Kanilea Pen Co. - Kilauea (Lava)

[Bill_D]

This is my first shot at reviewing a pen here at FPN. I know most people review the categories below on a scale of 1-10, and then average the categories for an overall score. Due to my inexperience in reviewing, however, I am simply including a narrative so I don’t give a misleading overall impression of the pen. For example, the pen has a cartridge/converter filling system, which I happen to prefer, but how do you rate that? It’s a quality screw in converter, but it isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Does a solidly performing converter warrant a 10 out of 10? But giving only a 7 brings the score down as much as a 3 point drop in nib performance which I think most FPNers would agree is far more important than a converter merely being run of the mill. Also, the pen is relatively expensive, but I think it’s absolutely worth it, so is that a 5 or a 10?

 

I am sure the more experience reviewers know how to answer these questions, but I do not, so, on to the review:

 

I recently purchased a Kilauea, a model from the Kanilea Pen Company, a new company started by a husband and wife team, Hugh and Karol Scher, featuring Hawaiian-themed pens, and they are all stunning. I went to the pen show not intending to buy anything for myself, and spent a good portion of Saturday at the Kanilea table trying to remind myself I was only going to buy something for the kids; while I waffled, Hugh and Karol patiently answered a million questions from my three boys. After going home, I got clearance from my wife--clearance meaning being reasonably sure buying the pen would not result in a divorce--and I went back on Sunday and bought the Kilauea. I probably would have caved on Saturday if it had not been so difficult to choose which of several beautiful models I would buy. The Kanilea website is here: http://kanileapenco.com/. I highly recommend a tour to see all their different designs, particularly the Kohala (Sun) model and the Gecko model. Unless you are on a buying hiatus—if so, avoid the website at all costs.

 

Appearance and design – The appearance and design of this pen is where it truly stands out. As noted above, all of the Kanilea pens are Hawaiian-themed. The name Kilauea comes from the Kilauea volcano, which is one of the most active volcanoes on earth, and the pen’s colors bring flowing lava to mind. It contains bright orange and yellow streaks mixed with black and grey swirls, mixed in with silver/grey flecks. The photo below does not do the pen justice, but should give an idea of the design.

 

 

 

The pens come in several different designs. I chose a clipless model with a pinched top, which represents the Hawaiian trade winds. The top contains a small, sterling silver medallion with a Hawaiian flower.

 

 

 

I think the elegant, simple design evokes the natural beauty of Hawaii.

 

Construction and quality – The construction and quality of the pen are also outstanding. The pen is light in the hand, but still feels solid. The nib section unscrews and fits snugly onto the body. The threads of the cap catch slightly from time to time when I try to screw it back on. It does not happen often, however, and certainly does not detract from the enjoyment of the pen. Based on the overall sturdiness of the pen, I suspect that the issue is a fluke confined to my pen.

 

Weight and dimensions – The Kilauea is fairly large and made of, I assume, acrylic or celluloid, so it is light. When capped, it is 150mm or 5 7/8 inches long; uncapped, it is 130mm or 5 3/8 inches (including the nib). The cap does not post, and the body, with a nib section with a good sized grip, fits very comfortably in my hand, even after extended use.

 

Nib and performance – The Kilauea comes with a #6 steel nib, which can be all silver—the color, not the material—or two-toned. I chose a fine nib, which lays down a line the width I expected of an American fine, and neither wet nor dry. The nib was very good out of the box, but I love the pen, so I decided to send it off to nibsmith Dan Smith for smoothing and tuning in order to make it perfect, which I often do with my favorite pens. Dan did a wonderful job fine tuning it, so now it writes beautifully.

 

Filling System & Maintenance – The pen comes with a standard, screw-in converter. It fills easily, and flushes easily. I prefer a standard, well-made converter because I often find the temperamental nature of more exotic filling offsets and advantages in increased ink capacity.

 

Cost and value. I purchased the Kilauea at the D.C. Pen show directly from Kanilea for $395, which obviously is not cheap, but not outrageous for a quality fountain pen. I went back and forth on the purchase. I almost bought it on Saturday at the pen show, but instead went home to run it by my better half. I got clearance, more or less, and came back and made the purchase on Sunday.

 

I think every person has his or her own tolerance for a high-priced pen, so I will simply say that I don’t feel like I got a steal, but I feel like I received more than fair value. After two months, I am still glad I made my purchase and feel that it was well worth the money. Part of that may be that Hugh, Karol, and the rest of their staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, but I put that in my value calculation. I feel better buying something from people like the Schers or the Goulets who are nice people and passionate about what they do.

 

Overall: I love this pen for the beauty and the quality. As I said, the photos above do not begin to do the pen justice. The next time you attend a pen show, set aside ten minutes to find the Kanilea table and chat with Hugh and Karol. It will be time well spent. And if you pick up a Kanilea pen while you are at it, it will be money well spent.

 

I hope this was helpful.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Bill_D

[ian1964]

Great colour. Thanks for reviewing this for us.

[visvamitra]

Material looks interesting but the price seems too steep. I just can't see in what way this is more expensive than, say, Scriptorium Pens or Shawn Newton pens. It looks nice though

[FrozenLand]

Yes, the colors are amazing, thus being somehow pricey can be forgiven. Apart from that, it would be nice to have the possibility of choosing a nib made of a bit more noble material.

[Tas]

Thanks for sharing this gem. Oh those colours and patterns!

Enjoy it in good health.

[Omaslover]

Thank your for the review

[Bill_D]

Update: I said in the review that I assumed the pen is made of acrylic or celluloid, but it is actually hand-poured resin. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[Aysedasi]

Lovely pens. I looked - and then saw the prices.......

[J85909266]

The custom resin is very unique.

[mehandiratta]

Update: I said in the review that I assumed the pen is made of acrylic or celluloid, but it is actually hand-poured resin. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

 

do you feel it is brittle...

[Bill_D]

 

do you feel it is brittle...

Mahandiratta,

 

No, it feels sturdy to me. Fortunately, I have not dropped it or hit it on anything, yet, so I haven't really tested its durability, but it definitely does not feel brittle.

 

Bill

[mehandiratta]

Mahandiratta,

 

No, it feels sturdy to me. Fortunately, I have not dropped it or hit it on anything, yet, so I haven't really tested its durability, but it definitely does not feel brittle.

 

Bill

 

thanks

[mivox]

Their resin colors are just stunning! But at those prices, I'd definitely have to buy in person... the hand pouring seems to produce a great variety between individual pens, judging from the Kilauea photos on their website, and I'd want to get just EXACTLY the right one.

 

It'd be a heck of a souvenir to bring home from a trip to Hawaii, I must say!

[bran]

They are beautiful pens. The price is holding me back. I would expect a gold nib at a $400 price point. The resin is quite unique. I may breakdown one day, especially if I keep seeing them pop up. Thanks for the review. I do agree about buying from people of their (and the Goulet's) character. To me it makes a big difference...I may just be talking myself into one. Shame on you for such a wonderful review on such a beautiful pen and swaying my thinking process!

[watch_art]

do you feel it is brittle...

Mahandiratta,

 

No, it feels sturdy to me. Fortunately, I have not dropped it or hit it on anything, yet, so I haven't really tested its durability, but it definitely does not feel brittle.

 

Bill

 

Alumilite is STURDY stuff. Here's a video of a guy proving the point...

 

...I can't find the video. But a guy is dropping a piece while standing on top of a 10' ladder and it's fine. And it's not a solid rod, it's a pen part, and the floor is concrete.

 

Edit: I found the video!

https://www.turntex.com/help-center/alumilite-casting-resources/83-why-i-prefer-alumilite-instead-of-pr-video

[EdeIstein88]

Too bad it doesn't come with gold nib in that price range...

[dms525]

Well, the company has surely pushed an Hawaii association, but the pens do not seem to be available for purchase except online. There is no indication they are made in Hawaii nor offered for sale in Hawaii. In fact, I can find absolutely no indication anywhere as to where these pens are made or, by whom.

 

They do show some pretty resins and attractive designs. I'd love to know more about the company.

 

David

Edited November 10, 2016 by dms525

[Mardi13]

 

"They do show some pretty resins and attractive designs. I'd love to know more about the company."

 

And now you do, and now you have one! Why don't you add your own review?

[SpecTP]

I've seen the pens in person at the Baltimore and DC shows and pictures really don't do these pen justice.. the resin color variations are really spectacular. I have the same reservations about the nib that others have voiced, but the pen bodies are really pretty.

[dms525]

Okay, Martha. I should update my skeptical comments. I have morphed to true believer/fanboy.

 

The Kanilea Pen Company attended the San Francisco Pen Show. Mr. and Mrs. Sher are as charming as reports from other pen shows have indicated. I visited their table Friday morning. It was on my to do list for the show. Hugh Sher looks at my name badge, and his eyes get wide. Uh oh. But then he tells me he follows all my stuff on FPN, especially my reports after visits to the Reed College Scriptorium. He is teaching himself italic handwriting from Lloyd Reynolds videos. After I had bought a pen from him and he had tuned the italic nib, I wrote a few lines to test it. He said he was going to post my writing sample on his shop wall. I had to take off my hat. It was getting too tight my as head swelled.

 

About the pens, then ...

 

The Kanilea Pen Co produces a few shapes, all minor variations. They are all made with custom cast resins from Jonathan Brooks. They had sent him scenic photos from Hawaii and asked him to make them resins with the colors and "feel" of the photos. Jonathan did an awesome job, in my opinion. Hugh Sher makes the pens himself in his home shop in Maryland. They are fitted with JoWo nibs and can be had with either the steel or the 14 Kt. nibs. A gold nib adds $100 to the purchase price. They can be had with or without clips.

 

I had fallen in love with the material in this very review. It is really gorgeous. The shapes are all very comfortable to hold and write with. They are a medium to large-sized pen by modern criteria. they are about 1/2" longer than a M800, capped and a bit larger in diameter. The model I got does post securely, although I expect to use it un-posted. I got it without a clip. The un-clipped models have a lovely gold or silver cap medallion I really like. The clipped models don't have it. I had the pen fitted with a two-tone steel 1.1mm stub. Hugh ground it without consulting me to a narrower than usual width for this nib. It is perfect for my everyday italic handwriting. It is both very crisp and very smooth. Makes me wonder if Hugh has taken Richard Binder's nib grinding workshop.

 

But enough words. Here are a couple photos of my Kanilea Pen Company Kilauea:

 

Happy writing!

David