Ystudio Resin Fountain Pen in Black: A Review

I've hankered after a Ystudio Brassing Fountain Pen for awhile, but I've never bought one, partly because of the price ($160 for the Portable and $172 for the Desk Pen) and partly because I thought the pen would be too thin (I prefer pens with some girth). I was happy when JetPens sent us a resin version for review because I really wanted to try it out.

The pen comes in a simple cardboard box.

When you open it, the pen is nestled inside--there's nothing else, other than a pamphlet explaining how to ink the pen. Its sleek, minimalistic packaging reminds me a bit of Apple.

The pen is small, measuring 141mm/5.6 inches capped, 164mm/6.5 inches posted, and 128mm/5 inches unposted. It weighs 19.65 grams capped/posted and 15.61 uncapped (this is with the ink cartridge inserted). The grip is 9.72mm at its widest and 8.72 at its narrowest. "Ystudio" is embossed in gold on the barrel.

Although the body and cap are made of matte black resin, the pen features brass elements. The cap finial and barrel finial are adorned with flat brass discs.

The grip is made of brass as is the inner screw section in the barrel, and these give the pen a good balance in the hand. I prefer using it unposted.

The barrel and cap are hexagonal with the barrel tapering slightly where the cap snaps on. The lines of this pen are beautiful.

My Ystudio pen came with one black ink cartridge. This worked perfectly well, but I prefer converters so I can use my own ink. There is a Ystudio converter, but it seems to be available only from Ystudio or Kohezi for around $7.00.

The nib is a gold-plated Schmidt stainless steel fine. It is decorated with some scroll work and the letter F for the nib size.

I was surprised by how smooth this nib is. It's perfectly aligned and exhibited no issues, such as skipping, hard starts, or scratchiness.

I've been writing with this pen daily, and even though it is a thin pen, I find it extremely comfortable. The fine nib doesn't offer any line variation (nor should you expect it to), but the ink flows well and writing is quite pleasant, even for longer writing sessions.

I find myself reaching for the Ystudio Resin Fountain Pen often, especially when I want to write a quick note. I like how easily the cap pops on and off, and the shape and balance of the pen are perfect for my hand.

The Ystudio Resin Fountain Pen comes in black, red, and white, and costs $72.00 (This product isn’t live yet on JetPens ystudio Fountain Pens page, but can be found at Pen Addict sponsors Goldspot, Pen Chalet, and Vanness Pens.) That's still a pretty penny for a resin pen (even with the brass accents). However, this pen is beautifully designed and doesn't have the plasticky feel of some other pens in this price range. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I like this pen, which probably means a Ystudio Brassing Pen is in my future.

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

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Pentel Dual Metallic Brush 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!)

Between the glitter, the buttons, and the real brush tip, the Pentel Dual Metallic Brush Pens are some of the most playful pens I've ever used. They're very fun, and perfect for use in greeting cards or planners.

Unlike most brush pens, these have actual paintbrush tips instead of the foamy or felt tips I'm used to seeing. The tip is clean, at first--just white plastic fibers. To load the brush with paint, you press a button on the back of the pen, which releases some of the pigment into the tip. It takes a few presses and a small wait to saturate all the bristles, but you can see the paint working its way down, so you can tell when it's ready to use.

Once the tip is saturated, it works just like a paintbrush, ready to do some painting or fancy lettering. I'm not particularly skilled at either, but I enjoyed making swoops very much. Because this pen uses bristles instead of a felt tip, there is a feathering effect to the lines it creates when individual fibers stray from the path. It's a nice effect, unless you're particular about crisp lines.

As with a paintbrush, the pigment in the tip doesn't last long before you'll need to press the button for more. Each press of the button gives you another dollop of paint, but it can be difficult to gauge how much you're getting. Consequently, sometimes my lines felt dry and other times they were oversaturated. It may be something I'd get used to with more extended use, but I do get the sense that there is not as much control over brush saturation as there would be using an actual paintbrush. Also, considering how often I found myself needing to press the button for more paint, I'm not sure how long each pen will last. I also noticed the bristles becoming more frayed as I worked with them, as any plastic-bristled paintbrush would.

But dry or gloopy, the paint from these pens is always very glittery. The sparkle effect delivers! And the pigment did not bleed through my notebook paper, which was a pleasant surprise.

Overall, these are a treat to use, and I think they'll be the perfect thing to address my Valentines this year. They're definitely better suited to being used for a small flourish, rather than a larger project, and I don't think they're the right tool for artists who value precision, but they're wonderful for anyone who needs to efficiently apply some glitter.

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

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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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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, for which I am very grateful.

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