ribbon.

The cap top is engraved with the Pelikan logo, but it's hard to see except in direct light.

The Pelikan-beak clip is gold plated. And the cap ring is engraved with the words "Pelikan Germany."

The barrel is solid green plastic with an ink window and a black grip.

The M120 nib is gold-plated stainless steel engraved with a retro design.

I am quite impressed with the nib on my review pen. Even though it is an extra-fine, it is not scratchy at all. It writes smoothly and even has a bit of spring.

I inked the M120 with Pelikan's new 4001 Dark Green ink. It's a perfect match for the pen and is a beautiful shade of green. The piston on the M120 works smoothly and draws in about 0.9 ml of ink.

The M120 is a small pen at only 4.75 inches unposted and 6.1 posted. It is bigger than its vintage predecessors (the M140 and M120) which measure 4.5 inches unposted and 5.5 inches posted. The pen weighs only 14.5 grams.

You can purchase the Special Edition M120 in green and black at Goldspot for $211.95 (retail is $265!). For such a simple plastic pen with a steel nib, that's a pretty steep price. I think Pelikan should have priced this around $100 or less, making it more competitive with other EDC pens like TWSBI, because the M120 could be a wonderful every-day writer.

Pros

• The simple design of the M120 and piston filling system make this a great EDC pen.
• The gold-plated, stainless steel nib writes beautifully. Pelikan nibs are consistently good (in my experience) though the size of the nibs can vary (i.e. one fine Pelikan nib might write more like a medium, whereas another fine might write like a true fine). The EF on this review pen is a true EF.
• The pen is light and well balanced posted or unposted. It won't weigh down a shirt pocket and will fit easily in a small notebook.
• The M120 comes in a nice presentation box and would make a great graduation gift or Father's Day present.

Cons

• I honestly think this pen is overpriced. It is a piston-filler, which may add a bit to the cost, but it's plastic with a steel nib. It really shouldn't be over $100.
• Because the pen is small, people with larger hands may find it too light even when posted.

Thanks to Goldspot Pens for lending Pen Addict the M120 for review.

Pelikan M205 Special Edition Transparent Blue Demonstrator Review

Pelikan is one of the top brands in the fountain pen market for a reason. The history behind the company is strong and the quality they produce year in and year out is outstanding. They like to have fun with colors too, outside of their main product offerings like the Souveran lineup, and the M205 Special Edition Transparent Blue Demonstrator is a prime example of this.

For many years, Pelikan has used the M205 lineup to dabble in colored demonstrator barrels. Their fluorescent highlighter models have been some of the most popular releases (with matching ink no less) and the reissuing of this blue model shows how popular it is. It doesn’t hurt that they released this same color in larger models like the M605 either. Was it that popular, or did they have that much extra material? Hmm…

Regardless, this is a cool pen. The M205 is one of Pelikan's smallest offerings with a piston filling mechanism, so don’t go into it thinking this is a big pen. It’s small and lightweight, making it perfect for every day carry almost any way you would like it to travel. In a pocket, purse, or backpack it will work just fine.

I find Pelikan steel nibs better than their gold nibs right out of the box. The gold nibs are amazing, but are wider and wetter than their steel counterparts. Every Pelikan gold nib I own I had to have modified to write how I want them. Every Pelikan steel nib I own is on the mark from first ink and a joy to use.

I mentioned earlier that this is a piston filler, and it is an excellent one at that. The mechanisms across the lineup are easy to use and allow for easy cleaning. In fact, my Pelikan pens may be the easiest pens to clean that I own.

After all the fawning over this pen and the brand as a whole, there has to be a kicker, right? There is, and it is the price. Up and down Pelikan’s product lineup they are more expensive than comparable pens from other brands. This model is no exception. $140 for a steel nib fountain pen puts it in the same category as gold nib offerings from Lamy and Pilot. You will have to determine what you are looking for in a pen to decide if this pen is right for you.

I’ve yet to be let down by a Pelikan pen, and I have bought several. Yes, you are paying a premium, but you know you are getting a quality product backed by 175 years of manufacturing history. Consider me a fan.

My thanks to Pen Boutique for sending this pen to me at no charge for review purposes. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post where I’ll be giving it away to one lucky reader!

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