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Review: Shawn Newton Custom Pen


penspouse

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Appearance & Design (10 out of 10)Hubby said I could have Shawn Newton make me a pen for Christmas. I designed it. It arrived just before Christmas, but I didn't get to see it until Christmas day. It was even better than I expected. The material is a beautiful aqua, swirled with black and a hint of pearlized white. The black ends and cap ring really set off the beauty of this acrylic. I chose silver accents for the clip and nib. They fit perfectly. I like pens that are thicker in girth, but not gargantuan in length, and designed this to be similar to the Sailor Sapporo. It is not subtle in looks, but is not an "in your face" pen either. Sheer beauty would be my description. The construction is superb-very well made, and Shawn polished it to a beautiful high gloss.

 

Construction & Quality (9.5 out of 10) This pen has quality construction. The main material where the black ends and cap band meet feels seamless; there is no seam to be seen. It feels solid and gives me no fear of using it because of being either too delicate or fragile, yet it is not clunky in any way. I asked to have it be able to post, which it does, although not securely enough that I feel comfortable doing so with out really pushing the cap on the back end with greater force. I don't want to chance cracking the cap band. It is long enough to write with comfortably without posting, so I'm not too concerned.

 

Weight & Dimensions (10 out of 10) Filled with ink, my pen weighs 20 grams or 5/8 of an ounce. The measurements taken from Shawn's website are Closed 5 1/8″ – Open 4 3/4″ – Posted 6 1/8″. It is just a fraction of an inch longer than what I requested, but it had to be that way in order for the converter-which Shawn shortened as much as possible-to fit inside the barrel. I knew this ahead of time, and had no problems with it. As mentioned before, the cap does post, but it is actually more balanced unposted, and the barrel is long enough for complete writing comfort with the pen unposted. This pen might be too small for some who like larger pens, but for me, with smaller arthritic hands, it is perfect. The thicker barrel is exactly what I needed and wanted.

 

Nib & Performance (10 out of 10)I actually let Shawn choose the nib size for me. I wanted one similar in size the Sapporo nib and wanted it to look appropriate. It is fitted with a Jowo #6 steel nib that matches the clip. I chose a fine nib and asked that it be tuned so that it would write as smooth as (fill in your own description here). It is exactly that. It puts down a line not as fine as a Pilot Prera fine, but slightly finer than a very wet Pelikan fine. I have had no problems with the nib writing on a variety of paper-most of them cheap papers. I don't own any Rhodia or Clairefontaine.

 

Filling System & Maintenance (9 out of 10) I am partial to piston fill pens, thus the 9 out of 10, but the piston converter is a close second. If it was an integral part of the pen and held more ink, it would be 10 out of 10. The converter in this pen works well, and I knew that was what I was getting, so I have no complaints-easy to clean and fill.

 

Cost & Value (10 out of 10) In cost and value, a pen from Newton Pens can't be beat. Not only do you get the pen you order, but for every pen ordered Shawn makes a second pen that will be given away to a deserving student to help further the fountain pen addiction hobby. Shawn's website is very clear as to pricing, and options for materials, nibs, filling mechanisms, etc. After seeing my pen, I feel I got a better deal than I thought I was getting when I first ordered it.

 

Conclusion (Final score, 9.6 out of 10) - In conclusion, I couldn't be happier. When ordering a pen from Newton Pens, not only do you get to design your pen, you get quality work and great communication from Shawn. He was a pleasure to deal with. His communication is fantastic. He asked questions to make sure he made exactly what I wanted, and let me know when things might be different out of necessity, asking my permission before changing a thing. He was willing to keep me updated with the process by sending pictures as he went along, but I chose not to have him do that so the final product would be a surprise. Even though I designed the pen, it far exceeded my expectations. This pen will be a frequent user. I can't totally ignore my other pens, but it will be hard not to. Can you tell I LOVE this pen? :wub: I highly recommend ordering a pen from Shawn. After seeing mine, I think Hubby is now considering ordering one. His problem will be deciding on too many options. :blink:

 

Pen pictures are from the website. Shawn's photos are much better than mine.

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fpn_1357776953__custom-pen-writing-sample.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by penspouse

Soli Deo Gloria

 

Shameless plug - Some of my amateur photography.

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Great review of a fun looking pen, penspouse...

 

Like the black accents....adds a lot to the look.

 

I echo your recommendations working with Shawn and his pens....

 

I use my Tortoise pen almost every day and every time it's a joy to use....and get lots of compliments on it at work....

 

Enjoy!

 

:thumbup:

FP Addict & Pretty Nice Guy

 

 

 

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I like the black lip on the cap - it's not something I see often.

Agree. As Shawn continues to grow in this endeavor, I think it is these "little things" that can always cause one to stand out from the crowd.

 

Or, in the case of fountain pen makers, the small cluster of people.

"When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

~ Benjamin Franklin

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I like the black lip on the cap - it's not something I see often.

Agree. As Shawn continues to grow in this endeavor, I think it is these "little things" that can always cause one to stand out from the crowd.

 

Or, in the case of fountain pen makers, the small cluster of people.

 

Time for one of those carefully cropped photos that make 10 - 20 people look like a crowd.

Edited by raging.dragon
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I like the black lip on the cap - it's not something I see often.

 

I really do too. I ordered it originally, and then had second thoughts as to how it would turn out. Shawn assured me he had some great glue to attach the two materials together, and convinced me it would work. I'm glad I stuck with the original plan.

Soli Deo Gloria

 

Shameless plug - Some of my amateur photography.

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Can you tell I LOVE this pen? :wub:

 

The only kind of pen to have, IMHO.

 

Just agreeing with others that the black accents make this pen really sweet. Love that cap lip!

 

And love Shawn's spirit! There's something about his pens that feel...hmmmmm... touchable. happyberet.gif

...writing only requires focus, and something to write on. —John August

...and a pen that's comfortable in the hand.—moi

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I agree, the black accents really do bring a little extra special something to this pen. Congratulations on a beautiful pen. Enjoy it!

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. - Mark Twain

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  • 2 weeks later...

Great looking pen from Shawn. Excellent workmanship and a fine review. Enjoy writing!

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