Stipula Ventidue Review

[coach0519]

These are my thoughts of my Stipula Ventidue (second generation) fountain pen. My experience using fountain pens is limited to the last 10 months of using a Lamy Safari fine nib. Please take that into consideration as you read this.

 

Appearance & Design 8/10

 

I purchased the blueberry Ventidue. It is a very deep, dark, rich color blue. In the evening you could mistake it as black, but there are beautiful chunks of resin that make this glossy pen really come alive. In full sun, the pen is stunning. I bought the second generation that has the leaf above the clip. The cap includes a nice metal band that matched the piston filler. The middle of the pen is dominated by a large clear ink window that is engraved with the Stipula logo. The section above the nib is metal. I give high marks to the appearance of the pen and feel that the photos do not bring out it's full beauty. This is a smallish pen.... smaller that the Safari. I write with it unposted since it just feels better in my hand that way. I am 6' 1" and don't feel the pen is too small.

 

Construction & Quality 6/10

 

I bought this pen used and the metal ring on the cap was loose and came off. It was an easy fix, but still. This pen is quite hefty and solid for its size. The piston fill mechanism seems a bit tight, although this is the first piston fill pen that I own. There is a bit of ink leakage from the feed that collects where the feed screws into the metal section. Not sure if this is an easy fix. Please comment if you have the same issue.

 

Nib & Performance 7/10

 

This Ventidue came with a 14 carat extra-filne nib. My first reaction after filling the pen was that there was a bit of flex and give to this nib! The Safari's nib was like writing with a nail in comparison. I did not clean out the pen when I first got it. I wrote a fair amount.... a bit scratchy and dry. I thought it might be the ink, so I filled it with Pelikan Royal Blue..... still scratchy. So, I spent a few hours really cleaning it out. Flushing it with water, then soap/water, than water, than water/amonia, rinsed with more water. I let the pen soak. I also unscrewed the nib/feed assembly. It has been writing very well every since. A thicker and wetter line has emerged since the cleaning. There are many sized nibs that you can get from Stipula, but again I bought it used and the extra fine is working out well. Very easy to write in my day planner and my notes have a professional look to them. I usually write on copy paper or on an Ampad so I don't know how it works on the fancy paper... or with other inks. If someone wants to sent me fancy paper or ink.....I would be happy to try

Oh, one other issue. The pen is easy to start, but if you leave the cap off for a few minutes, it is very scratchy and hard to start. Never had this with my Safari so not sure if this is normal behavior for an extra fine nib.

 

Filling System 8/10

 

The main reason that I bought the Ventidue is because of its large capacity filling system. I was filling the Safari up every 3-4 days and the ink window was very small. The Ventidue has none of these issues: I can write for almost two weeks without filling and the ink window clearly shows what is left. I am knocking off a few points because the piston is a bit hard to turn.... maybe it's designed that way? This pen is very easy to clean. but don't try to turn the piston with wet hands!

 

Cost & Value 8/10

 

I bought this pen on Ebay since these pens come up for sale somewhat infrequently. I sold my Monte Blanc rollerball pen to get this and I am happy I did (I really never liked the rollerballs!)

 

Conclusions

 

This pen is ideal for those who want a classy design with a large ink capacity. Due to the small size, this pen is an easy traveler and works perfectly as an everyday writer. I know I pointed out all the little flaws, but make no mistake, I am very pleased with the pen and plan on keeping it for years to come.

[Russ]

Thanks for a great review!

 

I have the same pen, but with a Ti nib. My only wish is that the filler knob was textured to help wet fingers during filling; the piston is stiff and requires good grip to turn the knob.

[mholve]

Pretty pen - I like it!

 

I've always been intrigued by th Ti nib version.

[Thornton]

Nice review. I used to have this exact same pen but sold it here on FPN. Who knows, maybe it's the same one? Anyway, make sure the nib is screwed all the way into the section, that could be causing the leakage. There should be an O-Ring where the nib screws in to also protect against leakage. If this pen doesn't have one, they're easy enough to find online for a small price.

 

Stipula pistons can become stiff over time, but the problem can be fix by unscrewing the nib, dipping a paperclip in some silicone grease, and sticking the paperclip up into the ink chamber and coating the piston seal. This will lubricate the piston and make it as good as new. Not a very sophisticated method, but it has worked for me.

 

I hope at least some of the above was useful. Enjoy the pen.

[georges zaslavsky]

great review thanks for sharing