Ohuhu Fineliner Black and Color Drawing Pen Review

I know Ohuhu from their wide range of alcohol-based markers, but did you know they make fineliners as well? I didn’t until they reached out to me a few months ago and offered to send some my way to try out. Since I’m a fineliner junkie and not an alcohol marker user (their main product category,) I took them up on the opportunity to see how they stack up.

I received two packs of pens in the mail, the Ohuhu Fineliner Drawing Pen 8 Pack and the Ohuhu Hana Highway Fineliner Drawing Pens 18 Pack. This gives me the chance to check out various tip sizes and colors, and do a quick comparison against my favorite fineliner, the Sakura Pigma Micron.

Starting with the Drawing Pen set, this 8 pen collection covers a wide range of tip sizes from 005 (which converts to an 0.20 mm line size - all fineliner companies do this,) to 1.0 mm, and also includes a Brush pen. The ink color is Black in all of these pens, which is listed as water-resistant and sunproof, along with bleed, fade, and smear resistant. They don’t use the word “archival,” but these pens cover most bases, especially when used in conjunction with Ohuhu alcohol markers.

The barrel is a White plastic, and wider than a standard fineliner barrel. It is similar in size and shape to one of my favorites, the Kuretake Zig Mangaka. It’s comfortable to hold and use, even in the finer tip sizes.

I tested with the 03 (0.35 mm,) size since it is my favorite across all fineliners and I noticed two things immediately. One, the Black is not as Black as other fineliners, and two, the 03 line is wider than I expected. The width is something that pops up across fineliner brands, and you have to test a few to find your sweet spot. For example, the Micron 03 is my overall favorite, and I would choose the 02 in the Ohuhu to get that same feeling.

There’s almost no chance you can see the color variation in this image through your computer screen, but it was worth lining these pens up together on the same page to see the differences. Line 1 is the Ohuhu Fine Line Drawing Pen 03, Line 2 is the Sakura Pigma Micron 03, and Line 3 is the Ohuhu Colored Fine Line Pen 03, all in Black ink.

The shade of Black ink is something I focus on with all fineliners. In a vacuum, the Fineliner Drawing Pen is dark enough, but I noticed it was not only lighter than the Micron, but also lighter when compared to the Black 03 fineliner found as part of the Hana Highway pack. I asked if these were different ink formulations between the packs and was told there was no difference between the two.

Jumping into the Hana Highway pack and starting with the Black set, I think I prefer them over their above counterparts. The barrel size and shape fits the traditional fineliner mold, the tips feel firmer in my short time with them. The Black ink is also darker.

As part of this set, there are 7 tip sizes - 005 to 08, and Brush - for the Black ink pens, and 11 color fineliners, all in the 05 (0.45 mm) size. The colors offer a great range, although with some variance in vibrancy and saturation. Orange and Purplish Red pop off the page, while Green and Red are more dull and flat. That’s not a bad thing, as it is nice to have a range of shades to add depth when drawing. For writing, some colors are better than others.

In my book, there is rarely a bad fineliner, only good, and better. A majority of these Ohuhu fineliners fall into the good camp, with a few - like the 01, 02, and 03 Black ink pens from the Hana Highway set - jumping into the better category. In fact, I would recommend the Hana Highway set in its entirety, even if you think you would use Black the most. For 18 pens, it’s only $16.99, while the 8-pack of Black Fineliners runs $11.99. I need to ask if the wider Black fineliner barrel has a larger ink reservoir given their size, which could play a part in the price variance.

Ohuhu fineliners have their place in the market as a lower cost, good quality marker. Can they compete with big players such as Sakura and Staedtler for someone like me who primarily writes with fineliners? I don’t think so. The added cost of those pens is noticeable in the lines on my pages. For someone who uses them in a higher volume, like with school notes or for more artistic work, I can see these being a good choice, and I think many users will enjoy them.

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

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Platinum 3776 Century Travia - A Quick Look

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

When Bryce Gillet from Luxury Brands of America sent me a tester set of Platinum 3776 pens for review, he also sent the new 3776 Century Travia as well! I didn’t have a lot of time with it before I have to hand it back to them (insert sad face and trombone), so I wanted to do a quick review with first impressions of the pen. And what better way to test out a pen than to handwrite a review? (As in the past, I type out my article first so I can get all the editing done, and then copy it by hand afterward.)

The Platinum 3776 Century Travia continues in the Platinum 3776 tradition. The name Travia is derived from the words “Tradition” and “Via”, meaning “path” in Latin, and represents “an evolving road that extends straight into the future” - from Platinum Japan’s website.

Inside the box is the pen and “Ah, Fifty Years of Hardship” book, written by Platinum founder Shunichi Nakata and translated into English. There are 2,000 boxed sets and after that sells out, the book will not be included. A Platinum Blue Black cartridge and converter are also included.

Without picking up the pen, a couple things jumped out as being different from the regular 3776 - the first being ruthenium-plated trim on the cap and barrel. The dark metallic grey of the ruthenium paired with the polished black acrylic make for a very sleek look. The second thing I noticed were the flat ends of the cap and barrel, since the 3776 has rounded ends, aka cigar shape. After reading a bit more about the Travia, this design element is from the original 1978 version of the 3776, which had flatter finials.

Note that the grip is not the same shiny ruthenium or polished acrylic as the rest of the pen, but a matte black, which is good for those who find metal grips slippery.

The ruthenium isn’t just for aesthetics, but also meant to balance the pen in one’s hand. Unposted, the metal just above the grip section is intended to put the weight of the pen closer to the front of the pen, while posting the cap moves the weight of the pen quite a ways back. This is best for those with larger hands, or for those who prefer to hold the pen further back. As you may recall, I don’t generally post my pens, I have small-medium (not-large) hands, I tend to hold my pens close to the nib, and I have a steep writing angle - all of which means that I really would not enjoy posting this pen.

Holding the Platinum Travia, unposted.

The posted Travia feels especially back-weighted for my hand. With my steep angle, the cap’s weight feels off-balance and top-heavy.

Specs:

Pen Type

Cap

Rest of pen (empty)

Total (Posted)

Platinum Travia

.361 oz / 10.23 g

.69 oz / 19.57 g

1.051 oz / 29.80 g

Platinum 3776

.368 oz / 10.43 g

.342 oz / 9.71 g

.71 oz / 20.14 g

Pilot Custom 823

.342 oz / 9.68 g

.665 oz / 18.91 g

1.007 oz / 28.59 g

Pelikan M600

.244 oz / 6.93 g

.395 oz / 11.18 g

.639 oz / 18.11 g

Pelikan M800

.305 oz / 8.66 g

.721 oz / 20.44 g

1.026 oz / 29.10 g

Esterbrook Estie

.320 oz / 9.06 g

.573 oz / 16.24 g

.893 oz / 25.3 g

• Note that the Pilot 823 and Pelikans do not need a cartridge or converter to hold ink.

• Also, I was surprised to see that the 3776 cap is around the same weight as the Travia cap.

Comparison of similarly sized pens (capped): Platinum Travia, 3776, Pilot Custom 823, Pelikan M600, Pelikan M800, Esterbrook Estie.

Ok, aesthetics aside, how about the nib? This is not the standard 3776 nib, nor the Century 2.0, which has a new visual design but is otherwise the same.The Travia has a special “FLAF” nib, which stands for “Floats Like A Feather”. The FLAF nib is intended to give you better control when using varying amounts of pressure, since it isn’t quite as stiff as the regular 3776 (but it is close), but also not quite as bouncy as the Soft Fine.

Travia’s ruthenium FLAF nib.

One of the benefits of fountain pens is that they write under their own weight, meaning you don’t need to apply pressure to the nib for ink to flow (looking at you, ballpoints and even rollerballs). The capillary action of the ink when the nib touches paper is enough to get writing. The added weight of the Travia helps with this, but I don’t think the FLAF nib feels any lighter or feather-like to write with than the regular 3776 nib.

3776 nib (left), 3776 2.0, and FLAF (right) - all 3 nibs are 14kt gold.

The back of the nibs & feeds. The FLAF nib is a bit narrower and has shallower angle of shoulders.

According to Platinum, the FLAF nib flexes with less force than the standard 3776 nib. Despite Platinum’s use of the word “flex”, I would absolutely NOT categorize either the standard, Soft, or FLAF nibs as flexy. I wouldn’t even call them semi-flex. The latter two have a touch of bounce and give a wee bit of line variation when pressure is applied and released.

No pressure (left) and gentle pressure with the Soft Fine nib. The left picture almost looks like the tip of the nib is curving downward.

No pressure (left) and gentle pressure with the FLAF nib. The left side doesn’t have the same curvature as the SF.

Writing samples of the Platinum 3776 Fine, Soft Fine, and Travia Fine nibs.

It’s hard to tell by looking at writing samples how each of them felt while writing. I used normal/light pressure in the top section. The 3776 Fine felt like stiffest, gave the widest & wettest line, which was surprising. In the middle section, I did NOT attempt to flex the 3776 Fine but I did use more pressure for the SF and Travia nibs. The Travia is barely softer than the 3776 Fine, but it was also a touch smoother. The SF was bouncier than the Travia. You can see a bit more of the hairlines from the SF. Lastly, I did some printing with all 3. I preferred both 3776 the Fine or the Travia Fine over the SF for print.

Pro:

• Love the look of the ruthenium with the polished black acrylic
• Slightly smoother than the 3776 Fine, with a bit of bounce

Neutral:

• Metal accents and glossy cap/barrel show fingerprints a bit more.
• Heftier than the regular 3776 - something to consider if you prefer or dislike heavier pens.
• FLAF nib is softer than regular nib but not as soft as the Soft nib. If you’re expecting the feel of Soft Fine (or Soft Medium), this probably won’t be enough for you.

Con:

• Price tag: With retail prices hovering around $600 (and about to go up,) this is an expensive pen. A standard edition 3776 with a Soft Fine is around $350, almost half that price. Whether the metal accents and FLAF nib is worth the price difference is a personal choice.
• I don’t know if the “standard” Travia and without the book and special box will have a lower price tag, but it probably still won’t be close to 3776 pricing.
• Travia is only available in Fine and Medium nib sizes.

The Platinum Travia is a stunner of a pen and it does write nicely, but it comes with a hefty price tag. I am curious to know if there are plans to put the FLAF nib in other models, or have the Travia in other colorways though this Black Pen Society gal is pretty enamored with how classy this pen looks.

Thank you to Bryce of Luxury Brands of America for sending the Platinum 3776 Century Travia for review! Be sure to check it out at a store near you, or at the San Francisco Pen Show next weekend!

(Disclaimer: The Platinum Travia, as well as the Fine and Soft Fine 3776s were on loan to us for review, by Luxury Brands of America. All other products are my own.)

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Faber-Castell Poly Flow Fountain Pen Review

Like many other German stationery brands, Faber-Castell excels across many price points. The fancier, more expensive, products tend to get most of the press, but if you are a general stationery lover, their lower-priced office and school pens are well worth checking out. The Faber-Castell Poly Flow Fountain Pen is a perfect example.

A basic box, with a sticker on the end that matches the pen color.

The Poly series of pens features a lightly-textured, but firm, exterior barrel material, and yes, some wild colors that spoke to me. I had to have this Purple and Orange gradient model, named Punchy Melon, because look at it! Ok, don’t run away because I love the vibrant colors - there is Black, too!

Crazy colors or not, the Poly Flow has been a blast to use, and not just because of the aesthetic. For starters, the nib is excellent. I shouldn’t be surprised, because nearly every basic beginner nib I’ve used from big companies like LAMY, Pelikan, Pilot, Platinum, etc. are all excellent. They know how to treat first time users right.

This goes for experienced users, too, because while the Poly Flow is only available in Medium, I find it wonderful to write with. It doesn’t have purely round tipping, but rather a slightly square style that works well with my handwriting. It’s controllable, which on a wider nib feels great.

The ink flow has been perfect through the #5 sized nib and feed. It uses international cartridges and converters, so I grabbed one of my standard converters (it does not come with one,) and inked it up with Montblanc Bram Stoker Purple because matchy-matchy. Perfect, right? Like I said before, I should stop being surprised at how well a nib like this can perform.

It’s a bit of an optical illusion, but there is a “shape” to the barrel and grip section.

The main consideration for the Poly Flow is that it has a rounded-edge triangle shape throughout the barrel, which also appears in the grip section. This is for ergonomic reasons, but only if your grip is already ergonomic, or you want to learn are more traditional writing grip. It’s not as extreme as something like a LAMY Safari, but you will want your fingers to align to be comfortable.

Another note on the shape: to cap the pen, you need to line up the cap and barrel ridges to snap tight. It’s simple, but if you aren’t paying attention, you will find resistance until you rotate it to close.

For $22, I’m thrilled with what the Faber-Castell Poly Flow brings to the table. It’s as fun to look at as it is to use, and the nib is a real standout. I can see it getting a lot of use at home, or tossed in a bag and used on the go. There are plenty of colors, and even some Ballpoint and Gift Set options as well. Well done Faber-Castell!

(This product was purchased from Goldspot at a discounted price.)

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