The Pen Addict Podcast: Episode 461 - Shimmer is Now an Add-On

Some of my favorite episodes are when the topics are all over the place. For example, what does a sunset over the ocean have to do with cotton candy? Nothing, except they are both well represented in this show. And they are stationery related, too!

Show Notes & Download Links

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Gravitas Fountain Pen 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

It can be a little dangerous watching Brad's Twitch streams. I mean, it's always exceedingly pleasant, but every now and then he unboxes something on stream, and I end up buying one. As soon as I saw the packaging for Gravitas Pens, I knew I was in trouble. The pen tube has Ogham lettering down the side, an ancient alphabet from Ireland that my best friend and I memorized in middle school so that we could pass notes in code. Gravitas is based in Dublin, owned by pen designer Ben Walsh. I love all things Ireland, and now I love Gravitas, too.

Brad's pens were a lovely metallic rainbow color. Totally stunning. So I clicked over to the site, and then I saw the Skulls. Spooky Irish fountain pens? How could I not? Very glad I did.

My pen is machined aluminum in anodized black with a laser-etched design with skulls and filigree that looks like delicate lace. Perfectly Gothic. The pen body is symmetrically tapered at both ends, and has triple-start threads, so it unscrews quickly and easily. At each finial is a tip of silicon nitride to protect it from damage. The grip section is matte finished black aluminum. The finish stops it from being too slippery. The grip tapers slightly, then flares at the end to stop fingers from sliding onto the nib. The threads are not sharp, and the step is angled and smooth. It's very well designed for comfortable writing. And while it's a heavy pen, it's well balanced and doesn't cause fatigue.

The cap does not post, and you wouldn't want to mess up that beautiful etching by posting, anyway. There is no clip or roll stop, so you'll need to stay vigilant on uneven surfaces. The nib is a #6 Jowo. I got a medium, and it's a perfect writer. Smooth and not too wet or dry. I have noticed some nib drying between writing sessions, which is fairly common in metal machined pens. It sometimes needs a little extra ink fed from the converter to get writing again. It does come with a standard converter, as well as six ink cartridges, but will take any standard international cartridge or converter.

Between the comfortable grip, the great design, and the fantastic nib, this pen will be one that stays in rotation. This fancy one sells for 95 Euros, and Walsh offers a number of colors and designs, as well as non-fountain pens in a range of prices--all very reasonable for the quality. This is a brand I'll keep my eyes on. I don't know if any design can top the one I already have, but I'm excited to see what Ben comes up with next.

(I purchased this pen with my own funds at regular price from Gravitas Pens.)

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Opus 88 Koloro Fountain Pen Review

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

The Opus 88 Koloro has been around for several years, but I think it's still worth consideration today if you're looking for a great pen with a gigantic ink supply. This eye-dropper filled pen features a pleasantly shaped body with a combination of translucent acrylic and contrasting ebonite. The different materials add a lot of visual interest to the pen, and also makes it feel a bit more unique compared to other pens with similar shapes.

The Koloro isn't a small pen by any means, but it manages to feel smaller in my hand that it looks. It's really comfortable when writing, and I've been very happy with how it feels over longer writing sessions. Just remember to unscrew the back knob a few turns to allow the ink to flow freely to the nib!

While it might seem like a nuisance to remember to open and shut the valve (the knob on the back of the pen) every time you want to use it, this is really convenient if you plan on traveling with the pen or if you know it will get tossed around a lot in a bag. The valve ensure that no additional ink makes it to the nib from the reservoir. Sure, there might be some ink splatter from whatever was left in the nib and feed section, but that's a finite supply. While it's not something many of us are considering lately, this makes air travel convenient as well. With a sealed ink reservoir, you're mostly insured against surprise ink burps that go along with the dramatic change in air pressure accompanied with air travel.

The #5 JoWo nib on the Koloro is fantastic. I've been really happy with every JoWo nib I've used so far, and this one is no exception. The medium nib I chose is a great compromise between a thin line and plenty of ink flow. The nib is smooth and worked perfectly out of the box. The medium nib produces a line that's a little thinner than I'd expect from a medium, but not thin enough to think it was a fine nib. That's my preference anyway, but I'm sure I could adjust the tines just a tad to widen the line a small amount. The nib is fantastic and comes in several sizes — broad, medium, and fine. It's unfortunate that you can't choose from the other options that Opus 88 include on other pens, but this is a good assortment for starting out. Plus, the JoWo nibs are fairly easy to swap out assuming you have some spares on hand.

With any eyedropper pen, the nib can get a little dry in between uses. I usually just need to let the pen rest nib down for a couple minutes for it to work flawlessly again, but this is something to consider with any pen that has a shut off valve between the feed and ink reservoir. It's not a negative — just part of the style that you need to be aware of.

The cap and clip are really sturdy. The cap is one of my favorite parts of the pen because of the shape and the tiny Opus 88 branding. The clip is really strong and also lines up perfectly with the rest of the design of the pen body. The teal ebonite complements the darker teal acrylic perfectly. With a little light, this pen really pops off your desk. The semi-translucent acrylic also lets you see a bit of the internals on the pen body, which is also really interesting. Plus, it gives you a full-on view of how much ink is left.

I imagine the Koloro might be the obvious first choice for someone picking up an Opus 88 pen. It wasn't my first stop, but I can heartily recommend the Koloro if you're interested in the Opus 88 brand. It's a solid writer, it's dependable, and it looks fantastic. If Blue Aqua isn't your thing, you can also get these in Beige Teal, Yellow Orange, and Rust Red. At just under $100, it's a great deal for what you get.

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

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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!