Posts filed under Pen Reviews

The Aurora 88 70th Anniversary LE Fountain Pen with Flexible Nib: 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.)

I was beyond excited when I first heard that Aurora was coming out with a flexible nib. I pre-ordered the blue 88 with flex nib as soon as I could. But then I started hearing some ambivalent feedback from pen shows, and my excitement waned. Fortunately, Kenro sent Pen Addict a test pen so I could try out the flex nib for myself.

First, a disclaimer: I am not an experienced flex nib user. I own two Omas pens with extra flessibile nibs and a few vintage pens with semi-flex nibs. I was not willing to push the Aurora test pen too hard (I have to return it, after all). So, keep this in mind as you read my review and look at the photos. It’s possible that users with more experience might get more flex out of the Aurora than I did.

This Aurora 88 70th Anniversary fountain pen is a gorgeous bright orange (a color that will be released later this year). It’s a typical Aurora 88 style, cigar-shaped, with the signature Aurora clip. The pen has a small ink window and is a piston filler.

Of course, what everyone wants to know is, “How is the flex nib?” Well . . .

The nib is solid 14k gold with super long tines. The test nib doesn’t have the usual Aurora scrollwork, but the photos I’ve seen of actual pens for sale show scrollwork on the nibs. The nib tip looks like a fine, though the size isn’t indicated anywhere on the nib itself.

I’ll be perfectly honest. When I inked up the test unit and started writing, I was immediately disappointed. The nib felt pretty stiff like a regular Aurora nib. And while I could get some line variation when I flexed the nib, it was slight.

I worked with the pen for several days, switched out the ink, practiced swirls hoping maybe the nib would loosen up a little, but the flex was still minimal.

I inked my Omas Ogiva Extra Flessibile fine with the same ink, Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo, to compare with the Aurora. What a difference. The Omas nib is springy and exhibits a great deal of flex without much effort. While neither pen flexes as much as a super-flex vintage nib, the Omas beat the Aurora hands down.

The examples below show how the two nibs compare:

Alphabet

Swirls

Sentence

I canceled my preorder after working with the Aurora. I really wanted to love the pen and the nib, I just wasn’t impressed. While it has some flex, it offers nowhere near the flex that the Omas extra flessibile does. At first I thought maybe I was being unfair comparing the Aurora to the Omas extra flessibile. But then I saw some websites advertising the Aurora as a “super flexible” nib. I think that, if people claim that the nib is super flexible, it should at least be as flexible as the Omas. Unfortunately, it’s not.

Does the nib flex? Yes. Does it flex as much as an Omas Extra flessibile nib? No. Does it flex as much as a vintage superflex nib? Definitely not.

And yet . . . after writing with the nib daily for a week, I have to say that, in spite of the fact that the nib does not flex as much as I’d hoped, it’s a wonderful writer. The long tines offer a different feel from a standard nib, and you can write without flex quite easily.

But here’s the deal. The Aurora 88 70th Anniversary LE fountain pen with a flex nib costs $650. These pens are made of resin. Yes, they are limited, numbered editions (only 188 of each color). Yes, they have special, long-tined, semi-flex nibs. Yes, they write beautifully. But $650 is a pretty steep price for a resin pen with a semi-flex nib. If these were auroloide pens with flex nibs, I wouldn’t hesitate to get one.

Vanness Pens will be stocking the Aurora 88 70th Anniversary Flex Nib Fountain Pen but you have to act fast. The first release in Blue is already sold out. Send them a message to inquire about future releases.

Pros

The Aurora 88 fountain pen is a terrific cigar-style pen. It’s a good size and weight for most users.
The flex nib is beautiful and has gorgeous long tines reminiscent of some vintage Aurora fountain pens.
The nib offers some flex and line variation, and when you write with it normally, it is smooth and the long tines provide a unique writing experience.
The anniversary pens will be released over the year in a variety of colors to suit many tastes.

Cons

The flex nib is certainly not a “superflex” nib. It isn’t even as flexible as an Omas extra flessibile. I would call it a semi-flex nib at best.
The anniversary pens are made of resin not auroloide, and, in my view, they are overpriced. If they were in the $350-$400 range I’d feel better about purchasing one.

(Kenro Industries 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, which I am very grateful for.

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 March 20, 2017 by Susan Pigott and filed under Aurora, Pen Reviews, Fountain Pens.

Caran d'Ache Ecridor Retro Ballpoint Pen Review

I had a thing for quality pens and paper growing up. I wanted to write something special with something special. For me, that involved finding the most unique pens and pencils, which was essentially anything my friends didn’t have.

As I got older, my thoughts were the same, but I also became more aware of the world around me, and that meant seeing what others were writing with. From that time period - which pre-dates this blog by a good ten years - two pens became seared into my brain: The Montblanc Rollerball, and the Caran d’Ache Ecridor.

Why these two pens? Because you can spot either of them from a mile away. Montblanc has its snowcap finial, and Caran d’Ache has its classic silver hex barrel. I was always drawn to the Caran d’Ache for its style. The Montblanc seemed boring (ballpoints and rollerballs that is, fountain pens are an exception), and they were everywhere.

It was only recently that I got my first taste of the Ecridor, and it lived up to everything younger me expected of it. First off, the barrel is perfect. Perfect size, perfect weight, perfect balance, perfect feel. The rhodium plating makes it shine, and the guilloche-style barrel design is the icing on a classic cake. Even the knock and clip are recognizable as Caran d’Ache standards.

What is often the kicker for more expensive rollerball and ballpoint pens is the refill. Fortunately, the Caran d’Ache Goliath refill is one of the best I have ever used. My Ecridor shipped with a black medium refill, and I don’t recall having a smoother, cleaner refill in any other ballpoint pen I have tried. Plus, I can write much finer than expected. I didn’t anticipate that at all. I’ll normally switch into a fine blue ballpoint refill as quickly as possible, but no rush with this one.

Adding a classic to your writing arsenal seems like a no-brainer, but this one comes at a price. At $120 it will take some thought to pull the trigger, and some commitment to using it. If that price is out of the ballpark, take a look at the 849 Metal-X series for a similar pen at one-fifth of the cost.

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

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 March 13, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Caran d'Ache, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Michael's Pens S-Model New York Edition Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

When Brad sent me the S-Model pen, I was immediately struck by the bright blue body and silver accents. It's an attention-getter, and also features some great color combinations. The realm of machined pens is so rich and diverse. It's always fun to try out a new brand or interpretation of the ubiquitous pen. And with all small-batch machined pens, there's always a designer behind the curtain. In this case, Michael.

Michael's Pens is operated out of Indiana, and features some truly unique designs. There aren't any standard stock items per se, but more limited edition creations that are gone after they've sold out. The aesthetic of these pens share a common thread: boldness. When you see one of these pens, you know it's unique and strikingly bold. The S-Model I have is a fairly small contender compared to the other Fat Boy models available. The Teslacoil pens, while a bit busy, send a charming nod to the Tesla coils by way of including coils around the body of the pen above the grip section. The designs are bold, and that means they won't appeal to everyone. But they are so much fun at the same time.

When you get down to it, the pens that Michael offers are mostly made from aluminum, but you'll also see some copper, bronze, and stainless steel. Unlike some machined pens that feature minimalistic design and sparse branding, the S-Model is bold and well marked. There's branding of some kind on every piece of this pen except for the knock mechanism, which you probably recognize from other pens like the Retrakt, EDK, and Mover/Shaker. That's the only similarity between these different pens, though. The S-Model strikes out on its own in every other way.

The body of the S-Model I have is an electric blue with long silver lines grouped in threes down the sides. The lines are shallow grooves that have a nice shimmer. To me, the effect reminds of the Empire State or Chrysler buildings of New York, which may explain the name of this edition.

The grip section features three fat rubber grip bands that provide a surprisingly comfortable area to hold the pen. This is usually a common complaint with metal pens: the grip easily becomes slippery. With these rubber grips, this will never be an issue with this pen. The clip is exceptionally strong, to the point of being difficult to operate at times. But given the weight of the pen and the fact that everything about this pen feels exceptionally well-made and durable, that makes sense.

The cone is a nice size compared to the grip, and features a rubber O-ring on the inside at the top of the threads. I'm guessing that this helps provide a good seal with the section and also prevents it from unscrewing easily on its own.

The S-Model accepts standard Parker-style refills, and they fit perfectly in the body. The tolerances on this pen are all perfectly close and relaxed, adding to the overall high-quality feel of the pen. My pen came with a Monteverde Soft Roll refill, which is exceptionally smooth and consistent. My only complaint about the refill is that it dries out very easily and requires a small amount of scribbling to prime before writing. Since the Parker refill is a large market, you can easily swap in something else if you like.

Writing with the pen is comfortable, and I've been able to use it for long stretches with no discomfort. It travels well, stays put when you clip it to something, and is extremely well built. It features a unique, bold design that pops out at you, which I happen to love. If you happen to see Michael at a pen show, stop by and see what he has. There are a few pens available on his website, but not this particular model.

It's always exciting to check out new pen makers, and I hope to see many more rise up in the future. Give Michael's Pens a test if you have the chance to see them in person. These are well-crafted, well-made products designed and built in the USA with pride.

The S-Model starts at $85 and can be found at Fountain Pen Hospital, along with all of Michael's Pens.

(Michael's Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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