Posts filed under Fountain Pens

Parings Party: Waldmann Titan Fountain Pen, Wearingeul 7 Colored Ocean

The tactile feel of the Waldmann Titan Fountain Pen is something to behold.

I didn’t know what to expect when requesting this pen from Luxury Brands to review, and that is exactly why I choose it. The Titan is not a pen I would have picked out blindly for myself, but after using it for the past month, I’ve come away impressed.

If you aren’t familiar with Waldmann, we have reviewed a couple of this German manufacturers pens previously, with very positive results. Given that, it should come as no surprise that I feel similarly about the Titan. What does surprise me is that Waldmann decided to make this pen in the first place.

I shouldn’t be surprised, as they are a metal pen manufacturer at their core, but the Titan is a visual outlier compared to the rest of their lineup. And, like the rest of their lineup, they nailed the execution.

Back to my first comment: I can’t get the feel of the Titan out of my head, or my hands. Metal barrel pens ride a fine line between showing off materials and manufacturing, and making a blunt force object far too heavy to write with comfortably.

Titanium is lighter than many other metals used in pen manufacturing, but the manufacturer still has control over the final weight. How thick are the barrel walls, for example? Too thick, and you throw off the balance. Too thin, and you compromise the structure. Waldmann landed on a nice balance and weight with the Titan, allowing for long writing sessions without fatigue, while making a sturdy pen that is built to last.

The sandblasted finish is an added bonus. I like a bit of texture on metal pens, especially in the grip area, and they did a great job with the overall feel. It is a tip-to-tail finish, too, as this pen is all titanium outside the nib, nib housing and feed, and converter.

The only question I have is the use of Bock’s #5 steel nib, instead of the larger #6 model. This is a full-sized pen, and could handle a #6 easily. Luckily, Bock’s #5 is sized like a 5-1/2, so visually it works fine. I simply have to ask the question of why not the bigger nib?

My review unit sports an Extra Fine (hooray Bock nib markings!) and writes perfectly for me. My usage has run the gamut from planning, journaling, scratching notes, and, inked with the brilliant Wearingeul 7 Colored Ocean, has worked flawlessly every time I uncapped the pen thanks to the internal plastic liner that seals it upon closure.

How did I decide on 7 Colored Ocean for this pen? Well, what color ink would you have chosen? Literally anything would have matched the titanium barrel, so when you can choose everything, how do you choose anything? I ended up going with this Blue Steel vibe, despite running bright green, hot pink, orange, and purple shades through my mind before settling on this one.

I think I made the perfect choice. 7 Colored Ocean isn’t breaking new ground on bright blues with darker shading and a hint of red sheen, but dang if it isn’t perfect for this pen. I lean towards this color a lot with my finer nibs, and the results usually pay off. This could be an all day, every day writing combination.

The Waldmann Titan is a limited edition of 200 worldwide, and is currently priced at $385 at site sponsor Pen Chalet. It’s expensive, but every part of this pen feels worth it to me. It’s hard to imagine a better built pen that what Waldmann has done here. Add in a $22 bottle of Wearingeul 7 Colored Ocean, and you too may end up with a pairing party of your own.

(Luxury Brands USA loaned the Waldmann Titan to The Pen Addict for review purposes. The Wearingeul Ink was purchased from Vanness Pens at a discount.)


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Posted on July 10, 2023 and filed under Waldmann, Fountain Pens, Ink Reviews, Pen Reviews, Wearingeul.

Ranga Premium Ebonite Abhimanyu 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!)

(Note: We listed the pen model incorrectly in the original post and have updated the name and product links accordingly. -Brad)

The only thing that frustrates me about this pen is that, no matter how many photos I take, I can't seem to quite capture how awesome it looks in person. The Ranga Abhimanyu from Peyton Street Pens has beautiful depth of color. This red and black colorway has swirls that look like an active lava flow. The ebonite is smooth, and the body and cap feel substantial and strong.

The cap screws off to reveal a grip section in the same ebonite material. It's nicely shaped with a taper that ends in a flair that keeps the fingers from slipping. This model has no clip, and both finials are gently shaped to a point. The overall shape reminds me of a Nakaya Piccolo, though this solid ebonite is much heavier. The Ranga isn't uncomfortably heavy, though. It's very well balanced and comfortable to write with, even for long writing sessions.

The grip unscrews from the body to access the converter. It takes a standard international cartridge or converter, but the pen can also be eyedroppered. The body threads are long, so it takes lots of unscrewing to access the ink chamber, and those threads come pre-greased, so it's ready to ink right away.

Once inked, it's revealed that this is not just a pretty pen. I really enjoyed writing with it. The nib is a #6 steel nib. This one is marked as a Fine, but Peyton Street Pens offers a number of sizes as well as some grinds. This one has a fine cursive italic grind on it, done by in-house nib grinder Nivardo Sanchez. The writing has great character, and the downstrokes are wider than the cross strokes. I might be slightly biased, because that is my favorite flavor of nib grind, but I adore the way it writes. It has a nice flow, it's super smooth, and I have had no issues with the pen drying out, even when I let it sit for a few days without use.

This model of pen comes in a variety of colors, from simple elegance to gloriously wacky. The price ranges from $72 to $105 depending on size, plus another $25 if you would like a custom nib grind, which is a very fair price. It's probably a little low, but don't tell them that; I might need a second one.

(Peyton Street Pens 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.

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Posted on July 6, 2023 and filed under Peyton Street Pens, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

21 Pen Questions - Answered

Ana at The Well-Apponited Desk started the #21PenQuestions party, and while I may be late, I’m still bringing a cooler full of fun! I’ve been excited to tackle these questions, and tried not to spoil myself by reading too many other responses before coming up with my own. Let’s see how it goes!

1: What is the pen they’ll have to pry out of your cold dead hands?

The Pilot Murex. I think this is one of the great pen designs, and the one I own was a gift. I try to use it as much as possible because it fits me perfectly, and deserves to be used.

2: What’s your guilty pleasure pen?

It has to be the Namiki Yuraki Milky Way Galaxy. It is easily the most I’ve ever paid for a pen, and looks like it with all of the beautiful craftsmanship involved. No real guilt, only pleasure.

3: What’s the pen you wish existed?

What if you combined the retractable nature of the Pilot Vanishing Point into the size of the Kaweco Liliput, and in the style of a Kasama Una Ultem, but in Orange. Yeah, how about that?

4: What pen would you give to a new enthusiast?

I think I’d go with the Pilot Prera, which is a step or two above the normal basic beginner choices - primarily due to the price. I think it is worth it, but it may be a bridge too far for someone to buy on their own when the $5 Platinum Preppy, or $18 Pilot Metropolitan are on the market. Since its a gift, I’d go for it with the Prera.

5: What pen do you want to get along with but it just never clicked?

Any Conid. By all rights, their pens should be a perfect match for me, but for some reason I never get all the way there with them. I’ve owned two, and sold two. I keep trying them, too, but I don’t see another in my future. Awesome pens though.

6: What pen do you keep only because its pretty?

I have a Fagionatto Petrarque in an orange celluloid that is one of the most beautiful pens I own, but I don’t love the nib in it. I can correct that, and should if I plan on keeping this pen. It has made the cut any time I try to thin out my collection, yet I keep not using it. I need to work on that.

7: What pen (or stationery product) did you buy because everyone else did?

Musubi notebooks, and I’m glad I did. It took be a couple of years to get there, and spending over $100 on a notebook is not something I had done before. But seeing them in action, learning the story of the brand, and becoming friends with the owner finally pushed me over the edge. I love them so much I have bought several more to give away. My personal one is filled, so maybe its’ time for my next.

8: What pen (or stationery product) is over your head or just baffles you?

The Col-O-Ring. I’m just seeing if Ana is paying attention here.

9: What pen (or stationery product) surprised you?

The basic plastic-barrel Kaweco Sport. A pen this small and this light should not be a good pen. And it’s not. It’s a great pen. I remember the first time I held one and I thought there was no way this is a good product. 10+ Kaweco Sports later, I am happy to have been wrong.

10: What pen doesn’t really work for you but you keep it because it’s a collectible?

The Uni-ball Kuru Toga Dive! It is all the rage, but it just doesn’t fit my needs as a mechanical pencil. It’s cool, but I don’t think it lives up to the hype.

11: What is your favorite sparkly pen (or ink)?

Jacques Herbin Shogun is the shimmer ink I didn’t know I needed in my life. It’s a moody ink, but has a ton of color and character. And shimmer.

12: Which nib do you love – but hate the pen?

I think this is the most difficult question on the list. I’m having trouble answering it because I rarely keep pens that I hate.

13: What pen (or stationery product) gives you the willies?

That “Papaya” pen I tried at the San Francisco Pen Show that one time. OMFG.

14: What’s your favorite pen for long form writing?

It’s easy to say the Pilot Custom 823, so let’s not make this difficult, shall we? Despite being a larger pen, it fits my hand well, has massive ink capacity, and sports one of the best nibs on the market. They could change the name of this pen to the Pilot Workhorse if they wanted to be more accurate.

15: What pen (or stationery product) do you love in theory but not in practice?

Pelikan gold nibs. They are AWESOME! They simply don’t work for my writing style. Stock nibs, even Extra Fine ones, are too wet and wide. I’ve tried to modify them, too, and the visuals end up not working for me. I’ve ended up swearing them off, despite being loved by most.

16: What pen (or stationery product) would you never let someone else use?

It doesn’t exist. Every pen I own has been in other peoples hands. It’s part of the deal when buying things to use. Other people get to use them as well. A prime example: the Murex from question number one was recently mailed to a friend to test out.

17: What pen (or stationery product) would you never use for yourself?

I understand the reason why the Montblanc Writer’s Edition pens exist, but they are not my jam. Too big and bulky for my regular use, but are favorites for many.

18: What pen (or stationery product) could you NOT bring yourself to buy?

The Visconti Iopenna. I want to buy it for the memes, but I couldn’t justify $200 for a sideshow. It’s kind of amazing though.

19: What’s your favorite vintage pen?

The Sheaffer Tuckaway. I was fortunate to run across this pen at the Arkansas Pen Show years ago, and it became an instant favorite due to its size and crazy fine nib.

20: What is your favorite EDC/pocket pen?

The Spoke Roady. Biased, as I am part of the manufacturer that makes them, but they are so damn good I want one with me at all times.

21: What’s the pen (or stationery product) that got away?

One of the first fountain pens I reviewed was a Sailor Pro Gear Standard in translucent Orange. It was a loaner, and I sent it back, thinking I could just buy one later if I wanted. Oops.


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!

Posted on June 26, 2023 and filed under Fountain Pens.