Levenger L-Tech Stealth Fountain Pen Review

Levenger contacted me recently with an opportunity to review one of their products. I had a list of pens and options to choose from, but knowing myself like I do there was only one pen that was going to head my way: The Levenger L-Tech Stealth Fountain Pen.

This stunner of a pen has been on my radar for a while. The all black design and faceted barrel are reminiscent of classic Rotring designs of the past. That is no surprise, as Levenger has long been a fan of Rotring products, including selling Levenger branded Rotring 600 pens and pencils in the 1990's. The L-Tech is Levenger's own design though, and they have done a fantastic job with it.

I chose to go with a steel Broad nib in my L-Tech (you can also choose Fine and Medium) for something different and it performed well. I did experience a few hard starts at the beginning of sentences but once it started flowing it never skipped or stopped. I plan on trying more lubricated inks going forward instead of Rohrer & Klingner Salix, which, while beautiful, is a bit on the dry side.

When you have a fully brass barrel as found on the L-Tech weight becomes a primary concern. This pen has some heft to it but is well balanced and easy to write with. Posting the cap throws the balance off, but I don't believe this pen is made to be written with the cap posted anyway. It becomes far too long.

On looks alone, the L-Tech, and especially the Stealth model, stands up with any of the classic engineering-style fountain pens, such as the Lamy 2000 and the Pilot Vanishing Point. The black matte finish is well done, and is set off by a glossy black clip and accents on the cap and section. The knurling on the grip is spot-on as well. Not too rough, not too fine. Just right.

One undocumented feature of the L-Tech that I stumbled on accidentally is that the nib is easily swappable with TWSBI 580 nibs. I was cleaning a few pens one night and when reassembling them I unknowingly put my 1.1 TWSBI stub back in the Levenger. It was a perfect fit and a real eye opener since I have several nibs I can now swap in and out of the L-Tech when the mood hits me.

At only $80, price may be the Levenger L-Tech's best feature. For a pen with this type of style, quality, and name, it is a great value. This is a workhorse pen, perfect for daily use or as a gift. If you choose to buy one please do me a favor: Don't get it engraved. It is too beautiful to ruin like that.

Thank you to Levenger for providing me with this pen for review.

For another look at the L-Tech Stealth and some great Rotring comparison shots be sure to check out Mike Dudek's review at The Clicky Post.

Ink Links

-- Write Notepads & Co (Inkdependence!)

-- Waterman's Brown Ink of Old (Palimpsest)

-- Lamy Safari or Hero Summer Color - a review (Ecclectitbits)

-- Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-Kai Ink Review (Write to Me Often)

-- Diamine Cult Pens Deep Dark Red Ink (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- Review: rOtring Rapid Pro 1.0mm Ballpoint Pen - Black Body (Gourmet Pens)

-- Simple Ideas and Thoughts (Field Notes Planner System)

-- Ink Twins: Diamine Twilight + Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris (these beautiful pens)

-- Field Notes Cold Horizon Edition Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- Diamine Grey (Informal Scribble)

-- Kaweco Sepia Brown Fountain Pen Ink (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Diamine Aqua Blue – Ink Review (Ed Jelley)

-- Review: Pentel Graph 600 Mechanical Pencil (and Tombow Mono-WX 0.3mm HB leads) (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- Review: Kaweco Classic Sport (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Getting My Groove On – No Dancing Involved (Inktronics)

-- Lamy 2000 Rollerball - Pen Review (The Clicky Post)

-- Sheen-Heavy Ink: A Fun Tidbit (The Five Cat PENagerie)

-- Kaweco Lilliput Review (Pen&Design)

-- My First Nakaya(fountain pen samurai)

-- Review: Tomoe River Paper (Vertical Paper)

Field Notes Bic Clic Review

Ever since high school, I've always had a soft spot for this particular style of Bic ballpoint pen. I imagine it's the exact same refill as all the other retractable Bics, but I love the form factor and feel of the Clic body for some unexplainable reason. Believe me, I've tried to kick the attraction.

In my college years, I had a brown and tan Bic pen with a UPS logo on it. I didn't have any special feelings toward UPS, but I loved that pen. It didn't make sense to me then, either. How can a free pen feel better to me than the ones I bought from the store? Love doesn't always make sense.

When I discovered Field Notes, I was immediately attracted to their Bic Clic pens. I'd tried to find this style of Bic in all my local stores, but failed to find any. With one of my first Field Notes orders, I added a 6-pack of Bics to my cart on a whim. Needless to say, I was happy with my purchase.

I've moved up in the pen world, and I don't appreciate the Bic refill nearly as much as I did (if at all), but I still love the look and feel of the classic Bic Clic body. Does it write like a Jetstream? Nope. But it has character. And the black and white color scheme and Field Notes branding definitely add to that character.

In a general sense, it's a pen that writes. What more do you want? I admire the utilitarian vibe of this pen. I rarely take it out with me, but I use it every now and then to bring back the nostalgia. To me, these pens from Field Notes are perfect "loaner" pens for people who have no idea what Field Notes are. It's a good method of spreading the pocket notebook love.