Pens Archives - Page 14 of 18 - BLAKE'S BROADCAST

Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen Review

June 29, 2014June 27, 2014 by Blake

The Delta Horsepower is the first Delta pen I have had my hands on and I have to say that I am impressed. Thank you to my new friends at Pen Chalet for the opportunity to test this beautiful pen.

Appearance

When you look the Horsepower the first thing you notice is the cap. I have been told that it is supposed to look like a birds eye view of a Formula 1 car. None of the Delta materials that came with the pen explicitly say anything about the cap design. That is a strange omission if you ask me. Here is a picture of a Williams Mercedes F1 car from last weekends Austrian Grand Prix:

My father and brother were lucky enough to be invited to the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend as guests of Red Bull. — My father and brother attended the Austrian Grand Prix last weekend as guests of Red Bull and I was lucky enough to get some of their pictures 🙂

With the F1 car context and squinting really hard I can kind of see it, but it’s a stretch. I like the cap and I think I would like it even more if I didn’t know that it was supposed to look like an F1 car. The hand polished red resin body is beautiful. It’s a really deep rich red. Continuing the race car theme there is a wide band of real carbon fiber around the barrel and unlike the carbon fiber on the Kaweco AC Sport I reviewed, it is very well finished, no loose fibers here. The ruthenium coated trim pairs beautifully with the carbon fiber. The thick cap ring is imprinted with “HORSEPOWER”. I would have preferred lettering that was a bit less bold but with the dark ruthenium trim it doesn’t jump out too much. That back of the cap is engraved “DELTA ITALY” and is numbered “0295”. This is not a limited edition but I definitely like that the pens are numbered, it’s a nice touch that I don’t see on many pens. Delta Horsepower Fountain Pen The big arched clip is quite nice looking, especially when viewed from the side. I do notice that it sits a bit crooked and looking at other pictures of this pen it seems to be common; it’s not a big deal but worth pointing out. The nib is also ruthenium plated and features some pretty standard looking scrollwork and a Delta logo. I don’t normally talk about boxes because I think they are boring but the Horsepower’s packaging was quite well done so I thought I should include some pictures: All in all I really like the look of this pen. The high quality deep red resin and carbon fiber really make for a sporty looking pen. Score: 3.5/5

Build Quality

The fit and finish is a real stand out on this pen; it is excellent. The Delta paperwork states that the pen is entirely made in Italy. The resin body is hand turned from a solid rod and polished by hand. It doesn’t look or feel like the cheap plastic that many similarly priced pens are made of.

Lots of paperwork. It's nice to have an authentication card with a serial number. — Lots of paperwork. It’s nice to have an guarantee card with a serial number.

There are no seams on the body and everything fits tightly. Someone definitely took care in making this pen. The only thing that is a bit off is the clip; it is slightly crooked but it doesn’t seem to affect the function of the pen. The Horsepower has a steel Bock nib that doesn’t appear to be overly modified like the Bock nibs you find on some Visconti and OMAS pens. That’s not a knock to the build quality but it is relevant when considering how much this pen might cost to make. Score: 4/5

Size & Weight

The Horsepower measures approximately 5.6” capped and 4.6” uncapped. It’s 0.6” in diameter at its widest point. It’s a pretty thick pen. With ink cartridge installed it weighs 26 grams. The pen posts well on the body but I found it to be a bit top heavy so I prefer to use the Horsepower with the cap off. I don’t usually give much thought to the shape of the grip section but the combination of a fat section with a convex shape didn’t feel ideal to me. Most of my daily writers with fat sections have a concave shape that feels more secure to me. It could be that I am just used to the concave shape….the Horsepower never felt like it was going to slip out of my hands and overall it is a very comfortable pen that I have enjoyed using. Score: 3.5/5

Performance

The fine ruthenium plated steel Bock nib performed flawlessly. No hard starting or skipping, just smooth even lines. The flow is average; I wouldn’t call it wet or dry. The nib doesn’t have much in the way of character and as you would expect from a steel nib there isn’t any line variation to speak of. If you are seeking a bit of flair, the Delta Horsepower is available with a stub nib. Score: 3/5

Filling System

The Horsepower takes standard international cartridges/converters and comes with one black Delta cartridge. Interestingly, it does not come with a converter; that’s a pretty unusual thing to leave out on a pen with a $225 retail price. A converter only costs a few dollars so while not a big deal it does make the package less complete. Score: 2/5

Value

With a street price of $180 I do believe you get your money’s worth but it’s important to think about your priorities for a fountain pen. In this price range there are a lot of wonderful pens. Do you want a pen with a solid gold nib or do you want a pen with a beautifully handcrafted body? For the same money you could have a Lamy 2000, or a Platinum 3776, or a Namiki Falcon, or a Pilot Vanishing Point. None of these pens will be able to match the look and feel of the Horsepower’s body but they all have solid gold nibs. A gold nib is not necessarily a better nib but it can potentially be softer or more springy. The Horsepower is also available with a Delta Fusion nib for a retail price of $395. I have no experience with Fusion nibs but it is my understanding that they are part gold and part steel. Without trying it I cannot say if its worth the extra money. Score: 3.5/5

Bottom Line

Confusing cap design aside, the Horsepower is a beautifully made pen that performs like a champion. Final Score 19.5/30

OMAS Paragon Fountain Pen Review

June 22, 2014 by Blake

This pen is troublemaker. I have had it for a good number of years and as I reflect on it now, I am not exactly sure why.

I figure that my first OMAS review should be one that I would consider to be a great first OMAS. Don’t take that to mean that the Paragon is the bottom of the line pen, it’s not, it is in fact the top of line oversized model but used, in black resin, it is quite affordable and a good place to start with the brand if you are willing to roll the dice a bit.

A little background:

For those that do not know, OMAS stands for “Officina Meccanica Armondo Simoni” and they continue to make some of the world’s most beautiful fountain pens. OMAS is famous for their Arte Italiana line that features wonderful faceted pens. The Paragon is the largest model (and consequently the most desirable) in the Arte Italiana line.

OMAS Paragon — Barrel Imprints can help identify the approximate age of a Paragon.

The Paragon I am reviewing today is from the early 1990s. It differs in a few ways from the current Arte Italiana Paragon which confusingly now has two distinct styles “Vintage” and “Icon”. The “Vintage” style is more or less the same pen they have been making for decades and most closely resembles my 1990s Paragon.

Appearance

The body is made out of black resin and has 12 facets with 18kt gold furniture including Greek key bands on the cap and on the section just above the threading. The pen terminates at each end with short points. The large nib is a classic OMAS arrow design that I have seen on OMAS pens as old as the 1930s. It is one of the best looking nib designs out there.

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, this pen is beautiful. I have had the pleasure of owning a few celluloid versions and those really gave my Nakaya a run for its money in the awe department.

Score: 4/5

Build Quality

OMAS pens are turned from a single block of resin or celluloid and just about everything on this pen is done by hand. OMAS made the nib in house and it’s beautiful. Even the hand cut ebonite feed is beautiful. There are no seams and nothing on this pen looks poorly executed BUT there are some functional problems.

The piston knob is hard to turn (something I have experienced with all my OMAS pens from the 1980s-2000s purchased new and used). I don’t know if OMAS is trying to cut down on costs by saving on lubricators or what but it seems odd that such an expensive brand would have a hard and rough mechanism.

My biggest gripe about this pen is that I get ink all over my fingers when I use it. I believe ink comes out from the nib sleeve and onto the collar of the section. I have sent this pen in for repair where the entire pen was disassembled (piston mechanism lubricated…still hard to twist) and the problem wasn’t solved.

This is a beautifully made pen but unfortunately, it just doesn’t work all that well.

Score: 2.5/5

Size & Weight

The Paragon measures 5.6” capped, 5.25” uncapped and a whopping 7.15” posted. My partially full Paragon weighs in at 19.6 grams, which is very comfortable, and lightweight for a pen of this size. I find that the Paragon is comfortable to write with unposted as well as posted, despite its long length.

For me the combination of its large size and lightweight make it almost perfect. I am buying more and more old OMAS pens from the 40s and 50s and I always try to opt for the largest size in a series.

I did not realize until after I took the picture that the OMAS pictured beside the Montblanc 149 isn't the 1990s Paragon in all the other pictures...its an older 1960s celluloid version. The size is identical though. — I did not realize until after I took the picture that the OMAS pictured beside the Montblanc 149 isn’t the 1990s Paragon in all the other pictures…its an older 1960s celluloid version. The size is identical though.

Founder Armondo Simoni, believed that writing should be an enjoyable experience and as such pens needed to be lightweight. You wont see any overweight OMAS pens until after he passed in 1958.

Interestingly, the Paragon size (also know by the number 557) has changed throughout the years. In the late 40s to early 50s the 557 was over 5.6” and then in the late 50s it dropped to under 5.5” which would have been the senior size (aka the 556) in the late 40s early 50s. Today the Paragon is back to its original extra large size.

Score: 4/5

Performance

Up until the mid 1990s OMAS manufactured their own nibs in house before switching over to highly modified Bock nibs. It is clear to me now having owned a several modern OMAS pens with both Bock and OMAS nibs that the change was really quite minor in terms of performance and feel. They both have the same hand cut ebonite feed and the design is mostly the same. In the 1960s and prior the OMAS made some of the best “semi-flex” (like the 14kt Extra Lucens pictured below) and flex nibs that I have ever used. Below are three different nibs from Paragon-sized OMAS pens.

Left to right: 1) Bock made 18kt gold, 2) OMAS made 18kt gold, 3) OMAS made 14kt gold "Extra Lucens" from the 1960s — Left to right: 1) Bock made 18kt gold, 2) OMAS made 18kt gold, 3) OMAS made 14kt gold “Extra Lucens” from the 1960s. “OMAS” on a Bock nib has a large “O” and a bit different Greek-style lettering. You cannot see it without removing the nibs but the OMAS made nibs actually have a much longer body than the Bock ones. I don’t think there is any difference from a performance perspective but it is clear that OMAS made nibs are made with more gold.

The medium point 18kt gold nib is quite springy and with its generous flow feels quite nice on paper. The nib as long as I have had it skips. I sent it to a well-known nibmeister to be sorted out unfortunately he didn’t fix the problem, it still skips…I suspect that it needs a bit more regrinding. If the nib didn’t skip it would be one of my best nibs on a modern pen…it really feels excellent.

In the end it sort of does everything I don’t want a fountain pen to do… it skips and gets ink on my fingers.

Score: 1.5/5

Filling System

The Paragon is a piston-filler and holds a good amount of ink. If you have ever had the displeasure of twisting the piston knob on an “untested” vintage pen only to find that ink has dried inside the pen locking the mechanism then you have a pretty good idea of what it’s like to use the piston on this pen (and sadly most modern OMAS fountain pens). I might be exaggerating a bit but let’s just say it’s not that pleasant.

Score: 1.5/5

Value

A used resin OMAS Paragon in nice condition can be had for around $200-$250 and honestly it’s a ton of pen for the money IF you get one that works well. My success rate with both new and used OMAS pens from 1980-2005 has been about 60% and I have had more fountain pens from OMAS than any other manufacturer.

I know people who have had nothing but great luck with modern OMAS pens so I would encourage any potential buyer to do their own homework and come to their own conclusions.

New, you can buy a resin Paragon (or some version of it) for around $600-$700. The beautiful celluloid versions cost around $1,000.

Score: 2.5/5

Bottom Line

This Paragon’s beautiful looks are let down by poor performance.

Final Score 16/30

Here some great reviews of the OMAS Paragon:

(I have no affiliation to the sites linked below)

The Noble Savage – OMAS Paragon Blu Venezia 2003

These Beautiful Pens – Amazing Celluloid: Omas Paragon Arco

Pentel EnerGel Multi-function Pen Review

June 12, 2014 by Blake

The Pentel EnerGel Multi-function pen features two 0.5mm liquid gel ink refills, one black one red, as well as a 0.5mm pencil and an eraser at the top of the cap.

I am a big fan of EnerGel ink as writes similar to a rollerball but dries as fast as a traditional gel pen. The EnerGel is thinner than most of the similarly priced multi-function pens and as a result feels more comfortable in my hand.

Red refill deployed as indicated on the barrel.

To deploy the different pen and pencil points you simply twist the cap to the indicate positions on the barrel. It’s not a smooth action and to me it feels pretty unpleasant. Also it can be a bit confusing to switch points. You have to remember that the red is the middle point. For instance if you were to switch from the black EnerGel refill to the pencil you have to pass over red; if try you to simply go from black to the pencil you will unscrew the barrel.

The design of the this pen is a real pig’s breakfast. I am not sure what they were thinking of but it looks terrible. There are so many non-related design elements to this pen that I will just let the pictures do the talking.

I purchased this pen on my recent trip to Japan at its retail price of 500 Yen (about $5 USD). I like the EnerGel refills and the pencil works quite well but with the unpleasant twist mechanism and hideous design I don’t think it’s a winner.

Soennecken 103 Fountain Pen Review

June 5, 2014 by Blake

I have been collecting fountain pens for twelve, maybe thirteen years now and it has been a real journey. I have a lot of fountain pens from the early 1900s to present day and for me my favorite era is the late 1940s to the late 1950s.

Why, you ask?

I believe this period was the culmination of fountain pen technology combined with the best quality nibs and the most beautiful celluloid bodies. During this time in Europe the major manufacturers were moving to piston fillers that are more or less the same mechanism that we have in modern day fountain pens.

Back then the composition of gold nibs was different…I don’t know what specifically has changed but in general the nibs were softer and springier than the gold nibs on modern pens.

Manufacturers like Montblanc and OMAS were at their innovative peak during this period and I would argue that we have seen very little innovation from 60s to present day (apart from some smaller newer manufacturers).

Okay, if you are still here and I haven’t bored you to death, Soennecken: they went out of business in the late 1960s but they were a competitor to Montblanc and Pelikan. They made lots of colorful celluloid pens in various patterns and in my opinion were of equal (or superior) quality to their German rivals.

The 103 is my first Soennecken. It is a ladies pen made in the early 1950s specifically for the Swiss market. Being a ladies model it was significantly less expensive than the highly desirable 111 Extra (MB 149 size) and 111 Superior (MB 146 size) flagship Soenneckens.

Appearance

The 103 has a beautiful green striped celluloid body with a hard rubber finial and blind cap (piston knob). Being on of the earlier models the finial is pointed instead of the rounded dome shape the later models had.

The gold plated clip is in excellent shape and reads “SOENNECKEN” with the “O” overlapping the “S”. The ring on the cap has a good amount of brassing and sadly doesn’t match the gold color of the clip as well as it should.

The body has “SOENNECKEN 103” imprinted on the body and all the letters are still white and crisp.

There is a little ink window that is quite clean for its age. No ambering like I see on a lot of old ink windows.

The nib is quite small and while it seems proportional to the body it is a bit narrow for my tastes. It is a pretty plain nib with an overlapping “S” and “O” as the only design other than “14K – 585”. The ebonite feed is cut nice and flat; it looks very similar to an OMAS feed.

The 103 is a great looking little pen.

Score: 4/5

Build Quality

This is a 60+ year old pen and everything on it fits tight and as it should. The 103 is a handmade pen. There are no seams like you would find on most mass-produced plastic pens today. I also see no celluloid shrinkage like I see on a lot of pens from this era.

The piston seal is cork (as was common at the time) and can dry out if stored dry for a long period of time…otherwise it should be good to go another 60 years. It is a stout little pen that stands up well against Montblancs and Pelikans of the era.

Score: 4/5

Size & Weight

The little 103 measures 4.6” capped, 4.4” uncapped, 5.75” posted and weighs 16.3 grams. It’s the smallest vintage pen I own. I have smaller hands and I have been able to write a few pages pretty comfortably. Even though it is lighter weight it doesn’t feel cheap in hand. Is it my ideal size for a pen? Certainly not, but the combination of light weight and a nice sized grip section all allow the little 103 to work as comfortably as many larger pens.

Left to right: Soennecken 103, Geha 790, Montblanc 146 (early 50s), Montblanc 149 (1972)

Score: 2/5

Performance

The little 14kt gold nib performs like a champ. It’s a very soft and springy fine. There is not a lot of line variation like some of my other pens from this era but it has the same wonderful feel that I have come to love. No issues with skipping or hard starting. There is a sweet spot to the nib but it is easy to find.

I used the 103 as my daily writer for two weeks straight and it proved to be a real workhorse.

Score: 4/5

Filling System

The 103 has a standard piston filling system and not the famous Soennecken “click” mechanism that is more prone to breaking. As I mentioned above, it does have a cork seal, which can be a weak point if you store your pens for a long time. My 103 was completely overhauled and has a new cork. The 103 holds a good amount of ink for such a small pen.

Score: 3.5/5

Value

Even though I went for a cheaper model, Soenneckens are not cheap pens in general. The condition and the color and pattern of the celluloid all affect the price. I have seen 103s go for $250+ but in my opinion that is on the high side. I think the sweet spot for a pen 103 with a nice striped celluloid body should be around $140-$175.

I paid around $170 for my restored 103 and while I admit it’s a lot of money for a small pen, I think it’s worth every penny.

I purchased the 103 to see if Soennecken should have a place in my collection. I figured if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be out too much money. As you can tell, I did like it and I am now on the hunt for a very nice 111 Superior or 111 Extra.

Score: 4/5

Bottom Line

It’s a winner with beautiful looks and full-sized performance in a small package.

Final Score 22.5/30

One thing to note: If you want a bigger Soennecken you can add a couple hundred dollars for each pen size you go up. I think that 111 Extra (MB 149 sized pen) is a value at $900-$1,100 in good condition. A Montblanc 149 from the early 50s is worth around $2,000 and a 139 from the late 40s is worth $3,000+. I just point this out because 1950s Soenneckens are pretty close price-wise with 1950s Montblancs until you get to oversized pens where the Montblancs start getting crazy expensive.

Kaweco Special Fountain Pen Quick Review

July 10, 2014June 3, 2014 by Blake

The Kaweco Special fountain pen is a very nice looking pen with a faceted aluminum body. The slender matte black body reminds me of vintage hard rubber pens. Unfortunately, like the Kaweco Allrounder I reviewed earlier, it’s not really a pen that I would recommend.

The first problem I noticed was that the coated brass grip section is tiny; it’s noticeably thiner and shorter than the section you get on a Kaweco Sport. The section is less than half an inch long before you run into the threading and is just over .25″ in diameter. This wouldn’t be the end of the world if it were not a full sized pen. It measures 5.5″ capped, 4.75″ uncapped and a massive 6.75″ posted. Because there is threading on the back of the pen (a feature I do like) the cap screws into the threading resting about .15″ in on the body. With a half full converter the Special weighs 20.5 grams which feels like a lot more when the pen is posted because it is so long.

The broad nib is the same as you get on a Kaweco Sport and the performance was pretty difficult in the beginning. There was a lot of skipping. As I used the nib more it became less of an issue but it never totally went away. I again think that the feed had trouble keeping up with the nib as was part of the problem with the double broad AC Carbon I reviewed.

It does take a Kaweco converter which is actually quite nice looking as far as converters go…if you notice in the picture the piston is about halfway down…that was because I couldn’t get the sucker to write after being stored nib up on a couple of occasions.

Throw a $118 price tag on this pen and it’s a definite no-go for me. If you want to spend $100+ on a Kaweco opt for a vintage Kaweco Sport with a gold nib and a piston filling system.

Bottom-line: Calling this pen a “Special” seems pretty generous.

Please note: this product was provided to me at no charge by Kaweco for review purposes.

Here are some great reviews of the Kaweco Special :

(I have no affiliation with any of the sites linked below)

Best Fountain Pen – Kaweco Special Aluminum Fountain Pen Review

A Fool With a Pen – Is it incredible? A review of the Kaweco Special FP

The Clicky Post – Kaweco Special Fountain Pen – F Nib

Pilot Custom 743 Falcon Fountain Pen Review

May 31, 2014May 30, 2014 by Blake

The Pilot Custom 743 is the only pen to use Pilot’s full line of #15 size nibs. In the store I tried three of the more unusual nibs: a music nib, a Waverly nib and a falcon nib. I ended up picking the falcon nib, which is a soft flexible nib.

Appearance

Like most pens in the Custom series, the 743 is a very traditional and classic looking executive pen with a black plastic body and yellow gold furniture. The trim level is the same as you get on the Custom 823 and they look almost identical. The trim ring on the bottom of the body is closer to the end of the pen than on the 823 (the 743 has vacuum mechanism to accommodate) but otherwise they look the same.

The cap has a rounded top with a clip that starts broad and narrows ending with a ball; this is the classic Pilot/Namiki clip and I think it looks great. The gold band at the bottom of the cap reads “* * * CUSTOM 743 * * * PILOT MADE IN JAPAN”. The letters are filled in with black (paint?) just as you would see on the Custom 845 and Custom 823. The large 14ct gold #15 nib is plain, with no decoration to speak of. The cuts on the sides of the nib help to increase flexibility and in my opinion make up for the lack of decoration.

The gold trim is much more yellow in color than the 14ct gold nib. This is quite apparent with the cap posted. I would like to have seen the gold match a bit better but it’s not a big deal.

All things considered, the Custom 743 is a clean looking pen with no strangeness to its proportions. It’s not going to score any points for originality but it’s a nice looking pen nonetheless. Score: 3/5

Build Quality

The build quality like most Pilot products is quite good. The section (as on the Custom 845) has two big seams that just look cheap on a $300 pen.

Custom 845 with Custom 743. Both have the same plastic section.

Unlike the Custom 845, the 743 also suffers from seams on the body as well. They are clearly defined in the threading on the body and then they disappear about a quarter of an inch in on the glossy part of the body. You wouldn’t really notice any of this unless you are looking closely. The fit and finish is otherwise quite good and I suspect this pen will last a long time. Score: 2.5/5

Size & Weight

The Custom 743 measures about 5.9” capped and about 5.2” uncapped. At its widest point it is about 0.6” and weighs about 25.6 grams with a converter full of ink. Like the 845, the 743 is a good sized pen similar in girth to a Montblanc 146 but closer to the 149 in length. I find the 743 to be well balanced in my hand. It looks quite long posted but it remains comfortable. Score: 4/5

Performance

I think it is fair to say that this pen will not be for everyone. I was lucky enough to try it in a store in Japan before I purchased it. It would be a mistake to think you are getting a new pen that is going to write like a vintage flex pen; it does not and I haven’t seen a modern flex pen that does.

Compared to a vintage flex pen there is minimal flex when pressure is applied to the Falcon nib.

The falcon nib is a bit on the scratchy side, not unpleasantly so but there is a good amount of feedback. With little or no pressure the nib writes with a pretty fine line, definitely an extra fine by western standards.

If apply some pressure you can get the line to become broad but this will require more force than you would need on most vintage flex pens. I find that with nib flexed and writing slowly (as you should) the pen has a tendency to railroad by which I mean produce two thin parallel lines instead of one fat line. The feed seems unable to keep up with the pen.

I have been experimenting with different inks and I have found Diamine inks to work the so far. I tried Noodler’s Blue Eel as I thought that might help with the railroad situation but alas it performed the same as the Waterman and Pilot inks I tried.

The "no pressure" and "medium pressure" writing samples were written quickly at my normal pace. — The “no pressure” and “medium pressure” writing samples were written quickly at my normal pace and the “Pressure” sample was written slowly with the most pressure…notice all the railroad tracks.

In normal writing there are no real performance issues and I can get some nice (not huge) line variation with medium pressure without causing any problems but if you want to make extra extra fine lines and triple broad lines the Falcon nib isn’t going to cut it. With a careful hand (sadly not something I possess) I have seen some beautiful western writing with the 743 Falcon. Score: 2/5

Filling System

The Custom 743 uses Pilot’s top-of-the-line Con-70 converter that is considered by many to be the best converter on the market. It holds a good amount of ink and is quite easy to use.

The 743 has the standard metal Con-70 which is not quite as nice as the black one you get in the Pilot Custom 845 and most Namiki pens but the function is the same. Score: 3.5/5

Value

I bought my Custom 743 in the low $200s, which I think is a pretty reasonable price for this pen. The retail price is 30,000 Yen (approximately $295 USD) is pretty high. If the pen had no seams and the gold trim matched the nib nicely I could easily justify a $300 price tag for the 743. Score: 3/5

Bottom Line

The feed prevents the 743 Falcon from living up to its full potential as a “flex” pen.

Final Score 18/30

Uni Pure Malt Multi Pen + Pencil Review

May 24, 2014 by Blake

The Uni Pure Malt is a multi-pen with two 0.7mm Uni Jetstream hybrid ballpoints (black + red) and a 0.7mm mechanical pencil. If you are wondering what “Pure Malt” refers to, it’s the wooden grip which supposedly comes from the wood used in Japanese whiskey barrels. The Pure Malt comes in a couple whiskey related colors (browns). I chose one with a champagne colored body and a dark wood grip that I think looks great together. The barrel unfortunately has two seams and they go right down the middle of the plastic part of the body which is poor placement if you ask me. The words “PURE” and “MALT” are split by the seam.

The bottom half of the pen appears to be made of metal and gives the pen its nice weight.

The Pure Malt weighs 22.6 grams and feels of good quality. It measures just under 6″ long and is about 0.6″ at the widest part of the barrel. The Jetstream refills perform very well and are my favorite ballpoint style refills. The lines are quite clean and dark by comparison to a standard ballpoint. The point glides across with minimal resistance.

The mechanical pencil is deployed by pressing the clip down and to advance the lead you just click the clip in the down position. The 0.7mm mechanical pencil works very well. I picked up this pen in Japan for at the retail price of 1,000 Yen which is just under $10 USD and for that price I am really happy with the Pure Malt, in fact it is my favorite multi-pen I have come across in a long time.

Uni Pure Malt

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen Review

May 28, 2014May 17, 2014 by Blake

The Custom 845 is Pilot’s top of the line fountain pen (limited editions and Namiki branded pens not included). The 845 retails for an eye-watering 500,000 YEN (approximately $495 USD) and has received some mixed reviews. People have questioned whether it should command a price near an entry-level Nakaya.

What do you get for $500?

You get Pilot’s largest (Pilot branded) #15 nib in two tone 18kt gold with a large “gem” carved ebonite body and urushi lacquer finish. You also get a black painted Con-70 converter and an upgraded box.

While in Japan I was able to play with a number of Pilot/Namiki pens and I ended up loving the Custom 845. Now that I have had a few weeks to put it through its paces let’s see how it stacks up.

Appearance

The Custom 845 is a classic looking executive pen with a black body and yellow gold furniture. The cap has a flat top with a clip that starts broad and narrows ending with a ball.

The gold band at the bottom of the cap reads “* * * CUSTOM 845 * * * PILOT MADE IN JAPAN”. The letters are filled in with black (paint?) so they look nice and crisp. The back of the cap has “URUSHI” in gold letters.

The large two-tone #15 nib looks great and features some nice scrollwork on the silver center. I really like that Pilot puts a date stamp on these nibs. The left bottom corner of the nib is stamped “813” which translates to August 2013.

It’s hard to look at a pen like this and not think about Montblanc. The 845 with its flat top clearly isn’t a Meisterstück but it clearly is a Japanese take on a German style pen and that is definitely not a bad thing.

Score: 4/5

Build Quality

Many people, including myself, rave about Pilot’s build quality. I hadn’t spent much time with the Custom line before these last three weeks and while I still maintain that Pilot builds exceptional quality pens I do have some issues with the Custom 845 and the Custom 743 (review to come later).

To start let’s talk about the body of the 845. Above I said this pen has a lacquered ebonite body and it does….mostly, except for the section, the end of the body and the ends of the cap, which are plastic, or “resin” if that sounds more appetizing.

The plastic parts are not painted with urushi lacquer but nonetheless they do blend together well. The section has two visible seams and this to me is just wrong on a $500 pen.

To be fair these “issues” aren’t actual build quality problems but more an indication that this pen was built to a price. If you could build this pen without plastic and paint the entire pen in lacquer why wouldn’t you?

Other than the seams the fit and finish are flawless. The pen is sturdy and does not have the delicate feeling that a Nakaya has. With the 845, Pilot took a very practical design and really brought it to the next level by adding multiple coats of urushi lacquer. It is a wonderful pen to touch.

I compared the 845 to my Montblanc 149 and based on superficial fit and finish alone the Montblanc wins. The engraving on the ring of the 149 to me looks nicer and the Montblanc has no seams on its body despite being made entirely out of plastic.

I suspect that in the long-term the Pilot will hold up better than a 149 as the lacquer is much more scratch resistant than plastic and I have seen real problems with Montblanc quality. I have had plating issues with Montblancs as well as nib issues on brand new Montblanc pens; both things I have yet to see with any Pilot.

Score: 2.5/5

Size & Weight

The Custom 845 measures 5.7” capped and about 5.2” uncapped. At its widest point it is about 0.6” and weighs about 28.8 grams. The 845 is a good sized pen similar in girth to a 146 but closer to the 149 in length.

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen — Montblanc 149 with the Custom 845

The 845 posts well and does have a good balance posted but for long writing sessions I prefer the 845 unposted. I believe most people would find the 845 to be a comfortable pen.

Score: 4/5

Performance

I sampled the fine, medium and broad nibs and found that the medium to be my favorite. Being Japanese, the medium is closer to a western fine. The Pilot-made # 15 18kt gold nib writes beautifully. I haven’t had any issues with skipping, hard starting or poor flow. The nib is somewhat soft for a standard nib and it is ultra smooth and responsive. It writes like a $500 pen should. The feel is phenomenal; in fact I believe it’s the best writing stock round tipped nib I have come across on a modern pen.

Score: 5/5

Filling System

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen

The Custom 845 uses Pilot’s famous Con-70 converter which is considered by many to be the best converter money can buy; despite this, the 845’s cartridge/converter filling system tends to receive some criticism as many people feel that the $200 cheaper Custom 823 offers more value with it’s vacuum filling system.

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen

It is true that the vacuum filing system holds more ink and it is likely a more expensive mechanism but as a cartridge/converter lover the black Con-70 is pretty much perfect. The Con-70 holds more ink than most converters and has a unique push button mechanism that you push four times to fill.

Score: 4/5

Value

The problem here is what do you compare the 845 to? At $550 a Nakaya is a great value and I know that because there are a lot of similar pens to compare it to.

The 845 is different, it’s more usable, it’s more solid feeling than a Nakaya, to me it’s an urushi Montblanc sans the status and for someone who wants that there aren’t many alternatives in this price range. I think $495 is about right for this pen. You will be hard pressed to find another high quality urushi fountain pen for less money and while it’s hard to call the 845 a steal it’s also hard to call it overpriced.

My ratings for this pen have been pretty harsh but I would like to mention that when I bought this pen I tired a TON of pens at the store including much more expensive Namiki pens with #20 and #50 nibs as well as a number of Sailors and Platinum pens. I liked the feel of the 845’s nib the best and I think I would pick the 845 again given the chance.

Score: 3/5

Bottom Line

If a Montblanc and a Nakaya had a baby it would be the Pilot Custom 845.

Final Score 22.5/30

Sailor Shu-Katsu Multi-pen Review

May 4, 2014 by Blake

The Sailor Shu-Katsu is an unusual multi-pen that I purchased on my recent trip to Japan. Most multi-pens that I have come across offer multiple colors and/or a mechanic pencil. The Shu-Katsu has three black ballpoints in 0.5mm, 0.7mm and 1.0mm widths as well as a 0.7mm red ballpoint.

When you unscrew the barrel you will notice that there are five, not four ballpoints. There is an extra 0.7mm black ballpoint refill for when one of the other three black ballpoints runs low.

The 0.5mm ballpoint is marked with one dot and a white button, the 0.7mm is marked with two dots and a grey button, and the 1.0mm is marked with 3 dots and a black button.

There is a three ballpoint (four with the auxiliary) version that is all black (no red). The Shu-Katsu comes in four different body colors: black, blue, light pink and light blue. It’s a pretty unexciting looking pen if I am honest. It’s very plain. Sailor refers to the clip as an “axis” clip. It is a quite large spring operated clip that you push the top of to open. The clip feels strong and the pen overall feels very solid.

The Shu-Katsu measures 5.5″ long and just over half an inch wide. It weighs approximately 16 grams It’s a fat pen, not something I would want to write for a long time with.

The ink is smooth and the lines are pretty crisp for a ballpoint but I found the 0.7mm and 1.0mm to be a bit blobby on paper.

The Shu-Katsu costs 400 Yen which is just under $4 USD and at that price I think it is a pretty good value. You get 5 smooth ballpoints for a little bit more than a Bic 4-Color. The real question though, is do you need or want 3 different black ballpoints? I don’t. I would rather have 4 colors to chose from than 2.

Nakaya Naka-ai Negoro Shiro-tamenuri Fountain Pen Review

May 3, 2014 by Blake

A Nakaya has been on my buy list for a few years now but because my taste in fountain pens has been moving towards vintage European pens it has taken a long time for my first Nakaya purchase to materialize.

Nakaya gets a lot of attention on pen forums and blogs and while the pens are clearly beautiful there is more to it than that; there is an x-factor to these pens. Much like a handmade car, one has to use it in order to understand its real value.

I spent a lot of time on pen forums and on nibs.com (no affiliation) before selecting a Naka-ai Cigar Negoro Shiro-tamenuri.

Let’s attempt to explain the name: Nakaya is the brand which was the original name of the Platinum Company. “Naka-ai” is the model name, which means “middle” in Japanese. The Naka-ai is the result of a collaboration between Nakaya and John Mottishaw of Classic Fountain Pens Inc. (nibs.com). “Cigar” refers to the pen’s cigar shape and lack of a clip; the version with the clip is called the “Writer”. “Negoro” (couldn’t find the Japanese translation) refers to the weathered/cracked treatment applied to the pen. “Shiro-tamenuri” refers to the color and the clear urushi lacquer applied to the pen.

Appearance

The Naka-ai is really a work of art. The many layers of Urushi lacquer give the golden brown color a lot of depth. The “cracks” are hand engraved into the barrel and look beautifully weathered. It takes over six months to make a Negoro model and it shows. The lighter golden brown shows through near the edges of the cap and barrel as well as on the cracks and threading. The long tapered shape of the Nakai-ai is beautiful and being a Cigar model it has no clip which offers a more uniquely Asian look than the more practical Writer model.

Under the cap is a big shapely 14k gold nib that features the Nakaya globe logo and some scrollwork.

The converter features Maki-e painted goldfish which not only makes the converter look like an aquarium full of ink but also really sets it apart from the cheap plain converters I am so accustomed to seeing.

The Naka-ai is easily the most exotic-looking and most beautiful pen in my collection. I am not usually one for embellishments but the non-ostentatious look of the Negoro is fantastic.

Score: 5/5

Build Quality

The Naka-ai is clearly of a high quality but it has a very different feel to it than the high-end European pens I am used to handling. To me it feels much more delicate.

It’s hard to explain; if it were a car it would be a handmade Bentley Mulsanne compared to a Montblanc 146 which would be more like a Mercedes S-Class, that is to say everything on the Naka-ai is gorgeous, but not made with the laser precision of the much less gorgeous Montblanc.

The feel of urushi lacquer is special…it almost has a moist or wet quality to it. It’s wonderful to touch. I believe that urushi lacquer is the same or at least very similar to the Chinese lacquer S.T. Dupont used to put on their pens. I haven’t seen anyone test the flame resistant qualities of urushi though, so that special characteristic may only apply to Chinese lacquer.

The Naka-ai is designed to accommodate decoration on its body and as a result there is a lot of threading so that the design will always line up when capped. In practice though, I have found it to be difficult to properly line up the large crack (decoration) that spreads from the body to the cap. When I use the Naka-ai regularly I can get the design to line up without too much thought but admittedly when I pick up the pen, not having used it for a week or two I find that it can take me 2-4 tries to get it correct. I suppose this isn’t really a quality issue but it’s worth pointing out.

Everything on the Naka-ai fits tightly and there is no indication that this is anything less than an heirloom quality pen.

Score: 4/5

Size & Weight

The Naka-ai measures a little over 6” capped and about 5.5” uncapped. At its widest point it is about 0.7” and weighs about 27.5 grams. It is definitely a large pen but not so big as to be uncomfortable for regular use. Because of its excellent balance I can write with this pen for long periods of time. The grip section is on the smaller side but I find it to be quite comfortable. By comparison, the similarly sized Montblanc 149 section is too fat to be comfortable; I can jot down some quick notes but I wouldn’t write a letter with a 149.

Naka-ai and Montblanc 149 nib and section.

It should be noted that the Naka-ai is not designed to be posted. If you get a cigar (clipless) model you will need a place for the cap so that it doesn’t roll off the table. I started with a Nakaya 3 pen pillow but ended up opting for a Nakaya Desk Pen stand for my uncapped Nakaya. I leave the cap in the kimono case that comes with the pen.

Score: 3/5

Performance

A little background on the nib: I purchased my Nakaya from Classic Fountain Pens Inc (nibs.com) with a soft medium nib that I had modified to match the softness of the nib on my Montblanc 146 from the early 1950s (which was coincidently already at CFP for repairs). I spoke with John Mottishaw on the phone and we decided that in addition to softening up the nib we would add a left foot oblique modification.

The 14kt gold nib writes beautifully. It is soft and makes my writing look more distinctive. I have had no issues with hard starting or skipping. I have had my Nakaya for 5 months now and the performance has been excellent.

The softer nib makes for a little bit wetter writing experience; if you like a drier nib I wouldn’t recommend adding any flex. Also, it should be pointed out that the modifications listed above make the nib less beginner friendly. Being a Japanese medium the line is more equivalent to a western fine and when you add the oblique modification you have a more defined sweet spot than a regular ball-pointed nib or a wider oblique.

Score: 5/5

Filling System

As I have stated many times before, I am a big fan of converters and while they may not be as elaborate or as expensive to make as other types of fillers they are the easiest to use and keep clean. Nakaya uses a very nice quality Platinum converter that holds a decent amount of ink. I have both the standard Platinum converter and the special Nakaya goldfish Maki-e painted converter; both offer the exact same function but the painted one is a bit more special.

The Naka-ai will also take Platinum ink cartridges and can be fitted with an adapter that will allow you to use international short ink cartridges.

Score: 4/5

Value

Nakaya’s pricing has been going up over the last few years but comparable Urushi lacquer pens are (in most cases) at least $100 more expensive. From the other Urushi lacquer pens I have seen in person (Danitrio, Platinum, Sailor, and Namiki) I truly believe that Nakaya gives you the most for your money without compromising on any important detail.

The Negoro version is an extra $350 over the standard Naka-ai (in standard colors) and with my modifications and the Maki-e converter my pen was over $1,000, which is a lot of money for a pen, but to me this pen is a real work of art and priced quite fairly.

Naka-ai next to my Platinum 3776 Century Chartres Blue

I should point out that Nakaya uses Platinum nibs and it is possible to get the same nib on a much more affordable pen. I have a Platinum 3776 Century with the same big 14kt gold nib (sans the modifications) and it performs superbly.

Score: 4/5

Bottom Line

The Nakaya Naka-ai is a beautiful work of art that lives up to the hype.

Final Score 26/30