Ohto Dude Fountain Pen Review

There are a wide variety of fountain pens available in the entry-level price range of around $20. Some on the lower-end of that price scale are excellent (the Platinum Preppy and Sailor HighAce Neo for starters), as are ones on the higher end like the Lamy Safari. While there are many good choices, there are poor ones as well, and unfortunately the Ohto Dude falls into the latter category.

The Ohto brand has always appealed to me from a design perspective. Their barrel design ideas are interesting, and they generally pull them off very well (the Ohto Rook being the lone exception). Where they have been lacking - more times than not - is in the area of performance. Most importantly, where the nib meets paper.

I should have learned my lesson with the Ohto Fine. That nib gave me serious problems at the time, and the cost of repair would be greater than the original price. I was hoping the unfortunately named Dude would be better. It was, but only marginally.

What I have repeatedly experienced with Ohto fountain pens is the nib digging into the page. I don't mean that it is scratchy when I write - that is a different feeling - I mean that it is almost gouging the page. This made for a poor and inconsistent writing experience.

I have learned my lesson with this pen. Ohto ballpoints and rollerballs are good pens but I am going to swear off any future Ohto fountain pen purchases.

Ohto Graphic Liner Needle Point Drawing Pen 03 Review

The Ohto Graphic Liner Needle Point Drawing Pen is one of those pens that caught me off guard - in a very good way. I wasn’t paying attention when I ordered it to be honest. I thought it was another plastic tip drawing pen but when I received it I realized just how wrong I was.

The Ohto Graphic Liner is actually a metal-tipped drawing pen, somewhat of a cross between a Sakura Pigma Micron in ink quality and properties and a Pentel EnerGel Euro Needle in style. It is a little bit hard to explain but it works wonderfully. I went with the 03 thinking it had an 0.3 mm tip, but that is a little misleading. From one of the reviews at JetPens, here is how the tip widths line up:

005 = 0.3 mm

01 = 0.4 mm

02 = 0.5 mm

03 = 0.7 mm

05 = 1 mm

1 = ? (could not find this one)

I would say the 03 translates into right around an 0.7 mm so the list is probably accurate. That is too wide for me, but I was so impressed with this pen that I can’t wait to try a few of the smaller tip sizes. Too bad they have been out of stock for months.

Ohto Fine Fountain Pen Review

There is no doubt that the Ohto Fine is a beautiful fountain pen. Long, sleek lines, sharp chrome accents, and a few curves for added visual effect. But functionality is the most important thing for me when using and reviewing a pen, and that is where the Ohto Fine falls short.

I have had great success with other Ohto pens I have reviewed, so I was surprised to be let down by this one. First of all, the length and weight of the pen with the cap posted makes it top heavy when writing. This leads to balance issues, and eventually writing fatigue if you use this pen for long periods of time. I didn’t make it that far due to my second issue with the pen - nib alignment.

I am not a fountain pen expert by any stretch, so it took me some time to figure out. The pen was very scratchy when making certain strokes, and upon closer inspection, the nib appears to be mis-aligned. It is very slight and hard to see, but one side of the nib is higher than the other. I could probably adjust it for slightly better performance, but by this point I was disillusioned with it.

The final issue - and one that will vary between user - is the grip section. Ohto may have gotten too aggressive with the design on this one, because the sharp curve of the barrel hits me right where I grip the pen. That angle cut digs right in to my fingers, and again limits the length of time I can write with it.

At $22.00, it isn’t going to break the bank, but there are better options in the same price range - the Lamy Safari comes to mind immediately. Sorry Ohto, three strikes and you’re out!