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In March, I attended the BWI Pen Show at the BWI Marriott Hotel in Linthicum, Maryland, USA. I purchased several fountain pens during the three-day show. One of them was by an Indian brand, Magna Carta. I saw its offerings and purchased the Elements model in all-black with a Broad Nib. Here are photos I took at home after I returned home. Here are some approximate objective measurements: Length capped: 14.8 cm (5.8 in) Length posted: 17.5 cm (6.9 in) Weight empty: 34-35 grams Weight after filling with water: 36 grams Based on my viewing of the website, MagnaCartaPen.com, it appears that this black Elements model is not yet for sale on the site. There appear to be two Elements models for sale there -- the blue-green "Sky" and the red "Earth." It is clear to me that the black model I purchased is an Elements model, based on its shape. Based on the information provided on the other two Elements models, the following can be stated about this pen: Outer material: "Precious resin" Cap: threaded (screw on-and-off) Filling Type: Pneumatic Finish-Trim: PVD 24K gold-plated Nib Material: Gold-plated stainless steel (available in EF, F, M, B, and BB). At the show, I paid $160, which turns out to be the retail price on the website (oh, well), but at least there were no sales tax or shipping costs. The pneumatic filling system works easily. Screw off the end-cap, pull out the pneumatic tube, place a finger over the breather hole (shown clearly in the last photo), push in the tube into the ink, take your finger off the breather hole, wait a few seconds, and screw the end-cap back on. About 1-2 grams of ink enter the pen in the process. I filled the pen with Noodler's Squeteague ink, a dark teal color, and used the pen for a few weeks. I was impressed with its performance and feel. This is a thick pen in my hand. The outer material feels warm and pleasant to the touch. The nib was responsive -- firm with very slight give -- and quite smooth. I'm sure it helped that the nib was a Broad. I favor nibs that are at least Medium. I found myself daily looking forward to writing some notes and practicing my signature with this pen. It is an attractive pen and reminds me somewhat, at least in spirit, of some of the larger Conway Stewart models that I've seen on the internet. I feel that the $160 price is fair in this day-and-age for this kind of high quality pen with a steel nib. I wonder if others have any experiences, good or bad, with the Elements model or with other Magna Carta fountain pens. I would look forward to your comments.

I recently purchased on Ebay for USD$150 a gold-plated Waterford Powerscourt fountain pen with a fine 18K/750 nib and have used it for a week, writing with it at least twice each day. Here are photos, to be followed by my impressions at this relatively early stage. The pen is very attractive and feels nice in the hand. It has a solid feel and nice weight; the pen is of average length and weighs 41 grams. It fills easily with its included converter. I used Noodlers Green ink. It took awhile for the pen to write consistently; at first, it skipped a bit. The fine nib writes with a relatively dry line. The nib is on the firm side and makes an easily audible sound when writing on decent quality paper. My "gut" feeling is that the Powerscourt is an attractive pen that feels nice in the hand but writes in an uninspiring manner. I gather that for my tastes, a medium or broad nib (which I generally prefer) would feel better. However, my guess is that the Waterford line is more about looks than about the writing experience. What are the experiences and impressions of others who have written with this pen or other Waterford pens? Am I being unfair to this pen and brand?

Fountain Pen Revolution Tanoshii – Welcome to (or from) Japan?? In August 2020, the folks at Fountain Pen Revolution began “teasing” a new pen design that they were getting ready to release. The FPR Tanoshii, and the Tanoshii Junior were (as far as I can recall) the first pens in their range to be designed and made outside of India. Kevin’s partners are based in Japan – though an online search pens themselves might be made in Taiwan? I liked the look of these pens, but not quite enough to be ready to shell out for one. That perspective changed, though, when FPR started selling a “Urushi Art” version (or rather, versions) of the larger pen, with attractive and vivid designs on the barrel of the pen. A, *ahem*, fairly significant birthday was coming up, so I placed an order… Kevin kindly included a Junior version as well, so I could compare and contrast (and, if I wished, publish a review!) – I mention that up-front because, as hard as I try to be impartial in my reviews, I prefer to be up-front about anything that could (unwittingly) skew influence my perspective. The Tanoshii line of pens are the most expensive in Kevin’s range – but the moment you get them in hand you’ll see why. They’re clearly manufactured to a high standard. I’m not going to ‘score’ the pen for the different categories listed below – but will try to give a clear indication of where they land. One last thing to mention up-front: this review will focus primarily on the Urushi Art version of the full-sized pen – but will make frequent comparisons to the Tanoshii Junior. ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design For the most part, the FPR Tanoshii and Tanoshii Junior counterpart conform to a fairly standard (and elegant) pen design. The cap screws snugly over the grip section, with only a slight step-down between cap and barrel. The pen is at its girthiest around the cap-band, and tapers slightly the top of the cap and the bottom of the barrel. The full-sized Tanoshii sports gold-plated trim (clip, bands and nib), while the Junior has chrome-coloured trim – I’d like to see both options available for both sizes of pen, but don’t know whether that’s in the works. The clip is one of the more distinctive features of the Tanoshii pens – it swoops down from near the top of the pen to terminate on a ball-shaped attachment, which can be made to roll as it glides over the fabric of a pocket or pen case. I find the clip holds the pen quite firmly in place in my pocket – which is doubly important when you’re carrying a piece of art around! The other distinctive feature is the ornamental pattern inscribed onto the cap band – I wasn’t really attracted to this at first, especially on the chrome band of the Tanoshii Junior (I’m not normally a fan of ‘flashy’ pens). I have to say though it’s grown on me over time. Size Comparison (top to bottom): TWSBI Diamond Mini, FPR Tanoshii Junior, FPR Tanoshii full-size (urushi), Lamy Safari, TWSBI Diamond 580 AL I really like the materials Kevin chose for the manufacture of these pens: The cracked-ice style acrylics are brightly coloured with moderate translucency (you can select from blue and orange barrels paired with solid black grip section, cap and finial; or a ruby barrel paired with white grip section, cap and finial). If you prefer a more understated option, you can purchase an all-black version – which I believe forms the base for the Urushi Art versions of the pen. FPR Tanoshii Junior - Ruby/White version Here, obviously, is where things really got interesting for me. The Urushi Art versions of the pen are brightly coloured, and absolutely gorgeous. The artwork on the two ‘plainer’ versions of the pen (Green Genji and Golden Cloud) are made up purely, as far as I can tell, of layers of urushi lacquer and gold metallic powders; while the other four pens boast an elaborate artwork / decal (Red Phoenix, Blue Dragon, Red Dragon, and Black Dragon). I was keen to buy one of the plainer pens, but Kevin urged me to go for one of the more decorative pens… so I opted for the Red Phoenix. [I’m still really tempted by the Green Genji, but… my wallet keeps telling me no!] FPR Tanoshii Urushi Art - Red Phoenix According to FPR’s website, “Each FPR Tanoshii Urushi Art pen is its own masterpiece. They feature the original Tanoshii design and filling system but turned into a work of art by skilled craftsmen using Japanese Urushi art.” Rather than try to describe the urushi technique, I’ll also include here a word from the manufacturer, as Kevin from FPR passed it on to me: “Urushi arts in the pens are done by applying different colors of Urushi, gold and silver metallic powders, decorative ultra-thin golden/ colorful paper for different themes. Then applied transparent layers of Urushi called “Ki-narinuri” over and over and one by one. After each layers of Urushi, Urushi needs to be dried and polished for smooth feelings.” If I’m reading that correctly, it means the Red Phoenix on my pen is some kind of paper artwork that’s been carefully adhered around the surface of the pen, and lovingly lacquered into place. Not as impressive a feat as an individually painted design, to be sure – but it’s amazing to look at nonetheless, and for someone (like me) who can’t justify spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a pen… this is a great alternative. It also creates a kind of ‘three-dimensional’ appearance, with the design sitting slightly proud of the pen barrel – you can also ‘feel’ the design elements under the lacquer of the pen. … Construction & Quality As I mentioned in my introduction, this is the highest production quality pen that FPR have produced to date – and (almost) everything about it screams ‘quality’. The acrylic pen parts are expertly machined; the cap threads are smooth, and produce an excellent airtight seal; inner threads of the grip section are made of metal (stainless steel), and thread smoothly and firmly into the barrel. I was gifted a Pilot Custom Heritage 91 last year (thanks to a YouTube giveaway by Alesa of the Inky Rocks channel!) – and I’d say the production quality of the Tanoshii is pretty comparable, though minus the gold nib! The Urushi Art seems quite robust, and won’t easily wear off the pen – but obviously will benefit from gentle handling. This isn’t a pen I carry with me everywhere – though of course you can if you want to! … Weight & Dimensions The FPR Tanoshii and Tanoshii Junior are both very light – 21.7g vs 17.6g respectively – with roughly 1/3 of the weight residing in the cap. The full-sized Tanoshii is 135mm long capped, and 124mm uncapped – you can post the pen if you wish, but it’s not recommended for the Urushi Art version (in case it mars the pen). The Junior version is 11.4cm capped, and 9.7cm uncapped – which in my hands is just a little too short for comfortable extended use. Posted, it extends to 12.9cm, which works much better for me. I do wish it posted just a *little* bit more securely onto the back of the barrel, but that’s only a very minor nitpick on my part. The diameter of the pen at its widest (cap band) is 14mm – this tapers to 10mm towards the bottom of the barrel, while the grip section tapers from 11cm (near the threads) down to 10mm (near the nib). That’s pretty much in the ‘sweet-spot’ for me. … Nib & Performance When the Tanoshii was first released, it was only available with JoWo nibs in F and M – it’s designed to take standard #6 JoWo screw-in units, so you can easily swap in replacements if you wish. The advantage (for me) of waiting a while to purchase is that Kevin managed to source some nib units that are compatible with the JoWo threading, but can accommodate FPR nibs – so I ordered mine with a two-tone FPR Ultraflex nib (for an extra US$21). The Junior pen takes a screw-in nib unit with FPR’s standard #5.5 nib – Kevin kindly included an ultraflex nib in this pen too. The nib units in both pens come with plastic feeds – but they seem to keep up well with the flow. FPR #6 Ultraflex nib (two-tone) FPR #5.5 Ultraflex nib (chrome) I’m a real fan of FPR’s ultraflex nibs – though they can be an acquired taste for some! – and I’ve loved writing with these ones. The larger #6 nib can flex a little further than the #5.5 with less downward pressure on the tines and in my experience is a little wetter. Both pens are prone to railroad if you try to flex too far – but don’t require a lot of coaxing to get them back up and running again. If you’re not keen on flex nibs, you can order a range of other options in both pens – EF, F and M options are included in the price of the pen; B, stub and standard flex nibs cost a little extra (US$4 at the time of writing); while the ultraflex adds a further US$14 to the cost. I have yet to try the gold flex nibs – the USA to AUS exchange rate puts that a bit out of my budget for the time being! In my opinion FPR’s steel nibs are great value for money – though I’ve sometimes found the stub nibs needed some ‘tweaking’ in the past. Aesthetically, the larger nib goes will with the bigger pen, and likewise the smaller nib with the smaller pen – I probably prefer the writing experience with the full-sized pen, but they’re both very pleasant writers. … Filling System & Maintenance The full-sized Tanoshii pen comes with a screw-type standard international converter, though it can also take standard international cartridges. The Tanoshii Junior comes supplied with a Kaweco-style (push-pull) mini-converter, which doesn’t hold a whole lot of ink – that’s probably the only real down-side to the smaller pen! I wouldn’t recommend eyedropper filling these pens, as I don’t know how long the metal threads would last without starting to corrode. The pens can be completely disassembled and reassembled for cleaning. The nib units are friction fit, so can be pulled apart to swap in replacement nibs – I don’t believe FPR sell replacement nib units for the smaller pen, though as mentioned above, the larger pen will accommodate any standard #6 JoWo nib unit. … Cost & Value At US$70 (plus postage) for the ‘regular’ pen or $65 for the Junior, the Tanoshii is not cheap – but it’s definitely in the ballpark for an American/Japanese collaboration pen, especially given the high quality workmanship. I can’t praise highly enough the artwork on the Urushi Art version – it nearly doubles the cost of the pen, but given the amount of work involved in their production, I’d say that’s money well spent. I’m a repeat customer at FPR, and have to say that, much as I love my Himalayas and Jaipurs (especially the V2s), this is the best pen I’ve bought from them thus far. … Conclusion The Tanoshii, Tanoshii Junior and Tanoshii Urushi Art are great pens to look at, great pens to write with, and in my opinion are great value for money. Happy to answer any and all questions below – but thoroughly recommend these pens to anyone who’s interested. …

With the recent Stipula Etruria thread that was posted in this sub, I thought it was high time we had a dedicated photo thread for the Montegrappa Extra. This can include the earlier Classica and Historia models, along with the more modern variants including the Extra, Extra 1930 and Extra Otto. The key here is to share what you have no matter the size of your collections or your photography skills, so that we may appreciate, discuss and enjoy the variety of trims, nibs and colours these exquisite pens are available in. My hope is that this will breathe a little more passion into this model and to see our own interpretations of how we use them in the 'real world'. This will also provide a valuable resource for those looking to research the model and perhaps make their own decision to one day acquire an Extra or two. Let me kick us off with two of my favourite Extra's in my collection; an Extra Otto in Lapis Blue with a Fine nib, and an Extra is midnight blue celluloid with the older style barrel imprint and a Medium nib. I am soon to add another one when it arrives from Italy, will post a group shot then. I hope that others will follow with their shots

Waterman is launching soon a new collection "Embleme", not to similar to the old Emblem!

Hi I got this pen at a car boot sale and want to know what it is but honestly have no idea and says nothing on it except made in France and iridium point that doesn't help much

Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pen, Amber - 1.1 MM Steel Stub Nib Hello, I recently purchased this pen recently for $32 on Amazon. I'd love to know what my options are for swapping between the screw-out nib units for this pen. I obviously know that I can get the Conklin replacements. I'm wondering if it uses a standard size that can be swapped out for those of different manufacturers. I tried my Franklin Christoph nib - no joy there. It the FC unit just spun in place. Also, I looked for this information before hitting you guys up. I'm also interested in how to find this out for myself next time. Where can I find what nib units are swappable. Thanks.

CALICUT CITY- SOME UNTOLD STORIES I don’t how many could believe that Calicut, a city of Kerala, have such a rich heritage in fountain pens- so that it may be called as the pen city of Kerala. Probably as the only man in FPN from Calicut, I take the responsibility to present our city in this forum. The pen productions have started in early 1950s. By 1955-1960, there are four major firms of pen making. Don’t think that these are big companies producing pens and marketing in wide areas. Actually these are four pen shops, and each shop produced pens for their own shops only. And because of this poor marketing strategy, they are almost unknown to the outside world. As the healthy competition continued, many beauties have born. The pen history can be roughly be divided into 6 phases. 1950 - 1955 PEN PRODUCTION begins . 1955 - 1960 CONSOLIDATION PHASE – By this period all the 4 pen shops came into existence and production started at full swing. 1960 - 1970 THE GOLDEN ERA. This period have witnessed these shops running in full glory, churning out the maximum number and variety of pens. 1970 - 1980 THE DECLINE STARTS 1980 - 1990 THE BIG DECLINE 1990 - PRESENT. All the things happened right here- in the SM Street. The most busy street of Calicut. SM stands for Sweet Meat. Wondering what’s sweet meat ? . It’s nothing like meat. A hard rubbery confectionary -or Calicut Halwa- as known outside Calicut. You can see a lot of shops selling this here. They are available in a variety of colours and flavors—atleast twenty I think- more that what colours you are getting for a Sheaffer Skrip or Waterman range of inks! ABOUT CALICUT For those who don’t know, Calicut ( or KOZHIKODE) is a city situated in the coastal Malabar area of Kerala, India. It’s the only place in Kerala where fountain pens are made. Calicut is also known as the Biriyani capital of Kerala. Wonder why .. all pen cities are famous for their biriyanis also ..!? the Malabari biriyani is made in process were all the rice, meat and the spices are cooked in a closed container where the soft aromas and infused to rice in a slow process of around 5-6 hrs. Now, coming to the story part - The whole credit of fountain pens of Calicut goes to one and only person- Mr. M. Haneefa Rawthar- for without him the story would not have happened. People called him Haneefa Saheeb. He came from somewhere in Tamil Nadu in around or before 1950. At that time ( and now also) many people comes from other states to Calicut as merchants. His first visit was somewhere around 1950. He came with a huge collection of fountain pens- used and new, along with a lot of spare parts. Usually persons coming to Calicut are attracted by the hospitality and friendliness of natives and most of the merchants and traders later decided to settle here. Haneefa Saheeb was no different. Don’t think that there was no pens at all before Haneefa Saheeb. Imported pens like Waterman, Black bird, Swan were there. These were costly and not afforded by all. Apart from regular pens, dip pens were also popular. Ink tablets were also popular at that time. For making ink, you have to dissolve tablet in water! For dip pens, thicker inks were made with tablets dissolved in lesser water. Also they were available at very cheap rate compared to an ink bottle. Any ink manufacturer reading this? Coming back to Haneefa Sahib, a man with no formal education, but lot of experience from worldwide travelling and visiting so many countries, now at his fifties or sixties, toying with the idea of starting a pen shop at Calicut. FIRST PEN SHOP OF CALICUT The first pen shop of Calicut opens in SM street in 1950. As expected the shop flourished very quickly. This shop later became Kim and Co pens, as known today. As he sold new and old pens, he provided them with good service, as he had a huge collection of spares. Kim and Co shop at Calicut.( at present)

Recently I was going through the youtube there I saw a fountain pen never heard off....the name is Parker Folio Fountain Pen. Any update regarding this pen?

I just aquired an old pen. Changed the sac and filled it up. A nice ex fine flex nib. The pen has the inscription "registered Fascio pen" and "R14K Fascio". I tried to find some information about it on the net, but in vain. Anyone here who knows anythong about this pen?

The PenGraver Man When I was a kid, a few people engraved on Fountain pen. They were available at the train station and often traveled in compartments from one station to another. They carried a small briefcase in which they stored engraving tools. If someone among the passengers had a fountain pen, they asked for engraving the owners' name. The engraving charge was a few cents only for English and Bengali languages. I forgot the local name of their profession. The engravers also went to our schools wearing white pants and a shirt, the small briefcase in hand. Most of them had great skill in cursive handwriting font. I can only remember the small chisel, hammer, and the thuk-thuk-thuk sounds! The last time I saw them was in 1994 at Ishardi Railway Station in Bangladesh. I have lost the few pens I had engraved my name, but a few years back, I have found a White Feather fountain pen in a salvage yard with a name curving on it. I'll post the photo later. Can anyone tell me if the pen engraver had a particular word for their professions' name? Please let me know. Thank you all in advance. Leo amahadleo@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/fountainpenculture

I might be retiring from teaching at the end of this year, and I am thinking that I might get myself an all-wood pen (section is wooden, also) to celebrate. I might even do a special order. I won't be able to spend more than 500USD. Any recommendations for a maker or brand? I really know nothing about this kind of thing, but I am very intrigued. I've already looked at Ryan Krusac's website.... Thanks.

I would like to introduce you my last Leonardo fountain pen: The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Golden Rule. This a collaboration with J.Brooks, who made this beatiful resin, where bronze and red are mixed to create a fusion of warm colors. Limited edition to only 70 pieces worldwide. The first time I saw this pen I fall in love due to the red parts among the bronze style resin. After seeing the feed, made out of red ebonite... that was the end of my piggy bank. I got it at "Fontana Penna" in Spain. Now that it has arrived to me, I have been deeply impressed by it and I could not be more happier. That cap, with so much red on it, makes this pen unique to my eyes. I have to admit it was definitely a great purchase. Thanks to Leonardo & Carolina pen company for making this beautiful fountain pen.

This is a review of “Kaco Master”. It’s the best Chinese Fountain pen I have come across till now.Kaco is a young company which makes some great products. Kaco since its inception in 2011 have launched many pens & accessories . This “Kaco Master” is among their most premium offerings .This has German Made Gold Nib , it doesn’t feel like it’s made by Jowo or Bock. It feels a bit different from those both. I think they are made by special order or made by some other company ! Pros- – Great 14k Gold Nib – Well Tuned Out Of The Box – Soft & Springy Nib – Minimalistic Design – Top Notch Construction – Great Price – Great Packing & Presentation – Hourglass Shaped Section – Have Premium Look – Suitable For Long Writing Sessions Cons- – Only comes in one colour i.e. Black for gold nib. Although the steel nib version comes in many colors. – Don’t post securely. – I can’t expect anything more at this price !!! Packing- Great, The pen comes with a great grey metallic case, which comes in a black box over which “Kaco” is engraved. The metallic oval case has a foam insert in it where the pen can rest. This foam ensures that the pen doesn’t get scratched with the sides of the metal case. Specifications- – Nib Size -Fine Nib 0.5mm – Filling Mechanism: standard cartridges and converter – Capped Pen length: 154mm – Section Length: 25mm – Section Diameter: 12.5 mm – Uncapped Pen Length : 133mm – Diameter: 16.5 mm – Pen weight: 27.5g Appearance & Design- Good, The pen has a classic design. It’s made of great quality black resin which has been highly polished. The clip is of gold color & fit into a clip-shaped recess in the cap & almost aligns with the cap of the pen .The clip is strong & is very functional. It is unique & looks good in my pocket. The clip has a small logo of “Kaco” over it .The pen size is around 133 mm uncapped & 154 mm capped. It doesn’t cap securely.This pen is made in very nice black resin, it is super shiny & feels premium in hand . I wish they had other colors too. It has an hourglass-shaped section & a number #6 14k nib in Fine with “Kaco” logo engraved over. It has a plastic feed. The section is long & threads of the cap are precise. This nib looks good & is similar to JOWO nib but it’s not JOWO. The nib suits the pen size & looks good. This pen is very comfortable for long writing sessions too. Construction- Very Well Made, The construction of this pen is top notch.The pen has been polished well & has been given a mirror like finish on both clip as well as body. It looks pleasing to the eyes , but as a result it attracts dust & micro scratches may be noticeable. The pen is elegant & is a perfect minimalistic office pen. Filling System- This is a simple C/C pen. The converter is interchangeable with a Schmidt K5 converter. It has metal reinforcements in the mouth & it is perfectly functional. You can use standard international cartridges too Nib Performance- Amazing , Kaco Master has #6 nib which is very springy and relatively soft.It is surely better than JOWO/BOCK nibs. This nib has a slight forward curve which makes a different writing angle which is different from others, I think it’s some unique Chinese grind. This is very smooth & gives a distinctive feel while writing. The nib is similar to European Fine Nibs.On the box, it’s written the nib is made in Germany but nib doesn’t look like common nibs i.e. JOWO or BOCK . Conclusion- True Master, This is the best Chinese pen I have ever used & one of the best pens available at this price. I bought it for around $120. The pen is very well made & has a great 14 k gold nib. It has a minimalistic look,which is amazing. The glossy black color looks good but I feel there should be more color options in this pen. I really can’t expect anything more at this price. It is true value for money given the quality, ergonomics and writing experience. It’s a masterpiece about which most people don’t know about !

HI, I'm new to the network having a revived interest in fountain pens over lockdown, resurrecting some old pens and adding a few (too many!) new ones... lots of fun!! I have some pretty dry inks and some F and EF nibs, and after research I'm wondering if getting some White Lightning Ink Additive might help the pens write a bit wetter. However, I cant seem to find a UK retailer that stocks the product and paying almost $40 for shipping seems a bit OTT... Does anyone know of a retailer that stocks it in the UK or Europe? Thanks, Joe

Pros- Huge Ink Capacity Shut-Off-Valve prevent leaks & burps. Unique Ice-Effect Design Well Balanced Good Quality Material used – Scratch Resistant The Jowo nib on my Opus 88 writes flawlessly. Nice Packaging Comfortable even when used capped Fits perfectly even in people with small hands. Affordable Price Tag Good EDC Pen Cons- It takes many turns to uncap – 3 turns!!!! You need to open valve for long writing sessions Some Other Specs You Should Know – Nib Material – Steel Body Material – Resin Fill Mechanism- Eye Dropper Ink capacity -2ml Cap Type- Threaded Postable-Yes Demonstrator- Yes Clip Style- Spring Metal Nib width- Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad & Stub. Closing System- Screw cap Material- Resin Trim Colour – Silver Length Closed – 142 mm Length Barrel – 125mm Length posted-160mm Diameter- 14mm Diameter – Grip10.7 mm Weight-Barrel (Empty)- 0.46 oz / 13 grams Weight(Cap)-0.39 oz / 11 grams Weight – Whole Pen (Empty)-0.84 oz / 24 grams Packaging – Very Nice 👍, this pen comes in a light blue box over which both OPUS88 & Lennon Tool Bar Branding. It looks very very nice with a beautiful white box inside where pen sits comfortably. Their is a very nice eye dropper adjacent to pen. You never get this kind of premium packing at this price point. You will surely like the unboxing experience. Design- Very Nice, The body of the pen is made of very nice resin,it feels good in hand & material is almost scratch proof. The Lennon Tool Bar logo has been engraved on top of The cap. It has OPUS88 written too on back of clip. It looks nice IMO. The overall shape is a hybrid of both the classic flat-top classic cigar shape designs. The pen gradually gets wider as you move towards the middle of the pen and reaches its widest part on the cap.The clip is very sturdy & is reliable. The pen comes with #5 size nib,but I think size #6 nib would have been better. The finials have a mostly flat end, but there is a slight rounding to them which in my opinion looks very good. Their is an O ring at the bottom, which suits the overall appearance of the pen. Their is slight step down on section. The pen takes too many turns to uncap, around 3 which some people won’t like. Filling Mechanism- Good 👍,OPUS 88 has been making great Eyedroppers since many years now, this pen is too a no nonsense eye dropper with a shut off valve.As, you don’t need to apply silicon grease on threads unlike other ED Pens which is a very nice thing .It a simple mechanism & works perfectly. The ink capacity is around 2ml which is on higher side. The shut off valve has some impact on ink flow, but not much.I am personally fan of shut off valve filling mechanism rather than normal Eye dropper. Nib Performance – Good 👍, This pen comes with #5 steel nib. It is made by JOWO but tuned by OPUS88. It is smooth & writes very well out of the box & has very less feedback. The nib has brand name & nib size printed on it . The pen wrote very well out of the box. Overall- Very Nice 👍, This is made by OPUS88 in collaboration with Lennon Toolbar Inks, Both are young companies but they have done really great job with this pen, improving the earlier shortcomings. The pen is very nicely built & a quality product. It’s MRP will be around $90 in USA which makes it strong competitor to other pens available in this price segment. If someone is looking for a clean eye dropper pen around $100 range it’s the best. PS- I purchased this pen from Taiwan through a friend who pre-booked & then shipped to me here. And images shared have been taken by HC LEE, My images couldn’t have done justice with beauty of the pen. My blog link - https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/opus88-lennon-toolbar-collaboration-halo-pen-review-and-its-absolute-stellar/?preview=true

Hey guys! Normally post in the Japan pens forum but I picked up a TWSBI 580ALR from Mark Bacas with a special nib grind and I wanted to share some info about it. First off - the ALR is just like an AL except the cap band has a difference finish(?) and most importantly the grip section is 'ribbed.' The lines on the grip section feel amazing, really good to the touch. I consider it an upgrade from my AL, but you do have to be careful not to get ink in those lines because you would have to clean it out. Mark Bacas is a popular nibmeister. You can see his work at https://www.instagram.com/nibgrinder/ I got the 580ALR with a Blade Turk grind and if I had it to do over again I would send him my nicest pen because it's an amazing grind. The Blade Turk is a mini-architect grind with a gentle curve so you get a controlled gradation of line width from Platinum UEF to Japanese M. It's a really versatile tool. Anyone could just pick it up and write with it, but if you vary the angle up or down you can variation in width. An artist could probably build a whole career around this nib, as the more you use it the more you get to know what it can do and get the line widths you want without even thinking about it. Here's a video demo I made of the pen & nib: And here's an additional photoset: https://imgur.com/fpngallery/eXPLoO9 Mark Bacas deals TWSBI pens so I think you can just order a nib from him already ground to load into your TWSBI. This gives some additional options for nib types normally only found on Japanese pens, for example... or various architect grinds. Anyhow, I really love the pen and I'm considering sending him my King of Pen to work on next. This Blade Turk is just such an interesting and unique grind. I'd recommend it for any artist but also anyone who just wants an interesting fountain pen nib that is still appropriate for every day use.

Hi everyone. First review here and open to suggestions. This is largely pulled from my blog post on the Lorelei with minor edits for your reading pleasure! Appearance The Lorelei appears to be a dupe of the Sailor Procolor 500. Mine is a clear demonstrator with silver trim and the clear feed displays inks quite nicely. The brand name”LingMo” is engraved on the trim of the cap in a similar manner found on the Sailor Procolor. Even the font used is similar to Sailors and the similarities don’t end there. LingMo Lorelei Converter. Potential Sailor CON dupe.Filling System The pen came with a piston converter which, knowing Chinese brands, could be a duplicate of the Sailor converter though I do not have a Sailor pen to try it out with. The converter looks similar to the Sailor converter but has a small metal object inside to break surface tension of the ink and works fine, fitting securely into the section. So well in fact, that for a moment I thought it was not removable when I first tried to remove it ! I noticed that the section came with an O-ring which gave me hope that it could be converted into an eyedropper to further show off the ink inside and it’s demonstrator body. Those hopes were dashed, however, as the barrel isn’t a single piece of plastic but two pieces. A tiny little plug at the end of the barrel closes it off and will leak. I was devastated. Functionality The clip on the cap is sturdy but quite hard and probably will not clip onto thick fabrics without doing damage. The cap is a threaded cap which screws on securely, though I’d be careful about over-tightening and cracking it. The cap posts by friction, no rattling or anything, and the pen is light & comfortable to write with posted or unposted. The nib and feed are friction fit, making for easily disassembly and cleaning. Write-ability The F nib produces a 0.5 line. It is a hard nib that produces little line variation with quite a bit of force. Straight out of the box, the pen wrote well with normal ink flow. There were no hard starts or any fiddling necessary to get it writing. The line produced appears the same as a Platinum Preppy F though the nib on my Lorelei was somewhat scratchier than both the tester in the shop and my Platinum Preppy F, feeling more like my Preppy EF nib. The pen I have was also wetter than the one tested in the store which already had decent flow. Personally, I find the LingMo Lorelei aesthetically pleasing (more so than the Wing Sung 659), and it has worked very well for me with no leaks or ink flow issues. I found it disappointing that the fully plastic body cannot be made into an eyedropper, but this should not be a problem for those of us who prefer cartridges/converters. Overall, a nice and affordable beginner’s fountain pen with a classic look.

I came across a “Worth” gold plated pen. I thought maybe it was a Woolworth store pen. Has anyone else run into a Worth pen? thanks

Watched a wonderful story tonight on NHK World News about a Japanese gentleman who blends custom colored inks for his customer's fountain pens. Story starts at 08:31: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/programs/#1005

The Caran d'Ache 849 Ballpoint was the only ballpen I ever considered buying since I got into the habit of spending large sums of money on writing instruments, almost 5 years now. Knowingly or Unknowingly I never got myself to buy the (ballpoint)pen.Around March of this year,the Fountain Pen iteration of the Ballpoint was teased, it was love at first tease and so began the constant badgering of various pen retailers regarding launch and availability,always ending in disappointment,until Pen Chalet listed it on their website(first?) (June 20th) and I wasted no time in ordering mine. In eye bleeding Fluorescent Orange of course! Thanks to some amazing service by Pen Chalet,the pen reaches me in 2 days and has yet to leave my pocket, almost a month now. Presentation:The pen comes in a minimalist box with the Caran d'Ache logo on top and the Hexagonal logo on the sides. The bottom has the serial number sticker. Inside is the pen and a Standard Ink Cartridge of Idyllic Blue. Construction:At first glance the color of the pen hits like a wreaking ball! And after some squinting you want to pick it up.The paint job almost looks like Laquer,with some lighter tones along the edges. I have seen this same paint effect on the Caran d'Ache pencils. The pen has 6 sides to it with smooth edges which show off a different shade of the paint.Considering its a full metal construction its surprisngly light,robust and fells solid in the hand. The top finial is shiny metal with the Hexagonal Logo in embossed texture. The clip is chrome plated steel in the identical shape as on the Ballpoint pen. It has good tension and strength. Below the clip is "894 Caran d'Ache" printed in black and "Swiss Made" near the finial. I like this stealthy way of branding products.The cap and barrel are of a constant diameter through out the length.The bottom finial is also shiny metal with a minuscule gap between the finial and the barrel which allows the cap to be posted in a concealed way. Uncapping/Capping the pen is very reassuring and snug. It caps with a click. The Nib is a Steel #5 without a breatherhole and the Hexagonal Logo. I went with a Medium. The section is Glossy Black plastic which I have not found to be slippery. The section unscrews and a Cartridge or a Converter can be fitted.There is a 2mm step up from the section to the barrel,which may or maynot be uncomfortable depending on your grip. No issues for mine tho. Size Comparisons: Above to Below: Caran d'Ache Ivanhoe, Caran d'Ache 849 Fountain Pen, Lamy Al-Star, Pilot Metropolitan. Size wise the pen is pretty average and well balanced in the hand. Writing:The Medium Nib writes true to size and wet enough consistently for long writing sessions. Its very smooth,smooth enough to make it one of my smoothest Steel Nibs list topped by a Faber Castell steel nib. Another surprise was the softness to the nib.Its in no way a flex nib but it does have some pleasent bounce to it which makes you enjoy the nib a bit more compared to a nail. My medium definaytyly goes to a broad grade.I did not experience any flow isses out of the box so Kudos to Caran d'Ache for that. The Little things:The Color is very striking.Think traffic cone or High Visibility Jacket Orange! This pen WILL get noticed.The paint job is impeccable. Surprisingly soft nib.The pen has been clipped to Shirt Pockets and Jeans Pockets without any incident of accidental uncapping.The pen has been carried around daily for almost a Month and has suffered no cosmetic changes.Posting the pen makes it too long but does not make it back heavy.Plastic threads on section vs Metal Threads on the Section might breakdown over time.If you use a cartridge,a spare can be carried in the barrel.This color is very difficult to photograph! Conclusions:Pen Chalet has the pen listed at $52 which might be considered on the higher side for an "Entry Level" Pen but based on the construction and Performance of the Nib I will say it is well worth the money.The amazing color made sure that It was the first pen i reached for and has become inseparable from me.Highly Recommended.

So here are some thoughts on my two Kanwrite Heritage pens - One in Green marbled pattern and the other in Blue marbled. One with a Fine nib (currently the blue, but it changes), and one with a medium. I will also talk a bit about writing with the KW Fine Flex nib which had brought separately for another pen (this is I think the same nib as the Noodler's flax pens). TLRD: the pens are great value for a price of under $30; the nibs (and feeds) and ergonomics are the real stars. Filling mechanism is dependable. The body is pleasing to the eye albeit without feeling premium (but acceptable quality for this price). Review: Intro and Choices available. The Kanwrite Heritage is a largish piston filler pen from Kanwrite or Kanpur Writers, a pen nib manufacturer based out of Kanpur, India. The pens come into a huge variety of colors, solids, translucents and certain marbled patterns. I find the marbled patterns the most pleasing to the eye, and out of a shortlist which also included the excellent looking red marbled variant, I chose the green and blue marbled versions (mainly because I have an OCD of matching inks to pens, and I have (and write with) a lot more of greens and blues than red. Another combination that I personally would wish to see would be one with a black cap and burnt-orange body - I think it would look great on this pen. I haven't seen one around, but if you wish, the there are black pens and burnt-orange pens readily available for a cap-swap (if you are willing to be stuck with another pen with the reverse combination...). Kanwrite makes their own nibs, and as I will talk in detail below, they are generally very good. They have a huge variety of nibs, not only the usual F,M and B, but unusually for the sub INR 2000/USD 30 market, they also offer EF, BB, Fine flex, and an extra-fine flex also. All choices, however, may not be available with all retailers. They also have a 14K gold nib which looks very similar to an Aurora 88 and is excellent (however, I find the gold nib an overkill for a pen in this range - I would get it for a custom hand turned pen (as I have), for which there are lot of good options in India. To make matters easier, Kanwrite will send you the nib, on your request, pre-fitted into a Bock or JoWo housing. Appearance & Design (1-10) – 8 The pens come in marbled plastic bodies with gold accents. there is a thick cap ring, a clip supported by a visible clip ring and a ring between the barrel and the cap protecting the piston knob. Uncapping the pens, one finds an ink window (very useful since its an opaque body piston filler) rimmed by two more gold rings, cap threads and a girthy and reasonably long section that slopes down gently and flares slightly, but abruptly near the nib. Both the marbled patterns are quite attractive, to say the least. These are injection moulded CAB plastic though, not PMMA/ acrylic, let alone hand turned, so lacks the visual depth and chatoyance of marbled resin. The marbling is on the surface itself and does not glow from within like the latter material. That said, I find it very pleasing to the eye on its own right. The marbled patterns are multi-colored (not just white, but veins of other colors too) and this creates various points of interest while looking at the pen. From a design perspective, whether consciously or otherwise, there are some similarities wit the Aurora Optima family of pens; especially the shape of the clip and clip ring, the cap band and bands on both sides of ink window and above the piston knob, and, the size and placement of ink window itself. These are not unique design concepts however, and the pen retains enough individuality to stand apart as a unique design. For one, it is more than a full centimeter (about half an inch) larger than the Aurora (coming in at 140cm closed to the Aurora's 127) - a much nicer size for my preference. Also the piston knob cap and top finial have the same color as the rest of the body. But the most 'interesting' departure is the shape of the top of the cap - instead of a regular softly squared off design, Kanwrite has gone for a slightly weird reverse cone top sitting rather awkwardly over the clip ring - I am not sure it works as a design choice - it seems stuck on as an afterthought. Nevertheless this is a substantial looking, attractive pen. Apart from that off-putting cap-top, everything comes together very well. the choice of gold accents work well with the marbled colors. the nib is perfectly proportional to the body. the proportions of the various segments and the angles and slopes are spot on from any angle. Interchanging the caps makes for a fun look too! 2. Construction & Quality (1-10) – 8.5 Coming back to the CAB plastic material, it doesn't feel as dense and premium as resin, but it is indeed sturdy and durable. At this price point, you are not likely to get premium materials - though some stuff out of China can feel as though they are)The same can be said of the metal trims - well if they are metal at all - apart from the clip, I am not sure. But the plating seems well done and likely to last. The pen looks like it can take rough use and that is the most important thing at this price range. None of the components or the pens as a whole, feel 'cheap' (though you probably couldn't fool anyone its high end either - unlike the case with some Moonman/PenBBS pens in the same range. opening the cap reveals a plastic knob to activate the piston. The knob and the piston itself are clear(ish) plastic - again nothing fancy, but feels solid and up to the task. Weight Dimensions & Ergonomics (1-10) – 9 This is a largish pen without stepping into the oversize territory. To get the numbers out of the way, these are: Length capped = 140-141 mm (5.5") Length uncapped = 129-130mm (5.1") Length Posted = 161 cms (6.3") Ink window = 5mm (0.2") diameter at section = 11-12mm (0.4 - 0.5") weight capped/posted = 21gms weight uncapped = 15 gms Here is a comparison of the pens posted and unposted: I like pens which I can comfortably use unposted, and this usually means a sweet sweet between (capped/ uncapped) 125/135mm and 150/160mm - so this is right in the sweet spot for me. Here is a comparison with some other pens of this price range range that I find very comfortable to hold (well, probably a stretch including the TWSBI in this price range, but what the hell!) the pens are also very light and the caps do not add much to the weight if you are fond of posting. Ergonomics is one area, where, at least for me, the pens really excel. They just has that right combination of length and light-weight to act as an EDC. The pens balance well in the hand, whether un-posted or posted (which they do securely) and the section shape and girth are comfortable for me also. Well to nitpick, I'd have have preferred a more gentle upward curve to the rim (nib-side) instead of the slightly abrupt ridge; but this is relevant only for those, like me, who hold the gen very low. Even then, its not uncomfortable as such (since the ridge is not sharp), but you know its there. Nib & Performance (1-10) – 9.25 The nibs are broad shouldered understatedly attractive Indian #35 (#6 type) nib and is perfectly swappable into Bock or JoWo housings (and vice versa, I would assume). In fact the same KW nibs are offered pre-fitted in Bock or JoWo housing by Kanwrite. Since there are two nibs on review, I will discuss them in turn: The fine is about a half a size finer than a typical Jowo or Bock fine (though some Bock fines I have used are similar) - its similar to a sailor MF. It has a pleasant sort of feedback but is not scratchy or unpleasantly toothy. with very dry inks (like my Krishna Ghat Green), the sense of toothiness may increase so better to use with well lubricated inks. I really do like this KW fine very much - with a Pilot Iroshizuku or Sailor Shikiori inks, it really shines. the nib has is quite hard, though it has slightly more spring than a jowo - about same as a bock. the feedback this nib gives is excellent for a controlled handwriting. The medium is closer to a JoWo medium but probably a hair finer; hence a more typical medium line width. It is smooth and tuned very well right out of the box. There is nothing to dislike about the medium nib Between the two, I personally prefer the fine by a hair's width, but that is just down to writing preference. Many will prefer the medium. Both nibs wrote well out of the box. Both pens were tuned very well for optimum wetness. The feeds are thick ebonite ones which seems to regulate flow quite well; though there are very occasional overly wet starts when the pen has been moving around int he bag (this is common and not a problem) Nibs are easy to change out as the whole housing disengages by unscrewing it from the section. Kanwrite nibs, where available, are quite affordable. As a case in point - I had also (earlier) separately procured a KW 'Fine Flex nib'. It is probably the same as used in Noodler's flex nibs. I wouldn't use it for these pens as it steel colored (though these are also available in two tone) while these pens have gold trims. I am currently using it in a Moonman T1 where it performs very well (though only after I adjusted the Moonman feed to supply the extra flow required). In hindsight say the extra-fine flex would have been preferable for exploring the full breadth of line variations possible... Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) - 8.75 It is a piston filler; which while (thanks to the Chinese) is not exactly unheard at this price point these days, is nice to have. The piston works smoothly. I get about about 2ml ink into it per fill (give or take) which I think is quite optimal - more than that is probably not ideal for someone like me who has more than one, couple of, quite a few pens inked at one time! Cleaning thoroughly is possible as disassembly is quite easy. the plastic knobs feels a little flimsy but its protected, and not something would need heavy handling. Cost & Value (1-10) – 8.5 In India, the KW Heritage is likely to cost around INR 1700-1800 (about USD 25); but expect to pay about $5-10 more if buying outside India, which is understandable because of customs, logistics and shifting exchange rates etc. While at this price, it is most certainly a 'good' value, the exact score is a little tricky, because, frankly, getting a great value pen at around $30 is no longer unheard of (as it was a few years ago) due to the introduction was several great models at this (or even lower) price points by the likes of PenBBS, Moonman and Wing Sung (among others). For example: 1) Moonman T1 is a piston filler made of attractive anodized aluminium which feels more premium in build but is cheaper 2) The materials in PenBBS piston, vac fillers and other special-filler pens (especially the quality of acrylics used; and also metal pistons, vacuum plungers etc) such as the 309, 456, 355 and 500 feel more premium and 'high-end' So, as a value proposition, it would not be fair to say that the KW Heritage is miles ahead of the competition. However, and this is a big point, at least for me, I feel that the nibs in these pens are at a different class from all the Moonman & PenBBSnibs I've tried. I've had to change the nib on every, but one, of my PenBBS+Moonman pens into JoWos/ Bocks (or in the case of the T1 - the KW Fine flex!) . I found those pens to generally have dry and less than satisfactory feeds as well - no comparison to the one the one on the KW (ebonite or otherwise) in terms of flow regulation. Some may like these pens out of the box, but for those opting for a nib change, that's an added cost to be factored for these Chinese pens. Another thing is that Kanwrite provides various nib options from EF to BB as well as F and EF in flex. Most Chinese pens at this range come only in a couple of widths (F and one of EF or M). So, overall, considering the writing quality and nib options, this is still an extremely good value. Conclusion (Final score, xx/6) - 8.55 I find these pens to be good looking, sturdy and comfortable to write with. They are dependable and affordable. They write very well every time. So overall, I would recommend these pens heartily as an EDC or for your collection. Some writing samples showing the line widths of the various nib sizes I have are below:

https://images.vfl.ru/ii/1578313765/8a2faaad/29120766.jpg Montblanc Boheme (custom UEF\Needlepoint), Montblanc Royal Blue, Fritz-Shimpf Feinpost, Fritz-Schimpf Leinen, Crown Mill Vellium, Crown Mill Classic Line|Verge https://images.vfl.ru/ii/1578315892/b0adffb7/29121062.jpg https://images.vfl.ru/ii/1578313768/a2e8c426/29120785.jpg More photo about paper test. (Sorry, post in Cyrillic but with many informative photos. If you need translate to English I can do it in a few days).

Pros- Beautiful Finish Perfectly Balanced Amazing Nib (both steel & gold nibs are amazing). Snap Cap Very Solid Pen, Almost Indestructible Comfortable grith Great Packing Cons- Price is very higher for steel nib variant , you will get too many gold nibs in this price segment. Clip is tight. Diplomat don’t has good Customer Service, incase your pen turns out to be faulty. It’s a Heavy Pen, And people with small hands won’t like this pen. Some things you need to know – Body Material – Lacquered Metal Cap Type- Snap Cap Filling Mechanism- Cartridge, Converter Grip Material- Resin Nib Size – Extra Fine, Fine, Medium Postable – Yes Trim – Silver Diameter Body – 13.1mm (0.52in) Diameter Cap – 14.4mm (0.57in) Grip Diameter- 10.2mm (0.40in) Length (Body) -128.5mm (5.06in) Length (Cap) – 62.9mm (2.48in) Length(Nib) – 22.4mm (0.88in) Length Overall – 138.5mm (5.45in) Weight (body) – 28.0g (0.99oz) Weight (cap) – 18.0g (0.63oz) Weight Overall – 46.0g (1.62oz) Capacity of convertor- 1.17 ml Other Aspects – Packing- Great! you will like the presentation. It contains pen resting on Diplomat Satin Pillow, converter,cartridge & service guide. Design – The pen is perfectly balanced,with a very simple minimalistic branding. It’s aesthetically pleasing. There is a small stepdown from the body to the grip section.You won’t have any issue with grip section.It is not smooth & even people with large hands will love this. Nib Performance- It has amazing steel nib, one of the best steel nibs I have ever used (my favorite still is OPUS 88 nib). It is very smooth & on par with many gold nibs. It also comes with gold nib , you have to pay extra $130 for it. I have it too, it is equally nice. It writes very well too. But price goes too high with gold nib, their are many amazing pens available in that category. For anyone looking for heavy pen with a good nib, I will recommend it. Note – I have three of these, one with steel nib & other with gold nib. Two were purchased by me from Goulet Pens & third one from a local store. Full Review Link- https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/05/15/diplomat-excellence-a2-skyline-review-a-pen-you-can-consider-in-sub-250-category/

I know it’s a very subjective question, but what would be your “THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE” pen? Hello vastly knowing Fountain Pen People! I’m a writer belatedly celebrating my first book deal and wanted to get a “fancy” fountain pen, but as one uninitiated into the realms of FP experts, I’ve spent a few weeks reading through the forum and watching a gazillion review videos. I am left more confused then ever - so many options. so I thought I’d ask the experts. if you had up to 1.5k USD to spend on a modern pen, and it was your only FP, what would you get (and why)? I’m Looking for a wonderful writing experience - the best I can get for my budget. I’m not sure where I stand on buttery smoothness, bounce, gold or steel nibs, flex, or flow since I’ve only ever used run of the mill high street fountain pens. That said I do like the sound of gold-nibbed, very flex, line variation, buttery smoothness but that is my conceptual understanding rather than down to experience I would be using the pen every day for an hour or more’s writing. I don’t do calligraphy at all, just ‘everyday’ writing, I use Tomoe river paper and would probably go for an F or M nib. I’m a female with slim average sized hands, with mild fibromyalgia flares, so comfort is important, as is weight. Looks-wise I am partial to plainer, classic looks, but also fond of brown tortoiseshell (I was so sad the Conklin all american had such bad reviews) like the Platinum Celluloid or Briarwood-ish styles. I’m also of the mind that I’d rather get a fantastic pen from the start even if it’s more expensive, then work my way up to a fancy pen - it just seems more practical. That said, I don’t assume that more expensive means a better pen. I’d as happily consider pens in lower price points. I am also based on a tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where pen repairs, replacement parts, specific branded cartridges or nibs etc, are inaccessible without having to get from abroad, so an easy trouble free writer is essential also because I’d have no idea how to do my own repairs. This issue has made me write off Conklins, and worry over the issues with Pilot Falcons and Namiki Heritage’s (with FA nibs)although I hear the writing (and drawing) experience of the latter is lovely. Also sadly there are no pen shows or FP fan groups here I for me to try out the goods and I’m not likely to travel with my countries current travel restrictions. SIDENOTE: On this same subject I was also looking for a small travel pen to attach to my diary for shopping lists etc, but I am a little confused about whether a tiny slim pen (talking a Kaweco Liliput or Travelers Company Brass FP) is worse for comfort and I should be looking to a more ‘normal’ FP model or if their slimness and weight is a good thing, I find such conflicting advise on the web it’s hard to know. merci merci for any advice. <Pls excuse any errors, I’m horribly dyslexic!>