Fountain Pen Journey: Cross, Graf Vfc, Caran D’Ache And Montegrappa

[Chaz]

Ive recently become stuck trying to find the right successor fountain pen and thought Id set out the issues and process here, as a useful exercise for myself and (possibly) informative for anyone else. Im a very occasional poster, a frequent reader and an enthusiast for fountain pens without claiming any great knowledge or experience. I am deeply indebted to many of the other contributors here, particularly jar, for reasons that will become clear given the pens being discussed.

 

I have sold my Graf von Faber Castell Classic Anello in ebony, with a F nib. I had a lot of issues with the pen not writing consistently, stopping when the feed emptied, even with ink in the converter, and hard-starting. It wouldnt write at all with some inks, though finding Diamine Blue Velvet (my kind of blue) solved that. The tines occasionally became misaligned and the feed skewed to the right under the nib whenever it felt like it. After some TLC the pen would work beautifully and Id be happy again and then it would fail and Id curse. I could have sent it for a service, but the inconsistency wore me down.

 

What I also realised (actually only now, some weeks after selling), is that I was on a journey to another pen and had been for some time. As yet, I dont know which, but more of that later. The first fountain pen I bought for myself as an adult was a Cross Townsend, in titaniumd brass; when they were originally marketed as being titanium anodised, not just Ti-coloured and lacquered. The pen stretched my budget but was worth it and the 14k gold M nib and I did many, many miles together until I mislaid it at a meeting in 2015. I was genuinely distraught; the pen had a heat mark from where my fingers pressed against the barrel, I loved the Art Deco shape, the fact it was a thicker section than most pens and the way the shiny titanium reflected things to change the colour of the pen, even with the marks of time and use.

 

I replaced it with another Townsend, with the bicolour 18k nib in matt black and rhodium trim. A better nib certainly, but ultimately a boring pen. We never really bonded, though the pen was flawless in use. A couple of years later and I decided to migrate to ... the GvFC Anello.

 

Some things you learn about quality by experiencing it. The section and barrel on my titanium Townsend were slightly misaligned, enough that your fingers would always feel an edge. The black Townsend was fine, but the way the Grafs section screwed into the barrel spoke of better engineering and machining. The materials were better, the threads more precise and of finer pitch. I loved the sense of density in the barrel of my first Townsend, thought it was less there in the second and rediscovered it in the Anello. Interestingly, I handled a quartz blue, lacquered, modern Townsend recently and it felt was flimsy in comparison with both the old Townsends and the GvFC.

 

The fact that the ebony ring nearest the section would turn a little when doing up the Anello, wasn't a problem - you could always tighten from the blind cap end (which isnt a blind cap, of course) as if the knurling was intended for that purpose. However, over time I found a few other mechanical issues with the Graf in addition to the nib & feed points. The cap screws on well with the last quarter turn being tighter, until it loses that extra grip and can be loosened and tightened with the same pressure throughout the turn. I think the plastic threads inside the cap wear over time. They also leave some residue in the metal threads at the base of the section and ink in the cap gets stuck in the cap and section threads. The rhodium plating at the top edge of the clip had chipped and the clip spring was loosening gradually (only enough to slip a little in a jacket or shirt pocket, given the weight of the pen). None of this would have mattered if the pen had consistently written as well as it could sometimes.

 

I will be the first to accept that I shouldn't judge the brand on one sample, but the history of the GvFC Anello left me looking for another brand of fountain pen and many happy hours spent reading through opinions on this forum. Gradually, the mantra: life's too short for unattractive pens became lodged in my head, though beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. I felt that the Anello was very smart, with the rings enlivening the otherwise austere look. Even before the performance issues, I found myself questioning whether the straight barrel and the gothic looking cap were really a look that I could live with, though, hence the glance back at the blue quartz Townsend. I also value utility and comfort a great deal, have a preference for pens with a feeling of substance and like to know the history of the brand and that it has its roots in something special. There are a lot of pens I like, but Im not likely to grow a collection and rotate the pens. I was/am looking for a main, daily usage pen, which has the right mix of pizazz and practicality and makes me want to reach for it happily.

 

Some of that searching led to the Caran dAche Leman II and some of that led to the Montegrappa Extra 1930 and here comes the next phase in experiencing quality. Falling for the celluloid, I initially bought a Miya with an OB nib and loved the nib, but couldnt get along with the shape of the section or the famous hump in the barrel. I have purchased a Montegrappa Extra 1930 rollerball to try the section width on the Extra and am still not sure about it. However, the feel of silver in the hand is definitely superior to the plated sections of the Graf (and the Caran dAche, see below), which is something that jar and others have commented on. The bamboo black celluloid is wonderful material to hold and gaze at, even though greeny-blacks wouldn't have been my calling card. The cap is the old-style with its 4 whole turns to unscrew, but the fineness of the threads on the section is remarkable and the overall fit and finish of the pen is truly exceptional. The new Montegrappa ceramic rollerball refill I ordered worked well for a week and then started to write dry and thin, with the occasional proper width just to annoy, but I have inserted a Pelikan 338 refill and it writes fulsomely. Both are 0.7mm and I suspect both are the Schmidt 888 refill, really. The itch to purchase more and more of the Montegrappa celluloids is almost unbearable and could make a large hole in the treasury!

 

Not being convinced about the comfort, I tried a Caran dAche Leman II in Le Grand Bleu finish and a Fine nib. Based on a wholly unrepresentative sample of these two pens, I would say that the Caran dAche Leman II is just about superior to the Graf von Faber Castell Anello in workmanship and engineering. The cap also snugs up in the last bit of the turn, but does so because of the silicon seal, which I assume will be longer-lasting than the way the threads worked on the Anello. The machining on the section and barrel threads is as good as the Graf, but the threads are less sharp under your fingers (though not the silky fine, but long, style on the Montegrappa). The converter is threaded on the Leman and push-fit on the Anello, though the plastic of the CdA part seemed lower quality than the CvFC part (Schmidt, again, I guess; definitely for the CdA, but surely for both?). The overall look and feel of the Leman (mark I and II, actually) is sleeker than the Classic and Anello styles and the wave-engraved, blue-lacquered exterior is very attractive, giving a slight moiré effect with purple tones in some lights. Going back to my (very personal) reaction to the styling, the Leman has more grace and shape, it is more French than German, more 1920s than 1870s. Curiously, in the Caviar finish, particularly, when uncapped the pen has a fish-like shape, which I like although fish-analogy design isn't my thing.

 

I think that you all know this, but fountain pens are all about very subtle differences in how they write and handle. The balance of the Montegrappa with the weight in the section makes you feel that the pen is centred on the paper the same way a well-thrown dart hits the board, but the width of the section means that forming characters takes fractionally more movement, which Im trying to adjust to. (The speed of the rollerball doesn't help with that!) I write uncapped and the balance of the Anello was slightly more rearward than the Townsend. The Anello is 130mm long, the Montegrappa 127mm and the Leman II is 125mm. I only realised that I was missing the slight taper of the barrel of the Cross Townsend when I picked up the Leman; the cylindrical barrel of the Anello is actually a fraction less comfortable because of that. The Lemans taper is more acute, however, and with the 125mm length almost seems to want to slip out of the web between thumb and forefinger as a result. The Montegrappa is a thicker pen, but tapers proportionately and the barrel is lighter, without feeling insubstantial.

 

I hold a pen with a traditional grip and a little further from the nib/further up the section than many people. My notes tell me that my fingers fall into one position on the Montegrappa, but my thumb feels the need to bend and press in more with the tip to control the pen (as opposed to being in my more usual and relaxed position alongside the section). I adjusted my grip more frequently when using the Leman II, which could have been a result of the shape of the section or the more slippery feel of the rhodium plating compared to the silver of the Montegrappa. Looking back at my handwriting, the F nib on the Leman II (using J Herbin Eclat de Saphir) was very precise and felt like a needle; strong and sharp without being scratchy. Overall, my handwriting is equally bad with either pen, particularly allowing for the Pelikan rollerball in the Montegrappa.

 

So, Im left unsure still. After such a long post, you must be wondering whether I will ever make up my mind! I might try to pick up a Leman II to try longer-term than in a shop and run that alongside the Montegrappa rollerball until I reach a conclusion about the comfort and section design. Getting fond of a brand, comes with additional spending incentives and I have far too many pens now in my eBay watch list as I dream of adding a beaten-up pen for travel and a broad-nibbed pen for the desk at home. Caran dAche is expensive enough, but trying to do that with Montegrappa celluloids would be crazy!

 

Thanks for letting me ruminate aloud and for all the invaluable advice and observations from so many contributors on here.

 

Chaz

 

(Edited to restore apostrophes and semi-colons which didnt survive the cut & paste from email.)

Edited August 21, 2019 by Chaz

[Chaz]

(Continuing to talk out loud!)

 

I had a thought at home this bank holiday weekend, which is that I could try the Montegrappa against my Retro 51 rollerball, which has stood up to a lot of abuse over more than a decade (loaded with a Partner Gel rollerball) and even the Rotring 600 that I bought some time ago for a technical drawing attempt. The section width on the Montegrappa Extra 1930 (thinnest area of what is a slightly indented section) is between 11 and 12 mm (measuring against a ruler, not with callipers and harder to see the edges than the others - some effect of being silver in the light source?); the Retro 51 is 10mm where I hold it, sloping down to the point; and the Rotring 600 is 7mm wide (and a cylindrical knurled surface, just below the hexagonal shaft). I know thee are not fountain pens, so I'll keep this very short.

 

The Montegrappa Extra feels planted in the hand and on the page, but takes marginally but noticeably more effort to form the characters; a bit as if each circling motion has to be bigger to create and "a" or "o". Tends to make me not join-up the characters and can result in some sweeping flourishes, almost as if the pen wants to write in broad, flamboyant strokes. The contrast is most marked with the Rotring 600, where the effort to write in a joined-up hand is minimal. This really surprised me, since I would have thought that "small" a section wouldn't suit me. The Retro 51 is in-between in terms of effort and neatness; I'm very used to this pen shape (been my travelling pen and back-up to the office FP for ages) and although where I grip higher-up is slightly wider than the Rotring and narrower than the Montegrappa Extra, I don't find myself exerting my hand to control the pen as much as with the Montegrappa Extra.

 

An going to have to find a Caran d'Ache Leman II and do some more writing with it to see where it fits within this experience. Goulet Pens' review says that the section varies from 8.7mm to 10.1mm.

 

Cheers

 

 

Chaz

 

(PS: edits of first post to insert apostrophes doesn't seem to have "stuck". This note is set from the home PC.)

[DanceOfLight]

you have a way with your words Chaz, go on...

 

I seem to have been on a similar train (of thought) and finally after many years got down at CdA-Varius stop holding a GvFC PoTY, go figure.

[Chaz]

One of the lessons from this journey is that you can't go back; not in terms of quality or experience. I ask myself why not buy another Townsend, since I loved my first one so much and I find the answer in small and unnecessary things, but together vastly sufficient reasons. The feeling that buying new the quality has fallen; the fact that I much preferred the capital print "CROSS" on the clip to the later flowing script version; the view that a screw-on cap is "better" than a push fit. Really it is just that I've moved on, although the quality leap to the particular Montegrappa, GvFC and Cd'A I've been trying is undoubted. Same is true for going back to a Graf von Faber Castell, even if I'd be the first to admit that the sample of one is no way to properly assess the brand.

 

The second theme is whether satisficing is good, bad or not an issue. I agree with the theory of satisficing, in the senses that (a) it is logical and sensible, and ( that I think we often do it, both consciously and out of need. I certainly suffer from some analysis-paralysis (I hear you echoing: "you don't say"!), but apply satisficing to get out of that, when I realise I am wasting time on a minor decision. However, I have an instinctive reaction against the idea when it comes to many subjects; I wouldn't satisfice when it comes to preparing to perform a piece of music, although the actual performance will have to be whatever it is. On the subject of choosing a new fountain pen, to satisfice would be a sacrilege!

 

I bought a Caran d'Ache Leman II (Le Grand Blue with Fine nib) and have been using it extensively this last week. The converter material looks clearer than in the sample I had before and therefore seems better quality; purely a visual judgment. If anyone is interested, a full charge of Diamine Blue Velvet has lasted 8 pages of A4 in my handwriting. Not every line used, as if writing an essay and I'm adding in test paragraphs which alternate with other pens, so that's an approximation. Functional performance in terms of the ink flow etc, has been exemplary. There is some hesitation to restart when left uncapped for unreasonable periods of time, but barely half a down-stroke passes before ink is flowing again. No skipping, a very slightly thicker flow when first filled for maybe a third of a page and a slight lessening of flow once the ink is in the feed only, gradually noticeable over the last half a page only. Behaviour on various types of paper is governed by the absorbency of the page and smoothness of the paper, but the pen acquits itself well without fuss or bother.

 

The Montegrappa Extra 1930 is a beautiful pen and somehow its proportions are dead right. Someone in a comparative review of the Montegrappa Classica, Historia and Extra 1930 had remarked on how perfect the proportions are in the Extra 1930 and that is true. Once you have seen it, other pens don't look right; at least other pens within that Montegrappa style or generally of the same shape. This morning, I looked at the Leman II and loved it, but that has taken a week. Put next to the Extra 1930 and it looks "not right", but it has character and elegance of its own. I would still say that he taper to the end of the barrel is more acute than I would like - another 5mm in length and either keep the final diameter (which would be in character) or don't taper as much. But what do I know about pen design!

 

The lacquered finish on the Leman II is perfect, of course, but the underlying wave-pattern engraving produces some remarkable effects. It really has a spectrum of blues depending on the light, from dark blue-blacks to spot-light LED cyans. The cap is nearly half the length of the pen when fastened and that proportion works well with the tapering tail. The sloping finial leads into the clip and the long tapering shape of the clip echoes the pen as a whole. The clip is brilliantly engineered; sprung like the Graf von Faber Castell, but there is no rivet head visible and less space for dirt to accumulate under the clip (we'll see over time). The ease with which it slides over shirt or jacket pocket highlighted how tricky the Montegrappa clip can be if the ball doesn't roll over the fabric. The Leman takes one full turn to uncap, with that wonderful tactile snugging up feeling at the top of the turn. Only now does the 4 full turns on the Montegrappa feel like a nuisance.

 

So to the meat of the problem, which is which pen is better (for me) to write with. After a lot of switching back and forth, the decision goes to the Leman II. The Monetegrappa Extra's feel of being "on" the page is wonderful and the silver section feels so good in the hand. However, I never could quite shed the feeling of the section being thicker in the fingers/hand than I was accustomed to. When thinking hard about my handwriting with the Montegrappa, I found that I needed marginally larger movements of hand and fingers to make the characters; it suited an expansive hand and a swooshing style of writing, but it didn't suit speedy, note-taking for extended periods. I could write neat and small and regular (or as neat as I ever get) but the section wanted me to write in a larger, more rounded manner.

 

Writing with the Caran d'Ache Leman II, I found that I was not thinking about the width of the section or how I held the pen or anything after a while and when returning to the pen as my regular writing instrument. I just wrote. When thinking hard about the writing experience, I would say that the section width has a little variability in it, which helps you shift position from time to time to relax the hand. The pen is overall lighter and very evenly balanced (uncapped); you begin to realise how much weight your fingers are moving in the section of the Montegrappa Extra - the very dart-like positivity of pen on page with that instrument means you're moving more mass. My conventional tripod grip is relaxed and feels very much at home; if I hold a bit further up the pen than usual (sort of max of my distant hold) I will have my thumb on the step between section and barrel, which can make the thumb a little sore, but only if gripping too hard for too long. My natural position avoids that and keeps my distance from the nib, as preferred. With the fine nib, I can write very precisely; that feeling of needle-like accuracy is a delight. If I want to exert some pressure or make a bigger impression on the page, the pen flies well and can swoosh nicely; noticeable that the flow keeps up very well, although the line is always a fine given the nib.

 

Further and final reflections on brand and writing itself, when I have a bit more time.

 

(Thanks for the encouragement, Dance of Light).

 

Chaz

[Chaz]

Ive been reading over the pages and pages of notes I made while writing with these pens. Funny what one writes at such times: snatches of Shakespeare, bits of Fitzgeralds translation of Khayyam, lyrics from Beatles, Evita (saw an excellent production at Regents Park Open Air Theatre last week) and Tori Amos. Very badly quoted / remembered in all cases.

 

It occurred to me (and I wrote) that the process of writing about the pens youre trying to select amongst, is an obsessive one, focused on increasingly narrow criteria which assume magnified importance over time. It is the process of finding a tool not of using one. Of product, not production. If we didnt pay it such attention, the pen manufacturers would go out of business and out handwriting would improve!

 

Another reflection. The process of writing is to make intelligible marks on a piece of paper. Those must be intelligible to oneself, now and in the future, but also to other readers who will not be familiar with the handwriting.

 

May be writing is fundamentally egotistic? Ive found myself loving the luxury of writing for the pleasure of writing and picking words for the joy of words not just their meaning in notes about a pen (and certainly not just recording a conference call, though doing that with a responsive fountain pen is a lot more fun than with a bic). So, does the pen ignite thought? Why do we put words on a page, is it to see an idea become manifest? Does it make thoughts more real, give them form more than the temporary air of talking. Giving permanence to passing fancy.

 

Chaz

[Chaz]

Long ramble coming to an end with some comments on brand and other things.

 

Brand impression, ie the perception of the customer from all sorts of sources, does weigh in the choice of pen. I admire other brands than those listed here, but wouldnt buy them to use for various non-logical or non-functional reasons. If I was making a collection, a a Parker Duofold and a Shaeffer Balance would be in there, but that isnt what drives this decision. Two other brands to rule out for no good reason: Montblanc is too ubiquitous and I dont like the styling, much as I recognise the fact they are a real force and a real fountain pen company. Pelikan I get stuck with the pelican in her piety image, no matter how great the product. So much for my irrational responses to these great names.

 

Montegrappa sells its history, particularly with the Extra range, and jars excellent guide to and groupings of the pens plus other info on the web gives a lot of insight and information. I love the skill and knowledge with celluloid, its history, specialism etc. The affection in which the brand is held often comes through in comments and the public perception also impacts brand image.

 

May be its me, but the whole range of products and the current offerings also affect brand perception. Im put off by skull imagery, as it happens, which seems to be majoring in Montegrappa at present. The special editions in every brand, tell you something about their sense of the world and ethics. Which companies they collaborate with and whether that is a small number of cohesive brands or a wide range with associations you dont like. All of these have an effect.

 

Graf von Faber Castell has a style that emphasises and echoes the aristocracy of its founders. Montegrappa lists Mussolini and Hemingway as people that liked/used the brand. You cant control that (Yeltsin handing his pen to Putin), but you can consider whether to promote the fact. Caran dAche has the history of behind its name, which is a fun story with a quirkiness, plus the knowledge of colour. Like GvFC, it started as a pencil manufacturer and there is value in Montegrappas roots as a nib maker then pen maker. CdAs mastery of Chinese lacquer is like GvFCs use of woods or Montegrappas skill with celluloid; they all add to an appreciation of the brand.

 

Overall, I find myself drawn more to the 1920s roots of Caran dAche than to the older Graf legacy and Montegrappa seems to have gone too much for bling and multiple special editions. Marginal calls, all round, but interesting to reflect on how that influences my decisions on the pen selection.

 

Chaz

[Chaz]

Final thoughts. I promise.

 

The section is how you connect hand to nib to paper. Only if that is right for you, can thoughts flow into ink. The section width is a blunt measure; length, profile, material, feel, threads and the step to the barrel (or lack of one) make up that overall contact point. Montegrappas use of silver and the original silver section of the Graf von Faber Castell classic series, are inspired choices because the feel in the hand is sublime, beating the rhodium or platinum coated versions by a mile.

 

Overall, for me, the Léman II won out in this comparison. I came by a Varius in China Blue because it looks so beautiful and has been spoken of so highly. The section is materially slimmer (7-8mm with a concave profile) and although thats about the same as the Rotring 600, the knurling of the Rotring makes it easier to use. The Varius has a ring at the top of the barrel which creates a step from threaded end of section to barrel and my thumb rests there in use. Thats pretty awkward in use and I will have to move the pen on to someone that can manage it. The quality of the pen and execution of the Chinese lacquer is exceptional and the medium nib is a lovely writer.

 

The Léman II doesnt have that issue even with the step to be barrel for where the cap fits flush. My natural thumb position in my slightly-further-from-the-nib-than-others, but otherwise traditional tripod grip, is just below the step. Ive had the luxury of being able to play around: picking up one pen then another, writing faster or slower, trying the pens after a hard game of squash or first thing in the morning at home. The hand is not always the same and with all these variables, the Léman works best. Thee is never that feeling of thickness or larger strokes, even if my hand feels heavy and slow. With the departure of the pen boutique in the Burlington Arcade, Im not sure where there is a pen shop in London any more and therefore how one would try pens extensively enough to make a decision with as much data as I have been able to amass.

 

The Léman isnt light at 58g (though a fair amount of that weight is in the cap) but I want to know Im holding something and it is exceptionally well balanced uncapped. None of the slight backward balance of the Anello. Interestingly, the straight hexagonal shaft of the Varius (127mm uncapped) helped me understand something Ive mentioned above. The slightly longer GvFC Anello Classic (130mm) and the Varius feel more like a pencil does, than an pen. While I like the longer barrel and initially missed that in the 125mm Léman, the Léman feels pennish because of that quite acute taper. It clearly helps with the balance issue as well (for the record the Varius is very slightly back-weighted, the Anello in ebony slightly more so; the Mobtegrappa Extra contrasting significantly with weight in the section). Id also note that the Léman is noticeably better behaved in the jacket pocket of my suit; I could feel the length of the Graf and its flared cap; the Leman II sits lower in the pocket and the taper means it never intrudes the same way, neither felt (though present) or marring the line of the suit.

 

Checking over the final set of notes I made, Id be repeating myself to list the reasons the Léman has become the destination of this journey. I cant say that I write more elegantly as a result of the choice - overall I think the pen is marginally better for my handwriting, and a lot of that is the neutral balance, the section working for me, and the precision of the nib. In the journey Ive come to appreciate some aspects of craftsmanship and quality, of history and brand perception. Ive also found, again, the pleasure of writing for the choice of words and he ideas they express, which is an unexpected bonus.

 

Happy penning ...

 

Chaz

[ballboy]

An enchanting and entertaining story of your route to the Leman, all relatable in that I've had two of the previous model (Bi-colour blue, then pink) but found handling eventually became an issue with the sharp step and threads, plus some used nib niggles creeping in eventually. Otherwise, very nicely made pens.

 

The current model needs more exposure to be appreciated it seems. Your description of handling the section is precise and helpful; I'll bear it mind if I find myself heading for one!

[Chaz]

Hi ballboy,

 

Thanks. You have some of your own enthusiastic posts to blame!

 

So far and so many weeks later, I a still in love with the Leman II in Le Grand Bleu. Just writing a long list of things at work and finding I need to cram in smaller and smaller additional items. The fine nib with its very precise feel delivers perfectly. Regarding the threads and the step to the barrel, these are felt, but not a huge issue in practice.

 

Chaz

[ballboy]

Nice to know Chaz!👍🏻

I still think its a fabulously built pen in almost any finish.

[TakingNotes]

Wow, excellent write up!  I’ve just ordered the Leman Grand Bleu with a fine nib as well, and this post is making me more excited to get it!  Really awesome to read your experiences comparing it with the other pens; I was able to hold one at my local pen shop but unfortunately I was not allowed to try writing with it.  The GVFC Anello had also caught my eye, so it seems like we have the same taste!

 

My journey into the pen world started with a CdA Leman ballpoint, and it made an excellent impression on me.  It seems that CdA has earned themselves some brand loyalty from me now!

 

How has the pen held up over the years?