Posts filed under Fountain Pens

Montegrappa Elmo Fantasy Blooms Blue Cross Gentian Fountain Pen Review

The Montegrappa Elmo is one of “those” pens. No, not the ones with the interminably long names, but rather, one of the ones that lands in the $150-$200 price range that I have been discussing so much recently.

While the Montegrappa Elmo Fantasy Blooms Blue Cross Gentian Fountain Pen might be the new product name length record holder, it’s also a heck of a good pen.

I’ve had my Elmo inked up and in use for several weeks to get a good feel for it, and I’m having a hard time coming up with a narrative thread to weave in this review. That’s a good thing, because that means that it just works. It looks great, feels great, and writes as well as any other out of the box experience I’ve had.

The standout feature of the Fantasy Blooms series is the materials used. I chose the vivid Blue Cross Gentian - named after a plant with vibrant blue flowers - but Iris Yellow and Black Star Calla Lilly are equally as bright and fun.

Based on the product images, I thought the Blue Cross Gentian would have more purple in it, but there are only a few swirls present. I noticed that Ana’s was almost identical to mine. I’m good with that because of how unique this material is. It’s more of an overhead shot of the Caribbean Sea, with the Mariana Trench added in for good measure. It’s a great look.

The Montegrappa Elmo has a great feel too. This model was first introduced in the early 1900’s, and enjoyed a long run as one of Montegrappa’s most popular every day writing instruments. The Elmo made its way back into the lineup in 2019 with a basic black barrel, but the standout of the return are certainly these Fantasy Bloom editions.

If there is one particular thing to consider when purchasing this pen it’s that the section is not overly long, so the back side of your fingers on the grip will rest on the barrel transition. That part of the pen is metal, but it is rounded and smooth. I have a low grip on most pens so it is a non-issue for me, but it is something to think about if you grip the pen higher on the section.

The steel Extra Fine nib in my Elmo, manufactured by Jowo, was wonderful out the box, and continues to be great the more I write with it. It’s firm, and surprisingly wet for a steel EF. I inked up this pen with Kobe NOLTY 70th Anniversary Blue, so it could be the ink that is responsible for this wonderful flow. Whatever it is, I’ll take it.

And I’ll take the Montegrappa Elmo, now, and in the future. At $200, it bumps right up against the ceiling of my new favorite price point, but this is a new realm for Montegrappa. I was a fan of the brand already, but if they continue to dedicate catalog space in this price point there will be more Montegrappa pens in my future.

(I purchased this pen at a discount from Vanness Pens.)

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Posted on May 4, 2020 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Montegrappa, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Kaweco Student Fountain Pen 50s Rock Blue Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Love the look of vintage pens, but worry about the care and feeding of a working antique? Fortunately, there are a number of pen manufacturers making new, low-maintenance pens with a throwback fashion sense, and I am totally here for it. This Kaweco Student 50s Rock has that fabulous vintage aesthetic without any fuss.

It has a resin cap and body with gold-tone chrome trim, finial, and grip section. The body is a cream color that looks like aged white--like this pen has been treasured for decades (as it likely will be), and the cap is a pretty denim blue. The gold trim looks warm and elegant. The clip has a nice, functional shape with the work "Kaweco" and some scrollwork stamped into the metal. It is a firm clip, but with enough spring that it is easy to use while still protecting your pen. The top finial is the classic Kaweco tri-circle. The band is stamped with "Kaweco" and "Germany" with dots separating them.

The metal grip section is what surprised me most about the pen. It's solid, and lends quite a bit of weight to it. It feels front-heavy when you lift the pen, but it settles into balance nicely when written with. The grip section has a smooth hourglass shape that flares at the end to help prevent slipping. It does get a bit slick, but the shape stayed comfortable, even during long writing sessions.

The pen takes cartridges or Kaweco converters, and comes with one cartridge and one placeholder. Two cartridges can fit in the longer body, so it's easy to carry a spare. Unposted, I find this pen to be the perfect length. It does post, but not very deeply, and the weight of the cap, plus its added length, make the pen a bit awkward when posted, I feel. I do have very small hands, though.

The nib is a small, gold-plated steel nib. It has some scrollwork, the Kaweco logo, and the words "Germany, since 1883" stamped on it, along with the nib size. This one is a medium. Like my previous Kaweco nibs, I found this one to be a smooth, wet writer that is easily comparable to a Japanese Broad nib. It writes like butter on hot glass, except when it doesn't. I think this nib might actually be too smooth, and suffering from some baby's bottom, because it occasionally has hard starts. Once it gets going, it doesn't skip, but the first few strokes of the pen after it is lifted are hit or miss. I think this can be solved with some simple home-tuning, and it's definitely worth the few minutes that would take, as it is otherwise a nicely performing, beautiful pen.

Priced at $60, this pen might be a bit pricey for a student to buy, but it would make a lovely gift for one. It's a great build for a school or work pen, and the ability to carry a second cartridge is great for class or meeting notes. It will clip safely and securely to a pocket and look fantastic there.

I love my wee pocket Kawecos--the jellybeans of fountain pens. This pen is definitely several tiers up from those. It's in the same price range as the higher-tier TWSBIs and the mid-range Sailors and Pilots, and I think it definitely earns its place among those favorites.

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

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Posted on April 30, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Kaweco, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Ryan Krusac Legend L~15 in Ebony and Abalone: 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.)

One pen maker I’ve not had the pleasure of purchasing from is Ryan Krusac. Ryan is well known for his beautiful wooden pens. He also creates pens from antler, metal, stone and even hand paints or engraves art on his pens.

A few weeks ago Ryan offered a bunch of pens for sale in an effort to help fellow pen maker, Jonathan Brooks, with medical expenses. I was very excited about this sale because I’ve wanted to buy a Ryan Krusac pen for some time. This seemed like the perfect opportunity. I watched his live Instagram feed and was instantly drawn to a pen made of Japanese Elm. Unfortunately, I was too slow making a decision, and someone else nabbed that beautiful pen. Although the last thing I needed was another black pen, I love the look of Ryan’s ebony wood pens with abalone or turquoise finials. So, before I lost another pen to someone quicker than me, I clicked “buy” and landed a Legend L-15 with abalone finials.

The pen arrived within a few days of purchase. It was enclosed in a silky black kimono.

The Legend L-15 is the second largest version in the Legend collection with a 15mm barrel. The entire pen barrel and cap is made of ebony wood, which is not lacquered. The color isn’t really a black black but rather a dark brown.

Up close, you can see the wood grain unique to the pen.

One of the great characteristics of a wooden pen is how it smells. Put it close to your nose, and you breathe in the essence of the tree from which it was made. Acrylic, plastic, resin, and even celluloid pens (which have an odor, but not necessarily a nice one) don’t offer this special treat. Plus, as the pen is used the oils in my hand will penetrate the wood and it will develop a beautiful sheen.

My Legend has an elegant, simple profile with no clip and no metal parts. There’s a tiny step down from the cap to the barrel, and the wood is smooth and warms to my hand. The only mark on the pen is the subtle Ryan Krusac logo.

Of course, what sets this pen apart (besides the wood) is the abalone. Both finials are flush with the wood and exhibit glorious colors.

The Legend is a medium to large-sized pen with a cartridge/converter filling system. In length, I would call it a medium pen, measuring 5.4 inches/137mm capped, 5 inches/128mm uncapped, and 6.8 inches/173mm posted. It’s girth (15mm) might make it seem like a large pen for people with smaller hands, but the grip is only 11.8mm, so it’s quite comfortable to write with (and I have tiny hands). The pen weighs only 17 grams with ink, unposted.

I chose a steel 1.1mm stub nib. The nib is decorated with a bit of scroll work and the Ryan Krusac logo, but I believe this is a standard JoWo nib. It writes smoothly and the tines are perfectly aligned.

I inked it with Colorverse Rainy Day ink (review coming soon), which is a bit dry. But, the ink has nice shading properties demonstrated by the stub nib.

I am quite pleased with my first Ryan Krusac fountain pen--I say “first” because I’m still hoping to get my hands on a Japanese Elm one of these days. You can purchase pens directly from Ryan’s website. Prices vary depending on the collection, materials, pen size, and nib choice. You can even have a pen custom designed just for you.

(I purchased this Ryan Krusac Legend with my own funds.)

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