Posts filed under Fountain Pens

Behold, Something New! The Harmonic Nib, from Opus Cineris

Opus Cineris Harmonic Nib

The Harmonic Nib. Image via Opus Cineris.

(This is a guest post by Andrew Coon. You can find more of Andrew’s fountain pen favorites on Instagram.)

Whenever a pen of note arrives, something interesting, I hand it to my wife. I play with pens, she knits. I appreciate the yarn she finds, and she appreciates the pens that show up. Over the years, many such pens have arrived and we have found a pattern.

She takes the pen, and writes the following:

Writing

A Harmonic BB nib, with Diamine Aurora Borealis on a Nock a5 Cahier.

And then she asks what makes it special. I have handed her a Pilot Emperor, a Pilot Custom Urushi, Jowo 6's, Bock 8's, King of Pens, stacked nibs of all different types, and many more.

This time, she said "this could be my favorite."

My wife has good taste.

What she wrote with is already one of my favorites - both for who made it as well as for what it is.

Anabelle Hiller, first being trained as a musician, then made the jump to metal working. A trained jeweler, she has focused on a particular piece of metal that anyone reading this holds dear - the nib of a fountain pen. After creating her own nib for her masterpiece she experimented with a batch of silver nibs. After a few truly lucky people tested them out at length, she moved on to make a batch of ten nibs in 14k gold.

I was lucky enough to obtain one of these, and I would like to tell you about it because there will be more of her creations. They will be worth finding and cherishing.

Opus Cineris Harmonic Silver

The Harmonic Nib, in Silver. Image via Opus Cineris.

What is immediately striking about this nib is the double layer of metal that frames the entire nib. I don't know how this is done - but I can see what it makes possible. On these, this edge has a hammered finish that is very striking. On Anabelle's second set of nibs, a set of 8 made in silver, this edge was engraved in a leaf border, complementing the scrolls down the center of the nib.

Matched with an ebonite feed from FPnibs.com, these nibs can be customized with any grind. What I have is a round BB, tuned for showing off the sheening and shading properties of any ink. And, it is perfect. Responsive and well behaved, I can only wish that all my nibs wrote like this one. I have used multiple brands of ink with it, multiple types of paper, and the performance has been consistent and superb.

Harmonic Nib Giants Pens

The Harmonic Nib, with Giants' Pens ebonite barrel. Image via Opus Cineris.

The pen this nib came in was made by Teun and Joep of Giants' Pens, and is elegant and clean. The material is a black and grey ebonite, that is almost impossible to photograph. The tolerances are tight - and the quickest way to tell is with the threading. This threading is smooth and exact. Matched with the immaculate polish, the pen is a stunner. Its shape is that of a Nakaya Naka-ai, and that is what it reminded me of. Light, nimble, a pen that I reach for multiple times a day.

It is not often that something truly new comes along in the pen community. This is one of those moments.

Anabelle makes nibs sing upon request, for any pens purchased from Appelboom. In addition to employing her, Appelboom also allowed Anabelle to use their website for the sale. This is very cool - It is always good to see those who are well established in the field support those who are starting.

I look forward to following along with what happens next. Engraving, gem setting, overlays? I don't know. But it will be great.

I invite you to join me in following Anabelle at Opus Cineris and on Instagram @opuscineris

(This nib was purchased by Andrew Coon at the 2022 Washington DC Pen Show, directly from Anabelle Hiller. Opus Cineris images provided for this post with permission.)

Posted on September 5, 2022 and filed under Opus Cineris, Fountain Pens, Nibs, Guest Post.

Laban Solar Fountain Pen Review

Laban Solar Fountain Pen Review

It's been quite a while since I've reviewed a Laban fountain pen, but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in what they're doing. Laban is a luxury brand, but the quality and prices that they set for their products provide a great value. On top of that, they've been fun to use in my experience.

The Laban Solar fountain pen is one that I just can't keep my hands off. The orange anodized aluminum is perfect, and the nib is smooth and responsive out of the box. It wasn't love at first sight, though.

Laban Solar Fountain Pen

The matte orange finish on the body and cap are stellar, but I still can't help but cringe a little when I uncap the pen and unveil the super reflective grip section. If the grip section and clip were a matte silver finish, I'd be completely in love with this pen. In the current iteration, though, the shiny chrome-like finish creates an unsavory contrast with the matte exterior.

Laban Solar Fountain Pen

Despite the reflective quality of the section finish, it feels great once it's in your hands. There's a unique knurling pattern that looks rough to the naked eye, but it's actually fairly smooth and tactile against your fingertips. Holding this pen and writing is a very comfortable experience. I'm guessing that this feels smooth because of how small the knurling pattern is. My finger tips don't have the microscopic resolution to detect a harsh edge anywhere on the grip. I thought for sure that it would feel like the rigid side of a hook-and-loop panel, but it just so happens that I really enjoy writing with it.

Laban Solar Fountain Pen

The pen caps with a smooth twist mechanism. It takes approximately 2 complete turns to uncap or cap the pen, so you can be sure that it won't open accidentally while in your bag or pockets. You can post the cap on the back of the pen, but I find that it's a little too long and awkward in this setup. I prefer to hold the cap or set it to the side when writing. The unposted length and balance of the pen is perfect for my writing grip.

The nib on this pen is a Laban steel EF with a reflective finish that's similar to the grip section. Aside from the Laban branding, there's an "IRIDIUM" etched onto the nib as well. Unfortunately, the nib size isn't etched onto the nib, so don't forget what it is after it's been stored a while!

Laban Solar Fountain Pen

The etching on the nib isn't the only place you'll find Laban branding. The Laban name is also printed in very small lettering right under the end of the clip at the bottom of the cap. It's a very tasteful placement and size for the logo that allows the real star of the show to take center stage — that color and finish.

At under $65, this pen is a steal for what you get. The quality of materials and fit/finish alone are worth this price. Along with the pen, you receive a standard cartridge-converter so you can fill the pen with whatever ink you like. Major hat tip to Laban for including this with the pen. You can pick from EF, F, M, and B nibs as well as lots of different colors for the pen exterior, but I think orange is the correct choice in this case.

Laban Solar Fountain Pen

The Laban Solar makes a fantastic gift for someone else, or a fantastic treat for yourself. If the aesthetic speaks to you, the pen will certainly deliver on the writing front if you choose to pick one up.

(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)


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Laban Solar Fountain Pen
Posted on August 31, 2022 and filed under Laban, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen Review

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen 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!)

I vow to stop being surprised by the quality of PenBBS fountain pens, because they're consistently good. This is my third pen, and I always seem to expect a lower quality from such a budget-friendly pen. Those expectations are always cast aside as soon as I take the pen out of the box. A nice box, too, actually, with a sturdy board and magnetic flap closure.

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen

The 456 model feels solid, with a substantial acrylic body in a gorgeous color. There is a chrome cap ring, a sturdy clip with a lovely art deco silhouette, and another metal band where the end cap unscrews. All of the fittings are flush and smooth with no rough edges or machine marks anywhere. The cap band says "PENBBS 456" and "Shanghai."

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen

The cap unscrews on metal threads. The grip section is tapered at the center to give a comfortable, balanced grip. The threads and step from the grip to the body are all smooth and the pen is very comfortable to hold.

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen

The steel nib is two-toned and stamped with scrollwork and "PENBBS since 2005" as well as the nib size, which in this case is a fine nib. It writes a true fine line, with minimal feedback and a very smooth experience. It's closer to the dry end of the spectrum, but not unpleasantly. The writing experience overall is very good, with the pen feeling well balanced and comfortable.

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen

The coolest feature of this pen is its vacuum filling system, which makes it a high-capacity ink tank. It fills the same way a Pilot 823 or TWSBI Vac does, and likewise needs to have the endcap unscrewed if you want to keep the ink flowing for long writing sessions. When screwed completely closed, the plunger serves as a stopper, which makes this a great pen to carry if you're worried about leaks, especially when flying.

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen

Despite all these cool features, my favorite thing about this pen is the gorgeous material. The flaked acrylic has deep turquoise veins with pearlescent white chips that flash violet and blue and bright green, like opal or moonstone. It's pretty in any light, but when it catches the light just right, it's absolutely stunning.

The PenBBS 456 retails for around $56, which is a great deal for a pen of this quality. It's certainly one of the best pens you can get under $75, especially if you like pretty acrylics and high-capacity filling systems. To be blunt, I have pens that cost nearly $300 that are not as nice as this one. If you want to be financially sensible without sacrificing on writing experience or aesthetics, this is the perfect choice.

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


Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

PenBBS 456 Fountain Pen

Bonus Cat!

Posted on August 25, 2022 and filed under PenBBS, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.