Visconti Homo Sapiens Review

[smileypen]

**Please note that this review was written before the pen was taken to a nibmeister where it was tuned. A section at the end shall be dedicated to its performance after the tuning**

 

RATING:

How well does it write?

• 4/10 before tuning. It's wet, very smooth, very springy and very stubbish but it skips every other word and hard starts almost 100% of the time after uncapping it.
• 9/10 after tuning. This pen writes like a DREAM.

How well is the pen built?

• 8/10. QC problems include the clip not having enamel anymore (when I see other Visconti HS having it) and the ring at the back of the pen falling off the knob. Other than that, the pen is very well machined.

How nice is the material the pen is made out of?

• 9/10. I absolutely love the lava and how it is made, definitely no complaints there!

How nice is the filling system of the pen?

• 8/10. Vacuum power filler with no double resovoir. It is REALLY annoying to clean though.

Is this pen good value?

• Grail pens rarely are, but I love this pen.

 

 

GENERAL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PEN

This is the Visconti Homo Sapiens, truly a grail pen. This model here has a Broad 23kt Palladium nib and is of the Bronze configuration.

The pen is special as it is made of a material call basaltic lava, a mixture of 50%-50% lava and resin, patented by Visconti. The feeling of the material is very smooth and cool to the touch, similar to feeling a very high end piece of stone furniture. The material is absolutely gorgeous and really adds to the whole feeling of the piece. To note is how my clip has no resin injected into it, further showcasing Visconti's quality control problems.

The filling system used in this pen is the vacuum power filler. The end of the pen unscrews and pulls out the mechanism. As you push the pin back into the pen, ink will spit out, and a vacuum is created. When the pin is pushed all the way in, the vacuum 'pops' and ink floods into the chamber. It is a very cool filling system, but it is an absolute PAIN to clean. Cleaning this pen involves flushing it over and over with water, making me very reluctant to change the ink of this pen.

Now onto how the pen writes. Visconti is known for a few things. Very smooth nibs. Very wet writers. Very springy and almost flexy nibs with a lot of nice line variation. Very 'stubbish' nibs.

But Visconti is also known for some very negative things. Absolutely horrendous quality control for their nibs. Baby's bottom and overpolishing is almost guaranteed for any new Visconti pen nowadays. And this pen exemplifies every aspect of Visconti as a company to a fault.

The pen writes extremely smoothly with a very wet flow. When this pen writes it is buttery smooth with almost no feedback, truly the writing experience I love. The pen has so much soft spring to it, further adding to the lovely writing experience. Even as a Broad nib, this pen has crazy stub-like features which I love. The line variation is just beautiful and ink just gushes onto the page.

However, when I got this pen it had SEVERE baby's bottom, and I would always need to prime the feed or write at a snail's pace for it to even put ink on the paper. Since going back and forth with Joost Appelboom from (www.appelboom.com), I've had the nib replaced. The baby's bottom is "mostly" gone, but there still are hard start issues, some skipping especially when writing the letter C. I plan on taking this pen to be re-ground at a nibmeister down the road (very problematic down here in Australia). For a pen that costs as much as this does, there really should not be this many problems.

Overall, even with the poor quality control, even with all of the other issues, would I recommend this pen? Well that depends.

If you're looking for one grail pen, the one to end them all, then maybe. If you're going to go all-in on a pen and take it through all of its problems until it is just perfect, then this will be an amazing pen for you! The writing experience is just superb if you can get through the problems.

However if you're just looking for a good pen to go into a collection of other good pens, then it is much harder to recommend this pen until Visconti gets their (bleep) together and fix these issues.

PHOTO GALLERY

 

POST-TUNING PERFORMANCE

Wow this thing writes so well. Imagine a wet writing experience on a glass surface, that is how it feels to write with this pen on Rhodia paper.

I absolutely love this pen.

Edited March 2, 2018 by smileypen

[Inkling13]

My sentiments exactly. I wish the QC on these pens were better. I had one, the nib was misplated with the plating not even close to being matched up with the engravings, the nib itself was a water hose bleeding through everything I commonly encountered, the lacquer on the clip was poorly applied and blotchy. In the end, I off-loaded it and went Japanese. I still miss the lava material... If Visconti ever goes under, and these rods do come up for sale, I'll be the first in line.

[smileypen]

My sentiments exactly. I wish the QC on these pens were better. I had one, the nib was misplated with the plating not even close to being matched up with the engravings, the nib itself was a water hose bleeding through everything I commonly encountered, the lacquer on the clip was poorly applied and blotchy. In the end, I off-loaded it and went Japanese. I still miss the lava material... If Visconti ever goes under, and these rods do come up for sale, I'll be the first in line.

 

From my experience of this pen, I won't ever buy another NEW Visconti model again. Even with very tempting offerings such as the Chattery Luxuries LE pen they released (which was absolutely gorgeous), there were quickly reports of the pens not even writing.

If you want Visconti, go with somewhere you can try for yourself, and go for their gold nibs, from back in the day when Visconti cared about QC.

[akellens]

Your experience with the HS aligns with mine.

I bought my HS in 2010 and never really used it a lot because of issues with the nib (baby bottom/a bit scratchy).

A couple of months ago I sent it off to Fountainbel whose capable hands turned the nib into an incredibly smooth stub; ever since it hasn't left my rotation anymore.

 

It is a bit a pity that there are QC issues with these high-end pens.

Visconti's designs are really quite appealing to me, and they have a certain 'flair' that I find missing in many other manufacturers ...

[Ghost Plane]

From my experience of this pen, I won't ever buy another NEW Visconti model again. Even with very tempting offerings such as the Chattery Luxuries LE pen they released (which was absolutely gorgeous), there were quickly reports of the pens not even writing.

If you want Visconti, go with somewhere you can try for yourself, and go for their gold nibs, from back in the day when Visconti cared about QC.

Ah, but Chatterley stands behind their pens, so you missed a good opportunity. Bryant is one of my enablers, which is why I have so many Visconti.

[TheDutchGuy]

Since going back and forth with Joost Appelboom from (www.appelboom.com), I've had the nib replaced.

Finding a good pen store in Holland is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack, but as fate will have it, Appelboom's store is in my small hometown, quite literally around the corner. Just out of curiosity: why did you buy a pen in a small penshop in an even smaller town in one of the smallest countries of the world and then have it shipped to Melbourne, Australia :-) ? Anyway, just last Tuesday I went to them for some ink and asked to see their Homo Sapiens range. I wanted to see what the fuss is all about. After watching them in their beautifully lit display cases and having felt them briefly in my hand, I sort of get it. The material is lovely, as is the overall appearance of the pen. It's a stunner. But it strikes me as a Ferrari that won't start. It will look nice in your garage. The nib issues are bad enough, but rings coming off, caps that are too lose and come off... No, thanks, pass. In another thread someone asked advice whether to buy an Italian pen and the advice was something like: "if the design appeals to you so much that its practical use doesn't matter to you, then buy it". I'm too rational for that. For 550 euros, I'd want a pen that gave me pleasure every time I pick it up.

 

PS based on your lovely photos, I went to Appelboom today to buy a bottle of Robert Oster Fire & Ice. Just tried it out, lovely ink. Sadly my pens aren't wet enough to bring out the red sheen, you need a lot of ink for that. But in terms of colour, shading, lubrication and and general joy of writing... wow! So thank you for the inspiration!

Edited March 2, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[gerigo]

It is indeed sad that Visconti has such a notorious reputation, because otherwise they are one of the very few companies that ceaselessly come up with new, beautiful designs to tantalize us collectors. I think the downfall for them were the very soft Palladium nib. Having now owning over 300 pens and being able to see what is a semblance of a pattern, that when nibs are very soft, they are notoriously difficult to grind well. I think what happens is when you press the nib to finish the grind, because the nib is soft, you invariably splay the tines a little and thus increasing the baby's bottom. My theory is that Dante saw that collectors wanted soft bouncy and flexy nibs, and though that Palladium nibs would help Visconti meet that need. Either he felt that the slight problems with babies bottom was a compromise he was willing to take or that it did not even cross his mind it would be an issue.

 

Early in my collecting, because I favored stubs, I would find I had to personally polish the nibs myself to get them writing. However with the latest batch of pens, especially the elegance and also the northern lights, the nibs are now a lot stiffer, and they also seem to write right out of the box. Whether this was repeated feedback from disgruntled US consumers who forced the issue or whether this is something they are proactively doing, one can only speculate. The latest batch of pens are also finished to a higher level of tolerance, with the misapplied branding of the clip a thing of the past.

[Inkling13]

It is indeed sad that Visconti has such a notorious reputation, because otherwise they are one of the very few companies that ceaselessly come up with new, beautiful designs to tantalize us collectors. I think the downfall for them were the very soft Palladium nib. Having now owning over 300 pens and being able to see what is a semblance of a pattern, that when nibs are very soft, they are notoriously difficult to grind well. I think what happens is when you press the nib to finish the grind, because the nib is soft, you invariably splay the tines a little and thus increasing the baby's bottom. My theory is that Dante saw that collectors wanted soft bouncy and flexy nibs, and though that Palladium nibs would help Visconti meet that need. Either he felt that the slight problems with babies bottom was a compromise he was willing to take or that it did not even cross his mind it would be an issue.

 

Early in my collecting, because I favored stubs, I would find I had to personally polish the nibs myself to get them writing. However with the latest batch of pens, especially the elegance and also the northern lights, the nibs are now a lot stiffer, and they also seem to write right out of the box. Whether this was repeated feedback from disgruntled US consumers who forced the issue or whether this is something they are proactively doing, one can only speculate. The latest batch of pens are also finished to a higher level of tolerance, with the misapplied branding of the clip a thing of the past.

I think Visconti is like piano manufactures. I was in the market for an electric piano, just due to my current living situation and lack of space, and found a model online. I went to a showroom that had it, and the salesman said that there are "online only" pianos, that aren't in showrooms, with specs that look great on paper, just to sell sight-unseen to someone looking to buy a piano. Not that they are good, but their whole purpose is to look good on paper. The HS especially, I found was that case. it looks good on paper. Like a mail order bride. In person, and on paper, are two entirely different entities.

[Ghost Plane]

Meanwhile, Im enjoying my Visconti in conjunction with my Skeletons. The things speak for themselves.

[Mulrich]

I have a handful of Visconti's and have had some nib issues but not many. The issues I've had were with their broader nibs (B/stub) and most of my Visconti's are EF/F/M, YMMV. I've also had some nib issues with other brands, so I don't think Visconti is alone in their problems. And now when I buy any pen (Visconti or otherwise), I budget for sending the pen to a nibmeister. Should a pen as expensive as Visconti (or similar brands) have nib issues? No, but I'm not going to let that stand in my way of enjoying otherwise terrific pens. The Homo sapiens is one of my all-time favorites.

[smileypen]

Finding a good pen store in Holland is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack, but as fate will have it, Appelboom's store is in my small hometown, quite literally around the corner. Just out of curiosity: why did you buy a pen in a small penshop in an even smaller town in one of the smallest countries of the world and then have it shipped to Melbourne, Australia :-) ? Anyway, just last Tuesday I went to them for some ink and asked to see their Homo Sapiens range. I wanted to see what the fuss is all about. After watching them in their beautifully lit display cases and having felt them briefly in my hand, I sort of get it. The material is lovely, as is the overall appearance of the pen. It's a stunner. But it strikes me as a Ferrari that won't start. It will look nice in your garage. The nib issues are bad enough, but rings coming off, caps that are too lose and come off... No, thanks, pass. In another thread someone asked advice whether to buy an Italian pen and the advice was something like: "if the design appeals to you so much that its practical use doesn't matter to you, then buy it". I'm too rational for that. For 550 euros, I'd want a pen that gave me pleasure every time I pick it up.

 

PS based on your lovely photos, I went to Appelboom today to buy a bottle of Robert Oster Fire & Ice. Just tried it out, lovely ink. Sadly my pens aren't wet enough to bring out the red sheen, you need a lot of ink for that. But in terms of colour, shading, lubrication and and general joy of writing... wow! So thank you for the inspiration!

 

Honestly I believe in voting with your money and for a while I really liked how Joost supported the FP community by hosting give-aways every single week on Instagram. If I'm buying online there are a ton of retailers that are all around the same price, I just decided to shop somewhere that helps people get interested in pens.

 

Fire and Ice is very lovely, I appreciate that it is a very nice blue even without the red sheen!

Edited March 3, 2018 by smileypen

[smileypen]

I have a handful of Visconti's and have had some nib issues but not many. The issues I've had were with their broader nibs (B/stub) and most of my Visconti's are EF/F/M, YMMV. I've also had some nib issues with other brands, so I don't think Visconti is alone in their problems. And now when I buy any pen (Visconti or otherwise), I budget for sending the pen to a nibmeister. Should a pen as expensive as Visconti (or similar brands) have nib issues? No, but I'm not going to let that stand in my way of enjoying otherwise terrific pens. The Homo sapiens is one of my all-time favorites.

 

Absolutely, perhaps I should have said I know a lot of people extremely happy with their EF and F nibs!

I think in a review it's hard to make points like this. We're an enthusiast community, with many members who are happy for extra costs like that. But at the same time there are members who just want ONE pen, or who are buying this pen as a gift for a loved one.

[TheDutchGuy]

I really liked how Joost supported the FP community by hosting give-aways every single week on Instagram. If I'm buying online there are a ton of retailers that are all around the same price, I just decided to shop somewhere that helps people get interested in pens.

I wasn't aware of that because I'm not on IG. Perhaps I should reconsider. All but two of my pens come from that shop but I don't know Joost. He's got other people minding the store for him. Occasionally I see a guy who is obviously the boss come into the store to take inventory or whatever, but he doesn't seem to interact with customers. The staff are very helpful, but in my personal opinion their knowledge level is suited towards either beginning FP writers or towards experts who know precisely what they want and don't need advice. Anyway, I'm lucky to have a well-stocked store close to me.

 

Speaking of Italian pens, a colleague of mine who is also a nibmeister loves Stipula. He's going to bring a few of them around for me to try. They seem to be springy and somewhat flexible. Should be interesting.

Edited March 3, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[smileypen]

I wasn't aware of that because I'm not on IG. Perhaps I should reconsider. All but two of my pens come from that shop but I don't know Joost. He's got other people minding the store for him. Occasionally I see a guy who is obviously the boss come into the store to take inventory or whatever, but he doesn't seem to interact with customers. The staff are very helpful, but in my personal opinion their knowledge level is suited towards either beginning FP writers or towards experts who know precisely what they want and don't need advice. Anyway, I'm lucky to have a well-stocked store close to me.

 

Very interesting to hear that! He also makes videos online showcasing some pens he stocks.

[tlucmpla]

I love my HS lava, the texture and thickness of the barrel is something I really like.

I got the EF nib a week ago and 5 days later, i decided to invest in the F nib.

 

Notice the single and dual tone of the nib. Was told the new batch only have a single tone.

 

When I first got the EF nib, there's quite a fair bit of feedback and drag when I tried it on the Sailor 143 ink.

But, the feedback was less obvious after I tried it on the Pilot Iroshizuku ink (a wetter ink).

Still, I went back to the shop for checking. And it was fine after that. I was told to keep writing and the feedback will reduce eventually.

 

Writing samples of EF and F nibs, both on Iroshizuku inks, for Chinese characters, F nib writing looks cluttered.

EF nib because of the thinner nib, looks fine.

 

The writings were done on the Maruman paper.

 

 

[biancitwo]

Individual experience is frequently far different. I recently bought a Visconti HS Bronze Age oversized, despite reading many critical Visconti reviews. I had seen and written with a beautiful Bronze Age at the Ohio Pen Show. I should have bought it then. After stewing over it for a month, I ordered one with the stub nib. It was gorgeous. It wrote very well. I wanted more line variation, so sent it to Pendleton Brown. It is still gorgeous, of course. Now, it writes even better. It has none of the characteristics so many have complained about. It is a favorite, though Im not yet accustomed to the smoothness of the lava barrel.

Edited March 26, 2019 by biancitwo

[PAKMAN]

Mine was too wet and wrote too wide a line for me. Mike Mastuyama tuned it and I love it, haven't had any other issues with it.

[WLSpec]

So what I took away: When and if I get one of these, I get the nib tuned-- Is the one you reviewed a midi or a maxi? Couldn't tell from the pictures. Nice overall review though, love that ink.

[tlucmpla]

So what I took away: When and if I get one of these, I get the nib tuned-- Is the one you reviewed a midi or a maxi? Couldn't tell from the pictures. Nice overall review though, love that ink.

Thanks for your comments.

 

Both are maxi or oversized.

 

The inks are Yama-budo on the left and Ajisai on the right.

 

Tried a comparison between Montblanc James Dean fine nib on Pelikan Edelstein Mandarin Orange ink and HS Lava fine nib on Pilot Iroshizuku Ajisai ink.

Both written on Life N60 paper. This is a cream colored paper. Both nibs write smoothly. Not much feedback experienced.

In my opinion, shade in Pelikan ink more obvious compared to Pilot ink.

[Tseg]

I’ve got two HS’s, the B.A. and Elegance maxis. I’m amazed how soft the nib metal is. If one needs to make a slight tine adjustment one barely needs to touch it. I love the feel and flow of both my Fine nibs. The are definitely on my short list of favorite pens.

 

With that said, I did have to return the original B.A. because the nib collar in the first was chewed up even though it was supposedly new in box. The second had no issues.