F P N Stipula Passporto Review!

[777]

As usual, copied over from the blog, so excuse any "odd" references if they're in there.

 

Enjoy everybody!

 

A very important message before we get into the review:

A big thanks to the FPN Team and Wim for making this review possible! You guys did a great job getting these pens produced and I'm proud to own one!

***************************************

In the spotlight for review today is the long awaited, Limited Edition, Fountain Pen Network - Stipula Passporto!

 

This brand new (and already sold out) pen has been long in the making, and has been extremely anticipated for the last few months.

 

Being a special production pen from Stipula Italy, made just for the Fountain Pen Network, I have high expectations. We'll see how this pen does! Read on for the overview:

 

 

 

Overview:

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUE90ESA96Y/TxWhvp_6-qI/AAAAAAAAAe0/MV-XS8-TR10/s400/Review+Meter.png

 

I'm giving the FPN Stipula Passporto a solid 84/100 rating.

 

Pen: Stipula Passporto - FPN Limited Edition

Nib: 1.1mm Italic (steel)

Color: Azure blue

Filling system: Eyedropper

Size: 3.5" capped, 5" posted

Price: approx. $80.00

 

The good:

 

• Very portable and small, yet extends to the perfect size for writing when capped.
• It's a FPN pen!
• Design is very simple, yet extremely elegant.
• Eyedropper - holds a LOT of ink especially for it's size!

The Bad:

 

• Out of the box, the nib was less than good.
• For the price, you're not getting a whole lot of pen.
• Ink flow can be very slightly inconsistent due to being an eyedropper.

 

The FPN Stipula Passporto is a very special pen, and has been very long in the making. With so many expectations and ideas, I was surprised and pleased with the results.

 

This is not a good choice of pen for someone who's looking for a casual pocket pen to carry around. Make no mistake, this is an LE pen, and is priced like one. With that in mind it is fairly inexpensive for an LE, and I feel it's well worth the money.

 

As a commemorative pen for the Fountain Pen Network, this pen means a lot to me personally, and that's the real reason I bought it. If you love FPN, want to support them, and you want one of the less expensive LE's they're offering, this is your best bet.

 

Let's get right into the review.

 

 

Design:

 

The first aspect I always cover in my reviews. My pens must look good! It's absolutely mandatory. Function over form indeed, but I'll always be on the lookout for the "best in class". If there's a line-up of ten pens that all perform the same, I'll disregard price and pick the nicest looking one every time (granted I can afford it of course).

 

Now, that being said, how does this pen line up in my opinion of beautiful pens?

 

This pen was quite a pleasant surprise, to say the least. I ordered my Passporto with chrome trim, in a blue color. I believe gold trim was also offered. I chose chrome, as I will always do. I feel gold trim is to "warm" looking for most pens. Silver trim is more clean and cool in my eyes.

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P6Bruh_PZuA/TxMVczGX1lI/AAAAAAAAAds/YSIIBidqoUM/s400/DSC01003.JPG

 

 

 

The pen body itself is a lovely color-mix of dark blue, with very subtle light blue swirls throughout. These swirls are very hard to capture on camera, but in person they add amazing depth and beauty to the pen. I was expecting the pen to be solid blue, so this part was a real treat for me.

 

 

Showing off the imprint: FPN 2011 -78/200

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d0FEkWRvwtM/TxMUl7MhKVI/AAAAAAAAAdY/fZp4t3vr2kE/s400/DSC00998.JPG

 

 

One of my critiques for the design would be that Stipula chose to leave both imprints/engravings empty. I think white paint, as used for most pens would have really made them stand out. As of now, they're a bit hard to see actually. No matter though, as I can chalk them in white myself if I feel the need too.

 

 

You can faintly see below Stipula's company imprint.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oMJbI72rdis/TxMU8plhViI/AAAAAAAAAdg/hIVEtrRbuTE/s400/DSC01000.JPG

 

 

One of my favorite parts of the design, indeed the centerpiece of it, is the cap band on this pen. It's a large chunk of delightfully shiny chrome with Stipula's beautiful leaf logo on it. The logo is deeply imprinted on the band, giving it a very expensive feel.

 

 

 

So shiny I can see my reflection in it with ease!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-drzSHHzZ4ko/TxMUJ-lK6-I/AAAAAAAAAdI/I_399J6oRMY/s400/DSC00993.JPG

 

 

 

Aside from that, there's really not much to this design. It's very basic, but not quite what I'd call minimalistic (like the Lamy 2000). There is definitely a certain "feel" to it that is characteristic of expensive pens. This is expected for the price point and LE status.

 

 

Overall I would be wrong to give this pen any less than 23/25 for design.

 

 

It is beautiful, simple, and elegant without being distracting from whatever your writing. It's one of the prettiest pens I own!

 

 

 

 

Size/Weight:

 

As usual, this part of the review is extremely subjective. I will try to give the facts, and keep my opinions at a minimum.

 

First, let me say that this pen is small! When capped is measures a meager 3.5"! here's a quick comparison photo of it next to my daily users:

 

 

Uncapped and unposted, this pen is dwarfed by it's neighbors in my collection!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CtOcydwHugQ/TxMVkpzccCI/AAAAAAAAAdw/LTRxEaVrjak/s320/DSC01004.JPG

 

This size however is amazingly 100% advantage and 0% disadvantage! Stipula made the wise choice of putting threads on the back of the pen to allow for the cap to be easily and securely posted during writing.

 

With the cap posted this pen extends to a "just-right" 5" long. The perfect size for what I need.

 

With that ability, this makes for a pen that is super convenient to carry around, but still manages to be a full sized writing instrument. Good work Stipula.

 

The weight of the pen has never been much of an issue or a consideration for me, but this pen seems to be right in between. Not heavy, but not overly light. Still feels like a high quality writing instrument. You know the weight is just right when you don't notice it at all, which is the case for this pen.

 

The thickness of the pen seems right about average, which is good because due to it's size I was afraid it might be tiny. One of the few areas where I am picky when it comes to weight and size is the thickness of the grip-section. Once again, this pen comes in at being just right, for most users anyway. I'll always prefer my grip sections just a bit thicker, but I doubt anyone will have problems with this unless they have huge hands.

 

 

Overall I'd say the FPN Stipula Passporto has earned itself a good 24/25 in weight/size!

 

Only thing I'd change, based completely on personal preference, is the thickness of the grip. A wee bit bigger would've made it perfect.

 

 

 

 

Functionality:

 

Like it's design, the functionality of this pen is very simple. There are basically no mechanics, as it's an eyedropper-filled pen.

 

Simplicity is a good thing, as pens that are simple are much less prone to errors and malfunctions. I'll hit on some key points here. This is a list of my favorite functionality-features that this pen offers:

 

• Like any good eyedropper, it has a proper rubber gasket on the barrel threads to prevent leakage without having to use silicone grease. Of course, greasing the gasket once in a great while doesn't hurt.
• You'll notice (pictured below) the finely cut threads on the end of the barrel. These allow for the cap to screw on when posted, thus making it much more secure than most pens.
• The aluminum threads on the section: I prefer these over plastic cut threads. They look good as a design element, and I feel they'll outlast typical plastic threads.

 

 

Notice the detailed threads cut into the end of the barrel for posting the cap.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SiJM0BNod48/TxMVHO5Y4FI/AAAAAAAAAdk/aAl4pmS9QPo/s400/DSC01001.JPG

 

 

 

 

The filling system:

 

Not a full category, but this is an important sub-category of function. This pen fills via an eyedropper, which is basically the simplest of all filling systems.

 

I love and hate eyedroppers, as they can be wonderful and painful at the same time. I'll touch on some pros and cons here:

 

 

Pros:

• Extremely easy to use. No instructions needed - you put ink into the barrel of the pen, and done!
• Easy to clean. No complex feeders, mechanisms, or contraptions to hold onto ink and prevent thorough cleaning.
• Holds a lot of ink. Amazingly for it's size, this pen holds more ink that any average or large sized c/c filling pen.

Cons:

• Messy. I find this filling system can be rather messy. Hard to describe, but once you've tried it you'll know what I mean...
• Can be very prone to flow "glitches". We all (most of us anyway) know it - eyedroppers can have some serious flow issues. Anything from dripping ink onto the page to drying up and gushing intermittently. I can luckily say that mine has shown none of these issues in about 2 weeks of ownership. I expect it will remain this way.

Overall, with a high quality pen like this, I don't worry to much about ink blops or leaks. Were it a cheaper pen I might be concerned, but coming from Stipula I feel pretty safe with this in my pocket.

 

 

 

Here is the provided eyedropper, as well as a standard short cartridge. The eyedropper is nice high-quality glass.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0MIeYSOq5Gs/TxMVuBa2PwI/AAAAAAAAAd0/rEWoYmxleHU/s400/DSC01005.JPG

 

 

 

 

With the ability to pop in a cartridge, and the fact that I've had (and am confident I won't) no ink-flow problems, I'm very pleased with this pen filling mechanism. I'd prefer this over a c/c filler any day.

 

One last thing to go over real quick before we wrap up the function category: This pen has no clip! This was not a concern for me, as I rarely find myself using the clips on my pens. Still, it is something to consider when purchasing this pen. If you use your clips often, and you need one for (x) reason, you may want to look at some of Stipula's other options.

 

 

Overall I feel good giving this pen a 20/25 for function.

 

 

I have extremely high expectations for a pens function, so don't be surprised at my rating - few pens get higher than this. Things I'd change:

• A provided c/c filler in the box would be a nice option for those who wish to not go for the eyedropper filling, but still don't want to use a cartridge.
• Nothing outstanding - the pen functions great as a whole, but there's really nothing "Oh wow!" about it. For an LE, I was hoping for a few more outstanding features. Just a minor quibble really.

 

 

 

The nib:

 

I chose a 1.1mm italic nib for my pen. I've recently moved away from larger nibs, but this pen was an exception. I did not intend for this pen to be a note-taker or workhorse. It it simply meant for luxury, period.

 

 

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P6Bruh_PZuA/TxMVczGX1lI/AAAAAAAAAds/YSIIBidqoUM/s400/DSC01003.JPG

 

 

 

Now it's time for me to get a little down on this pen. It's rare that I do this, but it's necessary. It's my goal to give you the honest truth, no matter how much I like a pen. Here it is:

 

Out of the box, this nib was less than good, it was downright bad. There I said it. Now let me explain in better detail so you understand why.

 

Stipula does not do a good job of removing manufacturing oils from the pen after it's done being "built". This is unfortunate, as it's really a simple fix, especially for Stipula.

 

These oils left in the pen cause skipping and severe flow issues. When I first inked the pen, it wrote as dry as the dessert, and that dry flow, bad as it was, was inconsistent at best.

 

The fix? The silly part is, the fix for this nib is so extremely simple! All you need to do is remove the nib and feed, and rinse them in soapy water. Then rinse them of in clean water, pop them back in the pen, and you're golden! Why can Stipula not do this at the factory?

 

 

The little troublemaker - manufactures oil residue left in the feed...

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J3Kq8bJJkNI/TxMUwcFX5oI/AAAAAAAAAdc/yIZJCKO_ez4/s400/DSC00999.JPG

 

 

Now, once cleaned thoroughly, here are my thoughts on the nib:

 

Yes, it's a good nib! This nib was fairly smooth, abut 5/10 wetness, had had pretty decent line variation for a factory italic. If I was just rating the nib, I'd probably give it a 6/10. To be honest though, I wasn't impressed with the nib. I liked it enough, but it wasn't making that "wow" connection that I wanted.

 

You know me - I took it out to my workshop, gave it a good one-over for about 15 minutes, and came back in to try it out. The results - Much, much improved! This nib responded very well to my tuning. I increased the flow, smoothed it, and touched up the nib shape to achieve more variation.

 

Now, with the nib tuned up, I can easily give it a 9/10! This nib has now become a favorite of mine. I really love it.

 

But, to be fair, not everyone can go out and professionally home-tune their pens.

 

 

To be honest, I have to overall score the Stipula Passporto's nib at 17/25.

 

 

Ouch, that hurts a bit, especially for a Limited Edition pen at this price point. But factor in the skipping problems at the start (bad presentation from Stipula), and the only decent writing quality, I have to give it that score.

 

Now for a writing sample! This is the nib after I tuned it. The variation is diminished slightly, because I didn't use my good paper like I should have.

 

 

 

NOTE: In the comparison below, the pens used are:

Blue ink - Stipula Passporto

Thin brown line - TWSBI F

Thin Magenta line - Pilot VP F

Dark Brown wide line - Lamy 2000 B

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wR8orvVHnc/TxMWt9IVofI/AAAAAAAAAeM/vH8ETAkPYEA/s640/SCAN0009.JPG

 

 

 

 

The extra category:

 

My reviews typically feature 4 categories, but for LE pens, I give an extra one. This category will cover the presentation and "pack-ins" that come with this pen. I don't want to spend too much time on this (it's the pen that I care about!), but here goes:

 

 

Nice faux leather box - good company imprint, secure magnetic closure. I care little about the box...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XaAmd5zOdhg/TxMTkRz6QaI/AAAAAAAAAc8/powkRySmiBQ/s400/DSC00935.JPG

 

 

 

 

Pack ins! A manual, with info on all of Stipula's different filling systems, a "certificate LE thingy", an eyedropper, and a cartridge.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkH_bbQbEsI/TxMTz8U3EeI/AAAAAAAAAdA/4gSXmH7wWaE/s400/DSC00939.JPG

 

 

 

 

There it is, a genuine FPN Passporto. Mine is 78/200 (yes, I know it looks like 900). I have to admit, I was disappointed about one thing: This is written with a ballpoint! What!? Stipula needs to make it mandatory for their employees to use fountain pens for this job.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RQtFCQDTvuM/TxMUCdxEMrI/AAAAAAAAAdE/Dtc4gSpxmO4/s400/DSC00940.JPG

 

 

 

 

Very good quality glass eyedropper.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGdaHsheQl4/TxMV2QwtOpI/AAAAAAAAAd4/LJ4pD7c5-3M/s400/DSC01006.JPG

 

 

 

 

Comes with a single short cartridge, in case you don't want to do bottled ink.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0MIeYSOq5Gs/TxMVuBa2PwI/AAAAAAAAAd0/rEWoYmxleHU/s400/DSC01005.JPG

 

 

 

Overall I think the extra pack-ins are perfect, or very close to it. It's what I expected from an LE, but it's not overly obnoxious. No frills, very simplistic, yet I still feel like I'm getting what I paid for, with a Limited Edition fountain pen.

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

Overall, nib issues aside now that they're fixed, I'm extremely pleased with this purchase. I would recommend this pen to anyone looking for a special pen, specifically to commemorate FPN.

 

This pen has a lot of personality for such a little guy, and I find myself using it more and more these days.

 

For the price you aren't getting a whole lot for your money, that's true. A 3.5" pen with a steel nib. But, knowing that I'm helping support Fountain Pen Network with my purchase made it more than worth it for me. Also, it's an LE, so once these are sold, (they already are!) they're gone.

 

If you're interested in buying one of these though, I recommend you watch the FPN market-place very carefully. I guarantee you there will be folks selling these soon enough. I also guarantee that they'll be snatched up very fast when they do get put up for sale!

 

If any of you folks have one of these pens, I'd love to hear you thoughts in the comments below. Did yours have nib issues? If so, were they easily fixed with the same trick I used?

 

Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you enjoyed this review. Of course you're more than welcome to leave me a comment too and let me know what you think of the review. I'd love to hear from you!

 

If you liked this review, consider doing yourself and me the favor of subscribing to the blog. It'll keep you up to date in an easy and convenient way, and it encourages me to keep on posting these reviews!

 

And don't forget to share this on twitter if you enjoyed it! Spread the word, let others in on the fun.

 

 

Have a good one everybody!

 

 

Regards,

Tyler Dahl

 

 

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I have but one request of you FPN readers. If you like my blog posts and reviews here on FPN, do me a huge favor and check out my blog. I'd love to have you come and visit! Your comments and subscriptions really encourage me to keep reviewing pens and writing about the things we love.

 

 

 

 

Thanks everybody.

 

 

[jandrese]

Nice review thanks. I thought about buying a Passporto this past weekend. It was a cool looking red demonstrator, so, why did I not buy it? Unlike your pen there are no posting threads making it impossible to securely post. With this pen no posting means no writing. That, and the steel nib was rubbish, everything people think steel nibs are actually, stiff, scratchy, ugly, and rough. I love a nice steel nib, but this was not one. I could have fixed the nib though. The inability to post, and the retail price kept me from buying it. For an LE, you paid a very good price. Enjoy.

[Uncle Red]

Tyler, how does the Stipula's thickness compare to a Kaweco?

[dcpritch]

how does the Stipula's thickness compare to a Kaweco?

 

I can answer that with three quick photos (sorry about the iPhone quality). Shown are the Kaweco Sport (clear) with a GP BB nib; Stipula Passaporto FPN LE with a steel 1.1 mm CI nib; and Kaweco Sport Green Ice with a steel M nib.

 

The end of the section on the Stipula is narrower than the flared section on the Kaweco, but I hold my pens a little higher up, nearer the threads, and at that point the Stipula is wider than the Kaweco and, for me, more comfortable to hold and write with. The Passaporto also has more heft than the Kaweco (at least this version, I no longer have the aluminum Sport so can't compare to that).

 

I've had my Passaporto in my pocket from the moment it arrived, carrying it everywhere and using it often, and love this little pen. Thanks again, Wim!

 

First, capped (in each of these photos I tapped a ruler against the back end of the pens to line them up evenly. It looks like they are not lined up with each other but that is camera trickery):

 

 

Next, uncapped (I had to put them in a tray to keep them from rolling around):

 

 

Lastly, posted:

 

Edited January 18, 2012 by dcpritch

[georges zaslavsky]

interesting review thanks for sharing

[Toolattack]

Very good review, thank you for your work.

[777]

Nice review thanks. I thought about buying a Passporto this past weekend. It was a cool looking red demonstrator, so, why did I not buy it? Unlike your pen there are no posting threads making it impossible to securely post. With this pen no posting means no writing. That, and the steel nib was rubbish, everything people think steel nibs are actually, stiff, scratchy, ugly, and rough. I love a nice steel nib, but this was not one. I could have fixed the nib though. The inability to post, and the retail price kept me from buying it. For an LE, you paid a very good price. Enjoy.

 

Yes - apparently the threads are only for the LE I guess, That's a real bummer.

 

To bad your nib was bad too on the one you tried. Maybe Stipula needs some lessons from Bock... On that note - where does Stipula source their nibs from? Anyone know?

 

Tyler, how does the Stipula's thickness compare to a Kaweco?

 

I think David's got this one covered!

 

how does the Stipula's thickness compare to a Kaweco?

 

I can answer that with three quick photos (sorry about the iPhone quality). Shown are the Kaweco Sport (clear) with a GP BB nib; Stipula Passaporto FPN LE with a steel 1.1 mm CI nib; and Kaweco Sport Green Ice with a steel M nib.

 

The end of the section on the Stipula is narrower than the flared section on the Kaweco, but I hold my pens a little higher up, nearer the threads, and at that point the Stipula is wider than the Kaweco and, for me, more comfortable to hold and write with. The Passaporto also has more heft than the Kaweco (at least this version, I no longer have the aluminum Sport so can't compare to that).

 

I've had my Passaporto in my pocket from the moment it arrived, carrying it everywhere and using it often, and love this little pen. Thanks again, Wim!

 

Thanks for the pictures David! Very helpful.

 

interesting review thanks for sharing

 

You're most welcome - it's my pleasure.

 

Very good review, thank you for your work.

 

Glad you liked it!

 

 

[Joe in Seattle]

Under "design" I would add that the leaf design in the trim ring ensures that the pen stops rolling before it rolls off the table onto the floor! This is a key design feature of Stipula. The first time you put the pen down and it starts to roll you'll appreciate it.

 

Thought your review quite fair about the manufacturing oils - SheilaM's pen needed some bathing, too before it became a reasonable writer.

[SamCapote]

Great and very thorough review, Tyler! Thanks for covering it in a fair manner. Looking at your blog now.

[rdh]

Thanks for the review. I have the same pen (except for the number ) and love it. I did need to adjust the flow of my italic nib to get a nice wet line, even when writing the widest lines. Although this is not an operation for beginners, Wim does provide basic instructions on how to do it in his "FPN Pens Shipping and Some Tips!" blog post that is currently posted on the right of the page. I would also point out to folks that if you use the pen as an eyedropper, it will almost always write wetter than if you are using a cartridge or converter.

 

I wondered about your suggestion that Stipula include a converter with the pen. I am not sure I have ever seen a converter small enough to fit in this pen, so I wouldn't knock it on this.

 

I didn't realize that the production Passportos did not have threads on the back. They must post, or it would be awfully difficult for most people to do more than just jot a note or 2 down if it wasn't posted since you would have to hold it between your fingers without resting it on the webbing between your thumb and forefinger. Does anyone know if the non LE pens post?

 

Thanks again for the comprehensive and accurate review.

 

Dave

[dcpritch]

I don't know about all Passaportos, but I had one previously that posted but without the threads. The back end of the barrel was shaped to fit the cap. I found the fit to be snug but not entirely secure and am very glad that the FPN version has threads to keep the cap on whilst writing.

[Essensia]

I always enjoy your reviews, Tyler. Thank you for being so honest and thorough. Looking forward to receiving my own FPN Passaporto with a 1.1 mm nib one of these days!

[tenney]

I don't know about all Passaportos, but I had one previously that posted but without the threads.

And I have a Passaporto I got from Fahrney's that has a threaded post.

[wimg]

Good review, Tyler, and thank you for your kind words .

 

A few additions:

 

1) The Passaporto never comes with a converter, as this would hold less than half the ink a cartridge would hold, and it is relatively expensive, being a special, non-standard size.

 

2) The threads was a very specific design request. We specified not just threads, but a double length thread, after reading comments on Passaportos without threads and with shorter threading. IOW, that was a special request by FPN specifically for the FPN LE Passaporto .

 

3) The Stipula leaf on the cap ring has a dark blue background, i.e., the oval area it rests on. This is black normally, but we specified blue to go better with the pen .

 

4) Ink stinginess: indeed, as was remarked, because it is an eye dropper, but also because this has become the de facto European standard for fountain pens, and steel nibbed pens in particular. It is one of the reasons why I mentioned how to easily improve ink flow. Furthermore, something which seems particular to Stipula nibs is that the feed really needs priming, as I call it (also mentioned in my tips). Before having done that, skipping may occur. This seems to be very particular to the feeds used in Stipula nibs, which are made from a special type of nylon. Essentially this nylon is formulated to be a replacement for ebonite feeds, minus the fragility of those.

 

5) Manufacturing oils: this is again why I indicated the pen should be rinsed prior to use. I even use 3 to 4 drops of non-perfumed dishwashing liquid to do so, if necessary .

 

6) As to pricing: considering this is a hand made pen, it is incredibly cheap, even at full retail (which nobody here paid, I hasten to say ).

 

You could consider this to be a cheap Ferrari amongst pens, in a way. It is a little finnicky and needs a bit of tender loving care, but provided you supply that, it will provide oodles of writing pleasure .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Dave,

....

 

 

I didn't realize that the production Passportos did not have threads on the back. They must post, or it would be awfully difficult for most people to do more than just jot a note or 2 down if it wasn't posted since you would have to hold it between your fingers without resting it on the webbing between your thumb and forefinger. Does anyone know if the non LE pens post?

 

....

 

Dave

All Passaportos will post, out of necessity, as the pen is too short to write comfortably otherwise.

 

They either have a single thread to screw the cap on to, or a smooth, recessed barrel end to friction fit the cap. The FPN LE Passaportos are different, however, in that they have a double length thread, for more secure fitting. This was a design spec, based on reading comments of people about the cap getting loose too easily and falling off both in the single length thread design and the friction fit design .

 

So far, with the double length thread on the barrel end, the FPN LE Passaporto is very unique, and so far it looks to me that it works well indeed...

 

Warm regards, Wim

[rdh]

So far, with the double length thread on the barrel end, the FPN LE Passaporto is very unique, and so far it looks to me that it works well indeed...

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

Thanks, Wim.

 

 

I agree that it works well. I think it is very nifty. When I post the pen, I still smile and shake my head. Very, very clever....and functional, too.

 

 

Dave

[nicholasyeo]

I am so going to get one of them demos!

[seymour]

Hi

 

I have no. 177.

 

Since, I am clumsy and normally get ink on my hands, I used a cartridge. The nib was a standard fine and wrote beautifully straight out of the box.

 

The ink flow was fine, even using a cartridge.

 

Unfortunately my pen had a different problem. Last week, I unscrewed the cap from the back of the pen after use and the cap came apart. The band and the plastic parted company.

 

I sent the pen back to Stipula for repair last Sunday and so I hope to be able to report on their good after-sales service very soon

 

Chaim

[777]

Under "design" I would add that the leaf design in the trim ring ensures that the pen stops rolling before it rolls off the table onto the floor! This is a key design feature of Stipula. The first time you put the pen down and it starts to roll you'll appreciate it.

 

Thought your review quite fair about the manufacturing oils - SheilaM's pen needed some bathing, too before it became a reasonable writer.

 

I didn't know that! Cool - thanks for sharing Joe.

 

Great and very thorough review, Tyler! Thanks for covering it in a fair manner. Looking at your blog now.

 

Glad you enjoyed the review Sam! I do find it hard sometimes to get down on a pen, especially when I love it.

 

An honor to have you over at the blog too.

 

Thanks for the review. I have the same pen (except for the number ) and love it. I did need to adjust the flow of my italic nib to get a nice wet line, even when writing the widest lines. Although this is not an operation for beginners, Wim does provide basic instructions on how to do it in his "FPN Pens Shipping and Some Tips!" blog post that is currently posted on the right of the page. I would also point out to folks that if you use the pen as an eyedropper, it will almost always write wetter than if you are using a cartridge or converter.

 

I wondered about your suggestion that Stipula include a converter with the pen. I am not sure I have ever seen a converter small enough to fit in this pen, so I wouldn't knock it on this.

 

I didn't realize that the production Passportos did not have threads on the back. They must post, or it would be awfully difficult for most people to do more than just jot a note or 2 down if it wasn't posted since you would have to hold it between your fingers without resting it on the webbing between your thumb and forefinger. Does anyone know if the non LE pens post?

 

Thanks again for the comprehensive and accurate review.

 

Dave

 

Quite true - perhaps a converter would be a bad idea. I've always wondered though - why couldn't they make thicker converters? They always make them the same thickness. If someone could make a short but stocky converter, it might actually work with pens like this.

 

I don't know about all Passaportos, but I had one previously that posted but without the threads. The back end of the barrel was shaped to fit the cap. I found the fit to be snug but not entirely secure and am very glad that the FPN version has threads to keep the cap on whilst writing.

 

I was wondering about that David - thank you for confirming.

 

I'm really glad FPN got the threads on the back.

 

I always enjoy your reviews, Tyler. Thank you for being so honest and thorough. Looking forward to receiving my own FPN Passaporto with a 1.1 mm nib one of these days!

 

Glad you enjoyed the review!

 

Do let us know how your 1.1mm performs for you. I'm hoping maybe it's just the loud minority making the nibs look less-than-stellar on these. I'll keep my fingers crossed that yours will be perfect out of the box.

 

I don't know about all Passaportos, but I had one previously that posted but without the threads.

And I have a Passaporto I got from Fahrney's that has a threaded post.

 

Do you know the specific model that you got? I'd be interested in knowing which ones do and don't have the threads.

[777]

Good review, Tyler, and thank you for your kind words .

 

A few additions:

 

1) The Passaporto never comes with a converter, as this would hold less than half the ink a cartridge would hold, and it is relatively expensive, being a special, non-standard size.

 

2) The threads was a very specific design request. We specified not just threads, but a double length thread, after reading comments on Passaportos without threads and with shorter threading. IOW, that was a special request by FPN specifically for the FPN LE Passaporto .

 

3) The Stipula leaf on the cap ring has a dark blue background, i.e., the oval area it rests on. This is black normally, but we specified blue to go better with the pen .

 

4) Ink stinginess: indeed, as was remarked, because it is an eye dropper, but also because this has become the de facto European standard for fountain pens, and steel nibbed pens in particular. It is one of the reasons why I mentioned how to easily improve ink flow. Furthermore, something which seems particular to Stipula nibs is that the feed really needs priming, as I call it (also mentioned in my tips). Before having done that, skipping may occur. This seems to be very particular to the feeds used in Stipula nibs, which are made from a special type of nylon. Essentially this nylon is formulated to be a replacement for ebonite feeds, minus the fragility of those.

 

5) Manufacturing oils: this is again why I indicated the pen should be rinsed prior to use. I even use 3 to 4 drops of non-perfumed dishwashing liquid to do so, if necessary .

 

6) As to pricing: considering this is a hand made pen, it is incredibly cheap, even at full retail (which nobody here paid, I hasten to say ).

 

You could consider this to be a cheap Ferrari amongst pens, in a way. It is a little finnicky and needs a bit of tender loving care, but provided you supply that, it will provide oodles of writing pleasure .

 

Warm regards, Wim

 

Wim - thank you for the extra details! That cleared up a lot for me, as well as revealed a few unknown features (nice touch with the blue leaf )

 

Yes, it's an odd pen in this respect:

 

It's incredibly value for an LE, yet not a lot of pen for the money, comparatively speaking. Places it in an odd category.

 

It's worth every penny to me though.

 

I only wish I could've gotten it with you signature on it Wim.

 

 

I am so going to get one of them demos!

 

Had they made a FPN LE demo one, I would do the same thing. I love demo pens.

 

Hi

 

I have no. 177.

 

Since, I am clumsy and normally get ink on my hands, I used a cartridge. The nib was a standard fine and wrote beautifully straight out of the box.

 

The ink flow was fine, even using a cartridge.

 

Unfortunately my pen had a different problem. Last week, I unscrewed the cap from the back of the pen after use and the cap came apart. The band and the plastic parted company.

 

I sent the pen back to Stipula for repair last Sunday and so I hope to be able to report on their good after-sales service very soon

 

Chaim

 

Chaim,

 

I'm sorry to hear about the trouble, but very happy to know that Stipula is treating you well. Let us know how the pen does when you get it back.

 

Also good to hear that your nib was great right out of the box.