Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Caran d'Ache 849 Fountain Pen Review

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

If you've been to a pen show, you've no doubt seen the iconic Caran d'Ache ballpoint pens floating around. They have a unique and striking design with a range of subdued to loud colors available. The Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint pens are a classic, so it's no surprise that there's also a fountain pen version of this beautiful pen.

The Caran d'Ache 849 collection is a minimal fountain pen from Switzerland. The hexagonal body is captivating and simple, and when paired with the beautiful colors, you find yourself taking a second look without realizing it. They're unique, and they're hard to put down because the writing experience is equal to their good looks.

The fountain pen versions are available in EF, F, and M nib sizes, and the EF model that I have is a fantastic example of the lineup. Even though it's a small nib, it's smooth and produces a very crisp line. I wasn't sure what to expect given the price range, but I was definitely impressed upon first using the pen. The ~$50 range of pens can sometimes be challenging when it comes to big brands, but the Caran d'Ache does an excellent job with this model. The nib is plain and simple, but it does its job well. It would appear that all the design and aesthetics went into the body on this one. The grip section is undeniably cheap, slim plastic, but it feels great in the hand when writing. In this way, it's very similar to the Retro 51 fountain pens, but I prefer the feel of this plastic grip section over the Retro 51 models.

The pen accepts international short cartridges, but will also accept a converter. I chose to use a blood orange ink in this pen, and I think the red on white combination is stellar. The ink flow is fantastic, even though it's a small nib. I haven't had issues with skipping, spitting, or hard starts with this pen, and it can last about two weeks in storage without having any issues starting again. Despite being small and plain, this steel nib is a great performer.

The body, which is a simple hexagonal shape, is simultaneously angular and soft. Given the light weight, it gives the pen a more airy feel than I imagine a heavier steel version of this pen would have. The cap connects crisply to the pen and stays put securely. You can post the cap, but it makes the pen a bit long and it's also a tiny bit wobbly. I don't post this pen when I'm using it, but I rarely post anyway.

The clip isn't super strong, but it gets the job done. It's also easy to remove if you prefer the clean look, but I prefer the look of the clip against the body. Apart from the Caran d'Ache name, a small "849" stamp, and an equally small "SWISS MADE" stamp on the cap, there is not branding on the pen. The top finial has a Caran d'Ache logo, but no words. The same logo is found on the nib along with the nib size indicator. Despite the minimal branding, this pen is instantly recognizable.

The length of the 849 is very similar to a Lamy Safari, but the diameter of the pen is similar to the body of a Kaweco Sport (not the cap). It's slim, but still comfortable to use due to the length.

When it comes to picking and using a pen, it all comes down to how well it writes and how it makes you feel. For me, I'm delighted by the aesthetic of the pen and then equally pleased by the writing experience. It's a great match that can sometimes be difficult to find. If you like the look of this pen, I'm sure you'll also love how it writes.

There are several colors available, along with EF, F, and M nib options. They retail for about $65, but you can usually find them for $10 cheaper.

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

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Posted on October 25, 2017 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Caran d'Ache, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

The Wancher Crystal Fire Opal Demonstrator Fountain Pen: 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.)

The Wancher Crystal Fire Opal fountain pen is a demonstrator pen with a couple of unique features that make this pen stand out from other pens in its price range.

First, the cap uses a “double compact” mechanism to insure that the pen does not dry out between uses. The inner cap is built so that you push and twist to mount it and that creates a seal.

Second, this pen can be inked using a cartridge, converter, or an eyedropper (provided with the pen). There’s a rubber ring between the grip and barrel that seals the barrel, so if you choose to eyedropper the pen no silicone grease is necessary. As an eyedropper, this pen holds a whopping 4ml of ink.

The Wancher Crystal comes in five colors: Indigo Sapphire, Smokey Quartz, Emerald, Fire Opal, and Light Smoke Topaz. The pen I received is Fire Opal which is an orange acrylic. This pen reminds me of the Aurora 88 Minerali in terms of its design, though the Wancher is considerably less expensive and doesn’t come with a gold nib.

The pen is an intriguing mix of colored acrylic and clear. The cap finial, the grip, and the barrel bottom are all mosaic-colored acrylic. The cap is black acrylic and the barrel is clear.

The cap is adorned with a chrome clip and its band is engraved with the name Wancher. As stated earlier, the cap boasts a push and twist mechanism that seals the pen so the nib doesn’t dry out. I don’t always get the cap affixed on the first try because the threads don’t catch, but I like the concept.

The nib is a stainless steel fine with some scroll work and the nib size etched on the surface. It writes smoothly and is fairly wet, but I have experienced a few hard starts with this nib.

The pen I received did not come with an eyedropper (because Brad left it out of the package!), so I can’t comment on that accessory. But the converter works well and holds a decent amount of ink.

I consider this pen to be medium sized, measuring 152mm capped, 141mm uncapped, and 172mm posted. Posting this pen throws off the balance, so I don’t recommend writing with it posted. Overall, it’s a light pen, weighing only 23 grams capped.

I’ve been using the Wancher Crystal for journaling, grading, and general writing. It’s a comfortable pen, and I’ve been mostly pleased with how it writes. It performs best on fountain-pen friendly paper, but it handles cheap copy paper fairly well too. As a grading pen, the fine is a little wider than I like since I need to write in tiny spaces, but for general writing the nib is a good size.

This is my first Wancher pen, and I’m really quite impressed. I like the design (though if it were up to me I would’ve gotten the Indigo Sapphire color because: blue). The fact that it can be used as an eyedropper is a definite plus. I also like the twist and seal mechanism in the cap.

You can purchase the Wancher Crystal Fountain Pen from Wancher Pens with a fine or medium nib for $70.00.

Pros

The Wancher is an interesting pen design with both colorful accents and a clear demonstrator barrel.
You can use three different filling methods with this pen: cartridge, converter, and eyedropper. The rubber seal means you don’t need to use silicone grease to eyedropper the pen.
The special cap design means that the nib should not dry out between uses.
The pen comes with several accessories: an eyedropper, a converter, and a cartridge.
The stainless steel nib is smooth and mostly trouble free. I experienced a few hard starts in the course of writing (usually on cheaper paper, but I had a few hard starts on fountain-pen-friendly paper as well).

Cons

The Wancher pen retails for $70.00 which seems a bit expensive considering that this is not a piston filler and the pen is acrylic. But it can be eyedroppered, and in the photos on Wancher’s website, it comes packaged in a really nice, hinged wooden box (though the site says packaging may vary).
The Wancher is an acrylic pen. People who prefer weightier pens will probably find this pen to be too light.
Occasionally I experienced hard starts with this pen, usually on cheaper paper.

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

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Posted on October 20, 2017 by Susan Pigott and filed under Wancher, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Paper Mate Flair Candy Pop Limited Edition 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.)

The fifty-year legacy workhorse of felt-tip pens has a new set of colors out! The Paper Mate Flair Candy Pop edition adds a few fun colors to their portfolio. Blueberry Bubblegum, Grape Gumdrop, Gummy Green, Raspberry Fizz, Strawberry Lollipop, and Salted Caramel are all lovely shades, and though the palette is a little purple heavy, it's nicely coordinated. The colors aren't too similar, so they work well together for coding lists or planner entries.

The build of the pens are the same as the standard Ultra Fine Flairs. They have a silvery matte plastic body and ink-coordinated lids. The sections also match the ink color, so it's always easy to tell what you're reaching for, whether caps are on or off. There are no color names on the barrel, which I feel is a bit of a bummer for a limited color line. The UF tip is a plasticky felt with a metal needlepoint reinforcement. The tips will wear out after a while, but they're priced to be easily replaced (though the limited edition colors may be harder to track down for seconds--better stock up).

The sections are flared and smooth, but not too slippery. They're comfortable to hold and to write with for long periods of time. The clips are stiff and the underside of the metal is sharp--so be careful if you're trying to pull the clip open to slide it onto something. The caps snap in place securely and post well. The pen itself is so light that posting doesn't affect the balance at all. The lightness does give it a bit of a cheap feel--as does the imperfectly-molded plastic--but these pens are tough and reliable.

The tips write smoothly with no skipping. They don't dry out when left uncapped for a coloring session, but the ink dries quickly on the page. It is water-based and acid-free, but it isn't waterproof, so it may not be the best choice for lining a drawing before adding paint or ink, but they are excellent for sketching in their own right. The colors are very bright and saturated and the pigments are designed to resist smearing and bleed-through. They're perfect for scrapbooks and planners or coloring books--or any time you need a reliable felt-tip pen. They haven't changed much in more than fifty years, but they haven't had to.

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

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