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Wiland MUKI (2009)


coffe_cup

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Probably most of you will be surprised hearing about modern fountain pen made in Poland. Since, as a nation, we don't have a great history as far as fountain pen business is considered (well, apart from very few manufacturers who have disappeared just before or soon after WWII), the fact, that a new company was founded in 2007 is really a great news.

Wiland is a young Polish team led by very talented people, and not only talented, but also visionaries with great taste. The MUKI, after the Star and the Aleksandra is a third edition of their fully handcrafted (excluding of course nib and converter) fountain pens.

 

So, did you ever see, hear about, write with ceramic pen? Fully ceramic, from A to Z? Here is the MUKI!

 

1. First Impression.

 

When I saw the Aleksandra first time, I thought "I just have to get it!". When I saw the MUKI, I thought the same twice. According to company's philosophy we gets hand-made product, limited to only 21 pieces in each edition. Starting from the box, one cannot resist thinking it's a closed, premeditated history. Hand-made wooden, lacquered, perfectly black box is covered by also hand-made, openwork external case. Together with a white fountain pen, the impression is just Wow - simple, yet beautiful.

 

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/8913/850px1.jpg

 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2580/850px2.jpg

 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/4779/850px3.jpg

 

2. Appearance & Design. (10/10)

 

The pen itself is absolutely amazing and "Zen" shape. For those who doesn't find simplicity attractive, this pen may resemble a pestle - as described by one of my pen afficionados here in Poland, but for those who like simply designs, this pen might be a real treasure. For me, it's like the universe, captured by absolutely perfect shape.

 

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/6253/850px5.jpg

 

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/4113/850px6.jpg

 

 

3. Construction & Quality. (10/10)

 

Muki is made of a noble kind of ceramic - glazed aluminium oxide, which in their natural occurrence is known as corundum. And rubies and sapphires are forms of corundum. So, the MUKI required time and really hard work to become a fountain pen. From ceramic dust (gamma type), through rolling and multiple frings at temperatures as high as 1700 Celsius (alpha type - corundum), to re-polishing and glazing.

Most people think "ceramic - eeee, must be very fragile". Not at all! It's very hard, uncommon material and the pen has manufacturer's lifetime warranty.

But what was the most amazing for me, that this pen has not a standard screw threads. Company used cork to link the various elements of the pen in the same way cork is used in the construction of bassoons, oboes and clarinets. Coldness of the white ceramic was balanced by the warmth of the natural cork. Genius! Both materials are of the highest quality of course.

 

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/1230/850px7.jpg

 

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/5484/850px8.jpg

 

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/2858/850px11.jpg

 

4. Weight & Dimensions. (9/10)

 

# length of the pen: 166 mm

# length of the pen without the cap: 143 mm

# length of the cap: 82 mm

# diameter of the pen: 17 mm

# weight of the pen: 72 g

# weight of the pen without the cap: 43 g

 

Because the cap cannot be posted, in fact the pen weights 43 g while writing. It's a big pen and heavy, but not very heavy. Comfortable even with long writing. The only thing (-1) is a balance. It's very well balanced fountain pen for those, who are used to keep their fingers a little higher (near the cork band and upper). Those, who prefer keeping them near the nib, might feel not very comfortable, but no drama! :)

 

5. Nib & Performance. (10/10)

 

The pen is equipped with an 18 carat gold nib (Bock), with a two-colored rhodium plated drawing, and decorated with an abstract graphic rendering of the letters WILAND. It's size 6 (23 mm) and I chose F. The quality of the nib and its writing is the same as other aspects of this pen - no problems, writes smoothly, from the first touch of the paper, with so nice for the ears sound, like "szu-szu". I love it!

 

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/6968/850px9.jpg

 

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/9372/850px10.jpg

 

6. Filling system. (10/10)

 

Standard C/C. The pens come with converter. Nothing to add - operates perfectly.

 

7. Cost & Value. (10/10)

 

MUKI is quite expensive pen. You have to spend around 850-900 Euro for it (depending on current exchange) but considering it's a Limited Edition of only 21 pens, hand made of uncommon and gorgeous material, with great nib, in my opinion it might be much more expensive if any other manufacturer has followed the same idea. In my opinion, MUKI is worth any penny.

 

 

8. Conclusion. (59/60)

 

Well, I love vintage fountain pens and have only a few modern ones and the MUKI is now one of my daily writers, together with few 'oldies', like Aurora Internazionale (c.1931), Conklin Nozac 5M (c.1937), and my beloved flexies (Watermans and Mabie Todds) and one more modern - Nakaya. So, this is it! Wiland and their MUKI is in my opinion among the highest quality pens, in all aspects.

 

If you would like to see previous model, Aleksandra, you are very welcome H E R E - just remember to choose Wiland from the left-menu.

 

Ps. It was my first pen-review here, so have mercy, please :) I am also very sorry for possible language mistakes.

 

Ps1. One more picture with writing example behind (Sailor Jentle Ink Red-Brown).

 

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4655/850px13.jpg

 

Edited by coffe_cup
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Very pretty pen, it reminds me of an elephant's ivory, or a piano key (they used to be made out of the same thing, anyway)

http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/Henrylouis16/Aurora%20Talentum/IMG_3779.jpg
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Great review and great looking pen, thanks.

And how can this be, because he is the Kwisatz Haderach.

 

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Thank you for the well done review. I particularly appreciated the Polish connection, as I was unaware of any modern makers in Poland.

By the way, your English is just fine.

gary, whose mother's maiden name was Sczykowski

 

ps-website for wiland

http://www.wiland.eu/wiland-pens.html

Edited by gary
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That's something a little different. And very nice! Thanks for the review and the beautiful photos.

 

Yuki

http://i54.tinypic.com/16jj9fb.jpg

Follow me on twitter! @crypticjunky

 

~And the words, they're everything and nothing. I want to search for her in the offhand remarks.~

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Great pictures of a very beautiful pen! I wonder if there are pens with ceramic nibs. I have seen Kyocera chef knives made from ceramics so I would guess that apart from being stiff the benefit for the user would be a very long life with almost no wearing down. I can picture this same pen with a white nib. Wow!

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I want that pen, wow what a cool simple idea.

Just be very careful not to stain it. On the other hand, ink stains can look great too. :roflmho:

 

I'm pretty doubtful you're going to be able to stain something that's already been baked at 1200 degrees C. You could probably use that pen as an ash tray and it would come clean. haha

"If we faked going to the Moon, why did we fake it nine times?" -- Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4447835438_d7314170bf_o.png

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Many thanks to all of you. I am very happy reading such positive comments:) I took two more pictures of Muki together with previous model - the Aleksandra. Enjoy :)

 

http://i44.tinypic.com/mu93s5.jpg

 

http://i42.tinypic.com/5bv3bp.jpg

Edited by coffe_cup
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I wonder if there are pens with ceramic nibs. I have seen Kyocera chef knives made from ceramics

 

 

Sounds useful...if you want to slice paper while writing.bunny01.gif

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."

Oscar Wilde

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I want that pen, wow what a cool simple idea.

Just be very careful not to stain it. On the other hand, ink stains can look great too. :roflmho:

 

I'm pretty doubtful you're going to be able to stain something that's already been baked at 1200 degrees C. You could probably use that pen as an ash tray and it would come clean. haha

 

If your coffee mug stains, why not your pen? I'd stay away from inks such as Baystate Blue.

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Thank you so much for posting this review! I saw something about it a few weeks ago and wanted more information about it and you pretty much answered all my questions.

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I'll chime in with thanks for this review. It is always nice to learn about people pushing the limits of the industry, especially when they are doing it so artistically.

 

I wonder if they plan to produce any larger lower cost lines in the future. The demonstrator version of the Aleksandra is quite stunning.

 

thanks again.

When going on a journey always take your pen.

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