Filcao New Leader -- Button filler!

August 24, 2006

When Richard (usual disclaimer...) offered the Filcao New Leader in his post-DC Supershow Sale, I noticed how the pen filled many of my requirements for a great daily use pen. Its size, weight, and neat filling mechanism made it a pen I couldn't resist, so I pulled the trigger.

Appearance & Finish - I chose the orange body with black cap, also available are Red and Mandarin Yellow. This is a very attractive color combination, in my opinion. The orange is very pretty; it's subdued enough that I don't think I am on a hunting trip, but still bold enough to really catch the eye. Plus, with Halloween being my birthday, the color combination seems very fitting. As for the fit and finish, I have no complaints. Everything is done very nicely and looks to be of high quality. Noticeably absent is that darned section trim ring which some consider a deal-breaker. The hardware is gold toned.

Design/ Size/Weight - This was a big part of why I chose this pen. I like a larger size and a heftier weight; the New Leader fit the bill. According to Richard's site, it is a little under 5.5" long, and about .53" in diameter. It weighs 1oz. I don't have an m800 (yet!) but I believe it is about that size. The body is a flat top design, with a black blind cap. The blind cap is made of metal, and this contributes to the overall heft of the pen. It is very comfortable for me to use either posted or un-posted (haven't decided yet how I will use it more), but posting the pen might make it a little top heavy. The cap has some sort of spring loaded metal prongs as part of the inner cap which makes the act of posting or capping the pen very pleasurable. Maybe this has a special name, but none of my other pens have that. The cap screws on in about 2.5 rotations.

Nib Design & Performance - The nib is a medium gold plated steel design by Schmidt. I think it is a good size to match the body of the pen in proportion. It's a good, smooth writer, albeit not buttery smooth, with a consistent flow to match. I haven't yet had a hard start or skipping out of the pen. I'm no expert at judging line widths, but the medium nib produces a medium line. It is certainly fine enough for my everyday use. The pen is fitted with a plastic feed, but I am unsure if the nib is user-replaceable or friction fit.

Filling System - This might be the best part! Button filler!!! I really can't stand cartridge/converter pens, it bugs me having to break my pen in half to fill it with ink and I find converters boring. I like piston fillers, but they are about the only easily available option other than C/C. Filcao has really done a good job by providing something different--for a more vintage feel. The button filler is convenient and fun to fill. I wish more companies would bring some variety back to filling mechanisms. The capacity isn't huge, since it is a sac pen, but it should be livable especially considering how much I love to fill the pen anyways. I'll have to use it a bit longer to get a feel of how much ink it really holds, though.

Cost/Value - this pen retails on Richard's site for $120, though I got it slightly cheaper on sale. I would gladly pay that much again for this pen, I feel it is a great value.

Conclusion - This is a great pen, and I will certainly be looking at Filcao models in the future. The Leader has a great 'quality feel', and is a good writer to boot. I'm going to be carrying this pen every day!

--Greg

August 25, 2006

Good review, Greg! I do better with smaller pens to go with my smaller hands, but I surely agree that it would be nice if more variety in fillling systems were offered with most new pens. I don't care for c/c pens either!

Thanks for taking the time to do the review.

Best, Ann

August 25, 2006

Hi Greg

Thanks so much for the review. Its so spooky, I was just looking at Richards site this morning at the New Leader and was trying to decide if I should take the plunge or not.

I think I will go for the red or orange one

Dawn

August 25, 2006

yeah, what's up with all these c/c pens? It's practially a Bic! *shudder* :bonk:

August 25, 2006

Nice buy Libertas! Also an excellent review of the New Leader.

I too took advantage of Richard's post DC sale and bought a Filcao Columbia. It arrived early this week, and it's a fantastic pen - just as all my Filcaos have been. I love these button fillers, and there is just something about the plastic of Filcao pens that makes me thing quality.

Enjoy!