ENSSO ARIA

The Ensso ARIA is the upgraded BIC ballpoint barrel you have been searching for.

ARIA is machined from solid bars of space-grade (6061-T6511) aluminum and natural brass. The lightweight aluminum version is anodized in matte black for an understated and elegant aesthetic. The brass edition is heavier and offers a more tactile experience. The brass is left uncoated and will develop a patina over time. Such patina is appreciated by collectors but can easily be removed with any brass-cleaning product for a new and shiny appearance.

ARIA is available on Kickstarter for $29 (50% discount off future retail price). My thanks to ENSSO for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Schon DSGN Copper Pocket Six Fountain Pen Giveaway Winner

The Solid Copper Pocket Six Fountain Pen from Schon DSGN is one of the coolest pocket pens on the market these days. Not only do you get it in a great material, you have grip section options, AND a swappable nib unit to turn it into a rollerball! The winner of this giveaway is:

Congrats Jake! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address.

Desiderata BAMF Pump Piston Fountain Pen: 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 Desiderata Fountain Pen Company was established by Pierre Miller, a chemist, musician, and writer who makes fountain pens. His goal is to create pens that are well made, accept a variety of nibs, and offer an excellent flex-nib writing experience for those who desire it.

I'm on Pierre's mailing list. And when I received a notification about his newest creation, the BAMF Pump Piston Fountain Pen, I set an alarm on my iPhone, and as soon as orders opened, I placed mine. In part, I wanted this pen simply for its name--a name I cannot publish here--because when I saw it engraved on the pen, I laughed aloud, long and hard. I knew I needed this pen after the year I've had (and I'm not even talking about COVID).

But I also wanted the pen because it offers a unique combination of features: an innovative pump piston filling system that holds a lot of ink, a beautiful black ebonite exterior with a red ebonite grip and feed, and the ability to use a Zebra G calligraphy flex nib with a fountain pen system.

I've been on a never-ending quest to find a modern flex fountain pen because I have an anti-Midas touch with vintage pens. Believe me. I touch a vintage pen and it crumbles in my hands. I've also tried straight and oblique calligraphy pens with dip nibs. I am so bad at dipping, resulting in ink blobs, spatter, and all-around ugly calligraphy.

I've also tried multiple modern pens, including the Aurora Anniversary Flex Nib, the Noodler's Triple Tail Flex Nib, the Scribo Feel flex nib, and many others. My conclusion: Meh. Some are absolute duds. Others offer decent flex but aren't really calligraphy worthy. And others are just out of my price range right now (like the Scribo, not to mention the Montblanc Calligraphy 149).

Pierre's pens offer a wonderful middle ground: reasonable price, calligraphy flex nib (with other nib options), and a filling system so you don't have to dip the nib. Woot!

The BAMF pen comes in no-frills packaging: a small flat rate USPS box and some soft paper padding taped around the pen.

The pen is made of black ebonite--the body has a gloss finish and the cap has a brushed finish.

There's no clip or any ornamentation on the pen other than "Desiderata Pen Company" and "BAMF" (spelled out) engraved on the barrel. This is not a pen you want falling in the hands of a child who can read and who wants to know what those words mean. I've kindly blurred them out for the photo.

The pen is 150mm/5.9 inches capped, 140mm/5.51 inches unposted (with the Zebra G nib installed), and 178mm/7 inches posted (but I couldn't get the cap to post securely at all). The pen is light, weighing only 15 grams capped without ink.

It has slightly rounded ends and a small drop from cap to barrel. The blind cap blends so well into the barrel that you wouldn't know it's there. I'm glad I watched a review of the pen before I received it, because I would've tried to unscrew it at the grip end.

The grip is made of polished red ebonite which offers a classy contrast to the black pen.

The filling system is all kinds of cool. Pierre calls it a "Pump Piston." You open the blind cap to reveal more red ebonite (where the blind cap screws onto the barrel), a spring, and a swirled ebonite button. Once you're ready to ink the pen, you simply put the nib into your ink and press the pump several times until no more bubbles come out. Clean off your nib and section and you're ready to write (well . . . sort of, see below).

I opted for the Zebra G nib (you could also choose a JOWO nib in various sizes or a Nemosine .6 italic) and the red ebonite feed.

I read all of Pierre's instructions and watched his video on how to prep the pen for writing. The first step was to remove the nib and feed (which are friction fit) and to clean both of them. I used toothpaste to clean the Zebra G nib because that's what Pierre used. I rinsed the ebonite feed well.

Then I inked the pen up with Robert Oster Red Candy, sat down at the table, and began to play with the pen. I knew from watching Pierre's video that I would have to work with the nib to get it to write properly. It took some time to get the ink flowing, and even then I encountered railroading and skipping. But I kept at it. After awhile, the pen started writing more consistently, and I could do an entire page without problems.

That said, if I paused for even a short amount of time, the ink stopped flowing. I had to start all over, drawing circles, licking the nib to stimulate the ink, flexing lines to get consistent flow. This happened every time I paused or between writing sessions.

It may just be a characteristic of using a calligraphy nib on a fountain pen. Or, I may need to clean the nib more thoroughly. Or, it may be a matter of breaking the nib in. Regardless, as fiddly as the nib is, it is so much better than having to dip it in ink!!!! I really hate dipping.

I am absolutely thrilled with my BAMF. As a beginner calligrapher, I truly appreciate a pen that allows me to practice without having to deal with dipping problems. I can focus instead on creating my letters, practicing words, and developing better spacing. Yes, having to restart the pen after every pause is irritating, but it doesn't take long, and I suspect it's user error rather than the pen's fault.

Sadly, the BAMF is no longer available. Pierre makes his pens in small batches, so it's first come first served. Let us hope there will be another iteration of this pen. Your best bet, if you're interested in Pierre's pens, is to sign up for his newsletter (the sign up is at the bottom of the About page).

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