Nemosine Singularity/fission: What's The Catch?

[KBeezie]

Closer view from Pens N More's listing (seems you can buy 50$ direct from Nemosine, or around 25-27 from others).

[TSherbs]

Thanks

[KBeezie]

Though I'm curious, Nemosine isn't a chinese company, they're in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (they have the pen made in Taiwan, and Nib made in Germany, but still an American company).

[Bookman]

Though I'm curious, Nemosine isn't a chinese company, they're in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (they have the pen made in Taiwan, and Nib made in Germany, but still an American company).

 

The nib-holder is Chinese, the nib German, the seller who carries the ball in from the 99.9 yard-line is American. Sounds like "Miscellaneous (Other) Brands."

[KBeezie]

 

The nib-holder is Chinese, the nib German, the seller who carries the ball in from the 99.9 yard-line is American. Sounds like "Miscellaneous (Other) Brands."

 

Yea they're an American company, just using foreign parts (which is sounding like most American companies now days, Monteverde for example is American, but they use "European Source" for their materials).

 

By the way, my Singularity is still in use, no new cracks that I can see, and it currently uses a Goulet 1.5mm Stub Nib which works wonderfully, good flow and smooth (and yes using the same feed it came with). Currently have it inked up with R&K Salix (iron gall) which is dry, but it writes pretty wet and dries pretty fast for a wide nib.

 

Write sample of that below, so it's still survivin' for a $15 pen (with a $15 nib), it's basically my stub-pen.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/paper/mead5star/blues_may13.jpg

Edited May 14, 2014 by KBeezie

[Bookman]

I like both of mine, a clear and a red. I normally use them as eyedroppers. I like the .06mm stub. It's smooth with a decent flow. But I've never liked the F much. I'm ordering a #6 EF from Goulet Pens.

[KBeezie]

I like both of mine, a clear and a red. I normally use them as eyedroppers. I like the .06mm stub. It's smooth with a decent flow. But I've never liked the F much. I'm ordering a #6 EF from Goulet Pens.

 

I like my EF (it's the last write sample in the image above, Goulet 2-tone EF), it's a smoother than I expected a wester extra fine to be.

[Maccabeus]

What is the Fission grip section made of?

If you're still wondering after 2 months, kbeezie is correct; the section, barrel, & cap are all metal. It's a hefty pen.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Maccabeus

[Scootz]

One Singularity in regular use, and another on the way with an assortment of nibs. I find it an attractive clear demonstrator and a decent writer, at a decent price. Hopefully the italic nibs will add a little flair vs. to the serviceable but bland Fine. No catches so far.

[bfg]

I just got a fission in gunmetal. Really nice pen for the price. No one has mentioned that the nibs screw out, so they are interchangeable. It's really nice to see the growth going on in the low price category - Monteverde, Noodlers etc.

[GHigley]

Ran across the Singularity on Amazon being sold as the Nemosine Limited from Paramount Goods LLC - the same corp. as xfountainpens.com. The difference in product name is odd as is the use of the name of the parent company. The Nemosine line appears to be their creation.

 

I've a Singularity with medium nib that I bought sometime back (gift for my elderly mother - it was rejected) that I like OK. It's a very lightweight and moderately attractive pen that writes well enough but seemed cheaply made in comparison to the less inexpensive Chinese pens that I was buying at the time. After reading this thread I will ink it up and give it a go as a daily carry for a while and reacquaint myself. I like the looks of the demonstrator version, the option of ED conversion and especially the availability of fine italic nibs and #6 nib swapping. So at the price it's hard to imagine that one can go too wrong with these. Who knows, they may become one of my favorite "cheap and cheerful" pens.

Edited October 12, 2014 by GHigley

[Behike54]

Was recommended to me as the best and cheapest way to enter into the B/ST ring.

 

INCOMING.

[GHigley]

After a few days of use I'm liking the Singularity far more than I recalled. I increased ink flow (with a few nib "bench presses" - see Stephen Brown's YT video "Making a Nib Wetter in Seconds") and it's a lovely wet writer. The out of the box smooth medium nib has just a touch of feedback which is perfect for me.

 

I've ordered a demonstrator with .6mm and .8mm "calligraphy" nibs. My other italic nibs are in the 1.1 - 1.5mm range which are a bit broad for me, so it will be interesting to see how these compare. I think it's fantastic that xfountainpens is offering italic nibs in such an inexpensive pen with free shipping - and in finer than usual widths to boot?! If these nibs are anything like the medium, I expect to love them. More as it comes...

Edited October 16, 2014 by GHigley

[KyleKatarn]

I got a Nemosine Singularity Demonstrator, M nib. Like someone has already mentioned mine too, arrived with what appears to be stress cracks in the cap. I have found that very annoying and, above all, it raises several questions about the plastic quality and durability.

 

This pen does write very well with the original M nib — I inked her up with Diamine dark green. But overall, there's something about her that I don't like. I guess I will use it for a couple more weeks, to see if it grows on me, otherwise I might just give her away.

 

Quality wise, I think you get much more from a Jinhao pen, which is also much cheaper.

[79spitfire]

No catch, my wife bought me one for my birthday. Excellent writing, just slightly blingy, cartridge type fountain pen. Great daily user.

 

Write, be happy.

[Behike54]

Taiwanese body

 

While it's not a "catch," per se, I think body by Taiwan really means "assembled in China." It's not necessarily a BAD thing, but you aren't going to get Japanese QC, but that has been established already.

[GHigley]

After a week and half with the Singularity Demonstrator/0.6 mm nib, I love this pen even more than before. My Ivory colored one does show very tiny cap edge cracks, but these are only visible under magnification. I never would have known they existed without looking for them and absolutely no cap cracks at all on the new Demonstrator - so far. I have yet to try the 0.8 mm nib, but if it's anything like the medium and 0.6 mm nibs, I expect to like it. The 0.6 is great with my size handwriting and I've been enjoying it with R&K Alt-Goldgrun.

 

As to comparing this pen line to Jinhao - for me Nemosine offers greater value straight out of the box. I have far more Jinhao pens than any other brand and while they are less expensive, the quality of their nibs is nowhere near that of the Nemosine's. Metal pen bodies of the Jinhao's offer durability that the plastic barrel of the Singularity can't provide, but if that's a concern, look at the Nemosine Fission or Neutrino. The converters in my Nemosines are far higher quality than what came in my Jinhao's. That's a small but significant thing to me. I can and have easily swapped out Jinhao #6 nibs and made them into really nice writers, but that requires additonal expense. My experience of the Nemosine nibs is such that I'll not likely put another brand of nib into their pens. Nemosine's are sold with your nib choice of EF, F, M, B, 0.6 and 0.8 italics. Getting them in a few days from PA instead of several weeks for Jinhao's from China is worth something to me too. $15 with fast free shipping from xfountainpens.com - I find that to be an amazing value. I see more Nemosine pens in my future.

Edited October 27, 2014 by GHigley

[Sailor Kenshin]

Xfountainpen converters also tend to be much higher quality than Jinhao. I bought a handful of Jinhao 599 to use as cheap ink testers and giveaways, and while the pens themselves are good enough for the ($5) price tag, the converters are junk. Hard-turning pistons. One of them's already sprung a leak.

[MyDee]

I have just purchased a Nemosine Fission with a fine nib. A fair comparison would be would be with pens of a similar price range, such as the Lamy Safari, Ranga Cruiser and Sheaffer 100 all purchased for under AU$100. It is a heavy pen, but a bit lighter than the Sheaffer 100 so I don't use it posted. Like the Sheaffer it feels solid and well made whereas the Lamy being aluminium has a more ephemeral touch to it and the Ranga feels shoddy.

 

What I really like is the nib it is a wet pen that just glides over paper, by comparison the Lamy feels a little scratchy and the Ranga is a disaster.

 

What I don't like is the screw on cap which makes intermittent use of the pen a nuisance and the metal grip which feels slippery especially if your hands get sweaty. The Lamy is far better designed ergonomically with a robust clip, and round grip with two flat surfaces much better for prolonged use.

[KBeezie]

While it's not a "catch," per se, I think body by Taiwan really means "assembled in China." It's not necessarily a BAD thing, but you aren't going to get Japanese QC, but that has been established already.

You mean Assembled in Taiwan. (ROC and PRC aren't the same thing, might upset the TWSBI Fans if you assume such).