I’ve been able to spend a couple of weeks with the Wancher Bakelite Seven Treasures Fountain Pen, and I am confident in saying this: This is a good pen. It looks good, feels good, writes well, and is fairly priced.
That’s the TL:DR version of this review. Why not end it right there? Because there is a whole lot more to discuss with this pen than whether it is good or not. And that conversation may help you determine if it is good for you.
Let’s start with this: What is Bakelite? That’s a great question! Reading the Bakelite Wikipedia page (which made me want a whiskey) told me that it is a synthetic plastic, developed in the early 1900’s. Over the past 100+ years, it has been used for a wide-range of products - from jewelry, to radio knobs, to equipment coatings. The raw material can be molded into almost anything, including pen barrels.
The Bakelite formula changed and improved with the times, but as other synthetic materials were created, it was pushed aside due to its added cost of manufacturing. Wancher chose to bring Bakelite back with the Seven Treasures fountain pen, and I’m glad they did.
The feel of this pen reminds me of a combination of two materials: G10 and Micarta. Both of these are fibrous materials, manufactured in sheets and pressed together to build the structure of the finished product. G10 is rock hard, and Micarta is sturdy, but softer and more porous. This Bakelite lands right in the middle of those materials to me. It is firm, but has a warmth to it, and if you look closely, you can see the underlying material fibers.
I bring all of this up because at first glance and feel, the Seven Treasures Bakelite doesn’t seem to be a pen that would absorb ink if dipped into an ink bottle. It seems like any other polished acrylic that you could wipe the ink right off of. That’s not the case, and Wancher has designed the pen taking this into consideration.
The grip section is removable from the barrel, but not in the way you would traditionally think. It’s a sleeve, designed to be removed so the pen doesn’t get stained when filling. You wouldn’t know that by looking through the campaign page though - it’s not pictured, even once. It’s not in the shape and size diagram either, despite having its own fixed measurement. The filling system is shown in the video without the sleeve, dipping into an ink bottle. That’s about it other than it laying on the table in a few shots.
Why is that? Backers should know what they are getting upfront. I don’t think it is a technical issue, but if Bakelite stains, and you’ve designed a way around that, it should be shown in the campaign. By no means is this a dealbreaker, and in fact I think it is a smart idea that other companies could pick up on. I just find it odd it is never mentioned.
Aside from Bakelite, Wancher added another unique aspect to this pen. Shippoyaki is a traditional Japanese art style, and is featured prominently on the pen cap. Each piece is handcrafted by Master Okagaki Yukie, who has over 60 years experience in this form of artwork. And I have to say, all four pieces available are stunning, and really make the pen.
My pen features the Sangria artwork, which represents the Sun. It’s a wonderful match to the red barrel and gold trim of this pen. You can also choose from three other styles of Shippoyaki - Moonlight, Cosmos, and Verdant - all of which add a spark to the overall pen design.
For Kickstarter projects, I generally go with the stock steel nib and feed options, which is what this pen uses, but you can upgrade to Wancher’s own 18k gold nib, and even add an ebonite feed. The steel nibs are Jowo, and this medium works perfectly out of the box. The pen ships in a large balsa wood box, and includes a beautiful silk pen sleeve.
Wancher Seven Treasures vs. Lamy Vista
The big question left is will I back this pen. The answer is no, but not for any of the reasons I listed above. It’s because this is a big pen - too big for my daily use. I love the Bakelite idea, as well as the Shippoyaki artwork, but the size and style of the pen don’t fit my usage needs right now. If the Wancher Bakelite Seven Treasures Fountain Pen checks all of your boxes, I think you will enjoy it, and I think you are getting it at a great price, so back it confidently.
(Wancher provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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