Namiki-Pilot Fermo

[TYoung]

Has anyone used this? Is it worth the price? I like gadgets that why this pen is appealing. Does it seem durable? I hope to test one at the NC Triangle Pen Show. I'd be interested in hearing reviews, etc.

[HDoug]

There are a number of reviews in the Review section -- here's the index with links. And here's a link to my review, which is three years old already. I still love the Fermo and it has been in constant rotation. I paid $180 for it back then -- I see them going for $270 now(!). Boy, that's out of my current range so I'm glad I got one when I did.

 

Doug

Edited May 20, 2010 by HDoug

[william m]

The fermo is the heaviest out of all the capless family. It is worth the price if you really like the twist to extend nib mechanism. Otherwise it writes exactly like all the other capless as they all use the same nibs.

 

I prefer my decimo as I prefer the weight and the click mechanism is so much easier for me, as the rotating end of the fermo requires two hands to use. Not as convienient!

[MadAmos]

I like the weight and feel of the Fermo's and I have three that are in constant rotation. I now have a bottle of Tsuki-Yo at my work desk to feed my addiction.

[thrage1]

Speaking as a vp lover, the fermo is great and for me it was well worth the price, I paid about 215 at pengallery including shipping. I love the clicking mechanism of the vp but I like to keep pens in my pocket which turned out to be a disaster. I took out my pen one morning and found the nib had clicked accidentally and had been bent to a wicked angle, so now I walk around with the fermo, which is slightly thinner and only slightly heavier. I love both the vp and the fermo but if I had to choose one to walk around with I would pick the fermo for the twist mechanism

[2cents]

The VP is too bulky for my taste and I found myself choosing between a Decimo and a Fermo. The twist knob of the Fermo turns me off, it could have be a much better pen if they get rid of the knob and include the twist mechanism wihin the pen body just like the Lamy D3. It would have been so much nicer without the cheap plastic knob on a brass body. So the final analysis was obvious, Decimo with its lighter weight and sleek styling wins out.

 

2cents

[titaniumworld]

I saw the Fermo this morning while trying the Falcon Metal comparing with the old resin body. The staff at the stationary store actually just got the new shipment in and show one to me with fine nib. The Fermo is slightly better constructed than the original VP and I like the twist action better since there is less change of accidentally expose the nib. But I'm not sure if the sealing at the top is tight enough to prevent the nib from drying. The Lamy Dialog 3 appears to have the best construction of all three retractable nibs pen but it only come in goldish-silver color. If only Lamy Dialog 3 comes in black color and a finer and more flexible nib (their fines write like medium), it would be the perfect retractable nib FP.