Stone Mask Fountain Pen Review

[arrScott]

I recently received my Stone Mask fountain pen, a 3D-printed pen from Yoshi at pen.18111.com. I've been writing with it for a couple of weeks now, so here is review of it. (Also my first-ever pen review here.)

 

 

What is it?

 

Stone Mask is a 3D-printed pen, made with a material called Alumide (Nylon powder and Aluminum powder mix). This is a very light, porous material that feels like either a very light stone or a ceramic. The pen is designed with a clip that resembles a tiki mask or, more distantly, a Moai from Rapa Nui. I'm into all things Polynesian and tiki, and couldn't resist this pen when I first saw it discussed here. The clip is integral to the cap - clip and cap are a single piece of material. It's as if the whole thing had been carved from a single bit of stone.

 

 

Because the pen is made from a porous material, Yoshi advises against filling it with the normal procedure or dipping the nib and section. So I asked Yoshi if he could make a Stone Mask pen with an acrylic section to enable normal dip filling. We settled on a red section to mirror the red Pukao that once adorned Moai statues.

 

 

The pen is a cartridge/converter filler. It accepts standard international cartridges and converters, and comes shipped with a converter.

 

The nib is JoWo #6 Steel; I ordered mine with a Broad nib.

 

 

Size and Feel

 

This is one of the larger pens I own. At 143mm capped, it's just a shade longer than my Noodler's Conrad or Lamy Safari. With a maximum diameter of 16mm, it is at its widest the thickest pen I own, just barely edging out a Think pen with an almost comically oversized cap. But note that the Stone Mask tapers down to just 11mm at the base, and the elegant, almost teardrop flare from middle to end makes it post very securely.

 

 

In the hand, the Alumide material makes the pen feel almost oddly light. Yet the Stone Mask is actually several grams heavier than any equivalently sized acrylic pen I own. Even my slightly longer Edison pens come in a good 7 grams lighter than the Stone Mask's 24 grams. But when I pick each pen up, I would bet money that the Stone Mask pen is lighter. There's just something about the material that feels almost airy in the hand. Certainly the acrylic section is more comfortable in my fingers than the Alumide body of the pen; I highly recommend asking Yoshi for an acrylic section if you order a Stone Mask pen. It's well worth the slight upgrade price. But thanks to the illusion of lightness in the hand, this is a write-all-day pen. Extremely comfortable for longer stretches of writing.

 

 

The section itself is close to perfection for me. Just the right taper, and the lip at the bottom looks and feels exactly like I wish every pen section would.

 

Fit and Finish

 

The cap screws on firmly with a 3/4 turn, and posts deeply and securely. The cap is 61mm long, but adds only 25mm to the length of the pen when posted. (The pen is 134mm unposted, 159mm posted.) The section also seats firmly. Good threads all around on this pen.

 

 

Yoshi offers the pen in either raw, unpolished finish or in a polished finish. The unpolished probably looks more like rough stone, but I opted for polished finish to have less textural contrast with the acrylic section. The surface is still rough enough that even polished, it's more of a matte finish than a gloss. Only at the edges of the face on the clip do I see strong reflections in light.

 

Workmanship and finish is excellent. I have long fingers, and this pen is almost perfectly proportioned for me.

 

 

Also, the pen has flat ends, and stands easily on either end.

 

Overall Impression

 

Has the fact that I adore this pen come through yet? If not: I adore this pen. It's easily one of my absolute favorite pens. It's a good design, well made and finished, and it's just plain fun.

 

 

In honor of the Stone Mask fountain pen, I offer the following tiki drink recipe.

 

1/2 oz Cranberry Liqueur

1-1/2 oz Orange Juice

2 oz Coconut Rum

Juice of 1 Lime Wedge

Dash of Lemon Bitters

Shake well and strain into stemmed glass. Garnish with a cherry and a slice of clementine.

[Sagarb]

The pen is really adorable, and thanks for a nice review...

[visvamitra]

Nice review but I don't like the pen design.

[proton007]

Nice!! I like how 3d printing can create shapes which can be a challenge with traditional technique.

[arrScott]

I should add a couple of notes. The threads below the section are very easy on the fingers; not sharp at all. And normally I'm not a fan of pens with a steep size difference between the body and the section; the little "cliff" between the two often rests uncomfortably against the side of my thumb. The Edison Menlo is an example here - I love the looks of the pen, but I just can't write with it comfortably. (Not to pick on Edison: My absolute favorite, most comfortable to use pen is an Edison Premiere.) But the slightly soft edges of the Alumide body material reduce the harsh "cliff" effect significantly. Still not perfect - I definitely feel the spot where the body drops down to the section. But I can write with the Stone Mask comfortably for extended periods. If the pen were exactly reproduced in Acrylic, I suspect the sharper edges would make this an uncomfortable pen for me.

 

And the nib is a perfectly fine steel nib. No flex to speak of, but so far no dry starts, no skipping, no railroading. If anything, it writes a little narrower than what I expect from a Broad; I'd compare this Broad to a TWSBI Medium. Well, this one puts down an ever so slightly wider line than a TWSBI Medium, but not by much.

[18111]

Hi Scott, Thank you for taking time to write this wonderful review!

Sorry I came late. I just found this review today. I'm so glad that you are enjoying the Stone Mask!

All sharp edges are softened by applying a little chamfers. I designed it that way because I too don't like sharp edges there.

Widening the nib slit by using x-acto knife or razor blade if wetter ink flow is desired.

Thank you again for your support!

- Yoshi

[DrDebG]

Wow! What a cool pen! Thank you for sharing your review with us!

[Cyber6]

Really like the red acrylic... it gives a nice touch. In terms of weight.. How does it feel?.. and How much it weighs?

 

 

 

C.

[da vinci]

Great review thanks

 

The photo of the pen clip on your shirt pocket really shows the design to good effect.