(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!)
Plenty of companies have a brand, or an aesthetic, and lots have Design, but it's not that often you find a company that has a philosophy, and whose brands, designs, and products encompass that philosophy as wholly as Ystudio’s do. We tend to fall in love with those companies. Field Notes is a common example. I think Ystudio is one fewer people have heard about, and who ought to be on everyone's radar.
I got my first Ystudio pen a few years ago when they first became available at retail stores in the US. It was the Brassing Fountain Pen, and it became an immediate favorite of mine. This Brassing Rollerball model is its sibling, and they make a great pair.
Like the fountain pen, the Brassing Rollerball is made of brass, with a black lacquer coating its facets. The lacquer is designed to wear away as you use the pen, revealing the raw brass beneath. Then the brass will patina, creating a whole new layer of character to the pen's life and your use of it. This idea of forming a unique look to your pen through a lifetime of use really appeals to me. The process is definitely a slow one, though. I've used my fountain pen pretty regularly for years and it's not yet showing any signs of wear.
This is a sturdy pen. The brass walls are thick, and it's quite heavy in the hand. It's well-balanced, though, and is very comfortable to write with. The metal is cold to the touch at first, but it warms up as you write. The cap clicks to close, with a friction fit that clicks solidly in place. It does not post, and there is no clip, but the six facets keep the barrel or cap from rolling off the desk.
The grip section is on the narrow side. It is also raw brass, so it quickly takes on the patina of your grip. The raw brass isn't slippery, and there's a metal ridge that stops your fingers from sliding forward. I believe that ridge is also part of the click-closed mechanism, which is high up in the cap.
The pen takes a Schmidt 5888 refill, which writes wonderfully with a fine black line. It's similar to what you get in a Retro 51, so if you've used one of those, you know it's a fantastic ink. To insert the cartridge, you need to unscrew the bottom of the pen. There's a small screw there that opens up the refill chamber. It's flush with the pen, but it's not difficult to undo. You can use a coin, but I had no trouble just using my fingernail. The refill goes right in the pen, and the screw keeps it in place.
The Ystudio aesthetic, design, and philosophy have totally enchanted me. I love these pens, but they are not inexpensive. They exude the sense that they are crafted not manufactured, and the price reflects that. This rollerball sells for a pretty $110 on JetPens. That's more than I'd usually pay for a rollerball, but I think this is one of those pens where it's worth if, if you decide it is.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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