The Other German Pens

[jar]

My guess is it's the Ambition series. ( http://www.fabercast...tainPenM?page=3 )

 

Nice writers, but I too don't care too much for the step from the barrel to the grip section.

 

It gives the pen clean, aesthetically pleasing lines, but having the "correct" (whatever that may be) grip drilled into me as a school kid, the step between the two annoys the middle finger of the right hand that supports the pen.

 

Other users may not be bothered by this, it's all a function of how the user holds the pen.

Sort of redesigning the pen, there is little that Faber-Castell can do about this and I'm just too hold to change the way I hold pens...

 

Pity, I'd love to love that pen....

 

You understand that the barrel is the grip section on that pen, the silver section is not meant to be gripped at all when writing.

[Mags]

I have one of the entry level pens with a wood barrel and it is my least favorite pen.

 

Which model is it, what don't you like about it and have you contacted Faber Castell to see if they can help?

 

 

Which model is a good question, I cant answer. What i dislike is the barrel shape...rigid steel nib and taper of the area before the nib which rubs my writers bump. I just made a mistake not dipping and trying it before buying one. I think it is an entry level pen as I may have paid about 100 dollars I cant recall. The matching pencil is nice and I like it.

 

If it has a steel nib and is still in production, it's probably one of the following:

 

http://www.fabercastell.com/design/products/categories/ambition

http://www.fabercastell.com/design/products/categories/e-motion

http://www.fabercastell.com/design/products/categories/ondoro

 

 

That was helpful it is the e-motion and the pencil weirdly I can use but that fountain pen collects dust in my collection. Thanks for posting the three links that was helpful.

[Pfhorrest]

Wonderful pictures!! Thanks for reviewing three marvelous but often overlooked pens.

[beluga]

My guess is it's the Ambition series. ( http://www.fabercast...tainPenM?page=3 )

 

Nice writers, but I too don't care too much for the step from the barrel to the grip section.

 

It gives the pen clean, aesthetically pleasing lines, but having the "correct" (whatever that may be) grip drilled into me as a school kid, the step between the two annoys the middle finger of the right hand that supports the pen.

 

Other users may not be bothered by this, it's all a function of how the user holds the pen.

Sort of redesigning the pen, there is little that Faber-Castell can do about this and I'm just too hold to change the way I hold pens...

 

Pity, I'd love to love that pen....

 

You understand that the barrel is the grip section on that pen, the silver section is not meant to be gripped at all when writing.

 

 

Let me explain my dilemma with the Ambition....

 

If I hold the pen so high that the step does not come in contact with my middle finger, this will result in an unusual grip where the front section of the Ambition sticks out too far.

 

The grip that was taught in the early 60's in our primary school results in the first two centimetres of the fleshy part of the middle finger (next to the nail) supporting the pen, without extending anywhere near exposed parts of nib and ink feed. In case of the Ambition this results in my thumb and index finger holding the wooden/plastic barrel and my middle finger propping up the pen exactly where the step is (without actually touching the slimmer silver part further down).

So it's the step of the barrel that irritates me, not the lower silver part.

Mind you, this could be because my middle finger is also my longest finger.

 

Two pens that were ergonomically designed and exemplify the posture that I described are the Lamy Safari and Faber-Castell Ondoro (formerly Mondoro).

Graf von Faber Castell Guilloche and Classic are also good examples; the shape of their grip section makes it natural to hold the pen exactly the way I like, with index and middle finger holding the pen at the waist line of the grip section and my thumb resting slightly higher up.

 

YMMV, but to me the step at the lower end of the Ambition's barrel makes holding the pen less comfortable than I am used to and not suitable for extended periods of writing.

 

Which is nothing that upsets me, as I found all the other Faber-Castell extremely comfortable to hold, including the three you described.....

Edited September 23, 2012 by beluga

[jar]

My guess is it's the Ambition series. ( http://www.fabercast...tainPenM?page=3 )

 

Nice writers, but I too don't care too much for the step from the barrel to the grip section.

 

It gives the pen clean, aesthetically pleasing lines, but having the "correct" (whatever that may be) grip drilled into me as a school kid, the step between the two annoys the middle finger of the right hand that supports the pen.

 

Other users may not be bothered by this, it's all a function of how the user holds the pen.

Sort of redesigning the pen, there is little that Faber-Castell can do about this and I'm just too hold to change the way I hold pens...

 

Pity, I'd love to love that pen....

 

You understand that the barrel is the grip section on that pen, the silver section is not meant to be gripped at all when writing.

 

 

Let me explain my dilemma with the Ambition....

 

If I hold the pen so high that the step does not come in contact with my middle finger, this will result in an unusual grip where the front section of the Ambition sticks out too far.

 

The grip that was taught in the early 60's in our primary school results in the first two centimetres of the fleshy part of the middle finger (next to the nail) supporting the pen, without extending anywhere near exposed parts of nib and ink feed. In case of the Ambition this results in my thumb and index finger holding the wooden/plastic barrel and my middle finger propping up the pen exactly where the step is (without actually touching the slimmer silver part further down).

So it's the step of the barrel that irritates me, not the lower silver part.

Mind you, this could be because my middle finger is also my longest finger.

 

Two pens that were ergonomically designed and exemplify the posture that I described are the Lamy Safari and Faber-Castell Ondoro (formerly Mondoro).

Graf von Faber Castell Guilloche and Classic are also good examples; the shape of their grip section makes it natural to hold the pen exactly the way I like, with index and middle finger holding the pen at the waist line of the grip section and my thumb resting slightly higher up.

 

YMMV, but to me the step at the lower end of the Ambition's barrel makes holding the pen less comfortable than I am used to and not suitable for extended periods of writing.

 

Which is nothing that upsets me, as I found all the other Faber-Castell extremely comfortable to hold, including the three you described.....

 

This is not the ambition but rather a Franklin Christoph that also uses the internal section design and shows how I hold such pens. It rest on the middle finger just above the nail and my thumb and index finger just barely touch the pen to stop rotation.

 

http://www.fototime.com/EBBE1AB39289EE1/medium800.jpg

 

Is that similar to how you hold the Ambition?

[beluga]

My guess is it's the Ambition series. ( http://www.fabercast...tainPenM?page=3 )

 

Nice writers, but I too don't care too much for the step from the barrel to the grip section.

 

It gives the pen clean, aesthetically pleasing lines, but having the "correct" (whatever that may be) grip drilled into me as a school kid, the step between the two annoys the middle finger of the right hand that supports the pen.

 

Other users may not be bothered by this, it's all a function of how the user holds the pen.

Sort of redesigning the pen, there is little that Faber-Castell can do about this and I'm just too hold to change the way I hold pens...

 

Pity, I'd love to love that pen....

 

You understand that the barrel is the grip section on that pen, the silver section is not meant to be gripped at all when writing.

 

 

Let me explain my dilemma with the Ambition....

 

If I hold the pen so high that the step does not come in contact with my middle finger, this will result in an unusual grip where the front section of the Ambition sticks out too far.

 

The grip that was taught in the early 60's in our primary school results in the first two centimetres of the fleshy part of the middle finger (next to the nail) supporting the pen, without extending anywhere near exposed parts of nib and ink feed. In case of the Ambition this results in my thumb and index finger holding the wooden/plastic barrel and my middle finger propping up the pen exactly where the step is (without actually touching the slimmer silver part further down).

So it's the step of the barrel that irritates me, not the lower silver part.

Mind you, this could be because my middle finger is also my longest finger.

 

Two pens that were ergonomically designed and exemplify the posture that I described are the Lamy Safari and Faber-Castell Ondoro (formerly Mondoro).

Graf von Faber Castell Guilloche and Classic are also good examples; the shape of their grip section makes it natural to hold the pen exactly the way I like, with index and middle finger holding the pen at the waist line of the grip section and my thumb resting slightly higher up.

 

YMMV, but to me the step at the lower end of the Ambition's barrel makes holding the pen less comfortable than I am used to and not suitable for extended periods of writing.

 

Which is nothing that upsets me, as I found all the other Faber-Castell extremely comfortable to hold, including the three you described.....

 

This is not the ambition but rather a Franklin Christoph that also uses the internal section design and shows how I hold such pens. It rest on the middle finger just above the nail and my thumb and index finger just barely touch the pen to stop rotation.

 

http://www.fototime.com/EBBE1AB39289EE1/medium800.jpg

 

Is that similar to how you hold the Ambition?

 

 

Yep, pretty much so, slightly lower maybe - but not much.

 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

 

Beluga

[Gerd W]

Some years ago I purchased a Classic Pernambuco as a birthday gift for a friend. Of course I did some "tests" (without inking...) before I gave it to him. A very nice and sturdy pen with almost independent design, IMHO. Like it much!

[ChrisTK]

congrats for this collection. they really beautiful and it seems they write well too

[jar]

congrats for this collection. they really beautiful and it seems they write well too

 

I have a bunch of nice pens and so almost NEVER refill a pen. I'll use one I love until it's empty but then flush it, put it up and put another one into rotation.

 

There's one exception though and that's the terracotta Intuition. It gets empty and I flush it out and start to put it away and then somehow find it is full again.

 

It's just that nice to write with.

 

http://www.fototime.com/F69F50F248ED7E3/medium800.jpg

[Silvermink]

I really like the Graf Intuition and might end up with one one of these days. I wonder if they'll ever make a Graf version of the Ondoro...

[da vinci]

I have a GvFC Intuition in terracotta also, but with a M nib.

 

It is one of pendom's secrets, a nice size, excellent quality and a fantastic nib. I am certainly interested in looking at other pens from the GvFC range particularly if they make one in sterling silver.

[jar]

I have a GvFC Intuition in terracotta also, but with a M nib.

 

It is one of pendom's secrets, a nice size, excellent quality and a fantastic nib. I am certainly interested in looking at other pens from the GvFC range particularly if they make one in sterling silver.

 

The Classic is available in Sterling silver and compared to many Sterling silver pens is quite a bargain.

[humsin]

Hey Jar I ended up switching to the bicolour nib.

[Truman]

Cripes.....now I have another pen to add to my wish list! Love the black Classic.

[jar]

Cripes.....now I have another pen to add to my wish list! Love the black Classic.

 

In the Classic there are two kinda black models, the Genadilla as discussed above is a really deep dark brown and the Ebony that I'd call black. It's hard to tell the difference unless you have the two side by side.

[51ISH]

congrats for this collection. they really beautiful and it seems they write well too

 

I have a bunch of nice pens and so almost NEVER refill a pen. I'll use one I love until it's empty but then flush it, put it up and put another one into rotation.

 

There's one exception though and that's the terracotta Intuition. It gets empty and I flush it out and start to put it away and then somehow find it is full again.

 

It's just that nice to write with.

 

http://www.fototime.com/F69F50F248ED7E3/medium800.jpg

 

I'm not surprised jar that is a beautiful pen, and was the one that caught my eye of the trio.

 

Thank you for sharing.

[hsianloon]

Looks at old FC Pearwood Ambition....checks bank balance...

 

What a lovely collection mate.....in love with the Intuition..300sterling pounds on writing desk...

[humblescribbler]

jar you are always full of surprises! Nice trio, quite gorgeous. Here is my recently acquired Elemento (olive wood) and it still goes into my bag everyday. Lots of refills, currently with MB's Royal Blue. I posted FPN about it in April. The tapering feels exquisite in my hands. I want another, but these will be VERY slow to accumulate!!

 

 

 

[jar]

jar you are always full of surprises! Nice trio, quite gorgeous. Here is my recently acquired Elemento (olive wood) and it still goes into my bag everyday. Lots of refills, currently with MB's Royal Blue. I posted FPN about it in April. The tapering feels exquisite in my hands. I want another, but these will be VERY slow to accumulate!!

 

 

 

 

That's a beauty. I think the GvFC pens are certainly among the better values out there these days.

[stevesurf]

Wonderful pictures and review, Jar. Forgive the simple question, are these piston, cartridge or converter fills? Do all models post with that "click?" I see you mention the Classic is available in Sterling Silver; is it stamped with the customary AG 925 silver identification?

 

Thanks so much in advance for the answers!