Noodler's Ebonite Pen

[lbhajdu]

Price (10 out of 10):

 

Firstly let me say I really like this pen and I will buy another one. I do tend to point out all the little imperfections. At a price lower then that of a Lamy Vista ($24 vs $30) it's hard to fault this pen at all. I have no affiliation to Noodler's other then as a happy customer. So this doesn't seem like a Noodler's plug I used a different ink in the pictures, for scale.

 

Design and Build (7 out of 10):

 

The pen is very comfortable to hold because the diameter is a little less then the Pelikan M400. This pen is not overly flamboyant, which is nice if you don't want to standout in a meeting.

 

The ebonite brown-black swirl is pretty . I would buy another one if I can get it in black. In fact I will probably get another one anyway, but I would love to see it in black (hint hint Nathan). The body shape is, in my opinion, really elegant. The cap is a little less so. The clip feels strong and does not move. It could provide a little more space between clip and cap body, I believe the next Noodler's pen does (the one shown with the Black Swan in English Roses video).

 

The friction fit cap is more convenient then the twist cap. It stays put when capped or posted. When I first looked at the capping system I thought to myself, there is no way this is going to keep the nib from drying out. I was wrong the capping system does a really good job.

 

There is a little ledge where the section and the body twist together, from machining intolerance. Most pens could have lesser tolerances but they put the seam somewhere where there is a transition to hide the intolerance. Because the body design is all smooth in this section there is no place to hide the transition of the section and the body. There is an o-ring after the thread for converting the pen to an eye dropper. By removing this o-ring the ledge becomes less noticeable, however it is easier for the section to become lose while uncapping and while twisting it together it just stops where before there was a cushy o-ring. The threads don't seem to be wearing. Though over the decades I worry about this. I think I will buy some silicone grease to make it last longer. It comes pre-lubricated with silicone grease.

 

Filling (4 out of 10):

 

Filling is quick and convenient with the squeeze bar. This pen does not hold as much ink as I would like. From memory it does not hold as much as the Esterbrook J. The clear sack was stained by J. Herbin Bleu Nuit (currently my favorite ink ) it is stated that it is pH neutral. Though I still prefer a clear sack over a black one, because you can see where and how much ink is in the sack. The ink can get stuck in the back of the sack. If you want to put more ink in the pen then can be put in with the squeeze bar. The metal sack holder can be removed non-destructively and the sack can be squeezed by hand. It helps to force the air into the breather tube. Because the sack is clear you can see when the sack is full.

 

Nib & Feed (8 out of 10):

 

This pen has a breather tube. It is a little plastic tube that runs from the feed half way up the ink sack. It allows the ink to drain back into the ink sack. Like most pens, as the sack fills with air when the ink level gets low, the nib gets optimally wet. Which I like because it makes it extra smooth. You can see the ink bulging from the feed capillary spaces, but it never drips. Just store it nib-up and all the ink goes back into the sack. This does unfortunately work a little too well, because if you store it like this for a long time it takes a second for it to write again as the ink flows back down. If you need it to start write up just store the pen flat on the desk.

 

This pen has a black ebonite feed which looks really cool. There are few new pens that come with milled ebonite feeds. New Montegrappa pens and Namiki Emperor pens have ebonite feeds but that is an order of magnitude difference in price range, the Namiki Emperor is two orders of magnitude difference in price range. One interesting feature of this pen is that the nib and feed are friction fit. I have not tried to take it out because it is well adjusted at the moment. This feature lets you take a flex or regular nib from another Noodler's pen (even the current piston filler) and use them in this pen. Even some older gold nibs will work if they are the right size.

 

The nib has a nice feel it's between F and M. Almost as nice as the Pelikan M400. You can make the line a little thicker by pressing but it is not a flex nib. Though my understanding is a few of these were made with flex nibs because Nathan had extra flex nibs, these are extremely rare one-offs at the moment.

 

Overall (7 out of 10):

 

My overall impression of this pen is very positive I have been using it for two weeks. I have far more expensive pens, but I keep coming back to this one. If my review seems negative that is because it is more easy to point out all the little imperfections then it is to point out what is so good about this pen that keeps pulling me back to it. I will buy another one for nib swapping. I want to try this pen with a flex nib. Thank you Nathan for making this pen available.

Edited May 31, 2011 by lbhajdu

[lbhajdu]

Here are some more pics of the inside

[lbhajdu]

And next to other pens:

 

This is the Edison Nouveau next to the Noodler's Ebonite Pen.

 

The pen line-up from back to front is: Pelikan M400, Namiki VP, Lamy Vista, and Noodler's Ebonite Pen

[greencobra]

I have a couple of these and like them overall but one issue I'm seeing on both of mine is the cap clutch rings are getting looser with each use to the point where on one the cap almost falls off by itself. For the money I paid I can live with it, and they do both write very well. Dead on review here.

[inksmears]

Interesting to read about the cap. The fact that the breather hole just sucks the life out of the piston fillers (and evaporates the ink so fast it exceeds my daily writing) is my big beef (and a dealbreaker) with the PF pen. I may have to try this one. I've certainly spent more on less....

 

Good review

Edited June 1, 2011 by inksmears

[Watercycle]

pictures of writing would've been a bonus =p