Sensa Meridian

[pvdiamon]

This was my first fountain pen, after loving the feel of their ballpoint pens. It writes well, quite smooth for a Fine point. What surprises me is why there is so little ever written about this pen. It is fat, and the cap tends to fall off, although I'm told the Europeans write without the cap on the back anyway. Is there something about this pen that makes it so relatively unpopular?

[Arnav]

Hi, pvdiamon. About half a year ago I visited a pen shop and asked to see a Meridian. I was told that customers didn't like them because of the weight, so the store no longer stocked them. I'm still curious to try one out.

 

How heavy is the Meridian? Do you find it comfortable to write with?

[pvdiamon]

Hi, I think it writes great. It never skips and starts easily when not used for a few days. I don't like real fat pens, but that Sensa grip makes that less of an issue as it squeezes in nicely. The weight is a little heavy, which I don't find is a problem for writing, but I don't like the way it feels in my shirt pocket.

 

It was my first modern fountain pen (since the cheap Sheaffers I used in grade school 40 years ago!), and it has a steel nib. I thought that meant there was something inferior about it, but now I don't think that is true.

 

John

Edited August 18, 2005 by pvdiamon

[Scottish007]

I am so glad to see a post on the Sensa Meridian. I love this pen!!!! In fact, I have three of them (black, gold, and silver just purchased on eBay for $39).

 

For a fine, it is exceptionally smooth, and the rubber grip some how makes my writing even more stylish than a regular FP. I just can't say enough good things about them. As for the weight, it is just perfect for me. I love writing with long, or heavy pens (big hands don't cha know) and the Sensa is perfect. I never post, but that is just a personal preference.

 

I would go so far as to say that this is a perfect introduction to the world of fountain pens. And the price is just astounding!

[pvdiamon]

The Sensa Meridian weighs 1.4 oz, compared to 1.0 oz for a Namiki VP or my Aurora Ipsilon Deluxe. It really weighs a shirt pocket down, but it is an excellent writer.

 

Fahrneyspens.com has weights of the pens they sell.

 

John

[Sonnet]

I just purchased a champagne gold Sensa Meridian (on sale, whoo hoo!) and really like it so far. I hope to post a review soon now that we have a digital camera. I don't like writing with it unposted; it feels too short then.

[Slush99]

I wish I had one...

[Larry T]

I bought a black one on ebay for $35 and I am always amazed at how well it writes. I took it out of the pen case Sunday to clean it since it hadn't been used in months, but it started as soon as it touched paper, so I put it back into my daily rotation. Very underrated pen in my opinion.

 

Larry

[RichardS]

Totally agree. The nib is first class, always starts easily even after weeks of non-use and flows beautifully. I keep mine in my briefcase as my backstop pen. Never let me down yet.

[amh210]

I've had mine for about a week and love it. It is kind of heavy but it is the smoothest writing pen I own! Even my colleagues who joke about my silly hobby think it looks cool (as does my 15.85 yr old son).

 

One of the things I like about it is that you screw on the cap to post the pen. Makes it look very formal and complete as if it were designed for that purpose. Maybe it was.

 

I have the champagne gold color and have filled it with pelikan brown ink. It is just splendid!

 

Writing with this pen is like olympic skating on ice. Smooth and slick, but under full control.

 

I understand that Sensa is not making them any more so I'm thinking about picking up some spares for posterity (or future use). It's a really great pen!

 

Andy Hoffman

Sandy Ego, CA

 

[pvdiamon]

Does your Meridian "screw" on to post the cap? Mine has the annoying problem of simply being placed on, and it often falls off. Some have suggested putting tape on the end to make it a tighter fit, although I never liked that idea. I didn't know it won't be produced anymore, I was hoping they would update it and fix the few flaws (too heavy, cap falling off).

[pvdiamon]

I just found another interesting aspect to the Meridian. I always used black in it in the past. I just loaded it with Noodlers Aircorps, and the blue is much more pronounced than in any of my other pens. I am using a Fine point, although I have to admit it is a bit broad for fine, and that is partially the reason. But the blue is incredibly obvious.

[Sonnet]

My cap simply "snaps" on the end to post too. I wound up purchasing a black/gold Sensa for my aunt for Christmas and an all-silver one on sale for myself because I liked it so much. I'm amazed at how undersung it is.

[amh210]

I should clarify.

 

I didn't mean to imply that the cap screws on to the pen as if it were threaded. What I meant is that it is a very tight slide on my pen and it goes on more smoothly if I slide it while moving it around, i.e., "screwing" it on.

 

Mea Culpa for any confusion! :bonk:

 

Happy Holdiays!

 

Andy in sunny San diego!

[Kat]

My ex has a Meridien and I used it a few times. I did like it--for having small hands, I prefer a bigger pen--but the grip annoyed me a bit. Partly in that while it would be bigger at first, after a bit of writing it would start to conform to my fingers and squash down in that place (much like a feather pillow conforms to your head and halfway through the night there's no feathers under your head but they've all gone out to the sides). Then it wasn't quite so comfortable as the girth was now smaller.

 

And probably also not a good pen for me, because I tend to grip my pens rather low, so I'd be holding it half by the grip and half by the metal section below...and again, when the grip started to compress down, the edge of the section would be sticking out and would dig into my fingers.

 

So if you're expecting the grip to stay as "pouffy" as when you first uncap it...and if you like to grip a pen lower than they have the grip placed...it may not be so comfy for you.

[Rebekah]

I bought a black and gold Sensa for $25 on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I have really small hands, but I grip and write hard, so I liked the idea of a gel grip, which is as nice as expected. I did have a problem at first with adjusting to 1) holding the pen a bit further up than normal to keep the index finger from riding on the metal lip below the grip and 2) the stunning weight! WOW...this pen is a heifer! I started with only one cartridge inside, eliminating the spare (or the converter for now) while I adjusted to the weight. Now I can write comfortably with it fully loaded. The cap rides snuggly posted with no problems (which after reading some other posts, I am thankful for). When I first set the Sensa up, I expected to have to make the ussual swirl of strokes to get the flow going...Nope! It wrote INSTANTLY! WOW! The Sensa has by far the fastest, smoothest nib I have ever had the pleasure of! Like I said, I have a firm hand in both grip and pressure, but I also have really fast, skinny, scratchy writing, and this instrument just glides along effortlessly. I have a fine nib, but because of my narrow writing, the lines still bleed together a little, so I would prefer if mine had an extra-fine (not an option). Even with the limited nib selection, and the cumbersome weight, I have to say that this is mighty nice pen that I won't be giving up anytime soon.

[Melnicki]

I don't think there's been a proper review on this pen, but there's enough information here to suffice a review... and here's a (suitable) picture I got on my last camera dump... (I have many crappier ones)

 

http://static.flickr.com/56/124776841_e08f323781_b.jpg

[stypen]

I've had two meridians: a fine and a medium. The nibs are absolutely first class. Some of the smoothest nibs made. I personally find the grip is just too high up on the pen, and that the thread for the screw-on cap tends to strip. I've had no problems with posting the cap, and I like heavy pens.

 

All in all a great pen (with an undeniably great nib), but a matter of taste.

Edited April 8, 2006 by stypen

[Dillo]

I bought a black and gold Sensa for $25 on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I have really small hands, but I grip and write hard, so I liked the idea of a gel grip, which is as nice as expected. I did have a problem at first with adjusting to 1) holding the pen a bit further up than normal to keep the index finger from riding on the metal lip below the grip and 2) the stunning weight! WOW...this pen is a heifer! I started with only one cartridge inside, eliminating the spare (or the converter for now) while I adjusted to the weight. Now I can write comfortably with it fully loaded. The cap rides snuggly posted with no problems (which after reading some other posts, I am thankful for). When I first set the Sensa up, I expected to have to make the ussual swirl of strokes to get the flow going...Nope! It wrote INSTANTLY! WOW! The Sensa has by far the fastest, smoothest nib I have ever had the pleasure of! Like I said, I have a firm hand in both grip and pressure, but I also have really fast, skinny, scratchy writing, and this instrument just glides along effortlessly. I have a fine nib, but because of my narrow writing, the lines still bleed together a little, so I would prefer if mine had an extra-fine (not an option). Even with the limited nib selection, and the cumbersome weight, I have to say that this is mighty nice pen that I won't be giving up anytime soon.

Hi,

 

How small are your hands? I have to use a Pelikan M300 most of the time...That is one of the only pens that I can use comfortably. I was thinking about the Sensa...

 

Dillon