Franklin-Christoph 03 Iterum in Coco and Créme with an EF SIG Nib: 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.)

The Franklin-Christoph Iterum is a medium-sized fountain pen in acrylic with a screw-on cap. The pen comes packaged in a Franklin-Christoph cardboard box and a zippered leather pen envelope.

The Iterum’s body and cap are cylindrical with a flat finial and barrel bottom. The grip tapers down from the barrel and the cap threads are near the nib—out of the way but also providing a lip to prevent your fingers from slipping.

The Coco and Créme acrylic is a deep brown with shimmery swirls of cream. It’s a subtle pen, and I love the colors which remind me of hot chocolate or a well-brewed cappuccino.

The cream-colored finial is embedded into the cap and is engraved with the Franklin-Christoph logo. One reason I chose the Iterum model is because I liked the complementary colored finial.

The clip is rhodium-plated with four F-C diamonds engraved. It is a fairly stiff clip, so it will keep the pen secure on a shirt pocket or a thin tablet.

The only other adornment is “Franklin-Christoph 03” lightly engraved near the base of the cap.

The pen is a size I think most writers will find comfortable. Unposted, it is 5.01 inches in length, 6.91 inches posted, and 5.5 inches capped. The pen is quite light (25.79 grams), so posting shouldn’t present a weight problem. But because the cap doesn’t post deeply, the pen feels unwieldy posted.

Like many Franklin-Christoph models, the Iterum can be filled via cartridge, converter, or eyedropper. If you choose to eyedropper this pen, it will hold a lot of ink. I eyedroppered one of my other Franklin-Christoph pens, but I found it messy and inconvenient (plus it can stain lighter acrylics). So, I use the provided converter. Yes, I have to refill the pen more often, but I like that there’s less mess.

The nib I chose for this F-C pen is an EF steel SIG nib. SIG stands for “stub italic gradient.” Essentially it’s an extra-fine italic with the corners smoothed so that it is in between a cursive italic and a stub nib.

The EF SIG nib obviously doesn’t show as much line variation as a broader nib would, but I like that it offers a little more character than a regular EF nib would. Unfortunately, this particular nib is a little scratchy compared to my other F-C nibs, but I think that’s because it’s an EF. I’m accustomed to F-C medium italics.

The Iterum is no longer available in the Coco-Créme color. I got one of the last ones before the color was retired. You still have several color options, though: black and maroon, emerald and white, smoke and maroon, or ghost and smoke. Prices for this pen depend on what nib you choose. If you purchase the Iterum with a basic steel nib, you’ll pay $175. For one like mine with a SIG nib, you’ll pay $185. 14k nib options start at $265 for regular nibs and $285 for Masuyama nibs. See the Franklin-Christoph Iterum page for all the options.

I now own three Franklin-Christoph pens: the Marietta (model 20), the Stabilis (model 66), and the Iterum (model 03), and I love them all. I like the Iterum’s size, shape, and styling.

Pros

The Iterum is a pen style that I think most people will like. It’s a medium-sized pen with a comfortable grip.
The Iterum comes in a variety of acrylic colors with complementary finials.
I think one of the great benefits of buying Franklin-Christoph pens is the wide variety of nib options. I really like the SIG nib grind because formal italics can be too sharp and stubs can be too rounded. The SIG is nicely in between. Plus, those of us who can’t get to pen shows to have Mike Masuyama grind nibs for us, can still experience his workmanship via Franklin-Christoph. Note that you can’t purchase Masuyama nibs separately; you have to order a Masuyama nib along with a pen. All the other nibs are available for purchase separately.
Another advantage of Franklin-Christoph pens is the three different filling options.

Cons

Honestly, the only possible negative I can think of with Franklin-Christoph pens is how light they are. I personally prefer pens with some heft to them, but I find the Iterum incredibly comfortable to write with. I’d much prefer a pen to be light rather than so heavy it’s uncomfortable.

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!

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Susan Pigott and filed under Franklin-Christoph, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

J. Herbin Amethyste de l'Oural Ink 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.)

The Herbin Company (formerly known as J. Herbin) has launched their new line of inks this fall--the 1798 collection, with the stunning Amethyste de l’Oural. I've been known to say that I don't care much for shimmer inks, and then inks like this one make me eat those words for breakfast. I like everything about this ink.

The new 1798 collection is based on another milestone for the Herbin company--the year they moved to their shop in Paris. They sold pen nibs and wax and ink--necessities in those days, and little luxuries today. The new collection makes a few improvements over the 1670 anniversary collection. The mouth of the bottle is wider to accommodate pens more easily, the wax cap seal is thicker and stronger, the labeling and packaging has improved. My favorite thing about this ink might be the beautiful bottle. I love the embossed ship logo on the bottom. The bottle is also heavy and sturdy, so it's not likely to tip over.

The ink is a rich, royal purple with a fine, subtle silver shimmer. The particles need to be gently distributed into the ink before filling your pen. The purple "amethyste" color is to honor the gemstone that was shipped around the world in the 16th and 17th centuries. It's a sophisticated shade, and the silver sparkle adds a bit of smoky shine to it. It's not a glaring mirror-shine, but a more elegant glint. It isn't even noticeable in some lights or on some paper, but when the right light hits it at an angle, it gives a little wink of fairy dust.

The ink is well saturated and has some water resistance to it. Lines were still visible after spending a few minutes in water. I can also say it lingers on the fingertips through many (many) washes. It's a wet, well-lubricated ink. I was delightfully surprised by that. One of the things I dislike about a lot of shimmer inks is how they can feel a bit dry or clumpy. This is one of the wettest inks I've ever used. I put it in the driest nib I own--one of the black-coated Lamy fine nibs--and it lubricated the writing so well that it made me enjoy a nib I usually avoid. Between the wetness and the shimmer, there's very little shading--but it doesn't need it. It's also rather slow to dry on Rhodia paper. There was very mild feathering (there might be more with a wider/wetter nib) and no bleed-through.

Perhaps because the particles seem finer (at least by sight) than in some other shimmer inks, I had no trouble cleaning it out of my pen. It's actually one of the better-behaving inks I've ever used. Still be careful when using it in vintage pens or pens that are notoriously difficult to clean--but I have no concerns about using this ink regularly in an everyday writer. In fact, I've been using it every day for some time, now, and enjoying every minute.

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

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

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Sarah Read and filed under J. Herbin, Ink Review.

Frara Road Pen Roll Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Once you start collecting a few pens, it doesn't take long to realize that you also need a convenient to store and transport multiple pens at a time. Luckily, there are many such options available to stationery nerds today. These options can vary as far as design and materials, but most are made of nylon fabric, plastic, metal, or leather. And, the Frara Road Pen Roll happens to be in the leather variety.

Frara Road is a small company based in Cape Town, South Africa that specializes in unique stationery goods. From James and Jesse, the owners, their mission is simple:

We set out upon Frara Road™ with a simple goal to make lasting products that are beautiful to look at and most importantly, practical to use. To make nothing that is unnecessary and to make things that we personally want. Their shop is small, but focused. It's nice to see a small business that is selling a few goods they really believe in as opposed to a shop selling lots of different things that they may not personally vouch for. In the case of Frara Road, the stuff they sale are curated by the owners.

Back to the Pen Roll — it's gorgeous. Made from full-grain upholstery leather, it has a luxurious, soft feel and tantalizing smell. The leather is a medium brown color, and ages quite well with use. It's bound to pick up a few nicks and scuffs, but that makes leather goods look better with age. Inside the case, there's more leather that forms the pen slots, but it also features a flap that folds down over the pens to protect them each other when the case is rolled up. The back side of the leather is unfinished, which gives it a super soft, carpet-like feel. I definitely don't worry about my pens when they're in this case — they are well-protected.

The Pen Roll has six pen sleeves, which are separated with stitching. In fact, there's a lot of stitching on this case, and it's well-done. I haven't noticed any stray threads or sloppy lines. After several months of use, it's held up really well. But, I'd expect as much from leather goods!

Due to the soft interior leather, pens slide in and out of the sleeves with ease. It can sometime take some fidgeting to get the clip over the edge of the leather, but it's a minor thing that you'll experience with most pen cases, sleeves, etc. Once the pens are in the sleeve, they don't budge. Even if your pen doesn't have a clip, it is held securely in the sleeve. And, once you fold down the inner flap and roll up the case, they're not going anywhere.

Like most pen rolls, it can take some practice to find the best way to roll up the case efficiently and securing the straps. In the case of cloth pen rolls, the process is easier, but it takes more effort to secure the string or straps to ensure the case doesn't come loose and open in your bag. With the Frara Road Pen Roll, you have to pay more attention when rolling the case shut due to the thickness and stiffness of the leather. While the stiffness does go away after some regular use, it's still a thick material. Once the leather breaks in, it becomes incredibly easy to roll the case up. The leather falls into a groove and tends to retrace its own steps when it's time to pack up. That's one of the delightful thing about leather goods. They're unique and take on a life of their own with time.

After the case is rolled up, there's a single strap that secures it. The strap wraps around the case, feeds through a small slot, doubles back, and stays tight without any need for knots or extra tucking. I was skeptical that it would be this easy, but it works really well. Feed the strap through the top of the hole, pull it back under itself, give it a tug to tighten it down, and you're set. The friction of the leather is enough to keep this roll secure, no matter how long or short the journey. When you arrive and it's time to get out the goods, a simple tug in the reverse direction will loose the strap and allow you to quickly open the case. This is truly the first closure system that I've enjoyed in a pen roll or pen wrap style case. It's great!

Obviously, there are other cases available that hold the same number of pens, have more features, cost less, etc. When it comes down to it, this is a well-made leather stationery accessory. You already know if you're keen on leather goods. If you're one of those people, there's a good chance you'll love this case. If you're not, lucky you! There are so many other choices out there. To me, this case is worth it alone based on aesthetics, but it's also a great functional case.

When first using the case, one downside in my mind was how bulky and large it is once rolled up. But, after comparing it with a fully loaded Brasstown, I was surprised to find that it was a very similar size. It's a bit fatter, but not as tall length-wise. Also, being made of leather, it's pliable when you pack it in a bag. It might look a bit chubby in some ways, but it's still very space efficient and easy to pack.

Overall, the Frara Road Pen Roll is a great intersection of beauty and functionality. For storing and transporting up to six pens or pencils, this is a top-notch option if you prefer leather over nylon or plastic. At $75, it's a bit pricey when compared with other cases, but (again) it's made from leather and looks fantastic.

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

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