The Bottomline: Montegrappa Silver Mule

[s_t_e_v_e]

In these reviews I attempt to be as to-the-point as possible to give the reader a quick idea about the aspects of the pen that stood out to me.

 

The Good: Montegrappa has been spot on when it comes to the overall build quality of the pen. A lot of attention has been paid to details and everything feels polished and refined. The cap threads are very smooth. The nib writes really well out of the box. It is smooth and wet and I did not have to tune it whatsoever. I believe the nib is made by JoWo. The size and weight of the pen make is feel like a robust and substantial pen in the hand. The design is timeless.

 

The Not-so-Good: Since this is a metal pen, it isn't light. I find it comfortable un-posted but when posted, it becomes a bit top heavy for me. The cap has a plastic liner inside making it safe for posting without scratching the barrel.

 

The Bad: The pen surface scratches easily. To protect the brushed metal finish, Montegrappa has used a clear coat on most parts of the pen. But this coating seems pretty thin and I'm seeing some scratches and wear (which weren't present on the new pen) after a few days of normal use. The copper mule may not have this problem because the copper on that pen is untreated/un-coated. The silver mule is also not an inexpensive pen.

 

The Bottomline: It's a great pen and I like it a lot just because of the way it writes and feels in the hand. If you like heavier and larger pens, this pen fits the bill perfectly. But for the price, it is a bit too easy to scratch. So don't carry it in a pocket with keys and coins. The Fortuna model comes in a variety of finishes. If this is not the pen for you, there are other finishes to choose from.

 

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[gregamckinney]

Is the pen made of steel or silver? I assume steel, but wonder based on the name.

Thanks, greg

[Aditkamath26]

That pen screams for a nice fine or extra-fine nib or a broad stub or cursive italic. Its a shame the coating wears away though. I like these to the point reviews.

[s_t_e_v_e]

Is the pen made of steel or silver? I assume steel, but wonder based on the name.

Thanks, greg

 

I think it is steel plated with silver. But I have also read somewhere that the base metal might be brass. I'm not 100% sure.

[TheDutchGuy]

Lovely design!

[TassoBarbasso]

Great that you got one that writes well! There are lots of issues with some batches. Though this might be because they used Bock nibs before. The one in your picture looks indeed JoWo.

 

The coating IS indeed thin. Very thin. Brace yourself, it will wear out pretty bad, pretty soon They use the same on the section of the Mule and it flakes off horribly...

[Gloucesterman]

Great that you got one that writes well! There are lots of issues with some batches. Though this might be because they used Bock nibs before. The one in your picture looks indeed JoWo.

 

The coating IS indeed thin. Very thin. Brace yourself, it will wear out pretty bad, pretty soon They use the same on the section of the Mule and it flakes off horribly...

Not a really good recommendation for another pen "investment"! :(

[TassoBarbasso]

I've checked with Montegrappa and indeed, the new lines with stainless steel nib all have JoWo nibs now

[Hejhox]

Good concise review, thanks.

[Calabria]

 

I think it is steel plated with silver. But I have also read somewhere that the base metal might be brass. I'm not 100% sure.

I'd really want to know that before buying

[Honeybadgers]

as gorgeous as montegrappa's nib inlays are... they outright don't have any good reason to ask so much for a steel nib. Even a more simple 14k nib, and I'd have already bought one.

[hariharan]

the nib shares an equal space with the pen in its gorgeous looks. A happy marriage of montgreppa and Jowo.

[s_t_e_v_e]

I'd really want to know that before buying

 

 

I'd really want to know that before buying

 

I would suggest reaching out to Montegrappa at CONTACT@MONTEGRAPPA.COM or after.sales@montegrappa.com for details.

 

as gorgeous as montegrappa's nib inlays are... they outright don't have any good reason to ask so much for a steel nib. Even a more simple 14k nib, and I'd have already bought one.

 

It is indeed a matter of preference and willingness to pay asking price. Even though I very well understand that a well tuned steel nib is no less than a gold nib when it comes to it's primary function of writing, I too share your frustration on overpriced steel nib pens.

 

It would be unethical, but if someone handed me a well tuned steel nib stamped with the gold hallmark, I wouldn't even know or bother to find out if it is really gold or not. I would just be happy that it writes well and the fact that I think it is gold would make me feel a bit elite.

[Honeybadgers]

 

 

 

I would suggest reaching out to Montegrappa at CONTACT@MONTEGRAPPA.COM or after.sales@montegrappa.com for details.

 

 

It is indeed a matter of preference and willingness to pay asking price. Even though I very well understand that a well tuned steel nib is no less than a gold nib when it comes to it's primary function of writing, I too share your frustration on overpriced steel nib pens.

 

It would be unethical, but if someone handed me a well tuned steel nib stamped with the gold hallmark, I wouldn't even know or bother to find out if it is really gold or not. I would just be happy that it writes well and the fact that I think it is gold would make me feel a bit elite.

 

I totally understand and that's why I don't complain at all, but I still just can't see myself buying one unless I come across one for a killer price. From what I hear their pens write stunningly, but at this price point, NOTHING has a steel nib, and when you're asking premium product money, you should use premium materials. Just because Porsche or McLaren could use regular old plastic in their trim pieces, they still opt for more premium materials like carbon fiber because that's what the price kind of dictates. People lambasted the interior of the McLaren SLR because it had plastic in its interior, despite the fact that it was an incredible car nonetheless.

 

I just don't see the ROI for a pen with a steel nib over $100. Even a relatively cheap titanium nib with that inlay would make me happy.

 

If you really wanted to sell me on a steel nib in a $400 pen, re-create a big #8 sized japanese shiro semiflex nib with a range of sizes from needlepoint to BB, stub, and obliques. I'd pay for that.

[lfmarsan]

Hi,

 

After some weeks of (light) use I confirm that my Montegrappa Silver Mule writes perfectly (it actually did right out of the box) and the coating did not wear out... may be I'm just lucky, but my experience with this Montegrappa is very good!

 

As for the price of this pen with a steel nib I must say that I would never pay full retail price for a Montegrappa (I never did and I bought some of them, being this Silver Mule the least expensive one I own).

 

However, considering that other manufacturers are now asking for 150-200$ for pens with steel nibs that are not as well made or have less nicer designs IMHO, this is not a bad choice.