Posts filed under Pen Reviews

Sailor Nagasawa Pro Color 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!)

The Sailor Pro Color has a new special series from the Nagasawa Stationery Center in Kobe, Japan--this time in a lovely array of seven slightly shimmery pastel colors. I'm a big fan of the Pro Color model. To be fair, I'm a big fan of most Sailors that I've used. From their low-end, entry-level pens to their fancy-pants budget-breakers, there's an attention to detail and dedication to quality that makes all of them special.

The Pro Color isn't quite entry-level. With a price tag of $87, it's a stage past that, into the "generous gift" category, by my scale. It just crosses the impulse-buy threshold, though these pretty pens could easily blur that line with their charm.

Like the Shikiori Tsukuyo-no-Minamo that I reviewed last year, the primary difference between this pan and its fancier cousin, the 1911 Standard, is the nib material. The 1911 has a gold nib, while these models have a gold-colored steel nib. The resin of the body also feels, to me, a little bit less substantial. The edges are just slightly less finished. All of these differences have to be studied to be noticed at all. The steel nib is so smooth and perfectly tuned that I had to double-check that it wasn't gold.

The nib on this Nagasawa edition has different stamping than the regular Pro Color series. Instead of the scroll work and anchor, there's a rooster weathervane with 1882 on it, with Nagasawa and Kobe written around it. Sailor is written below that. It's a really lovely nib, and it's fun to see something different and special on it. The looks would mean nothing, though, if it wasn't also a dreamy writer. It is perfectly smooth, even with this fine nib, and it has the perfect wetness to show off the characteristics of whatever ink you're using. I don't often see much ink shading with a Japanese fine nib, but I do with this pen.

This model is the Kobe Water Blue color. It's a lovely, soft, robin's egg blue. It's also available in Ijinkan Mint (I need this color also), Nunobiki Lavender, Rikyu Moon Yellow, Hatoba Coral Pink (this one, too), Samura Sand Beige, and Oji Cherry. They're all gorgeous. The spring colors bring a nice pop of cheer to the deep winter.

All of the pens have gold-colored furniture. The cap band says "Nagasawa" and "pen style den". The clip is plain, but functions well. The grip section is comfortable, and made from the same plastic as the body. It can use Sailor cartridges or a Sailor converter. It comes with both, so you can choose your preference. I loaded mine with Sailor Ink Studios 773, which I'll be reviewing next week.

In my experience, you can't go wrong with a Sailor pen. It might be possible to spend too much on one, though. This Pro Color model gives you a wonderful writing experience for a fraction of the price of their middle- and high-end pens. If you haven't tried a Sailor yet, and are in the market for a step up from entry-level, this is a fantastic choice. Having a wonderful, inexpensive Sailor will not, however, make you immune to the allure of high-end Sailor pens. While this pen is perfectly good enough, there are never enough Sailors.

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

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Posted on January 23, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Sailor, Nagasawa, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Fine Writing International Bronze Age Fountain Pen Review

I first saw the Fine Writing International Bronze Age in one of its many Instagram glamour shots. There was definitely an element of love at first sight--it's a really beautiful pen. But I was a bit wary, too. I had never heard of the brand before, and it seemed a bit underpriced, actually, for a brass pen. While I thought it was lovely, I was suspicious of its quality. So when the opportunity arose to review it, I was doubly excited--excited to try out this mysterious beauty of a pen, and excited to satisfy the lingering curiosity I'd held onto since I first saw it.

My curiosity is happily satisfied, and this pen is as nice as it looks. The first thing you can't help but notice, when you hold this pen, is that it is very heavy. The cap, end, and grip section are solid brass, and the pen weighs in at 53g before it's even inked. Most of that weight alone is the cap. Because of that, I worried about what it would feel like to write with, but the grip section and end cap are very well balanced, so I didn't actually experience any hand fatigue, even during a longer writing session. The cap is lined with a special plastic sleeve that seals the pen when closed to prevent dry-out. It works very well, but it does prevent the cap from posting at the back end. You really wouldn't want to post this pen, though. It would be incredibly back-heavy if you did.

The body of the pen is clear acrylic. It bears the claim of being nearly indestructible. It's a bold claim, and I get a bit nervous any time I see metal pen parts that thread directly onto plastic ones. But so far, I see no signs of any stress to the acrylic. Despite the fact that I forgot I put this pen into a pocket of my notebook cover, and then it fell out of the pocket inside my backpack and spent an afternoon tossed around in my bag like in a tumble dryer. I had a moment of panic when I realized what had happened, followed by surprised delight when it was entirely unscathed. There wasn't even the slightest leak from its eyedropper fill.

I was also nervous to eyedropper fill this pen. The brass is exposed to ink inside the pen, which I thought was a big no-no, but apparently it's okay with brass. And so far, so good. I also thought that the metal/acrylic join would probably leak, but it doesn't. There's a slender o-ring at the join that is there for reinforcement, but no ink has ever even made it that far up the threads. The body holds a whopping 4ml of ink, which will last even the most devoted scrivener a good while. The pen even comes with its own syringe for filling. It also comes with a converter, which it can use--or it can take any standard international cartridge. Lots of options! The included converter is pretty, and looks good inside the clear body.

The nib is gold-plated steel, and is available in EF, F, M, B, and 1.1 stub. This model has the stub nib. The nibs are made by Jowo and are engraved with the lovely quill design for Fine Writing International. My nib writes perfectly, with a consistent line that's just wet enough to show off the ink, but not too gushy. The feed keeps up with the stub very well. It's a #6 nib, and it can be interchanged with any other #6 nib that you like.

Despite all those very practical details, my favorite thing about this pen is the beautiful engraving. The images represent the Taotie, a beast from ancient Chinese mythology that often appeared on bronze vessels during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The Taotie is one of the four evils of the world, said to be representative of gluttony and known for eating people, namely human sacrifices. While all that sounds a bit scary, that's the image intended for those on the outside of the mask. For those inside, the Taotie is a symbol of strength and protection. It is believed that the alarming visage would serve as a warning for those who were covetous.

That warning didn't come through on Instagram, where I think we all became a bit covetous of this pen. And, fortunately, it's very fairly priced at around $100. That's still an expensive pen, but reasonable, given the build and materials. I've certainly paid more than that for pens that are not as good as this one. This is one I see myself continuing to use on a very regular basis, especially when I travel for writing, where I'll need a durable pen with a high ink capacity. I'm delighted that this pen exceeded my expectations.

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

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Posted on January 16, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Fine Writing Int., Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Schon DSGN Pocket Six Fountain Pen Review

When you already make one of the best pocket ballpoint pens on the market, what is your next move? Making a pocket fountain pen, of course!

That’s nowhere as easy as it sounds, but if anyone can pull it off it is Ian Schon of Schon DSGN.

The Pocket Six Fountain Pen has been a labor of love for Ian - emphasis on labor. When you have a reputation for making perfectly engineered pens, adding a new product line at an equally high quality is always a challenge. And he accepted this challenge head-on.

There are many selling points to the Pocket Six which I will get to, but the main feature this design is based around is the #6 fountain pen nib found once the pen is uncapped. Most pocket fountain pens (see: Kaweco) use a smaller #5 sized nib for fit and functionality purposes. The narrower diameter of the feed and collar help keep the barrel diameter in a comfortable range. Can a pocket fountain pen remain comfortable - and remain visually appealing - when adding the larger hardware of the #6 nib?

The Pocket Six says yes.

Make no bones about it, this is a small, lightweight pen. But don’t let those things fool you into thinking it feels cheap. Far from it. Making quality, durable pens is in Schon’s DNA. The aluminum barrel feels strong enough to withstand any pocket or bag carry and not miss a beat. And at only 0.50 oz and just over three and half inches, it is slim and subtle enough to go unnoticed. Just remember not to send it through the washing machine, which I have done with my Schon DSGN ballpoint pens. Twice.

When posted - via screwing the cap onto the back of the pen - the Pocket Six extends to 5.2 inches, giving it a full-length writing experience. The grip section is slightly concave, allowing your fingers to grip and write comfortably. Everything about this pen says it is full size, except when you go to cap it closed and put it away.

I’d say that is where the beauty lies, but, as with other Schon DSGN pens, there are a huge range of anodization options available. This model is called Deep Space, and I’m all about the pink, blue, and purple swirls flying through the galaxy, and around this barrel. There are a dozen or so other choices that look equally as spectacular. You can also choose a brass grip section for added style, and nearly an ounce of added weight.

There are two considerations that you should be aware of if you are thinking about purchasing this pen. One, it uses short international cartridges only, as you might have imagined due to its size. That’s no issue for me, especially when I can get cool colors like Caran d’Ache Chromatics Hypnotic Turquoise, despite the greater price per ml. Syringe refilling an empty cartridge is also an option.

Two, the Pocket Six is built around Bock nibs and feeds. If I had my choice, I’d prefer Jowo nibs for their firmness and quality out the box - not to mention the slew of modified Jowo nibs I already own that would swap right in - but I can work with Bock. Ian tunes each nib before shipping it out, and my extra fine steel nib has been perfect.

You’ll notice I didn’t mention price as a consideration. If you are shopping in this price range for this type of pen, then the price is a non-factor. Ranging from $114 to $148 depending on your configuration (for example, this Deep Space is $120,) they are priced perfectly for a pocket pen party.

Sorry I couldn’t help myself with that last sentence. This pen is fun, and I love using it and sharing it. Big thanks to Ian at Schon DSGN for sending me this pen at no charge for me to use and review.

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

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