“Ambition” is the 25th release in the Field Notes Colors series of limited edition notebooks.
The three pack contains a datebook, ledger and memo book.
Let me say right off the bat that I do not have any use for a datebook or a ledger and I would have liked more memo books in any of the standard formats (dot grid, blank, lined, etc…). That aside, I think this is one of the very best Colors editions.
I love the subdued covers with gold embossed logos, gold colored staples, and gold leaf gilded edges. These books are nice.
The paper holds up to fountain pen ink quite well though thicker and juicer pens will bleed through.
Some bleed through and ghosting but not bad at all by Field Notes’ standards.
I hope the Field Notes decides to make the Ambition memo book part of their permanent line. I would happily pay a premium for it over the standard memo book.
In 1988 Pelikan introduced the M600, a M400 sized pen with the upgraded trim of the larger M800.The M600 was sold with a monotone 18kt gold nib for it’s first year only, switching to a bi-tone 14kt gold nib in 1989.
In my opinion, the 1988 Pelikan M600 is the most desirable model as its nib is softer than any other post 1960s fountain pen I have used.
Appearance
Pelikan M600 with Pelikan M400
The M600 features a classic design that Pelikan has been using since the 1950s with the introduction of the 400.The M600 differs from the modern M400 in that it has an extra gold cap band, a gold band on the piston knob and a gold band on the end of the section.
Pelikan M600 and Pelikan M400 with rare 12C HEF nib .
In solid black with gold trim this pen’s classic styling wont be garnering much attention but it is elegant and understated.
Score: 3/5
Build Quality
Is this a good quality pen?I spent a lot of time thinking about this and my honest answer is no, not really.
The fit and finish of the gold furniture is pretty good and the threaded nib assemblies are a great design that allows the user to easily swap nibs.The finish of the black plastic (or “resin”) barrel and cap is excellent but the plastic section has big nasty seams.
As big and nasty as those seems are they were not easy to photograph.
The M600 does not have the screw in piston assembly of the modern M800 and M1000 fountain pens; instead it snap fits into the barrel.This makes the pen much less serviceable and more prone to breakage.
When I received my M600 I noticed the piston knob was not sitting flush with the barrel and after some research I discovered that this was a side effect of the “snap-fit” design of the piston assembly.
With the palm of my hand I was able to knock the knob back into place (thank you to Francis Goossens for the tip) but there is no guarantee that it wont pop back out again with use.
I know this is an old pen (as old as I am in fact) but I have not had this problem on any of the dozens of piston fillers I have owned produced from the 1940s to present day.
Score: 2/5
Size & Weight
The pre-1997 M600 is the same size as the M200, M400 and classic 400.This was considered a standard size pen back in the 1950s but today it seems a bit small.The post-1997 M600 is larger and, as you would expect, sits in between the M400 and M800 sizes.
I find the M600 to be very comfortable.It measures 12.5 cm capped, and 12.2cm uncapped.It weighs a mere 15 grams with half a tank of ink.People with larger hands will probably want to post this pen but for me it is comfortable posted and unposted.
Score: 4/5
Performance
As mentioned above, in it’s first year of production the M600 was fitted with a single tone 18kt gold nib that was also used on the M700 Toledo at the time.This is one of the softest post 1960s nibs I have ever used.The BB point is stubbish and offers line variation without pressure.
The nib is ultra smooth and quite wet.By comparison, my Pilot music nib puts down a thinner line.
The nib sings a bit, which some people may find annoying but it has no affect on the performance of the nib.I have started looking for more of these 1988 M600s and their related nibs as I find them to be quite wonderful.
Score: 4/5
Filling System
The piston filling system holds a decent amount of ink and is very easy to clean and lubricate thanks to the user removable nib units.With the juicy nib though it doesn’t take long for the ink to run out.
You can see that the blue ink window is full of ink and that the nib has blue ink on it’s tines (the fountain pen equivalent a baby’s face after a bowl of heavily sauced spaghetti).
As I mentioned in the build quality section, the piston assembly is a weak point on these pens and as such it is wise to use the piston gently and make certain that it is properly lubricated.
Score: 3/5
Value
I paid $165 for this M600 and to me that price is certainly worth it for the fantastic nib.I think if you can get a 1988 model for $200 or less you will have a hard time finding anything that comes close with an ultra soft nib, piston filling mechanism, and threaded nib units.
Score: 4/5
Bottom Line
The great nib and design make this pen a winner despite mediocre build quality.
During my recent move I uncovered some fountain pens that I have not used in over 10 years. One of these was a large Récife fountain pen. Many of you may be unfamiliar with this French brand as it is not regularly discussed on pen blogs and pen forums but the brand does still exist and the pens they produce today seem to be largely the same.
The red swirled acrylic body is big and beautiful. The pen measures 6 inches long capped and with brass threading weighs 35.2 grams. For such a large pen it is well balanced and I am able to use it comfortably both posted and unposted.
The silver metal trim doesn’t seem to be fitted with much care as the words “Modele Recife Depose” are badly off center from the clip. I have to say I am also not a fan of the Art Deco style clip; it looks cheap.
The large steel two-tone Jowo nib isn’t a stunner but it is surprisingly springy and I was able to get a decent amount of line variation out of the nib.
The nib isn’t the smoothest and it writes rather fine for a medium point.
Today these pens go for $125+ and there are a lot of great pens for the same money. You could get a pen with a piston filling mechanism like a Pelikan M200 or a pen with a solid gold nib like a Pilot Custom 74 but if you want a big brightly colored body with a springy nib the Recife may not be such a bad option.
When I heard that Richard Binder was winding down his retail business I knew it was finally time to give one of his “ItaliFine” nibs a go. For those of you who do not know, an ItaliFine nib is a combination nib that offers an italic point on one side and a fine point on the other.
As you can see from the pictures this nib started life as a standard 18kt gold broad nib which Mr. Binder customized into an ItaliFine.
With the nib right side up the nib writes with an italic point. This nib is a true 0.9mm italic and as such is quite sharp and offers a good deal of line variation.
With the nib upside down the nib writes with a fine point. I have found the fine side to be a bit more tricky than the italic. The fine side does not like pressure and will skip with anything but the lightest pressure.
Also the fine side of this nib is position sensitive as its opposite side is fatter and straight cut. For me there was a short learning curve with this nib and now that I have it down, it is a wonderful nib that has transformed my Pilot Vanishing Point into a pen that is now a joy to use. The cost of this nib while still available is $125 and that is expensive for a VP nib but it really works as two nibs that you can use in the same pen on the fly…it’s worth it.
Side Note: Some of you may have noticed that I have been gone for a little while. I have been in the process of moving and I am still working on getting my office (The Unroyal Warrant HQ) set up but as of today I am mostly operational, a new computer and some new furniture is on its way but I will be able to provide regular content 1-3 times a week going forward.
As I said earlier in my review of the Hermès Ostrich GM Notebook Cover, I love items that bridge my interests, and while the Rhodia Clic Bloc combines my love of pens with my love of technology it hasn’t exactly won me over.
The Clic Bloc is a notepad that doubles as a mouse pad and unfortunately serving double duty makes it both a bad notepad and a bad mouse pad.
The pad measures 7.5″ x 9″, contains 30 sheets and has a nonskid backing. The Clic Bloc looks like a regular Rhodia notepad with an orange flip over cover, only the Clic Bloc does not have a cover, it is merely a color picture of a folded cover that even has a shadow line.
It is nice that they want this product to look like the other notepads in their line but to me it is a waste of space to print a fake folded cover on every page. I also don’t like that “www. bloc-rhodia.com” is printed on the bottom.
The paper is the same 80g paper that Rhodia is famous for and of course it performs superbly with fountain pen ink. No bleeding or feathering.
It should also be noted that the grid is only on one side of the paper, the opposite side is completely blank. The pad is bound with glue on the bottom and left edges and tears off easily. Because its glued on the left it isn’t going to work well for left handed people as the paper is not going to stay put when you brush against the pad.
As a mousepad, the nonskid backing is not as secure as a regular mousepad but it works well enough.
The backing of the Clic Bloc
I found no tracking issues using the pad but I found the edges of the pad to be uncomfortable to brush up against while moving the mouse around and this is ultimately what caused me to stop using it. It’s just not comfortable.
The Pilot Frixion Ball 4 Wood is one of the many pens I picked up on my trip to Japan that I have yet to review.
The Frixion Ball 4 Wood is a multi-pen that features four erasable gel ball points, a wood grip and an attractive brown and black body.
This is one of the best looking multi-pens I have used and it has a very high quality feel, weighing in at 26.7 grams. It is a well built pen with a satin brown plastic body that is completely free of seams. The section is made of wood and metal and is what gives the pen its nice weight.
It is fair to say I love everything about this pen except for the way it writes. The erasable Frixion ink looks nasty. The colors are washed out and the lines aren’t particularly clean. It is a smooth writer especially for a 0.5mm pen but it’s not a winner for me.
The price is also prohibitive at 3,000 YEN (just under $30USD); that is three time the price of the Uni Pure Malt which while not as nicely made offers a better writing experience with Uni Jetstream ink.
Frixion Ball 4 Wood with Unit Pure Malt
I am quite smitten with the body so I am going to try and see what other refills will work in the Frixion Ball 4 Wood.
I have been collecting fountain pens for a little while now and have made a few poor purchases. My most expensive blunder has been this pen, a Montblanc 149 Meisterstück. (If you want just want to hear about the 149 as a pen skip down to the “Appearance” section.)
There is a well-regarded pen catalog (whose name I will not mention) and the best pens are purchased almost instantly upon release of the catalog so you don’t have much time to think.
The 1960s 149 that I had wanted sold before I had a chance so I jumped on the still available 1972 model and paid a hefty premium as it was new-old-stock.
The pen arrived in the original box with the original guarantee and with the sticker still on the pen. When I took off the cap and found that the nib was tarnished and the rhodium plate had disappeared in spots. The pen must have been dipped at one point and then put away uncleaned.
This is how I received the pen. With some light polishing with a jewelers cloth I was able to get rid of most of the orange tarnish.
I contacted the catalog owner and to his credit he offered a few fair options: 1) lower the price, 2) re-plate the nib, or 3) refund my money. I foolishly became attached to the pen and decided to go for the lower price when I should have simply returned the pen. Oh well…
Appearance
When I first saw a 149 in person years ago I thought it looked like a ridiculous cartoon pen; it is just so large. I have come around to liking the looks of it’s imposing size but if I am honest I would be embarrassed to use this pen at work…or around people in general.
The streamlined shape with black resin and gold furniture is a classic and this pen really is the archetype for a luxury fountain pen. The 149 is an icon much like a Rolex Submariner and as such there are many lookalikes.
The 149 has the best shape of any pen in the Meisterstück line. It is more cigar-like than the other Meisterstücks, which tend to have a longer and thinner profiles. There isn’t too much to say other than it’s a classic and a very attractive shape.
Score: 4/5
Build Quality
Montblanc has been producing the 149 since the late 1940s/early 1950s and there have been numerous iterations. The first models were the best quality and as such are the most valuable. So what about my early 1970s model? In my opinion, the Meisterstück line has gotten worse over time.
My 149 is made from plastic (“precious resin”) and has a plastic piston mechanism (not the metal telescopic one from the 50s and early 60s nor the metal one in the current 149). The barrel is a single piece of plastic compared to the modern two-piece barrel, which is cheaper to manufacture. The plastic is soft and scratches easily. Montblanc finishes the plastic with a very high shine so it is possible to polish out scratches if they are not too deep.
The tri-color nib is made of a soft 14ct gold with a solid ebonite feed instead of the plastic feed and stiffer 18kt tri-color nib on the modern 149. Montblanc produces all of their nibs in house and hand grinds and hand finishes each nib. If you look closely you will see that the slit between the tines doesn’t quite line up with the design.
One sore point on my pen is the plating on the nib. The rhodium (white metal) plating seems to have come off a bit. Which is something that shouldn’t really happen on a pen this expensive. I have confirmed through accounts of members of the Fountain Pen Network that this is not that uncommon for Montblanc pens.
Overall I would consider the build good but not great for a pen this expensive.
Score: 2/5
Size & Weight
One of the benefits of the plastic piston mechanism is that it keeps the weight down to 29.3 grams (empty). The 149 is the fattest pen I own and for me it is too fat to use comfortably for a longer period of time. See the picture below…
Left to right: Aurora Afrika, Nakaya Naka-ai Negoro Shiro-tamenuri, Romillo Essential No. 9, Montblanc 149, Soennecken 1 Extra
Even though this pen doesn’t have the biggest nib it clearly has the fattest section by a big margin.
The pen measures just under 15cm long and 1.6cm at it’s widest point. The grip section is about 1.3cm in diameter which is the most oversized measurement of the entire pen. You can post this pen but there really is no need to do so as it is a hair over 13cm long uncapped.
There are people with small hands and people large hands that love this pen so don’t assume that it wont work for you. If you want a 149 I highly suggest to you try before you buy. One of the major perks of owning a Montblanc is that there are many boutiques all over the world so they are easy to purchase and service. It is worth mentioning that pens serviced by Montblanc may be repaired with modern (often less desirable) parts.
Score: 2/5
Performance
The big OB nib is a great performer. The nib has long tines that make the nib soft and springy. The OB point is more round than the points on the older 1950s nibs. The rounder the nib the less line variation but the tradeoff is that nib is less position sensitive. Given the choice I much prefer the flatter nib.
The nib does allow for some line variation with pressure; it is much better than most modern pens in this regard.
Score: 4/5
Filling System
One of the benefits of the 149 is the massive 2.7ml ink capacity. By comparison the average converter holds about 0.5ml of ink and the average piston filler holds about 1.0ml.
The piston is very smooth and the striped ink window is ultra clear and has remained easy to clean. One thing that I don’t care for is the amount of play in the piston knob once loosened; it hasn’t caused any problems but it doesn’t instill confidence.
If ink capacity is your top priority this may be the pen for you.
Score: 4/5
Value
Used, these pens can be had for around $300-$400. The 1960s versions go for a bit more and the 1950s models are usually over $1,000. For $300 you get an impressive looking iconic pen that non-pen people will notice and appreciate; if that sort of thing is important to you, I can assure you wont do better for the money.
New, the 149 costs around $900 and for me there many other pens that I prefer in terms of quality and comfort but none can really match the imposing presence of the 149. If you want something with true snob appeal the $900 might be justifiable.
Score: 3/5
Bottom Line
The 149 is fat….fat price, fat size, fat snob appeal.
Final Score 17/30
Here are some great reviews of the Montblanc 149:
(I have no affiliation with the sites linked below)
I love items that crossover my interests and the Hermès Ostrich GM notebook/agenda cover is just such an item. It combines my interest in stationery with my interest in fine leather craftsmanship.
The agenda is Hermès’ GM size which stands for “Grand Modèle” and is their second smallest agenda. The cover measures 9 cm wide x just over 13 cm long.
The cover is made out of a beautiful natural color ostrich skin (the pictures look much more orange). Ostrich is a bit of an obnoxious looking exotic leather but once you get past that it really is an excellent and long lasting skin. Hermès puts blind stamps in all of their products which allows me to date this cover to 1997 and at 17 years old it doesn’t look too bad.
The saddle stitch is done by hand and is of the highest quality. The benefits of a saddle stitch is strength and repairability. If a stitch becomes loose it can be easily repaired by an Hermès craftsman.
Hermès uses very high quality stationery grade paper in every notebook and agenda that I have seen and this is no exception. The GM size comes in a number formats to choose from. There are two agenda styles as well as a blank notebook and a lined notebook.
I normally prefer the lined version but they were out of it so I ended up with the blank version. The paper is very thin with a gilded edge but it holds fountain pen ink like a champion. The only bleeding I saw was with the Pilot Hi-Tecpoint V10 which is a fat juicy 1.0mm roller ball.
There is minimal ghosting which is impressive for a paper so thin. The corners of the pages are perforated so that you can quickly jump to where you left off. The binding is ring bound with a split in the middle that allows you to bend the notebook into the clips of the agenda cover.
The blank and lined notebooks are $30 each and the agenda refills are $100+. As for the agenda cover the last time I checked it was right around $1,000. There is no denying that this is a luxury product; nobody needs a small notebook cover that is this expensive.
You can find these notebooks second hand for around $100-$200 depending on condition but be warned that there are fakes; Hermès wont sell anything with sloppy workmanship so check for tight saddle stitching a clean Hermès imprint. If you go used I recommend Japanese sellers as Japan has very strict laws on selling fakes.
I recently had the cover serviced by the Hermès craftsman in San Francisco and it cost $125 to spruce it up which is something Hermès recommends every three years.
My Romillo Essential No. 9 has finally arrived. While I take some time to get to know the pen I thought I would share some pictures and some first impressions.
Left to right: Aurora Afrika, Nakaya Naka-ai Negoro Shiro-tamenuri, Romillo Essential No. 9, Montblanc 149 (early 70s), Soennecken 1 Extra
Since this pen has the biggest nib I have ever used I put it up next to some other big nib fountain pens for comparison.
This italic 0.7mm nib feels like no other nib I have ever used. It’s very soft and produces nice line variation without feeling sharp; this is a bit weird because there definitely is a sweet spot and it’s not small but without the normal feedback it isn’t as easy to find.
The pen is very comfortable in hand, and is not overly fat like a 149. The threading that attaches the barrel to the section is all brass and as a result the pen is nose heavy. The Essential has a very long section which is a feature that I love but seldom see.
The threading on the cap isn’t very smooth and I worry about twisting the cap too far. The shape of the pen is beautiful but subtle in its design.
The ebonite body is nicely polished and feels warm to the touch. I requested to have the nib coated with rhodium and I had them add a rhodium coated solid silver lentil/roll stopper added.
The packaging and presentation was really nice:
Warrant information, certificate with all the pens information, and two nib test pages.A beautiful wood box containing the pen, eye dropper and instructions, as well as a bottle of ink (which leaked a bit), and a nice pen wrap.
So far I am loving the pen…I will give a full review once I have more time with it.
