As part of the Great Characters series, Montblanc released their homage to Albert Einstein in 2013 in the form of a limited edition pen (3000 fountain pens, 1500 rollerballs, and 1500 ballpoints) and an accompanying Albert Einstein ink. This ink is a subtle and understated gray color that is reminiscent of the slate of a chalkboard. It has a surprisingly good amount of shading and all of the properties of a well-behaved Montblanc ink. The biggest downside I could think of is the fact that it is a limited edition ink, and once it’s gone it’s gone. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle (which is the same style bottle as Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock, Winter Glow, Leonardo da Vinci, etc.) and I recommend picking one up if you like the look of this lovely gray!
The box art is actually quite nice. It depicts a sea of stars and nebulae with a few of Einstein’s equations scrawled over the top. The entire outside of the box appears to have a light metallic sheen to it.
The TWSBI Micarta Version 2 is a beautiful fountain pen constructed out of a sturdy layered material known as Micarta. This material is used in a wide variety of roles from industrial applications to knife handles. The insulating properties of Micarta gives this pen a very unique feel and look to it that I find completely enthralling. The pen comes in both clipped and non-clipped versions, of which I chose the latter. Although it is lightweight, the pen does not feel cheap or “plasticky.” Rather, the Micarta gives the pen an incredibly sturdy feel beyond that of the typical plastic/resin pen. The texture is smooth and it seems to even absorb moisture to a degree, so if you have sweaty hands you need not worry about your grip slipping at all. The cap screws off in two and a half revolutions with a fibrous sound and feel that is a bit difficult to describe, but I find it incredibly satisfying. The threads themselves have little fibers sticking out every which way when the pen is brand new, but they will wear off with use. I find this to be part of the charm of the pen– being able to see it evolve as you use it.
Detail of cap threads. Note the tiny fibers from the Micarta.
The nib is gold colored steel and is an incredibly smooth writer right out of the box. I had zero issues with start up or flow. The cap can be posted, but I find it feels a bit too long and heavy on the back-end if I do so. Version 2 of this pen has slight changes to the material as well as the updated nib and inner cap to prevent the nib from drying out. The pen uses a cartridge/converter fill system which has given me no problems. However, I have noted that some inks may cause staining to the grip section if you dip your pen to fill from an inkwell. Some people have complained about the smell of the material, but I found the scent to be rather faint and it continues to fade as I continue to use the pen. Even so, the initial smell of the Micarta was nowhere near as powerful as the initial smell of the Noodler’s Ahab when I first got it.
Included with the pen is one of TWSBI’s notebooks with a storage slot for the pen within the book itself. I will not be discussing the notebook in this review, but I have included pictures to give you an idea of how it looks below.
TWSBI Micarta with cap posted
I find this pen to be a joy to write with. The Micarta material gives this pen a very unique look and feel that I have not experienced with any other fountain pen so far. The size and weight of this pen has ensured that I can write for long periods of time with no discomfort. I adore the Micarta material so much I may consider purchasing a second one.
Unfortunately, due to poor sales and high-manufacturing costs, TWSBI discontinued this pen at the end of 2013. Any remaining stock from TWSBI is the last of them before it is gone forever. I know that I will continue to cherish mine well into the future. Highly recommended if you like unique pens!
Nib material: Steel
Cap: Screw
Filling mechanism: Cartridge/Converter
Overall Length: 136 mm
Weight: ~24 g
The Micarta
Nib
Feed and tipping
The cap impression
TWSBI logo etched into the cap
The Chinese characters from which TWSBI derives its name.
The included notebook
Lovely logo impression on the notebook
Pen storage cut out of the pages within the notebook.
Private Reserve Avacado is one of the first green inks that I saw come highly recommended by the fountain pen community. The ink is a rich, leafy green that feels really organic and alive. It reminds me of a bowl of fresh spinach, or perhaps the leaves of a shaded maple tree at the peak of summer. Of course the actual name of the ink does bring to mind the deep green, bumpy textured skin of the avocado, but unlike the fruit skin, this ink is incredibly smooth. The ink is not dry, but it’s not quite wet either. It goes down onto the paper with ease and I had no issues with skipping. Although the ink does not have any distinctive sheen, when pooled it does exhibit a bit of a gloss. Shading is good, depending on your nib, but overall it can stretch from a vibrant green to a deep green-black.
Unfortunately, this ink does not hold up to water very well and was completely obliterated by my water drop test. I was actually kind of surprised. Dry times are very good and in most cases it will be dry to the touch in 10 seconds. Overall, I love the color of this ink. It is much more unique than I had imagined from other reviews I have seen online, and truly deserving of its popularity. Highly recommended!
Special thanks to The Goulet Pen Company for sending me this bottle of Private Reserve Avacado! Although this ink was provided at no cost, this review contains my 100% honest and unfettered opinion.
Noodler’s Liberty’s Elysium is a deep, rich blue ink that was made by Noodler’s in conjunction with The Goulet Pen Company. It is also exclusively sold at Goulet Pens. As with many Noodler’s inks, there is a bit of history behind the label and the name of the ink. I highly recommend watching Brian Goulet’s video to get a better idea of their thought process in the creation of this ink. This ink is relatively well behaved and I noticed a few interesting things. Although the ink goes down on the paper wet, the dry times are quite fast. In finer nibbed pens, the dry times seem almost instantaneous, and even when the ink pools the dry times are still quite reasonable. I haven’t had any issues with feathering, but I have noticed some very minor bleeding on Rhodia paper with wetter pens. However, I don’t think it would be an issue for most daily writing. After allowing the ink to sit in one of my pens for an extended period of time, I found that the ink can be very difficult to clean out of a pen once it has dried out. I highly recommend cleaning the pen out quickly if you empty it out. Although I personally prefer to use fine nibs, I think the real beauty of this ink isn’t fully realized unless you are writing with a broader line.
The label depicts renowned figures in American history.
This ink is also semi-bulletproof and, although the color fades a bit, remains easily legible when exposed to water. There is a moderate amount of shading, and the ink can get to a very dark blue, but not quite black. There is no sheen that I have noticed, and I think this is due to how readily it is absorbed into the paper. Overall, I do like this ink. I think it could be a great choice of blue if you’re looking for some semi-permanent properties in a nice, rich, blue package.
Special thanks to The Goulet Pen Company for sending me this bottle of Noodler’s Liberty’s Elysium! Although this ink was provided at no cost, this review contains my 100% honest and unfettered opinion.
I suppose the argument could be made for some kind of confirmation bias, but I think this ink is very aptly named. Diamine Red Dragon is a bold red with a sort of aged, muted quality to it. I envisage beautiful, detailed illustrations of some fantastical dragon in an old, leather-bound book. The cover is worn and the pages are foxing, yet the images retain an almost magical realism to them– like a moment captured from a world long relinquished to fairy tale and myth.
Red Dragon is a relatively well-behaved ink with some barely visible feathering when flexed on Rhodia paper. No bleeding with normal writing, even on the copy paper I did a quick test on. The shading is on the subtle side, but becomes quite noticeable in brighter light. I never had any flow issues with the ink, and it cleaned out of my pens just fine. To me, this ink has a somewhat similar feel to its brother, Diamine Oxblood, but with far less brown mixed in. Overall, Diamine Red Dragon is a really nice red that would be well suited for anything from drawing to personal writing!
Sailor Kobe inks are exclusive to the Nagasawa shops and pay tribute to the many faces of Kobe, Japan. Sannomiya Panse shows off the beautiful color of the blooming grasses and flowers along the main street of Sannomiya and hails the arrival of spring.
This is a very bold and vibrant purple ink that has the usual characteristics of Sailor inks. That is to say, it is a deliciously viscous ink with great flow and decent dry times. I found no bleeding or feathering on Rhodia paper unless it is pushed really hard with flex or if the ink is allowed to pool in some cases. The shading is moderate to excellent, depending on the pen. It goes from a very very dark purple to a light, soft purple with a tinge of pink to it. My favorite thing about this ink is how it looks great in broader nibs and finer nibs. It’s really a beautiful ink and the subtleties of the color are a bit lost on a digital screen. I’ll let the pictures do the talking! Another amazing ink from Sailor, and I highly recommend it!
Even after all of the pens I’ve acquired, I still find myself drawn to affordable pens that give great performances. I had heard many good things about the Sheaffer 100, and a sale at my local pen shop finally convinced me to pick it up.
The pen comes in a variety of colors, including versions featuring design patterns printed on the barrel. You can also get the pen in either gloss finish or matte finish, depending on your tastes. While the matte finish really appeals to me, I decided to go with the classic, glossy black & gold version of this pen. I was not disappointed. The pen is striking and has an air of class to it that I think is lost on a lot of other pens in its price range. The construction is solid. There are no loose or wobbly parts that I could find. The cap eases onto the body with a soft, satisfying click. Even though the barrel is made of stainless steel, the pen does not feel too heavy. The grip section on the black & gold version is a polished gold, but I did not have any problems with my fingers slipping. It performs its duties as a grip section just fine. My only complaint is that it obviously attracts fingerprints like a glass mirror, but that is to be expected. Included with this pen is Sheaffer’s converter. It holds a decent amount of ink and works reasonably well. The only potential issue I could see is that it slips out of the pen rather easily, so just be careful that you don’t accidentally pull the converter out of the pen while you’re filling from the bottle or trying to flood the feed with a bit of ink.
One of the shining features of this pen is, of course, the nib. The nib is very wet and very smooth. Flow is excellent and can keep up with fast writing very nicely. Considering the cost of the pen, I think the nib is spectacular. The only other feature that might outshine the nib, in my opinion, is the weight and balance of the pen. I love my resin pens, and I have to admit that switching between metal barreled pens and lighter weight resin pens after long periods of time can feel awkward and ungainly. However, there is something about the heft and balance of this pen that really appeals to me. Un-posted, the pen feels extremely comfortable in my hand. The balance feels almost perfect, to me. Since the cap is also made of metal, posting the pen makes it feel a bit too back heavy for my taste, but the cap posts quite deeply so it isn’t as bad as some other metal pens I’ve used. One thing I did notice is that the clip is incredibly tight and I had trouble slipping it over some pockets, but your experience may vary.
Overall, I am really pleased with this pen. It is well constructed, writes wonderfully, and is very affordable. The durability and price could make this a great every-day-carry pen for anyone’s arsenal. Definitely recommended!
J. Herbin Poussière de Lune is a wonderful dusty purple ink, even after its reformulation. The name means, “dust of the moon,” and I think it suits the color quite nicely. A while back, J. Herbin changed the formula of a number of their inks. Among these was Poussière de Lune. Unfortunately, the reformulation also noticeably changed the color of the ink from a light, dusty, and melancholy purple to something a little bolder and deeper. Some where rather disappointed in this change, but regardless, the ink remains a lovely purple hue. The ink has a bit of shading and can actually get pretty deep in color. Water resistance is poor, but writing can remain slightly visible after exposure. Considering the level of saturation in this ink, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily it cleaned out of my pens. This was actually my first dusty purple ink, but it was the whole reason I became interested in purple inks of this shade. Though it may not find its way into my pens as often as it once did, I still really enjoy this ink. As one of my favorite inks from J. Herbin, I definitely recommend it!
Montblanc Leonardo Red Chalk is a limited edition ink that pays homage to one of the most renowned figures of the Italian Renaissance. Some of his famous drawings were done in what appears to be a dusty red chalk and this ink is a nod to that. The color is a lovely, dusty red with hints of brown. There are many subtle qualities to the color of this ink that really appeal to me. I am a big fan of earth-tone colors, but I often find them muddy and unfulfilling as fountain pen inks. I think Montblanc have done a great job at keeping this ink from becoming dull and flat, but instead have created a color that is unassuming, yet possesses some of the timeless qualities of da Vinci’s original drawings.
At first, I was rather unmoved by the ink, but the more time I spent with it, the more I began to appreciate it. The ink is not waterproof in the slightest and becomes illegible when exposed to water. The shading can be quite nice in the right pen. Dry times are average, and I did experience quite a bit of railroading when flexing, but this may not be indicative of any flow issues as I had none in my non-flex pens.
It’s a lovely dusty reddish brown that I recommend picking up while you still can!
The HighAce Neo is a low-priced, entry-level fountain pen offered by Sailor. In many places, it can be purchased for under $20 (USD) and comes in black, red, green, or blue barrels. The section and cap are always the same color. My first impression was that this pen feels very off balance. The cap is made of a lightweight metal, but the barrel of the pen is made of a super light, cheap plastic. It took me some getting used to, but writing with such a light pen soon became rather effortless and I finally began to appreciate the qualities of the pen that stood out to me.
One of the best parts of this pen, for me, is the nib. I am a big fan of Sailor pens and I am glad to see that even their low-priced, entry-level pens are really smooth writers right out of the box. The steel nib is very plain, but its cheap appearance belies the writing experience it can provide. There is little to no flex with this nib as it was not designed for flex writing. The nib itself is clean with only the brand, the nib number, and size.
One feature I liked was that the cap can snap on to both the front and back ends of the pen alike so you can be sure it is securely attached. When posted, the pen becomes heavily off-balance due to the cap being made of metal. I found the weight difference to be perturbing enough to disrupt my writing experience. The pen is comfortable enough to write with sans posted cap. The barrel of the pen looks really narrow, but surprisingly the pen is still quite comfortable to hold. The grip section is made of smooth plastic as opposed to the rest of the body which has some texture to it, but I had no issues with slipping or losing my grip. Personally, I prefer pens with a larger barrel diameter so extended periods of writing were not ideal in comfort.
That being said, the Sailor HighAce Neo is a great, affordable, entry-level fountain pen that still manages to bring a smooth writing performance. It may not be the most durable or long lasting pen in your arsenal, but for a quick pen to toss in your bag for every day writing, I think it can stand on its own.
