Stipula Passaporto

[The Scribbler]

Disclaimer: My first attempt at a review. Don't expect much.

 

 

After reading about the Stipula Passaporto here on FPN, I decided to order one and give it a whirl. I was looking for a small, pocket fountain pen for those days I wore a shirt without a pocket. This pen is definitely small. Capped, it measures 3 1/2 inches long (9 cm). It fits comfortably in my pocket.

 

 

To write with this pen, you must post the cap. It actually screws on the end of the pen making it 4 3/4 inches (12 cm) long. Not huge, but comfortable enough to write with.

 

 

The nib is a steel medium stub. It writes a bit wider than my .8 Binder Stub for my Pelikan 205. I've used J. Herbin Bleu Nuit in it so far and it writes very smoothly.

 

 

The pen takes small cartridges or it can be used as an eye-dropper filler. For the size, it holds quite a bit of ink. I put two milliliters of ink in it and I estimate it could hold half milliliter of ink.

 

These is a fun little pen. Mine is a Verde Liberta edition. It is numbered 74/100. I have no idea if that makes it special or not. I really like it a lot.

 

Even though I bought this with the intention of using as a back-up pen, I imagine it is going to be carried everywhere I go.

 

Final Grade: A- (based on my meaningless, purely subjective personal preferences)Article Type: Fountain Pen Review

 

Click here to view the record

[Lloyd]

Do you carry it loose in your front pants pocket? Does ink get into the cap from jostling?

[The Scribbler]

Do you carry it loose in your front pants pocket? Does ink get into the cap from jostling?

 

Yes, I carry it in my front pocket. Haven't had any trouble with ink leaking out. But I'm not out jogging either.

[WendyNC]

As I've just ordered the FPN version of this pen with a medium steel nib, I really appreciate this review. Thanks!

[Yuki Onitsura]

Nice little review for a nice little pen ^^ A numbered run of just 100 pens sounds like something special to me =)

 

Yuki

[JonSzanto]

Like Wendy, I've got the FPN Passaporto M in the pipeline, so this is cool to see. Also, I only recently got my very first Sheaffer Tuckaway, and note that it is just a tad longer when posted (5.25"), but looks a good bit slimmer, so I think the Stipula will be a good fit.

[JOBPM]

I have the exact same pen, #77. It usually rides in the coin pocket of my jeans. I've never had it leak into the cap before either. These are just excellent little pens.

[The Scribbler]

As an update to my earlier review:

 

I carried this pen with me on a mini-vacation this week. Took the kids to a theme/water park. The pen did experience a little leaking in the cap, but for all the jostling about and temperature swings it endured, I thought it did a great job.

 

The more I use this pen, the more I really enjoy it. The only complaints (and very minor ones at that!) are:

 

1) I would like the pen to be just a tad longer when posted, maybe a quarter inch or so.

 

2) I would like the barrel to have more threads for a more secure fit when the cap is posted. If I don't screw it in just right, it feels loose and is a little crooked.

 

These aren't major complaints. I still think this is a fantastic pen.

 

And I too have ordered my FPN edition.

[coco]

Thanks for the review--it really helped me better "visualize" the use of the pen.

[Truppi327]

I've joined the club of members who did their duty and ordered their Stipula FPN pen, a Passaporto M.

 

I have pretty big hands, but apparently, because of the funny way I hold pens (I have been told) I don't find smallish pens uncomfortable.

 

I use my pens a lot during the work day but it is always for list making, quick notes, and short bursts. I use my big ones when I get inspired or for letters.

 

Anywho - my questions:

 

How does this pen compare in size, weight, nib quality, reliability etc. with a Kaweco Sport with a Medium nib?

 

It's an older Kaweco, the heavier one, there is a weight in the base so it can't go eyedropper. I got it about a year ago from Chuck Swisher for $5 and love it so much. I have a current run Kaweco sport with a broad, gold colored nib and the flat plastic feed. That one is nice and reliable but the older one is far superior. It has the plain steel M nib and the good feed with the fins. The nib is actually a little springy with very little pressure and has nice line variation.

 

Also, how does it compare in size, weight, nib quality, reliability etc. with an Esterbrook SJ?

 

Hopefully someone out there owns all three of these pens and can answer my questions. If not then I'll answer them myself when the FPN edition ships.

 

Edited July 7, 2011 by Truppi327

[georges zaslavsky]

nice pocket pen

[inquisicorp]

. . . The pen did experience a little leaking in the cap, but for all the jostling about and temperature swings it endured, I thought it did a great job.

I have three of these pens, all three set up as eyedroppers.

 

I don't jog either, but two of them leaked ink into the cap too. Drove me nuts since I very much wanted to adore these pens.

 

I cleaned the worst offender out completely, dried it well, then treated the threads with a modest smear of silicone grease. Then I re-eyedropper-loaded it. As a test I kept it in a pocket of my backpack for two weeks, going back and forth from work, jostling all the way. And still --Voila!-- no more leaking!

 

Bottom line: If you are using these as eyedroppers, I recommend that you apply some silicone grease the next time you clean it. Just to be on the safe side.

 

Jan

Edited July 10, 2011 by inquisicorp

[The Scribbler]

 

Bottom line: If you are using these as eyedroppers, I recommend that you apply some silicone grease the next time you clean it. Just to be on the safe side.

 

Jan

 

Good tip. Thanks Jan.

[SamCapote]

. . . The pen did experience a little leaking in the cap, but for all the jostling about and temperature swings it endured, I thought it did a great job.

I have three of these pens, all three set up as eyedroppers.

 

I don't jog either, but two of them leaked ink into the cap too. Drove me nuts since I very much wanted to adore these pens.

 

I cleaned the worst offender out completely, dried it well, then treated the threads with a modest smear of silicone grease. Then I re-eyedropper-loaded it. As a test I kept it in a pocket of my backpack for two weeks, going back and forth from work, jostling all the way. And still --Voila!-- no more leaking!

 

Bottom line: If you are using these as eyedroppers, I recommend that you apply some silicone grease the next time you clean it. Just to be on the safe side.

 

Jan

 

Oh so you are saying that they leaked previously at the barrel/section which would be much messier? I thought you were talking about dripping from the nib.

[Sketchy]

I've been carrying one of these little pens around every day for over a year, sometimes in the fifth pocket of my jeans, sometimes in a pen sleeve sown into my satchel and haven't had a leak. I don't know if it makes a difference but mine has a fine nib. It has always been an eyedropper. By far my favorite pen I'm looking forward to the FPN edition which will be a medium, so I hope that choice of nib doesn't make a difference.

Edited July 10, 2011 by Sketchy

[Yuki Onitsura]

I don't know if it makes a difference but mine has a fine nib. It has always been an eyedropper. By far my favorite pen I'm looking forward to the FPN edition which will be a medium, so I hope that choice of nib doesn't make a difference.

 

I don't think the nib grade should make any difference as far as leaking goes. I think we're all rather excited about the FPN edition pens =)

 

Yuki

[bridgettt]

I have one that I use as a knockabout pen. It has never leaked on me. I don't use it as an eyedropper though. I've been exclusively using cartridges.

[bertramsinkwell]

All,

 

Wonderful to see that you guys are enjoying your pens that you got from Bertram's Inkwell. The Verde Liberta Passaporto was the second of our limited edition Stipula Passaporto series that we (Bertram's Inkwell) had made to commemorate pen shows. The Verde Liberta was for the Philadelphia pen show. We currently also have the Baltimore Blue Harbor Passaporto available at the bottom link here, also limited out of 100.

 

These are great little pens that I have received very few complaints over, and they are wonderful as eye-dropper pens, as I've never had one leak on me. Its good to see these limited edition Bertram's Inkwell specials made it on the FPN.

 

Enjoy guys and gals,

 

Bert

 

 

Stipula Passaporto Verde Liberta for Philadelphia Pen Show: Here

 

Stipula Passaporto Baltimore Harbor Blue for Baltimore Pen Show: Here

[The Scribbler]

All,

 

Wonderful to see that you guys are enjoying your pens that you got from Bertram's Inkwell. The Verde Liberta Passaporto was the second of our limited edition Stipula Passaporto series that we (Bertram's Inkwell) had made to commemorate pen shows. The Verde Liberta was for the Philadelphia pen show. We currently also have the Baltimore Blue Harbor Passaporto available at the bottom link here, also limited out of 100.

 

These are great little pens that I have received very few complaints over, and they are wonderful as eye-dropper pens, as I've never had one leak on me. Its good to see these limited edition Bertram's Inkwell specials made it on the FPN.

 

Enjoy guys and gals,

 

Bert

 

 

Stipula Passaporto Verde Liberta for Philadelphia Pen Show: Here

 

Stipula Passaporto Baltimore Harbor Blue for Baltimore Pen Show: Here

 

Hi Bert!

I have both pens and LOVE them!

 

Any plans for other special editions in the future?

[inquisicorp]

Oh so you are saying that they leaked previously at the barrel/section which would be much messier? I thought you were talking about dripping from the nib.

Good question. I can't be sure but I think the answer is both. The ink was all over the place. In any event --> so far, as I said, the one that I greased is just fine knocking daily around in my backpack. No leaking!

 

As an follow-up I got out my other leaky Passaporto yesterday morning, intending to clean it out (it had PR Velvet Black in it), silicone-grease the threads, and re-eyedropper load it. So, I was flushing it under the faucet and then poking around in the barrel with a wet Q-tip, trying to get out all the ink residue, when to my surprise out came the Q-tip with some brown granules on it. The brown of the granules matched the color of the barrel. More digging and swiping at the bottom of the barrel brought up more granules and then -- yikes! -- I brought up a big piece of what looks to me like tailings, left inside the barrel from the interior machining. I assume that all the rest of the brown granules were also residue from the machining. See photo below, showing the big piece.

 

So, another tidbit of Passaporto advice: before you eyedropper-load your barrel, be sure to aggressively clean it out.

 

Jan

 

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