Taccia Portugese

[Vanrensalier]

1. First Impressions. My first impression was surprise. I'd never seen a Taccia pen before - never heard of them and then my wife who never tries to surprise me with a fountain pen picks out this one for my 50th birthday. She knows I love simple black and silver pens and chose a pen that I love. Thanks babe!

 

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_KPv6QmaoskA/S_4ENi5Zx2I/AAAAAAAAAgQ/dNBRQWJS_N4/s400/November%209%2C%202009%20026.jpg

 

 

2. Appearance and Design. I love the simple design. Very classy. I don't know why but I especially like the black dot on the top of the cap surrounded by chrome with the name "Taccia Portugese" etched in a circle: nice detail. Unlike the very poorly designed cap button on the Taccia Momenta, which carries an ugly TC logo in the middle. Also, the unusual placement of the threading at the base of the finger flare just above the nib is an interesting feature.

 

3. Weight and Dimensions. The size threw me off at first. It has a comfortable girth but it is very short without the cap. Fortunately the cap post fairly securely and is very well balanced. The pen is very light and comfortable to write with over extended periods. [sorry, I'd like to list dimensions but the ruler's not handy]

 

4. Nib Performance. Excellent. Possibly the best steel nib I have ever written with. Mine is a medium but writes on the narrow side of medium and kind of wet. This nib has never dried out, never skipped, never needed rinsing. It writes instantly every single time. Plus the nib has a slight italic character to it - kind of flat on the tip - and so it writes with some character. I use J. Herbin's Cacao du Bresil.

 

5. Filling System. Only draw back: the barrel is too short for a long converter. So you are stuck using the short Monteverde plunger style converter or cartridges. I use the short converter and it runs out of ink fast. I am thinking this might be a good candidate for an eyedropper conversion.

 

6. Cost and Value. It was a gift so I'm not sure about the cost. I suspect around $70. And at that it writes better than any other pen I have in that range. The closest competitor might be a Lamy Studio but the Taccia Portugese writes even smoother than the Lamy - compared both out of the box with no adjustment.

 

7. Clip. This pen has got a great clip. It is springy and has a ball on the underside rather than that folded sheet metal design that many pens have, so it doesn't tear up your shirt pocket when you take it in and out. Also, the cap and clip design don't create an unintended vent that causes the nib to dry out.

 

8. Conclusion - Final Score. Ignoring the diminutive size, I'm giving it a 10. I love this pen but it probably wouldn't be good for someone with large hands. I have medium sized hands and I find it would be more comfortable if the barrel was longer, but that's partly because I don't prefer to post the cap. I'm guessing the Portugese Imperial would be perfect for man hands.

Edited May 27, 2010 by Vanrensalier

[penspouse]

Great review. I love this pen(Hubby and I have 3 between us). Like you, my biggest complaint is the "run out of ink quickly" factor. I'd love to know how to turn it into an eyedroper.

[Vanrensalier]

Great review. I love this pen(Hubby and I have 3 between us). Like you, my biggest complaint is the "run out of ink quickly" factor. I'd love to know how to turn it into an eyedroper.

 

Pen Spouse,

 

Now that I "talked big" I have to answer with the explanation that I have not yet done it! I am confident that you will get a more expert reply from someone else, soon.

 

That being said, I have read instructions on how to do it and a friend of mine has done it with her Namiki Falcon.

 

The goal is to place a seal where the body threads onto the nib housing. My understanding is that is usually done with an O ring that you would find at a hardware store. The problem is the O ring shows between the two sections, which isn't too bad if everything is black. I thought I might try a thin wrapping of vinyl pipe tape, so that it wouldn't show. I would test it first with water to make sure that it doesn't leak. Then before you connect the two sections together you fill up the body with ink using an eyedropper, and carefully screw the two sections together.

 

But, as I said, I've never actually done it.

 

Blessings!

 

Van

[akrishna59]

thanks for the review. it is a cosy model. dont be too worried about the lack of ink capacity, i know it is slightly irritating but filling ink is also a sacred ritual for us fp cranks.

 

best wishes.

[tknechtel]

One of my first pens, and one I'm still fond of. I have it in a lovely moss green color.

[lovemy51]

i have one in burgundy and love it! thx for the review!

[JMX]

On a lot of FPs it suffices to seal the threads with pure silicone wax. Works very well on my Lamy Vista.

[troglokev]

My concern would be corrosion of that metal trim at the blind cap end, if you decide to go eyedropper. If it goes all the way through to the inside, you'll have a pocketful of ink awaiting you in the future.

[bbs]

Anyone know if these pens are available in the UK?

[ArPharazon]

I have a Taccia Portuguese in a lovely mixed brown-with-green-and-red resin, I believe called something like "Forest Leaves". It is small, but a great pen, and writes like a champ.

 

I converted mine into an ED pen with no problem. I used only 100% silicone grease on the threads (available at your local SCUBA shop for about $5), with no O-ring, and it has never leaked a bit. Makes for a wonderful light pen with a very respectable ink supply.

 

The 'metal' trim at the endcap is just a plated plastic ring, so I don't think there's any worry about corrosion. Also, it is entirely on the outside of the endcap threads. Unlike some other competing designs from Taccia (or Laban, a similarly priced make), the Portuguese does not have metal section threads, which *would* prevent you from making it an ED filler.

 

If ever a pen called for experimentation in the ED realm, this is it . . . due to it's tiny stock converter, and the simplicity of the conversion. Give it a try!!

Edited May 29, 2010 by ArPharazon

[Vanrensalier]

I have a Taccia Portuguese in a lovely mixed brown-with-green-and-red resin, I believe called something like "Forest Leaves". It is small, but a great pen, and writes like a champ.

 

I converted mine into an ED pen with no problem. I used only 100% silicone grease on the threads (available at your local SCUBA shop for about $5), with no O-ring, and it has never leaked a bit. Makes for a wonderful light pen with a very respectable ink supply.

 

The 'metal' trim at the endcap is just a plated plastic ring, so I don't think there's any worry about corrosion. Also, it is entirely on the outside of the endcap threads. Unlike some other competing designs from Taccia (or Laban, a similarly priced make), the Portuguese does not have metal section threads, which *would* prevent you from making it an ED filler.

 

If ever a pen called for experimentation in the ED realm, this is it . . . due to it's tiny stock converter, and the simplicity of the conversion. Give it a try!!

 

Great solution to the eye-dropper question!

 

Thanks

 

Van