The Pencilcase Blog | Fountain pen, Pencil, Ink and Paper reviews

REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER ZIPPERED 10 SLOTS PEN CASE & A5 NOTEBOOK HOLDER

Back in 2016, I first got in touch with the Turkish brand Galen leather, as I reviewed their A5 notebook cover (reviewed HERE). In the years that followed, Galen went from being more or less the 'new kid on the block' back in 2016, to one of the most well-known leather goods brands of our community, today. You'd be hard-pressed to NOT have heard of them by now. Their excellent social media activity certainly must have a play in that success, but most of all they really have a knack for bringing unique products to the market, and at reasonable prices.

The Galen Leather product I was most interested in trying out, is a product that certainly fits the bill as being very unique, and yet it hasn't popped up on social media and in reviews at all it seems. Perhaps it's being overshadowed by the success of Galen's own Writers Medic Bags, or Zip Portfolios, two products that are very hip and trendy on the'Gram (for good reason, they look stunning!). But let's change that, and shine some light on the Galen Zippered 10-pen case and A5 notebook holder... Not the kind of product name that rolls of the tongue, so let's call it the '10-pen+notebook case' from now on.

Before we dive in, my thanks go out to Yunus and the Galen team, for sending over this product for review.

So, where to start: the Galen 10-pen+notebook case is a folio-style zippered case that serves a dual purpose (despite being categorized as a normal 'pen case' on the Galen website): on the left you'll find pen loops (single, wide elastics, like on all Galen pen cases) with room for ten pens. On the right, there's room for an A5-sized notebook. The two sides are separated by a thin but very soft microfiber divider, so the pens are well-protected.

My interest was piqued for an - admittedly - very specific use case, but one that I think suits this product perfectly. Maybe it's the social distancing that makes me long for pen shows and meets more than ever, but those are the occasions I dream of, where I'd see myself packing a pen case+notebook combo like this. It's a compact - well, relatively compact - all-in-one solution if you want to bring some pens to show while also carrying something to write, swab inks, and test new pens in.

The Galen 10-pen+notebook case is marketed as being suitable for an A5 notebook, but the Galen website doesn't mention exactly what type of A5 notebook. A full-fledged, hardcover notebook (like a Leuchtturm) is too much for this case, putting an uncomfortable amount of pressure on the zipper to get it closed. In my testing, I stuck with a thinner cahier, Galen's own 128-page Everyday Tomoe River notebook. But you can also attach notepads (the 300-page Everyday Tomoe River pad or an A5 Rhodia pad fits fine). While that's really the thickest notebook/pad I'd recommend to still leave enough room for your pens, even a much thicker 400-page Tomoe River notebook (like Galen's leather-bound notebook) will still fit (though rather snugly).

The fact that it needs to make room for the footprint of an A5 notebook, also means the 10-pen/notebook case gladly accommodates quite large pens. This is noteworthy since I find that a lot of other Galen pen cases tend to be a bit more compact. I certainly think it's a welcome side-effect, as I personally tend to collect and use larger pens.

When I say this case comfortably fits ten large pens, I mean ten LARGE pens. I didn't go above and beyond to gather the ten absolute biggest pens in my collection, but I did end up with a good variety of pens, that felt like a realistic and comfortable mix for everyday use. The Montblanc 149, or Leonardo Momento Zero Grande, were some of the largest pens I could comfortably fit in here. With little room to spare, even the extremely long (17cm) Pilot Parallel Pen can fit. Though the risk with pens longer than, say 15cm/ 5.9", is that they could end up touching against the metal zipper.

Galen 10-pen+notebook case (bottom) and 10-pen zippered case (top)

As I said, the 10-pen+notebook case is relatively small, considering how much it can hold, but the form factor obviously isn't as compact as Galen's 10-pen zippered case, which holds five pens on each side. The 10-pen+notebook is the same size as a typical A5 notebook folio, and of course, it is essentially just that. It's not excessively thick, but the zipper does have some slack to accommodate for thicker notebooks and larger pens, so it can bulge out if necessary.

Build quality and construction are very good, although there are some quirks (some of which have already been improved upon since I received these samples) The 'crazy horse' leather (for the moment only offered in brown or green) is supple and smooth, and the out-of-box patina gives off a rustic look and feel (which only gets better over time). The entire inside of the case is lined with a soft microfiber fabric. Finishing and stitching are excellent for the most part, but there are a few areas where the stitching on the inside of the case is a bit wobbly. Though that's not unexpected on a handmade leather product after all, and it isn't so obvious as to be a dealbreaker for me. Especially for the price you pay, Galen manages to set a pretty high bar.

Note how the zipper is attached differently between the 10-pen zippered case (left) and the 10-pen+notebook case (right)

One unusual quirk I found is this: the spine of the 10-pen+notebook case is finished differently than some of the other Galen products I received for review. Pictured above is the 10-pen zippered case (the grey one on the left) which has the zipper neatly tucked away into the lining of the case, while on the 10-pen+notebook case, the zipper isn't fully hidden inside the spine (the metal stopper at the end remains visible). You can even see that the zipper barely extends past the corners, making it a bit less eager to lay flat. While the weight of the pens and a notebook will force the case to open flat in most instances, this is still a minor oversight, as their other products clearly show that they DO have better methods to produce zippered cases.

Another detail that I noticed, is that each of the zippered pen cases Galen sent me, uses a slightly different type of elastic. They've explained on their Instagram page that they changed to elastic bands produced in-house (?), and my shipment of review samples happened to coincide with this switch. The elastic used inside the 10-pen+notebook case is the one they ended up switching to, and it is the right choice in my opinion. It's supple and very soft to the touch, so it won't damage or scuff your pens. Despite being a single row of elastics, these wider bands do a great job keeping most pens securely in place.

The heavy-duty YKK zipper gives the 10-pen+notebook a rugged EDC look, and is very smooth in use.

The way the 10-pen+notebook is laid out, means your notebook obviously won't be able to lay open flat due to the pens underneath. If you write on the back side of the page, you're basically using your pens as a writing surface - Not ideal in terms of ergonomics, but this is a portable solution after all, so some compromise is to be expected.

As I said, I think one of Galen's strengths is coming up with clever and innovative leather products, and the 10-pen+notebook case is a perfect example of that. No sane person NEEDS to carry 10 pens at work, during a business meeting, or on vacation. Yet, I have no doubt that there are specific use cases and target demographics for a product like this. If you ever found that regular notebook covers can't hold enough pens, or that carrying a pen case and a notebook is inconvenient, this is it!

The Galen Zippered 10-pen case and A5 notebook holder retails for 73€ /89$, a rather fair price if you ask me (you do have to provide your own notebook, though!). It's difficult to really give a buyer's recommendation for the 10-pen+notebook case, simply because there isn't anything like this on the market to compare it to, and it fills a gap you might not even know existed... But let's be honest, it's these unusual and quirky products that often end up being the most fun!

This product was sent to me by Galen Leather, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

In my first post of 2021 - 2020's year roundup of my favorite products - I highlighted Tibaldi as one of my favorite discoveries that entered the playing field. The pens I've tried from them so far (The Perfecta I reviewed HERE, and the N.60 I reviewed HERE) have demonstrated their ability to create modern, fresh designs that still hold a strong tie with their vintage predecessors.

When I first saw product shots for their latest pen, the Tibaldi Bononia, I was very excited to get my hands on one. Although not so much for their characterful vintage reimagination, but instead for the fantastic material they put front and center with this release. My thanks go out to Tibaldi for sending this pen my way to check out!

Left the Leonardo Furore, right the Tibaldi Bononia

The Bononia is, once again, based on a pen from one of Tibaldi's previous lifetimes, and resemblance with the original Bononia from the '90s is indeed striking. While the Bononia (which is Latin for Bologna) follows a vintage design language - especially with the triple decorative cap bands - it doesn't quite have the same distinct, and old-school looks that set the Perfecta or N.60 apart. The streamlined torpedo shape of the Bononia isn't too uncommon to see from other brands (notably, its closest competitor, the Leonardo Furore!), but that doesn't make it any less of a good-looking pen of course. With fairly little decoration, the trim on the cap edge and the tie-shaped clip are the only elements that take your eye away from the main focus of this pen: the material!

Tibaldi chose two 'spaghetti resin' colorways that I hadn't seen before, and they're just absolutely stunning. This Martini Olive green is probably my absolute favorite of the spaghetti resins I've seen so far, even topping the - also stunning - Hawaii resins. The material is dark and subtle for the most part, with slices of bright, pearlescent green and white and some almost brown-ish hues. I'd even dare to say that the stark contrast, especially with the black acrylic layers in between the strips of green, actually comes very close to Arco celluloid.

On the other hand, the red Seashell Mist (the name really doesn't match the material IMHO) is vibrant and bright, with an almost candy-like appearance! There's also a simple black resin version - which does align well with Tibaldi's business-chic style - but I wouldn't say it's the color I'd choose here (and that's coming from someone who does tend to more subtle color palettes!).

The Tibaldi branding is engraved in a large, modern font above the cap bands. The engravings don't really stand out or distract from the overall clean looks of the pen.

The tie-shaped clip that we already saw on the N.60, makes a return on the Bononia. While I quite enjoy the design of the clip, functionality isn't its strong suit - as was the case on the N.60. It just sits too close against the cap to actually slide something underneath, instead, the tip of the clip will just catch on whatever fabric you'll try to attach it to (unless, perhaps, the fabric is very thin). If they made the clip a bit less low-profile, that would probably make a world of difference in terms of usability.

L to R: Edison Collier, Montblanc 149, Leonardo Furore, Tibaldi Bononia, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

Just like the Tibaldi N.60, the Bononia has all the elements to make a comfortable writer. It's a large pen on the outside. With its 14.6 cm/ 5.75" (capped), it sticks out above the Leonardo Furore and Montblanc 149 by just a few mm. While comfortable in size for my hand, the uncapped Bononia is surprisingly not quite as large as the closed dimensions might suggest, at a fairly average 12.9 cm/ 5.06".

The design of the Bononia allows for a section that transitions almost seamlessly into the barrel, with only the threads in the way of your grip. The edge of the threads is slightly noticeable, but the threads themselves are shallow and disappear in your grip. The section itself is short but has a comfortable shape and diameter. It tapers down subtly from a generous 12.3 mm to 11.5 mm, before flaring out slightly. The Bononia is a fairly lightweight pen, just 24g in total, due to the all-acrylic construction. The metal threads of the section don't add any perceptible weight but do shift the balance slightly towards the front. The cap posts fairly well and transforms it into a large but not particularly unwieldy pen.

Build quality has been excellent on all Tibaldi pens I've tried so far, and the Bononia is no different. The entire pen feels solid and robust, fit and finish are top-notch, the cap lip is nicely rounded off, threads are smooth, etc. In this price range, there are competitors that come with more intriguing filling systems, but frankly, I have very little against the practicality of a simple cartridge/converter-filled pen like this.

The first two Tibaldi's I tried, were both quite capable writers, so that set the bar rather high. This time, I went for the BB nib (steel) on the Bononia, since that's a size you don't often come across as a stock offering. While the ebonite feed is once again a perfectly capable piece of the puzzle, the nib itself unfortunately didn't blow me away. The tines needed some realignment, as it wrote rather scratchy out of the box. Alignment issues aside, I was most disappointed by the line width, which isn't noticeably wider than any regular western broad nib.

I continue to appreciate what Tibaldi is doing, faithfully reincarnating pens from their rich company history. Even though the Bononia is perhaps a bit less distinctive or recognizable (compared to the Tibaldis I previously tested) it easily manages to captivate with two stunning material options, and an overall sleek and comfortable design with a vintage flair. Tibaldi has proven by now that they know how to present a very well made and smart-looking pen, which makes it all the more unfortunate that the nib on this particular pen didn't manage to live up to the expectation.

At 195€ (at our site sponsor Casa Della Stilografica), the Bononia hovers around the same price as the Tibaldi Perfecta and N.60, and comparable offerings from other Italian brands like Leonardo or Maiora.

Note: This product was provided by Tibaldi, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

That's a wrap on the Parker IM Monochromatic (review HERE) writing set giveaway! Thanks again to Parker, for providing the pens in this giveaway! Now the question remains: who will take home a full set of Parker IM Monochromatic pens (fountain pen, ballpoint, and rollerball) in the sleek all-black colorway? Find out below...

The winner, as chosen by the Random number generator:

Michael Henry

(@detailedsd)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks again for all the support, and thanks for entering the giveaway! Didn't win this time, or missed out on the giveaway? Don't worry, there will of course be more giveaways in the future! Always stay up-to-date on current giveaways and new blog posts by following The Pencilcase Blog on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, FACEBOOK or subscribe to the NEWSLETTER!

As a reviewer, I wholeheartedly believe in second chances. I may or may not have already talked about this in the past, but I really appreciate when brands put in the effort to improve their product. Frankly, I may even find it more promising and reassuring than having a brand create an inoffensive - though middle-of-the-road - product, and then calling it a day. If you fail once, but stand back up and show dedication to improving - that's a win in my book!

And that's exactly how we end up at Kunisawa today. If you remember my first encounter (review HERE) with this young Japanese stationery brand, their immaculate, business-chic design language created very high expectations... only to ultimately be let down by the terribly inconsistent paper quality. So sad.

BUT! Kunisawa took the communities' criticism by heart and promised something better! A few months later, the first indication of their 'something better' arrived on my doorstep, in the form of a new paper prototype: a simple, thin 'cahier'-style notebook with a design that had nothing to do with the Kunisawa products I tested earlier, but the most important part was, of course, the new paper inside. I tested the prototype (didn't review it, as it was not a product intended for retail), and relayed my findings back to Kunisawa.

Onto present day, and I'm looking at a stack of the updated 'Find' notebooks Kunisawa recently sent me. 'Find', of course being the unifying Moniker of every product sold under the Kunisawa brand. How I understand it, Kunisawa is part of a larger company Kawachiya Printing & Stationery, and represents the more business-styled side of the product catalog.

The contrast between Kunisawa and Pont Neufcouldn't possibly be any bigger!

I fell in love with Kunisawa's distinct, clean and sober styling back in early 2019, and I'm glad it hasn't changed yet. You'll still find an overall quite muted and darker color palette among the offerings, with tasteful copper accents. In a way that only Japanese stationery can pull off, Kunisawa products are very simple in design and functionality, yet they always exude pure quality. In contrast to the Kunisawa products, the Kawachiya brand also houses a second brand: Pont Neuf. And if I say contrast, these two brands literally couldn't be any further apart. I'll be discussing Pont Neuf separately in a future post, as the products definitely cater to an entirely different audience, to say the very least!

All-black everything

Back to the Kunisawa products at hand. As I said, design changes on the outside are very subtle, but there are a few small details here and there: There's now an all-black colorway with black gilded edges and accents - very cool and extra sleek! A larger, ring-bound 'Find Executive' notebook (more or less B5-sized, 80 sheets) was added to the lineup, the sticky notes (also 80 sheets) are now square-shaped and feature a very interesting recycled paper (more on that later). Oh, and the A5 Find 'Hard' note (a traditional A5 with a semi-hard cover, 96 sheets) now comes packaged in a box for some odd reason.

But enough about the outside, because I was of course dying to find out if they managed to change the inside of their notebooks: the paper! I conducted some randomized tests throughout the different notebooks, and these are my findings...

The paper is exceptionally smooth. It's MUCH smoother than the old watermarked 'Foolscap' paper, much smoother than Rhodia's vellum stock, much smoother than even most Life paper, yet the latter certainly comes closest. The smoothness makes it feels like a strongly coated paper, yet for some strange reason, it doesn't feel too coated or slick when you write on it, retaining just the right amount of texture - it's very strange and difficult to explain. In any case, I like writing on it, and it doesn't even seem to be too bothered by oils from your hand (Even though that's something smoother paper types often struggle with!).

Shading and sheen are strong, even when compared to the reigning champion, Tomoe River. It's very difficult to get the paper to show any bleedthrough, despite throwing ink swatches and very wet and wide nibs at it. Even show through (or ghosting) is very well-contained.

Yes, that's perfect sheen and shading, on a sticky note!

So, what about those sticky notes then? I obviously went 'oh no!' when I saw the recycled paper inside. However, to my biggest surprise, even this paper performed excellently in my writing test! No bleedthrough, no feathering, even the shading, and sheen can perfectly live up to the performance of the rest of the Kunisawa lineup! I don't know what sorcery they used for this, but clearly, it works very well!

The paper is downright excellent, and most of all, it's excellent all across the board. Every product, from the new Executive ring notebook, down to even the recycled paper sticky notes, showcased excellent paper, the kind of paper I'd expect when I crack open a notebook from Japanese manufacture.

I'm very happy to see Kunisawa make a strong return. I was already hooked on their design style, and the paper quality on the inside can now match the luxurious looks on the outside! Whereas the mixed results with the old paper made it hard to draw a general conclusion last time, it's now much easier to come up with a bottom line: these notebooks are very, very good.

Considering the more 'premium' style of the Kunisiwa brand, I'd say their pricing isn't that excessive (the Find sticky memo, Find Executive Ring note, and Find Note Hard notebook are priced at 6€/ 7$, 12€/ 14.5$, and 24€/ 29$, respectively), though they certainly land on the pricier side once you account for the costs of importing from Japan. With the quality I'm seeing today, that easily earns Kunisawa a recommendation from my end!

Note: The products shown here were provided by Kunisawa, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: ENSSO ITALIA TITANIUM FOUNTAIN PEN

If anything, minimalist brand Ensso has proven over the years that they're not afraid to switch things up and try unique designs! In the continuously expanding lineup of Ensso products, no two pens look even remotely the same. For their latest pen, Ensso leaves behind the ultra-minimal aesthetic of their first full-sized fountain pen (the Ensso Piuma, reviewed HERE, still one of my absolute favorite metal pens!), instead looking back at the roots of Italian design!

All metal pens, and yet the product portfolio of Ensso is remarkably diverse!

The Ensso Italia (limited edition) is - apart from the pretty self-explanatory name - an unmistakable re-interpretation of the classic Italian pens we know and love... Except, made entirely out of titanium!

The Italia has a subtly tapered cigar profile with pronounced pointy finials. Come to think of it, this is actually pretty much the all-metal equivalent to one of the most popular Italian pens of the moment: the Leonardo Momento Zero (review HERE).

The effect of elaborate decorative trim rings is recreated on the Italia with machined grooves, as well as a Greek-key 'cap band' design (which also returns on the section). Especially the Greek key decoration immediately reminds me of the Omas pens of yore (especially, of course, the Omas T2!).

The combination of two very unique and different styles - traditional Italian design elements vs. clutter-free minimalism - makes for a very cool contrast that's absolutely unlike any other pen on the market. It may sound like it would clash, but instead I find the end result to be quite harmonious and elegant.

The Italia was initially released as a Kickstarter, available in three finishes (black anodized aluminium, brass, and titanium), but was short-lived due to issues with the threads on the titanium version. The fine threads caused galling, which is when metal-on-metal contact causes the two parts to bind (titanium is typically quite susceptible to this, and the fine threads on the original Italia apparently made it very noticeable). While the fine traditional threads (also placed slightly higher on the section, again reminiscent of vintage Italian pens!) matched nicely with the design, they changed the threads back to block threads similar to the ones on the Ensso Piuma. This solved the problem of the cap getting stuck on the threads (though they do still catch ever-so slightly).

The simple but elegant curved clip remains unchanged from version one. Unfortunately, that also means one issue from the original Italia also returns here: the hole through which the clip is attached isn't completely airtight (despite the machining tolerance actually being quite good!), so I did encounter a few occasions where the nib started to dry out after a few days. If you're a tinkerer like me, some glue (or hot glue) can be used to effectively seal off the opening around the clip.

REVIEW: ENSSO ITALIA TITANIUM FOUNTAIN PENREVIEW: ENSSO ITALIA TITANIUM FOUNTAIN PEN

L to R: Namisu Nova, Karas Ink, Ensso Piuma, Ensso Italia (old), Ensso Italia Ti (new), Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Ensso Italia strikes a good middle ground in terms of size. It's not overly large (14 cm/ 5.5") capped, but it still retains a comfortable full size when uncapped (12.5 cm/ 4.94"). The section has a fairly wide diameter near the threads (1.27cm/ 0.5") with a straight taper towards the nib, before ending in another greek-key engraving in the front.

Metal pens typically aren't designed to post very well, but the Italia is the exception here. The cap can post securely and even makes for a comfortably-sized pen, but it's at your own risk because it will scuff the living hell out of the barrel. Obviously, posting will also add to the heft of the Italia, because the solid titanium construction makes for a very respectable 45 grams (total).

Moving the threads a bit further back has cleared up some extra section real-estate for improved comfort. The transition from section to barrel is fairly gradual, so it doesn't really bother my grip either. Construction quality and machining, an area where I feel Ensso consistently keeps a high standard, is again quite excellent here. Machining is very crisp though, so you do feel the edges on the Greek-key engravings, for example.

As I've talked about stock Bock nibs more than any sane person should, I won't go into too much detail here. Basically, nib performance with stock Bock nibs is a roll of the dice, although I do feel like Bock's nib quality is more consistent compared to a few years ago (?). Though nothing out of the ordinary, I've found the medium steel nib on my particular pen to be quite a smooth and consistent writer. As mentioned earlier, the nib does have a slight tendency to dry out if it sits unused for too long.

With theItalia, Ensso absolutely took the path less traveled in terms of design, but the resulting crossover between vintage and modern design worked out great. The design of the Italia is not only beautiful, it's also quite a comfortable everyday writer. The practical improvements to the threads are a welcome change, though I do hope that they'll also manage to find a fix for the drying out issue.

As it stands, the Italia is being released as a limited run of 200 pens (titanium only), and pricing is very reasonable, with a retail price of 129$ on the Ensso website(Ensso is a sponsor of our website, don't forget to use the discount code 'pencilcaseblog20%' for 20% off!). You will have to act fast if you want in on one, as they're already almost sold out. Although, I do hope they'll make the Italia part of their regular lineup after all!

Note: Ensso is a sponsor of The Pencilcase Blog. This product was provided by Ensso, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: VISCONTI HOMO SAPIENS LAVA COLOR FOUNTAIN PEN

Visconti's flagship pen, the Visconti Homo Sapiens (already somewhat of an icon, despite its relatively modest 10 years of existence!) has seen an absolutely incredible variety of styles and finishes over the years: From the absolute classic Homo Sapiens Bronze age or - now discontinued - Steel Age (reviewed HERE) made from Visconti's proprietary lava resin, the various acrylic versions (such as the Chiantishire, that I reviewed HERE), the modern Evolution, one of the various version with an ink window (such as the current HS Crystal), down to the more affordable resin 'Elegance' version... It's fair to say Visconti has experimented quite a bit with its Homo Sapiens product line, and they're far from done!

Two distinctly different variations, yet the Homo Sapiens design is recognizable from a mile away!

The latest iteration of the Homo Sapiens to leave the factory in Firenze is this one: the Visconti Homo Sapiens Lava Color - an interesting departure from the tried-and-true 'modern classic'. My thanks go out to Visconti, for sending this pen over for review.

The name 'Lava Color' of course indicates the most prominent feature of this Homo Sapiens: the material! Gone is the matte grey-black, lava-infused resin, and in comes a pop of color with three earthy tones that stay within the volcano theme (Earth red, Ash white, and 'Tuff' - a volcanic rock type - yellow). The resins are still a mixture of basaltic lava and resin, though this time the material has a pleasant muted color, even in this yellow 'tuff' colorway, it remains quite muted. The HS Lava Color retains the soft, matte feeling of the original HS, though I do suspect the ratio lava-to-resin has shifted more towards resin for this one (the original HS supposedly contains upwards of 50% lava, this one certainly looks more resin-based). The material has a pleasing speckled look from the lava powder sprinkled into the resin.

Ink wipes right off this 'anti-stain' treated material

The new colored resin also has a neat trick up its sleeves, one I wish my Steel Age also had: the resin received an 'anti-stain' treatment, which prevents the material from absorbing ink and moisture into the pores of the lava rock. Since my Steel Age did pick up some light stains on the section from refilling, I'm happy to see that this treatment actually works really well. Otherwise, these lighter colored materials would be an absolute nightmare to keep clean!

Across the many iterations the Homo Sapiens went through, its design has always remained unique and distinctive. It's difficult to put a label on the Homo Sapiens, yet perhaps that is exactly the reason why it appeals to so many people. Especially for a brand like Visconti - who don't shy away from a rather experimental or elaborate design -, the Homo Sapiens is a remarkably sober-looking pen.

It doesn't draw too much attention with its chunky, straight, flat-top design, and yet the two wide decorative bands across the cap, and an even wider center band on the barrel just below the cap, define the look of the Homo Sapiens. The Homo Sapiens strays from the traditional, classic Italian design, nor does it feel very modern. Although the mix of colored resins and black trims does give the Lava Color a much younger, more modern appearance, I have to say.

The Ponte Vecchio 'bridge' clip of course makes a return, and it's the first Visconti I've held in my hands that has their laser-etched logo engraved on the sides of the clip, instead of the enamel-filled logo. While the enamel added a luxurious touch, I actually prefer the laser engraving as it's more consistent and clean-looking.

Gone is the 'Hook Safe' capping mechanism...

Another change I'm quite excited about is the shift towards a magnetic cap. Visconti is no stranger to using magnetic caps, yet it's the first time (to my knowledge) that they've implemented it on the Homo Sapiens. The result, I have to say, is absolutely excellent! The traditional hook-safe mechanism found on other Homo Sapiens models is great, but the 'hooks' can be a bit harsh on your grip depending on how you hold your pen. The magnetic closure takes away any form of threads or hooks, and instead, you get a smooth and comfortable step towards the center band, which isn't obtrusive at all in my grip. The magnetic closure is secure and practical to use. It has also proven to be perfectly airtight to prevent the nib from drying out. The magnets in the cap and section do add a noticeable heft to the pen, though, which might make this pen lean on the heavy side for some users.

L to R: Montblanc 149, Pelikan M1005, Leonardo Momento Zero Gande, Visconti HS Steel Age, Visconti HS Lava Color, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Homo Sapiens Lava Color is based on the 'oversized' version of the Homo Sapiens, so it's quite a sizeable pen. Measuring in at 14.6 cm/ 5.7" closed, and 13.3 cm/ 5.2" uncapped, it should be a comfortable pen even for larger hands. The gently concave section (with a diameter around 1.1 cm/ 0.44". As already mentioned, the magnetic closure makes for a hefty first impression! While other versions of the Homo Sapiens tend to hover around 40 grams, the Lava Color comes in at a rather hefty 56 grams. A decent part of that weight comes from the cap, so uncapped you're left with a pen that - while still retaining some heft - balances nicely in the hand and doesn't cause fatigue.

Build quality and construction is excellent, from the perfectly coated black metal trims to the smooth and consistent finish of the 'lava' material... except for one area: The cap lip on my particular pen looks rather rough and unfinished. I'm not certain if this is the case on all pens, but certainly, it's something that could be improved.

The Lava Color utilizes Visconti's standard Power Filler filling system - not the 'Double Reservoir' version. The latter has the superior ink capacity, though it tends to be reserved almost exclusively for limited editions. That said, the normal Power Filler, which is just Visconti's name for a vacuum filler, still has a fairly 1.5 mL ink capacity.

That brings us to the nib. And let's be honest, Visconti certainly doesn't have a perfect track record in this department! The spotty quality of their Palladium Dreamtouch nibs eventually led Visconti to step away from the, back to 18k gold nibs (also made by Bock), and ultimately Visconti's in-house produced 14k gold nibs!

The looks of the in-house nibs are vastly different from the very classic design of the older nibs, though I've come to appreciate the more modern imprint that has the Visconti 'V' logo cleverly embedded in it!

Of course, I was anxious to try out Visconti's own creation, and I was relieved to find a stellar nib out of the box. This particular pen came with a Broad nib, and it's exactly what I expect from a Western B. The tipping is nice and round and produces a true-to-size, consistent line. It's not overpolished, so it still has a subtle but pleasant amount of feedback to it, and I didn't encounter any skipping or hard starting issues (even after leaving the pen unused for quite some time). Compared to the soft Palladium nibs from before, these new nibs definitely lean on the firm side, though. The plastic feed remains unchanged from older Visconti nibs and offers a consistent ink flow that leans noticeably on the wet side.

If Visconti can keep the quality consistently at the (high) level they're showing off here, this is yet another (the new Bock-made 18k nibs are reportedly also already a lot better than the Palladium nibs used to be) step in the right direction for them.

Even after countless reiterations, Visconti still manages to bring a lot of new and refreshing elements to the Homo Sapiens with this Lava Color collection. All those new features do add up to a small price hike, when compared to the classic HS Bronze age, though the difference isn't that drastic. That's not to say this is a cheap pen, of course. Yet, for 720€/ 695$ (at our site sponsor Appelboom. Don't forget the discount code 'friend' for 10% off!), the HS Lava Color does have many features I'd look for in a premium pen, all packaged in a design that deserves to be called iconic in my opinion. Especially if they can keep up the nib quality, I can't really fault it.

Note: This product was provided by Visconti so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

RE-REVIEW: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE (2020) FOUNTAIN PEN

It's of course no secret that I've been enjoying Leonardo pens quite a bit in the last year, maybe even a bit too much! As if they're made from catnip, I found myself strongly drawn towards almost every new pen they released in the past twelve months... and they released A LOT of new pens, mind you! A consistent personal favorite among all those new creations has been the Momento Zero Grande, as well as all the special editions based on this model. I already reviewed the MZ Grande once, back in 2019 when it first came out (review HERE). However, shortly after, in 2020, the MZ Grande already went through a bit of an update.

In a - futile - attempt to somewhat keep up with the ruthless pace of new Leonardo releases, I'll be covering the changes that were made in the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande '2020 model', and in two follow-up posts, we'll highlight some hot off the press colorways, as well as the new #8 nib version - So stay tuned for a proper Leonardo overdose in the coming days!

Before we start though, I'd like to thank Salvatore Matrone - owner of Leonardo Officina Italiana - for being a true enabler, sending a lot of new creations over for me to try! Needless to say, barely any pens made it back to Italy and my Leonardo collection expanded quite a bit in the process of writing these reviews (with my wallet in the background, crying for help!).

Putting the 'old' and 'new' side by side, what has actually changed about the Momento Zero Grande? Four vibrant new colorways entered the standard collection, replacing the mostly darker materials of the original release. The one shown here is the 'Luna Rossa' acrylic, a beautiful red flecked material that's quite beautiful and by far the least 'flashy' of the new colors. But besides that, the differences are admittedly quite subtle. Especially in terms of design, you're looking at an almost identical pen.

However, the one subtle aesthetic change does manage to alter the looks of the pen a bit IMHO: gone is the vintage-looking 'step' on the cap lip. The new cap design still transitions almost seamlessly into the barrel, but now with a straight taper. Admittedly, it's not the worlds' most exciting change, though the new, more streamlined design does make the MZ Grande tie in a bit better with the shape of the standard Momento Zero.

The major change of the MZ Grande 2020, is one you won't see from the outside! The inside of the pen was reworked entirely, and the MZ Grande meant the first real foray for Leonardo into creating 'true' piston-filled fountain pens. While the original Grande already came with a special, large capacity captured converter, operable from the blind cap on the back of the barrel, this custom piston mechanism adds a filling system that's often perceived as more 'luxurious' - a feature you might come to expect on a pen that does cost close to 300$. The mechanism is all-metal, so longevity shouldn't be a concern. The change to a piston mechanism brings an even larger ink capacity (1.5mL vs. 1.2mL). Though as a trade-off, it takes away the possibility to check the ink level, since there is no ink window.

Despite the change in filling mechanism, the barrel design didn't change at all

A minor detail about the piston mechanism that might annoy some users, is that the piston knob doesn't tighten extremely securely against the barrel. While it coming loose won't cause accidental ink spills, it is indeed a bit of a pet peeve and it'd be nice if they found a way to improve on it. (Perhaps an idea for the 2021 version, Salvatore?)

L to R: Pelikan M805, Leonardo Momento Zero, Furore Grande, Momento Zero Grande 2020, MZ Grande (2019), Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

As I already mentioned, the Momento Zero Grande didn't really change much design-wise, so the dimensions all pretty much hold true. While the Furore Grande (reviewed HERE) is now the biggest pen in Leonardo's product lineup, the Furore's streamlined profile doesn't quite convey the imposing stature like the bulkier MZ Grande - though both are of course massive pens without a doubt!

On paper, the MZ Grande measures 15.1cm/ 5.595" capped, and 13.6cm/ 5.36" uncapped. In the hand, those numbers translate to a pen worth every part of its 'Grande' nametag. The attentive reader will notice that the 2020 measures one whole millimeter taller than the old version... though that's negligible, of course. Weighing in at 30 grams - 5 grams less than the previous version, despite the all-metal piston mechanism! - the 2020 version gets rid of the slightly back-weighted balance, which only adds to the comfort of an already comfortable pen.

Under the cap, the section shape remains the same. That's to say: a slightly quirky two-step taper, which isn't as weird in the hand as it looks, though I understand that it might not appeal to everyone. (a good friend of mine - you know who you are - actually doesn't own a Leonardo solely because of the section!) The step towards the barrel also remains present. Though just like before, I find that the rounded-off metal ring creates a rather comfortable transition that doesn't interfere with my grip too much.

Left the 'old' Bock nib, right the new nib from JoWo

While Leonardo started out using Bock nibs exclusively, they gradually made the change towards JoWo. The release of the MZ Grande 2020 was caught in the middle of that change, and so it could be that you either got a Bock or a JoWo nib. In 2021, we should be seeing exclusively JoWo nibs, though I don't know if that's already the case. I own both, and across the (too) many Leonardo pens I own, I've only had maybe one or two behave slightly subpar out of the box. Other than the odd exception, both the Bock and JoWo nibs are fabulous writers - in no small part due to the in-house made ebonite feeds that provide a rather heavy, juicy ink flow.

Don't take my word for it when I say theLeonardo Momento Zero Grande 2020 is a fantastic pen - I'm a fanboy and I cannot lie. Instead, I think it's quite telling how Leonardo managed to become one of the hippest and trendiest pen brands of the moment on such short notice... they must be doing something right. Right?

It's nice to see that the inclusion of a piston mechanism didn't drive up the price. As before, the Momento Zero Grande still retails for 295€/ 295$ without VAT (at Site Sponsor Casa Della Stilografica, use discount code 'Firenze' for 10% off!). While that certainly makes the Grande a step up from the rather accessible regular Momento Zero, you do get some worthwhile 'upgrades' for the premium(the ebonite feed and piston mechanism), which the regular version doesn't have. I also just really enjoy the large, oversized footprint, though that's of course a very personal preference!

NOTE: I received a discount on the purchase of this product by Leonardo Officina Italiana, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

QUICK LOOK: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE PURA FOUNTAIN PEN

Yesterday we took a look at the Momento Zero Grande 2020 (review HERE) from Leonardo Officina Italiana, and today I have somewhat of a world-premiere (nothing short of a miracle, given how terribly slow I usually am at publishing reviews!): a first quick look at the all-new Leonardo MZ Grande 'Pura' collection! If you follow Leonardo on Instagram, you may have already caught a glimpse of the Pura in his stories. It certainly didn't get past me unnoticed!

I'll let the photos do most of the talking here, but there are three simple reasons why I'm so excited about this new colorway:

The - now sold out - Stilo&Stile Frosted special edition

1) A few months ago I purchased the Stilo&Stile x Leonardo Momento Zero Grande 'Frosted' - a clear frosted demonstrator - and couldn't help but wonder how cool this would look in colored demonstrator finishes...

2) Since the newly introduced colorways for the MZ Grande 2020 collection focused strongly on bright and colorful materials (with the 'Primary Manipulation' collaborations with Jonathon Brooks being a highlight for many people!)... a more muted, simple, black pen was still missing from the lineup...

3) As much as I like 'subtle' black pens, the Pura also comes in orange - YES PLEASE! Especially in the version with sleek, black-coated ruthenium trims and nib, this is a winner in my book.

Lastly, a translucent blue colorway completes the set. Although I'm obviously most drawn towards the black/grey and orange colors, the blue one is quite nice too. They make for a nice set, and I wouldn't be surprised if we'd see more experimenting with different colors in the future (what about a green or red Pura, or pink?)

All Pura pens are finished with a satin-matte (sandblasted?) surface treatment. The finish feels smooth to the touch, almost soft, in a weirdly satisfying way. The frosted effect seems to be applied on both the outside and inside of the pen, for a consistent look across the entire pen. As with any matte finish, I do expect these pens to gradually become shinier with long-term use, so 'buyer beware' if you're not a fan of wabi-sabi.

The Pura pens also offers quite a bit of variety in terms of trim options. Of course, there are the usual rhodium and gold-plated options, but you can also go for black ruthenium trims for an ultra-sleek look, which is a first on the Momento Zero Grande. As I already mentioned, I really like the combo of orange+ruthenium, but also on the black version, it looks really cool.

Because the pens are completely translucent, the trim option strongly impacts the overall looks of the Pura. The rhodium trims accentuate the color of the acrylic, while the black trims make it appear more muted and darker overall. The gold trims, on the other hand, emphasize the classic Italian design elements on - what I think is - a predominantly modern-looking set of pens.

The translucent acrylics offer a somewhat rare opportunity to see the innards of the Momento Zero. In my review of the MZ Grande 2020 yesterday, I mentioned that having an ink window is not an option on the standard lineup... well this is your chance if you DO like to see approximately how much ink is left.

Of course, the risk of a translucent material is that it will also show the slightest imperfection or finish inconsistency. For the most part though, that's not really an issue, as the finish is consistent and even across the entire pen and construction seems precise. Though if you're really picky, a few areas inside the cap show light machining marks, and around the three cap rings (which are glued in place) the glue is ever-so-slightly visible.

I think the Leonardo Momento Zero Pura offers a nice change from the usual multi-colored, complex acrylics that Leonardo uses for most of their pens. The monotone, demonstrator aesthetic is a nice change of pace, and especially the black demonstrator offers something for those that want a more subdued, business-appropriate pen.

The Pura collection is bound to release soon. Going by previous pricing of other MZ Grande editions, I expect the MZ Grande Pura to hit the same MSRP of 295€/ 295$ without VAT (at Site Sponsor Casa Della Stilografica, use discount code 'Firenze' for 10% off!). The Pura collection will be part of the standard offering for at least the course of 2021.

REVIEW: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE #8 NIB FOUNTAIN PEN

Flecks of green, orange AND blue? A wild color choice for someone like me. But oh my, just look at it!

How to make a great pen even greater? That's the question Leonardo must've been pondering on. And the answer, as it turns out, is simple: just make it physically 'greater'!

Ok, to be fair, it's not that the MZ Grande #8 is effectively a better pen than the regular versions. It's just different, and it's - yet another - choice in the stables of Leonardo. So obviously I think it's warranted to take a closer at this specific version as well! Once again, a quick thank you to Leonardo Officina Italiana, for making this review possible!

To be clear, the #8 is close to identical to the regular Momento Zero Grande (reviewed HERE), and you can get them in the same material options of the regular collection (this particular one is the wild, but lovely, 'Girasole'!) the difference is all about the nib (as you'd expect). While I've never found the #6 nibs on the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande to look particularly out of place (In part because the strong taper of the section transitions quite naturally into the #6-sized nibs), a pen as large as the MZ Grande undoubtedly makes an excellent candidate for a #8 nib transplant.

Identical, other than the slightly larger cap

The nib isn't the only aspect of the new MZ Grande #8 that is physically greater than the standard #6 version, the pen itself also grew a bit! The change in size is all in the cap, to accommodate for the substantially larger nib, of course. The slightly stretched-out cap doesn't really make the proportions of the pen feel off, though I do think the cap does have a slightly chunkier look and feel. The difference is quite minimal though, I feel like you really have to put both versions side by side to really see which is which.

L to R: Pelikan M1005, Montblanc 149, Leonardo MZ Grande, Furore Grande, MZ Grande #8, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande #8 measures 15.4 cm/ 6.06" capped - 3 mm longer than the regular version of the MZ Grande - but is otherwise identical to the regular version of the MZ Grande (check my previous review HERE, for the full specs!). If the MZ Grande wasn't a large enough pen, this #8-nibbed behemoth surely will be enough? It's hard to really grasp the scale of these pens until you put them next to a Pelikan M1000 or Montblanc 149, both of which are absolutely dwarfed in the comparison.

Comfort-wise (looking at this mainly in function of how comfort changes with the #8 nib, because it's otherwise identical to the normal #6-nibbed version), I sometimes feel like I have less control over large #8-sized nibs because of the distance between your grip and the paper. However, the MZ Grande #8 handles the large nib quite well because the shape of the section naturally puts your grip quite close to the nib.

The #8 nib is a standard-issue 14k (only gold nibs available for the #8 size!) example from the stables of Bock (despite Leonardo's recent switch to JoWo nibs for all their other nibs). The engraved details remain the same from the #6 nibs, and I find the way these nibs aren't over-decorated - just the Leonardo logo front and center - quite pleasant.

The 14k fine nib balances very well between smoothness and subtle feedback, and is an enjoyable and responsive writer because of that. The massive nib rests on an equally massive ebonite feed - I believe also made in-house by Leonardo? - which once again provides ample flow. Especially for this fine nib, the feed easily manages to keep up of course. Depending on your preferences, the ink flow can certainly be seen as overwhelming, probably not ideal for everyday writing (I'm looking at you, crappy office paper!).

The fine nib runs on the wider side of a western fine, close to medium, which is to be expected by to the rich ink flow and inherent softness of this large nib. Talking about softness: the #8 nib does provide a noticeably cushioned, soft writing feel, but it's clearly not aimed at line variation. You can coax some wider lines out of it with slight pressure, but I wouldn't recommend taking the risk, as you could spring it if you're not careful.

Large nibs carry an inherent large premium, and the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande #8 unfortunately isn't any different in that regard. The #8 will set you back around 660€ / 645$ (The #8 is available only on special order through most retailers, like Casa Della Stilografica! Use discount code 'Firenze' for 10% off!) Though that does net you a 14k nib (no other nib materials are available in the #8 size), it's still a rather hefty 160€ premium over the 500€ of the 14k gold #6 nib version! That's substantial, and to be honest, the choice totally boils down to a personal preference (is the #8 nib worth it for you?). Functionally, you'll be fine with either of the two (heck, even the steel nibs are pretty great writers!).

REVIEW: TACCIA POLAR LIGHTS FOUNTAIN PEN

We're taking a look at another new - to me - brand today: Taccia! Despite only having been around for about 20 years, the history of Taccia is rather convoluted. The TL;DR is that they started as a US-based company, but they're now part of a larger Japanese stationery conglomerate (Nakabayashi).

Taccia's earlier products - mostly in the sub-200$ range - never really managed to captivate me. Though things certainly became a bit more interesting once they started getting into urushi, Raden, and maki-e, which seems to have really gained them some more traction within the pen community. Even though they might not (yet) enjoy the 'cult status' of big brands like Nakaya, Namiki, or Sailor in the Urushi game, Taccia's urushi work really deserves some attention, as I think they're doing some really interesting and creative things with traditional lacquering techniques!

Packaging is just packaging... But damn, this is a really nice box!

Some of those urushi and Raden techniques make an appearance on the Taccia Polar Lights fountain pen collection, which we'll be looking at today. My thanks go out to Catherine from Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery (one of our site sponsors!) for trusting me with these beauties for a short while!

The Polar Lights pens are based on a standard ebonite base shape that Taccia uses for most of their urushi collections. The design of the pen itself is kept quite simple and straightforward (which isn't too uncommon for Urushi and maki-e pens, as it puts more emphasis on the urushi finish itself): a straight, cylindrical pen with flat finials. The barrel is quite long, which makes for a rather unusual cap-to-barrel ratio. The cap is slightly wider than the barrel, though it transitions smoothly into the barrel with a rounded off edge.

Taccia's urushi pens all have clips. Practical? Sure, but I find that clips tend to interfere with the urushi finish (especially on more complex Raden and maki-e finishes) so I'd have preferred a clipless option. Besides, it's not like I tend to casually clip thousand-dollar pens to my shirt pocket anyway (that's a bit too much livin' on the edge for my taste). That said, I do have to admit that this particular clip looks quite good. The curvy and rounded shape of the clip provides a stark contrast with the straight and angular design of the rest of the pen.

As mentioned at the beginning of this review, Taccia's urushi pens really caught my eye through the wild and uncommon combinations of different lacquering techniques. For the Polar Lights series, the base is lacquered with an Akebono-like gradient of urushi that transitions from a dark color in the center, towards a brighter color at the finials. They overlaid that with precisely arranged Raden strips, applied lengthwise around the top of the cap and end of the barrel.

The Polar Lights is available in three colorways: red (Amairo Haruakane), green (Amairo Jiu), and blue (Amairo Hekiku), and they really outdid themselves on the colors of the urushi. The colors are vibrant, but not too bright, and the finish is consistent.

Upon closer inspection, there's actually more to the finish than you may think. It looks like only the finials are red, green, or blue, and it fades out to black towards the center of the pen, but that's actually not true. It's very subtle, but the base color is actually dark green, red or blue, to match the rest of the pen. Less subtle are the Raden strips, which are color-matched to the pen (if I'm not mistaken, they do this by painting the back of the mother of pearl). The end result is a striking pen with more than enough shimmering Raden to get around, and yet it's not too crazy for my - typically subtle - taste.

L to R: Montblanc 149, Scribo Feel, Eboya Houga L, Sailor Pro Gear, Taccia Polar Lights, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The proportions of the Taccia Polar Lights are quite interesting. With 15 cm/ 5.9" capped, it sits comfortably amongst other large, oversized pens like the Montblanc 149. The straight, untapered shape of the Polar Lights doesn't allow for the cap to be posted. Though, with an uncapped length of 13.2 cm/ 5.2", I've never missed the ability to post the cap, anyway.

So they're not small, and not particularly slim either (though not quite as chubby as the Montblanc 149 or Eboya Houga Large, pictured above). BUT! The section is surprisingly narrow compared to the rest of the pen. At the narrowest point, it measures just 9.7 mm/ 0.38", which is a bit on the skinny side for my taste.

With a narrow section like that, you do get quite a transition towards the barrel, but it's quite gradually stepped and the block threads aren't sharp, so you don't notice it too much in the hand. All in all, it's not an uncomfortable pen to write with, though I certainly would've preferred a slightly wider section. With a total weight of 30 grams, it's not too heavy for a pen this size.

The Polar Lights fills via Sailor's standard cartridge converter. Frankly, these converters aren't the best on the market and the ink capacity isn't huge, but they do the job. And especially with one of Sailor's finer nibs, ink capacity isn't really a big concern, anyway.

On the inside of the cap, you'll find a spring-loaded inner cap, similar to those found on Wancher and Esterbrook pens, to prevent the nib from drying out. Though the implementation on the Taccia pens seems a bit more subtle (the spring tension isn't so strong) making it more practical and easy to use.

A particularly interesting point about most, if not all, Taccia pens - and presumably also a firm selling point for those who like Japanese fountain pens - is that Taccia actually uses Sailor-made nibs in their pens. Western brands that manufacture their own nibs, don't typically share them with other brands, but it's cool to see that Sailor has a more open mindset towards this.

L to R: Taccia Polar Lights, Sailor Pro Gear, Montblanc 149

Again, the proportions of the Taccia are quite interesting. Look at that tiny nib!

What you get under the hood is a 14k gold, small bicolor nib, the same size as the nibs found on Sailor's 1911S or Pro Gear Slim. Yes, that's exactly how you'd imagine it in your head: a very tiny nib, on a pretty huge pen! Because the section tapers down quite strongly, the nib does manage to still look somewhat balanced on this massive pen. Though, needless to say, this pen at the very least deserved one of Sailor's larger 21k nibs. The nib received a custom engraving with the Taccia logo, and it's bi-color plated.

To be honest, the nib performance was not quite as spotless as I had anticipated. Although Japanese nibs are usually worshipped as the pinnacle of consistency (and to be honest, they typically are more consistent!), my experience with these nibs illustrated that any brand can have nib issues out of the box, not just Western brands. I tried two hard Fine (H-F) nibs, and the first one was considerably drier and finer out of the box, which in turn also made it more feedback-heavy. The second one matched my expectation pattern, with a more balanced ink flow, and a line width comparable to a narrow Western EF. To be fair, both nibs were consistent, skip-free writers, and the ink flow (though dry on one of the pens) never hesitated.

The Taccia Polar Lights fountain pens sell for 875€ (incl. VAT, at our sponsor Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery). Oh, and it's a limited edition as well, with only 100 pieces per color being made. To call it a bargain would perhaps be a slight overstatement. But for an urushi pen with Raden decoration, that's actually quite a competitive price!

These products were provided on loan by Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER ZIPPERED 3 & 10 PEN CASES

Pen cases come in many shapes and forms. Not only to fit your personal style, but also to cater to your specific use case: Carry a single pen, or 10? Stay-at-home or writer on the go? Convenience and style, or portability? Especially in more recent years, Galen Leather has really put a lot of attention in catering to a wide audience with their pen cases and display boxes, churning out a boatload of new products in different sizes, shapes, and finishes, with almost 25 models currently available (and a few exciting novelties still to come!)!

Particularly the 'classic' style of zippered pen cases with elastic loops are quite well-represented on Galen's website. I already reviewed one of them, the Galen Leather Zippered 10-pen case & A5 notebook holder, though that one served sort of a dual purpose between pen case and notebook folio. In this review, we'll have a closer look at the more traditional pen cases they offer, aimed solely at carrying pens: the Zippered 3-, and 10-slot pen cases. Once again, I'd like to thank the Galen team for sending over these products for review!

There's a wide variety of sizes to choose from with Galen's Zippered pen cases, and the layout depends slightly on the size you go for. Regardless of size, the designs are all kept quite simple and clutter-free, with minimal branding on the backside. The main attraction is of course the wide variety of colored leathers you can choose from to match your style. I personally really like Galen's trademark 'Crazy Horse' leather (love the name!): smooth and soft leather with a pronounced distressed look that picks up a lovely patina with use. It gives the case a more casual look (as opposed to glossy or full-grain leather), and it's already scratched and scuffed out of the box, so you don't have to pamper it.

With the 3-pen case, you even get some spare room for business cards or, for example, a Galen Card Book

The smaller 3- and 5-pen cases (pictured here is the 3-pen version, but they both share a similar design) have all pens on one side, with room for some small loose papers or cards on the opposite side (the slightly larger 5-pen case even fits a Field Notes style pocket notebook!).

The 3-pen case is made from a single, seamless piece of leather, which folds around the spine of the case on the long side. The way the case is assembled doesn't allow it to open up completely flat on its own, unfortunately.

The larger 6- and 10-pen cases divide the pens across both sides. Interestingly, there's a soft microfiber divider on each side of the case, and they are attached from the top. The way they did the dividers looks a bit unusual and perhaps unnecessary to have one on both sides. Though you can fold them over quite easily, allowing you to display your pens without the dividers in the way. The zipper on the larger cases (an even more 'heavy-duty' metal one than on the smaller models) opens up further into the spine, allowing the case to lay flat without effort.

As mentioned in my review of the 10-pen case & notebook folio, Galen recently changed to a different type of elastic band for their pen cases. The new type of elastic is more supple and soft to the touch than the ones in some of the cases I have in my hands (these particular samples are from before the switch). That said, even the least soft 'old' elastic I've tried, still didn't cause scratches or scuffs on any of the pens I tested it with.

The single row of wide elastics does a good job keeping most pens securely in place (unless they're very thin). On the 3-pen and 5-pen cases, the elastics are put closer towards the top of the case, which is both more difficult to put pens in and take them out of the case, and also giving the pens more wiggle room to bump into each other. Preferably, I'd like to see them put the elastic in the middle, like on all their other cases.

Top to bottom: Galen Zippered 3-pen and 10-pen cases, Aston Leather 10-pen case, Visconti Dreamtouch 12-pen case

Both the 3- and 10-pen cases I tested are characterized by a particularly compact form factor. Especially the 10-pen case is tiny compared to alternatives with a similar capacity (such as the 12-pen Visconti Dreamtouch case, or Aston 10-pen case). The 3-pen case measures 15.5 cm/6.1" by 9 cm/ 3.5" (about the size of a modern smartphone) and is about 3 cm/ 1.2" thick when filled with pens. The 10-pen case is a bit taller and wider: 16.5 cm/ 6.5" by 13 cm/ 5.1".

Top to bottom: Galen Zippered 3-pen and 10-pen cases, Aston Leather 10-pen case, Visconti Dreamtouch 12-pen case

The 10-pen case also bulks up considerably due to the double layer of pens, giving it a thickness somewhere between 3.5 and 4 cm/ 1.38-1.58", depending on the pens you put in it.

The microfiber dividers on each side of the 10-pen case add some bulk as well. It sometimes takes some fiddling to tuck them in and close the case in one elegant motion (one divider would've probably been enough). The dividers don't always cover the bottom of your pens if you carry a lot of very bulky pens, though they do still effectively keep the two sides of pens separated and protected.

A 'balanced' loadout that fits without issues. Notice that I did put the clips slightly sideways, which helps to reduce the bulk.

As expected by their compact footprints, interior space in the Galen cases is used efficiently, though that doesn't mean you have to rule out larger pens. I would say these cases are ideal for mid-sized pens, but I was honestly quite surprised by how lenient these cases are towards large, even oversized pens. Montblanc 149? Fits no problem. Leonardo Momento Zero Grande? Tight squeeze, but even that still fits.

Only three at a time of course, but all of these pens can fit!

The 3-pen case is slightly more cramped than the 10-pen variant, but in both cases you'll especially want to watch out with pens that are very wide, because the cases do bulk up rather quickly.

A 'balanced' loadout of larger and smaller pens, that fits without issues

Especially really oversized pens (like the Leonardo MZ Grande) do tend to hug up against the metal zipper, which feels like it could scratch pens, so you'll want to pay attention when putting pens in/ taking them out of the case. This is especially something to look out for with the smaller 3-pen case, because on the 10-pen case the dividers cover up the top side and make it easier to put pens in the case without scraping against the zipper.

Galen Leather is probably best known for their creative, unique 'niche' writing accessories, like the 10-pen case & A5 notebook folio, the Writing Box, or Writer's Medic Bag.But they also have you covered when you just need a functional, no-frills EDC pen case.

The range of Galen Leather zippered pen cases offers clutter-free designs in a variety of leather options. I was surprised to see that their compact form factor still manages to offer decent carrying capacity, even for larger pens. To sweeten the deal, their prices are also very competitive compared to other leather pen cases on the market: The Galen Leather Zippered 3-pen case retails for 33€/ 39$, while the larger Galen Leather Zippered 10-pen case goes for 49€/ 58$.

These products were sent to me by Galen Leather, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

I was really happy to see Japanese stationery brand Kunisawa recently re-introducing themselves with a completely revised product lineup (read the re-review HERE!). Their confidence in the updated paper quality turned out to be absolutely justified, finally combining the stunning business-chic notebook designs with fantastic - consistent - quality Japanese paper on the inside.

But alongside the updated Kunisawa products, they also sent a few other products that certainly didn't fit in. That's because, as I mentioned earlier, mother company Kawachiya Print also houses a second stationery brand: Pont Neuf!

The contrast between Kunisawa and Pont Neuf doesn't need an explanation...

Pont Neuf is best described as the absolute polar opposite of Kunisawa's functional, subtle, business-appropriate designs. Instead, they go for bright, colorful, playful products. The most eye-catching being a selection of wild, fluffy, fabric-covered notebooks - extravagant (and quite high-end)! But also the notebooks I'll be showing today, which are a collaboration with Tokyo-based art Gallery Brain Trust, for a collection with William Morris design notebook covers.

William Morris was a renowned 19th-century artist and craftsman and is perhaps best known for his hugely popular - to this day - botanical patterns. His designs were originally created for wallpaper decoration, but I think it works equally well on these notebooks, and it fits right in with the style Pont Neuf tries to convey.

Both the A5-sized slim staple-bound softcovers (64 pages) and thicker A5 hardcover notebooks (192 pages) in the William Morris collection each come with unique cover prints, four in total. The printing is high quality and detailed, and the colors - while certainly vibrant - aren't overdone. One minor detail: I say A5, but both notebooks are actually 195 x 138 mm, which is ever-so-slightly smaller than the traditional A5 size!

While the softcovers come with simple, uncoated paper stock for the cover (which has a nice subtle debossed texture from the printing!), the hardcover notebooks are distinctly more upscale. The cover is made of textured, heavily coated (plastic?) paper with gold foil debossed details, gilded edges, and rounded corners. One downside about the stiff, plastic-like material used on the hardcover is that it cracks and frays a bit around the edges of the notebook, which deters from the otherwise pristine cover design, and gives the edges a slightly rough feel.

Both notebook types are able to lay open quite flat

Inside, the Pont Neuf notebooks do match the minimalist approach of Kunisawa with un-numbered, dot-grid pages and pretty much nothing else. The hardcover does have one practical element that the thin softcover booklets don't have: a thin bookmark ribbon.

The paper inside the Pont Neuf notebooks seems to be identical to the excellent paper we've already seen in the updated Kunisawa Find stationery, which is of course a good thing.

For those of you that didn't read my previous review, here's a short rundown of my findings on this new paper: it's a very smooth stock, more or less the same thickness as Rhodia (so around 80-85 gsm), and with a distinct yellowy-ivory tint to it. The paper shows excellent shading and sheen and doesn't budge to wet nibs or even ink swabs, with no bleedthrough and minimal showthrough (or ghosting) to speak of.

"Create your own style"an appropriate catchphrase for the eccentric Pont Neuf brand!

While I personally lean towards the minimal and clean aesthetics of the Kunisawa products, there is certainly something to be said for the more extravagant side of Pont Neuf's colorful collection of notebooks. The two brands work nicely side-by-side, offering unique products on two very distinct ends of the scale. Pricing is also comparable between the two brands, and - while certainly on the more premium side - is quite fair given the excellent paper quality and great design. The softcover notebooks retail for 5€/ 6$, and 25€/ 30$ for the hardcover.

Despite being incredibly active in releasing new special editions and unique colorways - it seems like every week they make a cool new pen I want! - Leonardo's product catalog is more or less established around two main product lines: the Furore (or Furore Grande), and the Momento Zero (or Momento Zero Grande). Of course, that's not including the handful of limited editions (like the Cuspide, Messenger, or Speranza), though even those often take strong design cues from pens like the ever-popular Momento Zero.

But the pen we're taking a look at today - a limited edition that's yet to be officially released, mind you! - brings quite a different look to the table through the introduction of a fully faceted design: the Leonardo Tredici! My thanks go out to the people at Leonardo Officina Italiana, for giving me the opportunity to check out this pen well in advance of its launch!

The Tredici appropriately gets its name from the Italian word for 'thirteen', the number of facets on the pen. Though the Tredici is unmistakably a Leonardo design (put it side by side with the Momento Zero, and the kinship is easily spotted), it does bring a more angular, tapered, design style to the table, whereas the Momento Zero and Furore are a bit more gently curved and rounded.

The lack of decorative trim rings on the back of the barrel or section, the fine rolling wheel clip, and the three cap rings, together with the faceted design of the Tredici, make for a pen that - in my opinion, at least - embodies the 'vintage' styling that many Leonardo pens try to capture, even better. The comparison with an old Omas paragon wouldn't be too far off either, I think?

The Tredici wouldn't be a true Leonardo pen if it wasn't for some bright and colorful materials. So for this limited edition (70 pens for each color), it'll be available in two distinct acrylic resins: Hawaii, and Arlecchino (Harlequin). Both materials have already made an appearance on previous Leonardo pens. The Hawaii is of course a tried-and-true staple among many of Leonardo's pens, and it never fails to impress me with its complex mix of blue and brown hues, pearlescence, and translucence, all mixed in through the striped acrylic material.

The colorful yellow/orange/green flecked Arlecchino material (an acrylic recreation of a celluloid Omas used to use back in the day) is a bit less common and tends to only be used for limited editions. Being partial to orange pens, I quite enjoy the eclectic and vibrant mix of solid colors in the Arlecchino, but it's certainly a love-it-or-hate-it material!

While I think there's something to be said for both colorways (both will definitely turn heads!) I'd also like to see the Tredici in a different - more muted - material choice, as the emphasis on the faceted shape is perhaps a bit lost in the 'busy' patterns of these two materials.

Since these are pre-production pens, there are a few (small) details that I was told would still be addressed before final production: While the thirteen facets on cap, barrel and piston knob align fairly well (the cap has triple-start threads, so only one orientation will align them), it's not absolutely perfect. The faceted trim rings on the cap will also be fine-tuned a bit in the final production, making them sit more flush and aligned with the surface of the cap. These are relatively small details, but making them perfect is key (and shows a keen eye for detail from Leonardo), as the facets are of course the centerpiece of the Tredici's design!

L to R: Pelikan M805, Leonardo Furore, Furore Grande, Momento Zero Grande, Tredici, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The Tredici is slightly shorter than the Momento Zero Grande and appears a bit skinnier as well (partially due to the strongly tapered shape). Though with a capped length of 14.8 cm/ 5.83", and an uncapped length of 13.3 cm/ 5.25", it still certainly classifies as a large pen. The Tredici weighs just 25 grams, which makes it very lightweight and nimble, especially for a rather large pen like this. For those that prefer an even larger pen, the Tredici can be posted very securely, and the cap doesn't add any noticeable backweight.

For the Tredici, Leonardo went with a traditional hourglass-shaped section (very similar to the section of the Cuspide, but narrower) as opposed to the stepped design on the MZ. Just like the rest of the Tredici, the section is on average about a millimeter narrower than the Momento Zero. While that's a relatively minute difference in thickness, it is indeed noticeable in the hand. The section on the Tredici is decently long, and the threads are shallow and unobtrusive. Though in terms of comfort, the Tredici does take a slight hit with a fairly sharp drop off towards the barrel, which I did notice in my grip. The Momento Zero Grande has a similar step, but the rounded trim ring on the edge makes the MZ gentler to the touch.

Under the hood, you'll be greeted by a 14k gold nib (no option for steel nibs, as is the case on most of Leonardo's Limited Editions). Leonardo made a complete switch to JoWo last year, so that's what you're getting here, regardless of the nib width you choose. I tried out both a regular medium and one of their 'elastic' (read: soft, not flex) fine nibs. The 14k gold nib is backed up by Leonardo's own ebonite feeds, and metal piston-filling mechanism, the same as on Leonardo's 'Grande' models.

The fine elastic nib - with its distinct cutouts on the sides - has a noticeable feedback to it when you write, and the softness creates a line width on the broader side of a western fine, perhaps closer to medium. The cutouts are meant to create a more bouncy, cushioned writing experience, not for wet noodle vintage super-ultra flex line variation. That said, you can certainly get enough line variation out of it for some elegant flourishes in your writing.

For the medium nib, I anticipated the fact that all my Leonardos with ebonite feeds have all been very wet writers, so I tried to balance it with the super dry Kyo-Iro Stone Road of Gion ink (lovely shade, but man is it a dry ink!). Unfortunately, even the very generous ebonite feed was no match to the desert-like dryness of Stone Road, so I went with Diamine Evergreen instead. After that, the medium nib performed wonderfully; a very smooth, responsive writer, backed up by a rich flow from the ebonite feed.

The Tredici is a fresh design from Leonardo's stables, a bit outside of the comfort zone of their current pens. In my opinion, it's probably their best representation of the vintage Italian design language, so far, and the attention to detail is on point.

As the faceted design inevitably increases the production difficulty, this, unfortunately, translates in the retail price of the Tredici: 595€ (653€ for the soft nib). That's 100 euros more than the Momento Zero Grande with a gold nib. Though for a limited edition of just 70 pieces in each colorway, the Tredici still comes in far below other Leonardo LE's (like the 850€ Cuspide)!

NOTE: The pens in this review were provided on loan by Leonardo Officina Italiana. I was in no way paid, or influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own. This post does not contain affiliate links.

REVIEW: LAMY SAFARI SAVANNAH & TERRACOTTA SPECIAL EDITION (2021) FOUNTAIN PENS

In the almost 8 years of existence of this website, I seem to have succeeded at - subconsciously - ignoring one of the most ubiquitous and widespread 'beginner' fountain pens on the planet: the Lamy Safari.

Ok, I have done 'quick look' posts on some of the previous special editions throughout the years, but I've never actually made a complete and in-depth review about it. Despite that, the Lamy Safari has played an immense role in my pen journey throughout the years (and still does so today, as my father and I share a mutual hobby of collecting old special edition Safaris!), and it embodies a lot of what I seek in a true 'workhorse' pen. I guess, because it's so ubiquitous, the Safari is just a pen I've always taken for granted.

So today, while we take a look at 2021's Terracotta and Savannah special edition Lamy Safaris - two colors that immediately got me very excited! - I'll go a bit more in-depth on why I like this pen so much. Before we dive deeper into some of the details of the new Safari special editions, I'd like to thank sponsor of the blog, Penworld, for providing these pens for review!

Unfortunately, EU customers don't get the same pretty packaging as the American and Asian regions (Why Lamy?), so enjoy this gratuitous detail shot of the cap finials instead!

Let's start at the beginning: the Safari is a textbook example of a love-it-or-hate-it design, but that's also what makes it so interesting. The Safari goes at the Bauhaus design with an extra dose of brutalism and modernism (strong Oscar Niemeyer vibes) added to the mix: pronounced flats and angles, exaggerated proportions,...

... absurdly large 'paperclip' clip,

... and in-your-face branding on the back of the barrel. And yet, somehow, there's something strangely attractive about it.

The Safari has of course seen every single color of the rainbow over the years, but only two are true grail pens for the wintered Safari collector. Like so many Lamy Safari aficionados, my dad and I never found the two OG Lamy Safari colorways, Savannah and Terracotta (the two original colors released in 1980). To be honest, they may be a bit too grail-like, as prices for the original Savannah and Terracotta go insane on the second-hand market. That is, if you'd even find one for sale! Against all odds, Lamy seems to have actually listened to what the pen community wanted to see, so I'm VERY excited to see a re-release of the Savannah and Terracotta. Heck, for once they might really be listening, as we even saw rumors of a new colored 2000 (though I'll refrain from getting too excited about that just yet... they can still botch it like they did with the Bauhaus release!).

The argument you can hear left and right that this re-release will have a negative impact on the collectibility of the highly sought-after originals? I don't think so. True collectors will know how to spot the differences ('Germany' marking on the bottom, slightly different finial, etc), and the originals are so hard to find, I think this will just create even more awareness and demand to track those down...

In terms of how close the colors actually are to the originals? Well, I - unfortunately - don't own any of the originals, but from the few comparisons online, it seems that the Terracotta is quite spot-on, while the Savannah looks to be a touch less olive-green than the original (though in real life, it certainly looks olive-green to my eye).

The Safari is a medium-sized pen, fitting in perfectly with some of my other favorite starter pens, like the Pilot Metro, and TWSBI Eco. The Safari measures just shy of 14 cm/ 5.5" capped, and retains a comfortable size of 12.9 cm/ 5.1" when uncapped. It weighs just 17 grams in total, thanks to the all-plastic (ABS), injection-molded construction. The cap posts securely and rather deep (it covers the entire 'LAMY' logo), which - together with the light weight - makes this one of the more comfy pens to use posted.

The section is nice and long, and transitions seamlessly (well, not seamless, but without a step... You get what I mean!) into the barrel. The diameter of the section is a bit tricky to translate into numbers, but it roughly tapers from 12 to 10 mm towards the nib. Talking about the section: just like the general design of the Safari, the section is quite controversial.

The pronounced triangular profile definitely favors a more 'traditional' tripod grip, so that's certainly something to keep in mind if you tend to hold your pen in a funky way. With my - fairly standard - grip, the Safari has always clicked very well. Even though shaped grips are typically regarded as a beginner feature, I still enjoy the controlled and precise grip it provides.

The firm - but fairly quiet - snap cap, as well as the ink window through the barrel, are both useful features to have on a workhorse 'EDC' pen. Additionally, I find the Safari beats the AL-star (another controversial debate!) due to its sturdy and durable injection-molded ABS construction. Especially the matte finish on the Savannah and Terracotta (and many other Safari colorways), is particularly good at hiding signs of wear and tear, though they do become shinier over time! In contrast, I'm always a bit nervous about putting a dent or scratch in the thin aluminum construction of the AL-Star.

Lamy nibs are well-known to provide a subtle amount of pencil-like feedback while you write, which I actually enjoy. They are very responsive, reliable nibs with a well-balanced ink flow. I especially enjoy the fine nibs, which lay down a nice medium-fine, crisp line of ink. In the grand scheme of things, Lamy's nibs aren't exceptional in any way, but they do what they have to do without hesitation, and they're easy and cheap to swap out, too. Certainly another reason why the Safari makes for a reliable workhorse pen!

While I'm still a bit ashamed that it took me this long to do a full review of the Lamy Safari, I'm fairly confident that my general sentiment on them hasn't really changed in all those years. Ok, I may have found the last two years of the Safari special editions (the Pastel and Candy trio's) a bit lackluster, but the re-release of the iconic Terracotta and Savannah are a perfect way to reaffirm my love for the bold and playful - perhaps a bit fugly - workhorse of a pen that is the Lamy Safari. Yes, I think it still absolutely deserves its status as one of the best affordable fountain pens on the market.

The Safari Savannah and Terracotta comes in a choice of fountain pen, roller, and ballpoint, but not the mechanical pencil. In Europe, the special edition fountain pens retail for 20.9€ (at Site Sponsor Penworld, use discount code 'pencilcase' for 10% off!), which is about one euro more than the standard colorways. Overseas, the US price seems to be the same regardless of the color you choose, although you do pay more across the board, just under 30$.

Note: Penworld is a sponsor of this site. I received a discount on this purchase, which enabled me to write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

After a ridiculously long detour through customs - to the point where it was 'lost' by Belgian post for four months - I finally have my hands on a pen from Taiwanese manufacturer Penlux - a brand that has slowly been making name for themselves, but they're still surprisingly difficult to come across in Europe. I was quite excited to check out Penlux's Masterpiece Grande, especially since Taiwan has a rather excellent track record in my book: brands like TWSBI, Opus 88, Ystudio,... they're doing quite excellent things over there! My thanks to Penlux for sending this pen over for review!

REVIEW: PENLUX MASTERPIECE GRANDE KOI FOUNTAIN PEN

At first sight, the design of the Penlux Masterpiece Grande shows a striking resemblance to the Montblanc Meisterstuck (Meisterstuck = Masterpiece!) 149 (reviewed HERE). Though the longer I looked at it, the more I found it to be closer related to Italian design language, with the rolling-ball clip (a very sturdy and practical one, I must add), a rather eccentric center cap band (more on that later), and a wide variety of colorful and original acrylics to choose from.

Yes, in shape and overall dimensions, it does lean somewhat close to the 149. But putting those two pens side by side, you do notice that the Masterpiece has a less pronounced 'bulbous' and tapered shape like the MB 149, going instead for a more torpedo-like shape and more rounded cap and barrel finials. There's also a rather large decorative ring at the piston knob, which hides away a small step from the barrel to the piston knob.

Coming back to the cap band, this is without a doubt the centerpiece of attention on this pen. Not only because of how it looks but also the way it coincides with a rather extreme 'break' between the cap and barrel. It's a single, wide, band with knurling along the top and bottom edges, and the word "PENLUX" engraved in between. The center band could be categorized as gaudy, but I personally quite like the looks and the texture of the knurling. Interesting about the abrupt step towards the barrel is that a few specific colorways (black and blue swirl) have a slightly different cap design with an additional acrylic ring that tapers down towards the barrel - it would've been nice if they continued that design in all versions of the Masterpiece Grande.

L to R: TWSBI Diamond 580, Opus 88 Omar, Leonardo MZ Grande, Montblanc 149, Penlux Masterpiece Grande, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Masterpiece Grande's torpedo shape has quite a strong resemblance to Montblanc's 149, and as the 'Grande' in the name suggests, it's no less statuesque in size, compared to the MB - quite the contrary. The Masterpiece Grande measures 14.8 cm/ 5.85" capped, and retains a rather generous length when uncapped: 13.3 cm/ 5.24". Though its bulbous, torpedo shape is perhaps a bit less pronounced than that of the 149, it is still a considerably wide pen, especially at the cap (which is quite a bit wider than the barrel). The entire pen weighs about 33 grams, which is very comparable to alternative pens of a similar size.

Uncapped, the Masterpiece Grande shows all the elements that make for a comfortable writer: The section has a slight taper to it, but retains an overall fairly wide diameter (about 12 mm/ 0.47" on average), providing a secure grip. The transition to the barrel is imperceptible, with only the threads maybe being slightly noticeable under your fingers. With its 13.3 cm uncapped, it's comfortable and plenty long in the hand - though you could post if that's what you want (I certainly never felt the need to do so).

The 'Koi' material (available in blue or black) adds to the Masterpiece a fantastic flecked, semi-translucent acrylic material, which shows perfectly how precise the machining and finishing is, also on the inside (a consistency across many Taiwanese brands, I have found!). Talking about machining excellence: the Masterpiece Grande comes with an in-house-made, fully metal (aluminium) piston mechanism. The mechanism feels extremely solid, yet it's also smooth and cushioned to operate. Ink capacity is perhaps a bit disappointing for such a large pen though, coming in at just 0.9 mL.

There's one interesting quirk about the piston mechanism, which is - as mentioned - machined out of aluminium. The rubber seal just covers the sides of the piston, against the inner walls of the barrel, but leaves the top of the aluminium piston rod exposed (as far as I can tell). Now, aluminium's naturally forming oxide layer offers quite capable protection against corrosion (contrary to steel, where the oxide layer doesn't protect the underlying metal, causing it to rust indefinitely). But in contact with liquids, that natural corrosion resistance is quite a bit less effective, especially with inks often having a pH outside the neutral(-ish) range (more acid or base)!

How well the piston mechanism will stand the test of time, is something I can only take a guess at. I did see some discoloration of the white rubber seal (could be degradation due to surface contact with the aluminium parts) but haven't had any functional issues to speak of so far (mind you, I've had this pen inked non-stop for about 3 months at the time of writing!)

The #6 Jowo nib is a standard-issue example from the German nib manufacturer. Aesthetically, the nib does look quite small on such an imposing pen, but it's not uncommon to see #6 nibs on really oversized pens these days (especially because the nib alone would probably double the cost!). Standard issue or not, JoWo of course makes excellent pieces of writing steel, and the Penlux Masterpiece Grande perfectly illustrates this with a buttery smooth medium that has a rather rich - but most importantly consistent - ink flow.

The #6 nib on the Masterpiece Grande is small for such a large pen, as is illustrated by the Montblanc 149 - a smaller pen, yet with a much larger nib!

I think it's fair to say that with Penlux, another excellent name gets added to the growing list of quality Taiwanese brands to follow! The 192$ price tag (based on a handful of mostly US-based retailers, I didn't find any European retailers that stock Penlux - yet) of the Penlux Masterpiece Grande Koi - some of the other colorways come in a bit cheaper - gets you a well-rounded, flawlessly constructed pen, and another excellent option for those that like oversized pens.

Note: This product was provided by Penlux so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

PAPER REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER TOMOE RIVER NOTEBOOK

Tomoe River notebooks are omnipresent these days, offered by various brands in many different styles. With good reason of course, as everyone wants a piece of the Japanese wonder paper to get the absolute best out of their fountain pens! Turkish stationery and leather goods company, Galen Leather, jumped on the Tomoe River wagon quite a while ago with their collection of 'Everyday Books': a selection of thin softcover notebooks and notepads in various sizes. But also these stunning, leather-bound, full-sized journals...

The Galen Leather "Leather" notebook is possibly one of the most luxurious, best-looking Tomoe River notebook I've seen to this day (and I have my fair share of them!). Whereas most brands go for a more utilitarian approach with thin, textured plastic softcover designs, Galen plays their strength with a cover made from their signature 'Crazy Horse' leather! The leather ages gracefully and noticeably with use: bending the covers creates creases and scratches which highlight the color of the leather, adding a lot of character to your carry.

While Japanese brands certainly know how to create a tight and clean binding, I think Galen does it just that little bit better (at least, going off of the two samples I was sent!). The binding with 25 small 'signatures' (8 pages bound together at a time) is almost identical to that of Japanese brands. It's very precisely stitched, yet feels a bit less tight perhaps.

The notebook as a whole is very flexible...

...and lays flat perfectly!

The slightly more loose binding creates a spine that is more flexible and makes the notebook as a whole easier to lay flat or even fold over. I'm really impressed with the build quality of these notebooks. The corners are nicely rounded, the leather is trimmed cleanly,...

On the inside, you'll find 400 white pages of Tomoe River paper. That page count is slightly lower than with other brands (making for a notebook that's still considerably slim despite the leather cover), though arguably 400 pages is still an awful lot. Galen's notebooks are only available in blank, so there's no printing at all on the pages. Numbered pages would've been a nice-to-have perhaps, but it's a feature that's missing on most TR journals I've come across.

The blank pages could be a dealbreaker for some, but Galen thought of that and made sure that you can still use their notebooks in a structured manner: buying a leather notebook gets you a rather complete package that includes two paper guide sheets with gridded and lined layouts.

Also included: a leather blotter sheet and two guide sheets with grids and lines.

Especially with TR paper, guide sheets are easy enough to use, as the thin paper makes the grids easy to see. A leather blotter sheet is also included, which could be useful if you'd buy these notebooks for heavy EDC use, where you need to be able to close the book instantly - because of course, fast dry times are NOT the forte of Tomoe River paper!

What IS the forte of Tomoe River is of course its impeccable reception of fountain pen inks. At the tradeoff of dry times, TR renders colors vividly, with tons of shading, crisp outlines, and strong sheen.

There has been quite some recent debate about whether or not Tomoe River paper can still live up to its name after they changed production. Personally, I find the new paper stock behaves extremely close to the original (even side by side), so I don't think there's reason to panic. Though it did still prompt Galen to specifically verify that they are still using the 'old' paper stock for their notebooks (at least for now!) - so if you are panicking and looking to get your fix of the original stuff, here's your chance!

With the Leather notebooks, Galen Leather manages to offer a slightly out-of-the-ordinary Tomoe River notebook, ideal for those that don't want to add a separate (and often bulky) leather cover to their EDC to make it look great. As always, Galen presents their excellent eye for detail with a neatly crafted notebook that also comes with useful extras like the blotter and guide sheets. Compared to their own non-leather covered Tomoe River journals (21€/25$ for A5), these do demand a fairly considerable premium: 30€/36$ (A5), 24€/29$ (B6), 20€/26$ (A6). Though I think that's still a pretty reasonable price considering the great-looking product you get in return!

REVIEW: OPUS 88 JAZZ DEMONSTRATOR FOUNTAIN PEN

No matter how many Opus 88 pens go through my hands, time and time again I'm impressed with their fun designs and impeccable quality! I particularly enjoy seeing their demonstrator models whenever they come up with a new model, those always inevitably pop up, though sometimes only after a while.

In the case of the Opus 88 Jazz, it took them a short while to move on from the translucent tortoiseshell acrylics they first released this model in, but they did make up for the lost time by immediately releasing two demonstrator versions instead of one: The Opus 88 Jazz 'Clear', and the frosted Jazz 'Holiday Clear'! My thanks go out to Opus 88 for sending me both pens to check out!

The Design of the Jazz is possibly one of the most 'classic' approaches to a fountain pen that we've seen from Opus, yet. It takes after traditional cigar-shaped pens, with a slightly tapered bulbous shape and large rounded finials. In fact, it has some likeness to the Penlux Masterpiece Grande I reviewed not too long ago (HERE).

The Jazz features a bit more ornamental trims than you typically find on an Opus pen, with a decorative band on the cap, above the clip (separate from the ring that actually connects the clip to the cap) and above the blind cap.

The rounded center band is a new addition for Opus 88, and its minimal logo engraving perhaps looks a bit empty on the standard opaque colorways of the Jazz - but it does match to the clean look of the demonstrator versions, I find. The teardrop-shaped clip with knurled sides makes its return from one of the first pens that kicked things off for Opus, the Koloro.

I firmly expected Opus to follow their current trend of releasing demonstrator pens with matte black trims, but the Jazz is the exception to that rule, with standard silver-colored trims. This once again adds to the more classic design of the Jazz, and it's not a bad choice IMHO, if not that it does make it the odd one out when put next to the Demonstrator and Omar Demonstrator.

The Jazz 'Holiday Clear', which is the frosted/matte version of the Jazz demonstrator (I don't quite understand the reasoning behind the name?) gets ruthenium-colored trims - though polished, so still not quite like the matte black trims of the other Demonstrator pens. All demonstrator pens from Opus already come with frosted innards, though the addition of a matte finish on the outside gives the Holiday an even more uniform and opaque look, contrasting strongly with the polished, dark trims. Of course, the biggest difference is how the Holiday Jazz FEELS in the hand, the soft matte surface texture sets it apart completely from the other versions. The matte finish is quite uniform across the entire pen, living up to the excellent construction standards of Opus, once more.

L to R: Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Pura, Penlux Masterpiece Grande, Opus 88 Omar, Demonstrator, Jazz, Montblanc 149, Pelikan M805, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

It's no secret that Opus 88 likes to create large -very large-, oversized pens, so it'll come to no surprise that the Jazz is also a very big pen. Though, even besides the already large Demonstrator and Omar, the Jazz is still a decent bit longer. Strangely though, because of the more streamlined design, it doesn't feel too big (though of course that boils down to personal preference!).

At 15.1 cm/ 5.95", it's unapologetically oversized, though, that's more or less a given with Opus. Without the cap, you're left with a pen that's 13.3 cm/ 5.24" long, which is more than comfortable for even a large hand. If you're feeling adventurous, you could still post the cap, though it doesn't post awfully deep so you'll end up with a ridiculously long pen! At 28 grams, the Jazz is surprisingly quite a bit lighter than the smaller Opus 88 Omar.

L to R: Opus 88 Demonstrator, Omar, Jazz

The section design of the Jazz is again (almost) identical to those on a lot of their other pens: a decently sized section with a nicely pinched taper that transitions smoothly into the threads. There's a bit of a step behind the threads and it can be quite sharp depending on how you hold the pen, a bit unfortunate on an otherwise very comfortable pen!

The barrel size of the Jazz is visibly shorter than the Demonstrator and Omar

Interestingly, despite the Jazz being the largest of the three, it still loses to the Demonstrator and Omar when it comes to ink capacity. You can actually see that the barrel part of the Jazz is noticeably shorter, likely due to the proportions of the pen.

Now admittedly, 3 mL is hardly anything to scoff at, but it is indeed less than the 3.5mL of the other two models. The Japanese eyedropper filling mechanism continues to be a fantastic trade-off between huge ink capacity, while still keeping a practical advantage over traditional eyedroppers.

Compared to the last Opus 88 pen I reviewed -the Opus 88 Flow-, the Jazz returns to the camp of JoWo for the nib choice (in fact, all demonstrator models so far have exclusively used JoWo nibs). An excellent nib choice that also implies that this pen should be suited for conversion to a Pilot parallel nib (a fun feature I've discussed extensively in my review of the Omar). The broad nib I tested on the Jazz Clear worked flawlessly out of the box, and pairs great with the large ink capacity Japanese eyedropper.

The Opus 88 Jazz takes all the elements that I've liked before -and continue to like- about Opus' oversized, demonstrator, Japanese eyedropper-filled fountain pens, and crams it into a design that's actually remarkably traditional and 'normal' (for their doing). Their interpretation of a classic cigar-shaped fountain pen works well, even though it's not quite as eye-catching as the more unique styles of the Omar, Flow, or Bela. It's an inoffensive design and it works especially well in these two clear demonstrator finishes. As always, one of the main reasons of appeal for me continues to be the competitive pricing of Opus pens: for 108€/ 104$ (at site sponsor Appelboom, use discount code 'friend' for 10% off!), you really do get a whole lot of pen for your money!

Note: This product was sent by Opus 88, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

A long, long time ago, years before I started this website, I remember visiting a local pen store in Antwerp, where I spotted a tiny little yellow fountain pen somewhere in the corner of a display cabinet. I knew nothing about it back then, other than that the price tag unfortunately didn't read 15 but 150 euros (Oops, my mistake!), thus putting it far out of reach for my student budget! The image of that little yellow pen though... that stuck with me throughout the years. And it wasn't until much later that I realized which pen it was: a Sailor Pro Gear Slim Mini, a rather elusive (outside Japan at least) model that I didn't come across again ever since that day.

However, Sailor recently decided to push the mini version of their popular Pro Gear model onto the worldwide market once again. So, obviously this time I just had to get my own... Thanks go out to our sponsor Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery, for providing this pen for review!

REVIEW: SAILOR PRO GEAR SLIM MINI FOUNTAIN PEN

Where to start? Well, I think it's fair to say that in terms of design you shouldn't expect any major surprises. For all intents and purposes, the PG Slim Mini is a Slim ('Sapporo') model, squished down to roughly the length of a Kaweco Sport. Despite the noticeably distorted proportions, the design remains otherwise identical, retaining the classic flat-top design of the Pro Gear including all ornamental details such as the decorative trim ring behind the section, the 'staircase' ridged clip, and anchor logo medallion insert in the cap finial. It's no less premium-looking than any other Sailor pen, but it does look kind of cute, don't you think?

Despite its short presence on the European and American market (only about a year or so since the re-introduction), the Pro Gear Slim Mini already went through a slight design overhaul. It went from having threads on the blind cap to post the cap, to just being friction-fit. I'd argue this change is for the better, as it's still plenty secure but much faster and easier to post the cap and start writing. It also makes the pen look a bit cleaner, aesthetically.

With the slight design change, Sailor also introduced some new colorways for the Mini. Even though I regret that the Mustard Yellow colorway was discontinued, I do appreciate the new, more muted pastel color palette inspired by Moroccan culture. The 'Puff Brown' (shown here) colorway is my favorite from the new selection, a nice dark muted brown, very understated and business-appropriate.

L to R: Schon P6, Kaweco Brass Sport, Platinum 3776, Pelikan M400, Sailor Pro Gear, Sailor Pro Gear Slim Mini, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

The PG Slim Mini is a true pocket-sized pen, measuring just 10.9 cm (4.3") capped. Side by side, you can see it's only a few mm longer than a Kaweco Sport, which is perfect for pocket carry. When posted, the Mini transforms into a not-so-mini pen, 13.6 cm (5.37") long. But remember that this is really one of those pens that you just HAVE to post for anything but a quick scribble, as it's a mere 9.6 cm (3.76") uncapped, even shorter than an uncapped Kaweco Sport!

For such a tiny pen, I was surprised to find that it still weighs in at 16 grams - still very light and nimble for sure, but more than I expected for such a tiny pen. It feels solid in the hand, though of course you're still dealing with a resin pen... and that immediately brings us to my only gripe with the Mini: it's not quite the kind of pen I look for when I think EDC or pocket carry. A pocket pen -for me- is a robust, bomb-proof metal pen with an equally sturdy clip - this is not that! Sure it's probably durable enough to stand the test of time with normal use, but this is not a pen I'll clip into my jeans pocket.

Comfort is sometimes lost on pocket pens, but not with this one. The section leans on the slimmer side, but with an average diameter over 9 mm (0.35"), and no harsh threads or steps in the way of your fingers, it's a very comfortable pen to hold in the hand. Combined with the excellent size when posted, and the lightweight construction, I don't at all mind picking up this pocket pen for longer writing sessions!

The Mini converter has 'mini' ink capacity... who'd have thunk!

Since regular converters obviously won't fit, Sailor went the extra mile to produce a shorter 'Mini' converter to fit in this pen... But really, they shouldn't have. You'll be paying a rather hefty 8-10€ (about 11$) for one, and the ink capacity is a measly 0.3 mL - less than a third of a Sailor Ink cartridge!

One of, if not THE, selling points of the Sailor Pro Gear Mini is of course its 14k nib. Same as the one found on the Sapporo and 1911S, it's a small nib (though on this pen it's very much a proportionate size) with big performance! On the Western market, the Mini only comes in the M-F nib width. Somewhat odd that they'd restrict the nib options like that (of course you could, in theory, swap the friction fit nibs out with other Sailor models), but luckily the 'Hard' Medium-Fine continues to hit a sweet spot for my personal writing style. Like all Sailor nibs, it's a rather firm nib with noticeable pencil-like feedback when you write. The M-F lays down a line closest to a Western Fine with a balanced ink flow -as you'd expect from a Japanese pen- which makes it a rather versatile and well-balanced option for everyday writing IMHO.

From day one, I've been enjoying the Sailor Pro Gear Slim Mini an awful lot. Maybe it's because the small form factor actually is 100% pocket-sized, as opposed to the small-but-not-quite form factor of the 'full-sized' Pro Gear and Pro Gear Slim models. Or perhaps it's because you get one of the best nibs in the game, inside that pocket-sized, EDC-able vessel? In any case, the PG Slim Mini is a great Japanese alternative to the many pocket fountain pens that exist on the market today. Even despite it probably not being my first choice when looking for a pen I can carelessly throw in my pants pocket every day.

Pricing is relatively decent too if you take into account the 14k gold nib! At a retail price of 167€/ 180$ (at our site sponsor, Sakura), it comfortably joins the Lamy 2000 and Platinum 3776 Century on the list of high-quality gold-nibbed pens for under 200$!

After too long of an unplanned hiatus (sorry!), we're back with a pen review you probably didn't see coming in a million years! Indeed my first encounter with the Venvstas Magna wasn't a flawless one, considering I had quite a few qualms with the original design. For me, those issues distracted from the impressive and unique looks of the Magna and ultimately made it a less enjoyable pen to use.

But Venvstas didn't leave it at that! Instead, they showed a very strong comeback with their latest version of the Magna: the Venvstas Magna CC. Here's the TL;DR, Venvstas improved on all the pet peeves I had with the original Magna fountain pen, and I really like the end result this time!

The original Venvstas Magna -a piston-filled pen- managed to impress me with its brutalist, minimal design made entirely from matte brushed linear carbon fiber, with matte stainless steel accents. I did, however, have some issues with the construction: an open barrel allowing the piston plunger to be depressed accidentally, and a barrel closure that didn't actually hold the barrel closed very well.

The new CC version takes over the design of the original down to the absolute smallest detail, with no visual cues to distinguish between the two versions. At least not on the outside...

The barrel closure is now much more robust

Remove the barrel, and you'll find that Venvstas exchanged the closure mechanism on the barrel for a clutch similar to the one used in the cap (which is much more robust), making the overall construction more secure and rattle-free. Especially when opening and closing the cap, the barrel is held on tight so it stays nicely in place. The updated closure also keeps the barrel and section aligned perfectly, which was another pet peeve I had with the piston-filled version.

But the main difference, as indicated in the name, is the switch from piston-filler to a simpler cartridge/converter system. Where the exposed piston plunger left opportunity for an inky mess with an accidental press (Ha! That rhymes!), the converter in the new version is now fully enclosed by a fixed black cylindrical finial that protrudes from the barrel. The cap can still post just like before, as the overall shape of the barrel did not change at all. The Magna CC uses a standard international converter, and so you can also switch between regular ink cartridges if you like.

Yeah sure, on paper the switch to a standard cartridge-converter system may sound like a step backward, but believe me when I say that for this pen it makes perfect sense. The only thing you lose is ink capacity, going from the generous 2mL to whatever a standard cartridge or converter can hold (which is roughly 0.8 mL), but that's a trade-off I'll gladly make in return for peace of mind. And let's be honest, c/c pens are actually quite convenient to use unless you really write a lot!

L to R: Pelikan M805, Ensso Piuma, Leonardo Furore, Venvstas Magna CC, Lamy Dialog 3, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Magna CC takes on all dimensions from the piston-filled version: 15.5 cm (6.1") long capped, 14.6 cm (5.74") uncapped, and a comfortable diameter of 12 mm (0.47") across the entire length of the pen. One thing that did change: the Magna CC put on some weight (from 24g to 30g).

The increase in weight makes for a pen that feels a bit more substantial and solid in the hand, more in line with what you'd expect to feel from a pen this size. The weight of the Magna is nicely balanced around the core of the pen, as most of the internals inside the section are stainless steel. The added heft, combined with the more robust barrel-section joint and lack of rattling, add to the solid feeling of the Magna CC. I also found that the overall fit and finish has become a bit more precise.

I like how the very minimal logo engraving is slightly hidden underneath the 'semi-hooded' part of the nib!

The Venvstas Magna comes equipped with a titanium nib as standard (a gold nib upgrade is also available). While the medium nib from before was a splendid writer, I wanted to try something finer this time. The fine nib came properly set up out of the box and runs true to size, if not slightly on the wider side. Ink flow is generous though not excessive. The F has a noticeable amount of pencil-like feedback, something the medium didn't have -though of course, that makes sense on a finer nib.

Some ink on the hooded part of the nib is not uncommon due to the design of the cap mechanism.

This particular nib feels quite firm for a titanium one, although that's not uncommon. There always seems to be a rather wide variation in springiness among titanium nibs.

Made-in-house nib? Well this is certainly not a standard-issue Bock feed!

As far as I know, Venvstas claimed their nibs are made in-house (in any case, the feed is not a standard Bock type). If so, they sure do know how to make a good nib, my writing experience with the Magna has been excellent in both instances.

If you recall the bottom line on my original review of the Venvstas Magna, I was hopeful. The Magna fell prey to what can best be described as a bit too much 'over-designing', choosing form over function. But there were clear opportunities for improvement to bring the Magna up to the standard I'd expect from a pen in this price range. I also promised that I'd change my opinion if they came through on an improved design... and they did! Needless to say, I'm beyond impressed that they carried out the improvements and changes I had in mind (and executed them flawlessly!), making the Venvstas Magna CC a pen I can 100% fully stand behind.

The Venvstas Magna CC comes in at 239€/ 230$ without VAT (from our site sponsor Appelboom), conveniently also 10€ cheaper than the piston version. Between the two models, my choice for the Magna CC is clear. But if you're really willing to make some sacrifices in terms of usability and function to get the most 'purist' design object out of the Magna (the way the designer intended it), I suppose the piston-filled version would be the option for you.

Note: This product was sent by Venvstas, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.

I've been lucky enough to be able to follow Ben Walsh quite closely on his journey to get the Gravitas brand off the ground. Chatting and exchanging ideas with him on the regular got me a glimpse of the creative mind behind the brand. Ever since starting Gravitas in 2020, one of Ben's goals was to create a more affordable fountain pen to stand alongside the self-titled'Gravitas' fountain pen (reviewed HERE) that started the brand. A more accessible option into the Gravitas brand (and an entry point into fountain pens, in general), while still being able to live up to the highest quality standards.

The Gravitas 'Entry'fountain pen is all those things - but it would be a mistake to call it an entry-level pen! Because that, it most certainly is not! Instead, the Entry manages to offer an incredible bang for the buck, a design that's easy on the eyes, and a lot of thoughtful design details I've come to expect from Ben's creations.

In the looks department, the sleek and nimble Entry is quite a departure from the chunky, ultra-minimal, torpedo-shaped Gravitas FP. The looks of the Entry are a bit more easily digestible, and perhaps even more traditional, which will undoubtedly make it appeal to a wider audience. It has a flat top design with rather sharp pointed finials on both ends (not that you could cut yourself on it, but they sure are pointy!). The cap has a slightly bulbous shape and is relatively short in comparison to the long and gently tapered barrel. The elegant, streamlined shape gives it somewhat of a brush pen vibe.

As for now, the Entry is available in a myriad of anodized colors on an aluminum basis. I chose the Olive grey colorway, which is a beautiful dark and muted green. If you want a bit more pop, look into the Gravitas signature 'Skittle' rainbow finish. The pen is bead blasted before being sent off to the anodizer, which creates a very smooth and satiny finish that I find very pleasant to the touch.

L to R: Karas Pen Co Ink, Namisu Nova, Ensso Piuma, Gravitas Gravitas FP, Gravitas Entry, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Entry appears smaller but isn't. With a closed length of 14.5 cm (5.71"), it isn't all that much shorter than the oversized Gravitas FP. Uncapped, the Entry retains most of its length (13.8 cm/ 5.43"). Especially the narrower section (down to 9.8 mm/ 0.39" at the thinnest part of the taper) may trick you into thinking you're holding a much smaller pen. So if you prefer slightly thinner pens, the Entry has a high chance of appealing to you. At 31 grams, the Entry strikes a good balance between being nimble, yet offering just enough heft to let you know you're holding a solid metal pen.

The smooth and streamlined transition from section to barrel offers a comfortable grip

The skinny tapered barrel of the Entry doesn't allow for the cap to be posted. But a pen this size doesn't really need to be posted anyway if you ask me. The Entry scores very high marks in the comfort department, with its long and gently tapered shape, a long section that transitions smoothly into a set of shallow and non-sharp threads. There's also no step that could interfere with your grip.

The stainless steel section deserves some attention here, as it really ties the entire pen together. The black-PVD coating provides a sleek look that pairs well with this anodized 'Grey Olive' colorway. If you're not a fan of metal sections, don't write the Entry off just yet! The section shape is similar to that of the Gravitas FP, but of course narrower. It has a nice gentle taper towards the nib, before flaring out again to catch your grip.

Talking about grip, this metal section is far from slippery! If you look closer, you'll notice the machined line pattern that runs around the entire length of the section. The pattern is very fine and not aggressive on your fingers, yet does an excellent job providing grip. The more dense stainless steel section, in combination with the aluminum barrel, shifts the center of gravity towards the grip section, creating a pen that feels lightweight and balanced in the hand.

The original Gravitas FP prototype I reviewed a year ago, came with a steel Bock nib. But in the meantime, Ben switched entirely to JoWo nibs. Since many similar brands (such as Ensso or Namisu) stick to Bock, it's nice to see Gravitas provide some diversity on the market. Along with every pen, a small handwritten test paper is included, implying that every pen passes through a final QC before being shipped out. And indeed, I have only positive things to say about the writing experience!

The medium steel nib on this particular pen wrote beautifully smooth and hassle-free out of the box. Even though in my experience, JoWo tends to offer rather consistent, properly set-up nibs, I still appreciate that Ben takes the time to check each one individually just to be sure.

As mentioned at the beginning of this post, the Gravitas Entry comes in at a fairly accessible price point of 60€. For that money, you receive a sleek, solid metal pen with a stainless steel PVD-coated section, topped off by a hand-tested JoWo nib. Despite being a full-sized pen, its noticeably slimmer and more streamlined profile will undoubtedly appeal to those that find the Gravitas FP just too big.

On the flipside, the rather slim profile of the Entry could also put some people off (it certainly took me some time to get used to!), though Ben also thought of that and designed the 'Gravitas Sentry': a slightly larger version of the Entry pen for those who prefer a more beefy pen, but with the same design cues as the Entry.

This product was sent to me by Gravitas so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affilate links.

REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER ZIPPERED 10 SLOTS PEN CASE & A5 NOTEBOOK HOLDER

REVIEW: TIBALDI BONONIA FOUNTAIN PEN

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: PARKER IM MONOCHROMATIC GIVEAWAY

RE-REVIEW: KUNISAWA FIND NOTEBOOKS

REVIEW: ENSSO ITALIA TITANIUM FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: VISCONTI HOMO SAPIENS LAVA COLOR FOUNTAIN PEN

RE-REVIEW: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE (2020) FOUNTAIN PEN

QUICK LOOK: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE PURA FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: LEONARDO MOMENTO ZERO GRANDE #8 NIB FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: TACCIA POLAR LIGHTS FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER ZIPPERED 3 & 10 PEN CASES

PAPER REVIEW: PONT NEUF NOTEBOOKS

REVIEW: LEONARDO TREDICI FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: LAMY SAFARI SAVANNAH & TERRACOTTA SPECIAL EDITIONS (2021)

REVIEW: PENLUX MASTERPIECE GRANDE KOI FOUNTAIN PEN

PAPER REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER TOMOE RIVER NOTEBOOK

REVIEW: OPUS 88 JAZZ DEMONSTRATOR FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: SAILOR PRO GEAR SLIM MINI FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: VENVSTAS MAGNA C/C FOUNTAIN PEN

REVIEW: GRAVITAS ENTRY FOUNTAIN PEN