Hombre x Kaweco Edition Pen and Pencil Set Review

A funny thing happened on the way to this review.

I’ve had my Hombre x Kaweco Edition set for months now, using and enjoying both the AL Sport Gel Roller and Special S Series mechanical pencil (more on them in a moment) that are part of this collaboration. When it came time for me to type up this review, I went to grab the product link to insert into this article, and noticed something strange. The price of this set, directly from Kaweco (where I bought mine) has increased drastically.

I had it in my head that I paid around $90 for the set, and now I’m seeing it listed at 123.75€, or approximately $150. Is my memory failing me? That’s always a valid thought, but in this case, it wasn’t. I paid 85€ ($103) for this set in August 2020:

So what gives? I have no idea, but I sent Kaweco an email to see if something changed. I do know that it recalibrates some of the thoughts I have around this product.

(Update: There are many Country settings, language setting, and VAT setting to get set in your website cookies, so make sure you are seeing the 99 Euro version of the pen if you are interested in it.)

Let’s get one thing out of the way up front: This is a charity-focused product. All proceeds from these 500 sets go to a children’s hospital in Germany, and will help to build a school in Kenya. Raise all the money you can! But, maybe along the way, clean up the product copy a little bit:

But enough about the pricing - for now - let’s talk about the product itself.

Pablo Fontagnier, aka Hombre, is a graffiti/street artist after my own heart. His art style is wonderful, with colorful, clean, and poignant works, made to scale from a computer screen to the wall of a warehouse. 25 years in the game have earned him a reputation to match the name. And this collaboration with Kaweco came out great.

The product packaging is traditional Kaweco, with the full-on Hombre treatment. The black tin features the HOMBRE tag, which is housed in a paper sheath of Hombre artwork, and the hand-numbered serial number of the set. Both the pen and pencil feature the Hombre logo etched in white on the black base of each barrel. A+ on packaging and presentation across the board.

The pen is the classic Kaweco AL Sport Gel Roller, in a black satin finish, with an 0.7 mm Parker style (international G2) black gel ink refill. I adore this pen, and it is the main reason I made this purchase. I didn’t own a Kaweco gel roller pen prior to this one, and this one matches my style to a tee. I will mention that when writing, there is a little tip rattle from the metal on metal contact between the refill and barrel, but not enough to be a real problem.

If you have used any pocket Kaweco fountain pen, then you know the size of this model. It is small and pocketable when capped, and when in use, extends to a full-length writing instrument.

If it is love for me and the AL Sport Gel, it is only like for me and what is the Kaweco Special S 2.0 mm Push Pencil in this set. I love the idea of this pencil, and the aesthetics are spot-on, but this is a mini Kaweco that in unable to transition into full-length for writing. It is great for freehand sketching and art, so maybe it really is perfect for this set, but for regular writing, it just isn’t long enough for extended sessions.

I may shop around for 2.0 mm graphite with a little more texture to see if that works better for me. The graphite included with the pencil has a slight clay feel to it, which is used to help bind the material into the sticks that we use as refills. I prefer ones that are more scratchy than glassy, which is what this one is.

Still, I’m not sure I can work with the shorter length of the pencil in the long term, not to mention having to hunt down a sharpener (not included) if I want to put a point on it. Again, if you treat this as an art pencil, I think you will be happy.

So, is it worth it? Heck yes - at the original price I paid for it. If bought separately, the pen is around $60, the pencil around $40. Add in nice barrel etching, great packaging, and all the proceeds going to charity? It’s fantastic. At $150? Maybe I wouldn’t have been so quick to pull the trigger, especially if I’m not certain how much use I will get from the pencil. If it settles back down to the $120 as listed in the website copy, I think that is completely fair, and would recommend it if it fits your needs.

(I purchased this pen at full price from Kaweco Germany.)

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Platinum Procyon Deep Sea 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.)

Even though there are so many different kinds of unique pens available, there are some that just make such an impression that you need more than one. For many, the Lamy Safari and AL Star pens create a collecting mentality — and that's fun just due to the dozens of colors and limited editions that come out. For others, it's tough to pass up a gorgeous limited edition Sailor Pro Gear. And while other pens may not be part of the "collect them all" group, you buy more than one anyway because you like it so much.

For me, the Platinum Procyon is the perfect example. I didn't think much of it when I got my first one back in 2019, but it grew on me substantially after using it for a few weeks. The Platinum Preppy has never done much for me, but the Procyon fit that perfect spot between affordable, classy, and durable that I just couldn't resist. At $60, it's a far cry more expensive than the Preppy, but what it lacks in affordability it more than makes up for in quality and durability.

Back in 2019, I felt that the Procyon was a decent pen with some cool features, but I had some reservations about the plain nib and the price. After using that pen fairly regularly since then, I've really come to appreciate it much more. So much more that I picked up a different color/nib combination — the Deep Sea with a medium nib. This latest pen is the perfect combo for the Procyon in my book.

One of my favorite features of this pen is what Platinum calls the "Slip and Seal" system. When you cap the pen, there's an inner cap that makes an airtight seal with the section of the pen, meaning it doesn't dry up when not in use. Platinum claims you can leave this pen inked and unused, come back after a year, uncap it and start writing immediately. I haven't tried the year-long test, but I have let this pen sit for a couple of weeks without being used and can attest to how it starts writing immediately. No skipping, no thin or dry lines — it just works beautifully.

The build materials and quality is my other favorite feature with this particular pen. It's a great medium size and feels great in the hand. The shell of the body is aluminum, and it feels like the cap and body are made of something heavier (like brass) to add to the feel of quality and durability. The chrome-plated trim bits are also made of brass. On top of all this, the Deep Sea finish on this particular pen is beautiful. It's a dark green-blue with a slight amount of reflective materials that make it so pretty but also understated. It's not flashy at all, but when you give it a second look, you see the depth of the paint color and the shimmer from the shiny particles. I really enjoy seeing this pen on my desk.

Writing with the Procyon is equally enjoyable. The medium nib was smooth and free-flowing straight out of the box, and I couldn't be happier with it feels when writing. The medium is a good size for showing off ink properties while also staying small enough to use in any general situations. I love the fine nib on my other Procyon, but it can get a little scratchy depending on the paper and ink combination. If you like fine nibs when using a German nib, for example, this Platinum medium is a fantastic alternative.

Along with the pen, you get a single blue-black cartridge from Platinum. Platinum pens use a proprietary cartridge/converter attachment, so you can only use converters and cartridges that are meant for Platinum pens. Unfortunately, Platinum does not include a converter with this pen. This is one of my biggest gripes with pen manufacturers today. If you make pens and choose to use your own proprietary cartridge mating system, include a converter with the pen. Period. This is especially true for any pens above the $40 mark. The Procyon is $60, but you should purchase a converter along with it so you can enjoy your own inks. This effectively makes the price of the pen $68. Again, not a huge deal, but I'm sure I'm not alone in being so annoyed by this practice.

Gripes about retail practices aside, I heartily recommend the Procyon to anyone looking for something in the $40 to $60 range. The nib is fantastic, the materials are top-notch and durable, and the color options are fun and varied enough to fit many preferences. If you're interested in trying out more premium Platinums, but not quite ready for the plunge into 3776 territory, this is a great place to start.

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

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Franklin-Christoph 02 Intrinsic in Maya Blue with a Masuyama Medium Cursive Italic: 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 own several Franklin-Christoph fountain pens and have reviewed many of them on Pen Addict. I purchased a special edition Intrinsic back in May and realized I had not yet written a review of this model.

The pen is packaged in a simple white cardboard box and Franklin-Christoph's signature zippered pen case. Although these cases used to be made of leather, now they are made of "suit grey" fabric.

The 02 Intrinsic model is unique in its shape, with a barrel that tapers sharply from the center. This is so that the cap can post deeply onto the pen and maintain good balance--something that often fails on other pens when you post caps. This is the first fountain pen I use posted because of the ingenious design.

I was lucky enough to get a special edition Intrinsic in Maya Blue. I love the colors of this model. There are darker translucent blue sections at the finial, top of the grip, and at the barrel bottom. The remainder of the pen is lighter blue and frosted.

The pen is medium sized, measuring 146.1mm/5.75 inches capped, 149mm/5.85 inches posted, and 131mm/5.15 inches unposted. Without ink the pen weighs 20.71 grams. It's incredibly well balanced wither you use it unposted or posted, but I like the balance better with it posted (it gives the pen more heft).

The cap has a relatively small clip engraved with diamonds. The Franklin-Christoph name is also engraved lightly near the bottom of the cap.

The pen comes with two blue ink cartridges and is supplied with a Franklin-Christoph-branded converter. You can also eyedropper the pen if you wish.

The grip is comfortable even though there are threads near the top where the nib is inserted. The threads are raised and serve as a lip to keep your fingers in position. Once again, thoughtful design is evident in the details of the pen.

I opted for a steel medium cursive italic ground by Mike Masuyama. This is one of the best nibs I've received without additional tuning. It is absolutely stellar--smooth with crisp lines that offer good variation.

You can see that the down strokes are wide and the side strokes are thin as you would expect with a cursive italic.

I love how my handwriting looks with this nib.

The nib offers excellent flow and there's no skipping or hard starts. Writing with it is pure joy.

I created a pattern with the pen, primarily using the thin side strokes it produces. Not only is it great for writing, but it's also wonderful for drawing.

Although you can't get the Intrinsic in Maya Blue anymore (unless FC decides to do another run), you can currently get the model in Black and Cinnamaroon, Ghost, and Smoke & Ice. It starts at $175 with stock steel nibs. You can opt for other variations, such as FC's "SIG nib" for an additional cost. Masuyama no longer does special grinds for Franklin-Christoph, but you can now get nibs ground by Nagahara for an up-charge of $25.00.

The 02 Intrinsic might just be my favorite Franklin-Christoph model so far. I love its unique shape and that I can post the cap without disrupting the balance of the pen. Maya Blue is a fantastic color with lovely contrasts between translucent dark blue and frosted light blue. If you are interested in getting Franklin-Christoph pens in special color combinations, you should sign up for their newsletter so you get advance notice of special releases.

(I purchased the FC 02 Intrinsic in Maya Blue with my own funds.)