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For your viewing pleasure; discovered today at aliexpress Moonman RS1, Titanium Alloy, Schmidt 0.38 and 0.5 nibs plus Chinese 14k 0.5

Having just received the Stipula Passaporto Superleggera I thought a quick side-by-side review with the previous generation might be of interest (especially with the thread looking for a pocket pen). This also turns out to be my first attempt with images uploaded to FPN * (hmmm, not visible in "My Media" so I seem to need to do this the long way) First: packaging: I compare the box my Passaporto LE ebonite came in to that of the Passaporto Superleggera Stealth. The LE ebonite arrived in a box with enough space for four Passaporto pens, with a pull out drawer containing the manual, an eyedropper, and an international short cartridge. The Superleggero Stealth comes in a much smaller foam-lined tin, also with an eyedropper, along with two vials of ink (appear to be a blue and a green) Side-by-side images. While the capped and posted images are not to the same scale**, the capped LE and Stealth were on the same original photo, and the posted clear models were also together on a second image (as will be obvious, the older clear model is currently in my rotation -- I have not inked the new ones yet). The Superleggero models have practically no markings. "Stipula" appears on the nib along with some leaf markings. That is it for the current model. It has a metal-look section which tapers from the barrel to the short nib. Given the presence of mold lines on the threads, and on the cap band, I presume both are chrome-plated plastic and not actual metal. The cap has a noticeable taper. The Superleggero is an eyedropper-only pen. The clear and stealth models were each obtained for a mere $40 The previous generation pens have the Stipula leaf embedded in the cap band, where it barely serves to reduce the pen's tendency to roll across surfaces. "Stipula" and "Made in Italy" are engraved on the body. The section is plastic (ebonite for the LE) and has a flare at the end which would help to prevent one's fingers from slipping onto the nib itself. The nib is longer and slimmer. The cap and barrel have similar tapers (almost none) with rounded ends. The interior of the cap, on the clear model, appears to be frosted -- possibly left-overs from machining. While I'm using it as a eyedropper, the section does contain a nipple compatible with international standard short cartridges. I paid $125 for LE, and $100 for clear -- nine years ago. I understand the first generation pens did not have threads on the end of the body for posting; all of mine are threaded. I should have included a ruler in the photos. The previous generation, capped, comes in at 3.6 inches (well, 3.590 according to the calipers, but what's 1/100 of an inch... Posted, it is 4.7 inches. The Superleggero capped comes in at 3.7 inches... Posted, it is 4.9. *** * Normally I upload images to web-space allotted to my Earthlink email accounts -- but at the present moment I can neither connect to them via FTP nor display them. I'm hoping it is just a down server and not that Earthlink had deleted the web space (Last summer I had to downgrade from full DSL service to an email-only service, as my ISP changed to ATT U-Verse). ** It was a pain in Photoshop to select the clear models and not the background, so I could move the images onto a single grey backdrop, the caps faded into the white paper upon which I'd photographed them. I had to paint the selection region, rather than rely on "Magic Wand" automation. *** I really should have grabbed the dial caliper rather than the vernier -- it has a drive wheel; pressing the friction lock of the vernier and trying to push it closed when there is only an inch extending to be gripped is not easy.

By way of context... ...my girlfriend likes to do crosswords, and she has a habit of holding the pen with the cap off while she thinks. In the interest of getting her a pen that won't dry out, I've been on a Parker 51 style hooded-nib kick. I figured I'd get a cheap knock off or two for her to try so she could see if she likes that style. So a few days ago I bid on one of those "loose pen" lots from an eBay auction. Six pens for $15 is a pretty good day, any way you cut it. The first four pens where various HERO 616 / Jinhao 51A style pens, which was what I was after. The fifth pen was some kind of strange looking un-marked blingy pen with a standard Chinese #6 nib / feed combo (Iridium Point stamp, the feed looks identical with what you find in a Jinhao 159). But that's a story for another day, because the sixth pen... Well the sixth pen was this one: It seems to be a '60s or '70s vintage Pilot Lady Pocket pen. This one has a hooded nib, which is different from the pictures of similar pens I've found online. Even the steel nib versions of these pens from the '80s seem to be going for $20 - $30, and I have a kind of reluctant and excited hope that this is the 14k version! Since I spent roughly $4, I kind of feel like I made out like a bandit. I cleaned it off (using just soap and water) and flushed a lot of partly dried blue ink out of the collector. The finish on the exterior (the flowers and so on) is a bit pitted and scuffed - clearly the pen has had a life of use - but the nib itself seems to be as good as new. No pitting or scratches, and I barely had to realign it. I have a couple of questions: First: Information about this particular sort of pen seems to be thin on the internet. Does anyone know of a site, or someone who collects these pocket pens, who might have more pictures / information about the line? Second: When I opened it up, an o-ring fell out. It seems to be working just fine without the o-ring (I put a CON-20 in), but I wonder where the o-ring is really supposed to go? I haven't tried too hard to disassemble the pen, because it seems like a nice pen and I don't want to mess it up. I'm concerned that the nib/feed are glued in. - N

Spoiler alert; my search for the ideal beginner's pen is over. Well at least for now 😅 This was a pen I got from the proprietor of one of UAE's two pen shops, Pens Corner, at the Pelikan Hub 2019 in Abu Dhabi. Though people consider this as an insanely inexpensive pen, I had to think over it for a while since my pen budget is pretty low and I am not accustomed to pens this size. People who know me well would know that I love oversized pens the most as majority of my pens are Indian oversizes in ebonite. So this pen was really a gamble, but I totally hit the jackpot with this one. Design and Appearance: The Kaweco Sport debuted in 1911 as a pocket pen. The modern iteration has an octagonally faceted cap and a round barrel that ends in a slight conical shape. Both of these are almost equal in length, however, the cap is much wider in diameter. This allows for the cap to post, rendering an otherwise puny pen totally usable. The cap tapers slightly towards the top and has a conical insert on it. It also bears 'Kaweco Sport' on one of its facets. The barrel ends with an edge is ridged. Mine has an aged appearance and I feel adds a nice vintage charm. The section is designed to be concave and is proportionally aesthetic to the body. This pen is not going to win any beauty contest, but that's not the point. This pen is meant to be functional. And functional, it highly is. The pen doesn't come with a clip but you can buy them separately. They are available in two designs, and I got the vintage styled curved clip. This clip is IMHO one of the best looking clips out there. The end is diamond shaped and has a few engravings. The clip attaches with a ring like thing that is also faceted to match the facets on the barrel. The facets on the clip has 'since 1883', the Kaweco logo, and GERMANY engraved on them. I'll be entirely honest here and say that I got the clip only for the looks. The functionality is somewhat limited as the clip tends to come off the cap when you apply more force to clip the pen. I avoid this problem by putting my index finger against the top of the clip and then it clips with no issues. Construction and Quality: This pen is made of a sturdy plastic that I recall reading as ABS. At this price point, you shouldn't really expect any remarkable finishing and this pen certainly shows it was made to fit a price point. The polishing isn't the best, as there were a few visible micro scratches on the barrel that has accumulated even more scratches where the cap posts. I baby all my pens so this hasn't scratched up as heavily as a friend's Ice Sport that he carries around in his pencil pouch along with other things. Filling System: The pen is designed to take both cartridges and converters. But the size means that it can only take some of the mini converters out there and I'm not sure it'll even take a long International cartridge. You can eyedropper fill this pen but it dose have a caveat, that ink seeps in through the section and friction fit nib collar and leaks out through the end of the section. But this does have a fix. Using the cartridge that came along or any empty cartridge as a knockout rod, you can knock out the nib collar and grease it with silicone grease. Now you can safely ED your pen and enjoy the high ink capacity and increased ink flow Nib and Writing Comfort: Here's where the pen doesn't kid you. The nibs on these are stainless steel, from Bock and are engraved with all the things as on the clip, and also the nib width. The feed is plastic. My medium nib came perfectly writing with average wetness and a light feedback. While totally usable as it was, I smoother it a bit and increased the ink flow since I prefer uber smooth nibs with a really wet, almost gushing ink flow. The writing sample is with Camlin Blue. Since it is a pocket pen, the section on it is a bit small for me and feels a bit thin but I also have bear paws for hands 🤷‍♂️ Final Thoughts: This pen is appropriately priced but I really cannot understand why the clip isn't provided and costs as much as it does. I mean there are pens much cheaper that come with sturdy clips. I wouldn't consider this a fair argument though since the pen is meant to be tossed around and not clipped to your pocket, so I'm not complaining. I also get that some people have had terrible experiences with their nibs with dryness and baby's bottom being the most common. But I cannot deny that I love this pen. Much more than the Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari and family, or the TWSBI Eco. In fact, I've got a second one, the Goldspot exclusive turquoise demonstrator that is currently with a friend. Just waiting for this coronashit to die down and normalcy return to this world.

In yesterday's mail, I received my long awaited XS Pocket Pen from @Enssodesign - a Kickstarter project from much earlier this year. Product fulfilment was delayed by several months due to a hold-up with Bock nibs (who've been giving some of their customers a horror run in the past 12 months or so) - but I finally received notice about a week ago that the pen was on its way, and... a week later, on the other side of the Pacific (and/or the Atlantic?), here it is! [Disclaimer: I have not been compensated in any way for this review - I joined the Kickstarter campaign early on, paid 'full price', and waited in the queue for my pen to arrive like everyone else!] First Impressions The pen arrived in a simple black box - which had unfortunately gotten a little crunched in the mail (I'm looking at you, Australia Post!). Thankfully, the contents of the box were undamaged - as also were the two optional clips that came with the pen (I only ordered one?!). The pen itself is tiny elegance - less than 10cm long, roughly 10mm diameter, with 12 facets - and the most discreet branding on the barrel. I'm not going to follow my usual format - haven't got time to do a full-on review - but wanted to get some pictures out there ASAP. That said, let me start with some tech specs: Length of pen capped = 95mm Length of pen uncapped = 93mm Length of pen posted = 133cm Weight of pen (incl cap) = 28.9g Diameter of barrel = 10.5mm Diameter of grip section = 9mm I opted for the brass version of the pen - though it's also available in raw or anodised aluminium (black and silver). The aluminium pens would (I *think*) be a bit lighter, but at 28.9g the pen feels comfortable in my hands. Ensso sell these pens with the Bock 060 nib unit (essentially the same configuration as for a Kaweco Sport pen) - but I opted to order a Titanium nib (at extra cost), which only comes in the longer 076 size. Carlo (the designer and proprietor of Ensso) felt that the shorter nib looked better on these pens, but I'm happy with the sleeker lines of the longer nib. My measurements tell me that the tip of the longer nib will only *just* fit within the cap (with maybe a 0.5-1mm clearance) - but it *does* fit. The cap of the XS is designed to slip on and off - and is held securely in place by a rubber o-ring (or washer) at the base of the grip section. A matching washer is fitted into a groove on the end of the barrel to allow the cap to post for more comfortable writing. I'd usually say a 9mm diameter grip is a little on the thin side for me (not *too* thin, just on the limit) - but this feels great in my hands. The generous length of the posted pen (133cm is pretty good, especially for a pocket pen!) means I can hold it back a little further, so that my fingers straddle the 'step' between grip section and barrel. So far, this seems the most comfortable position for me - though others may prefer to hold it closer to the nib. I can't offer much commentary on the writing experience at the moment - I'm using a Kaweco squeeze converter, which *just* fits the barrel, and filled the pen with Diamine (Cult Pens) Deep Dark Orange. The nib was a little dry at first, but is getting wetter as I continue to write. There's no skipping or hard starting, though, and the nib feels smooth on the paper - I'll give the pen some time to "settle in" before I try making any adjustments to increase the flow. Full marks to Ensso - I understand they manually tested (and if necessary adjusted) each nib before sending out the pens. The clip, as I mentioned earlier, was an optional extra - and had to be installed by the buyer. I opted for the chrome version (on the advice of Carlo), and it looks good on the pen. Given the small size of the pen, I'm not sure how well this will clip into my pockets anyway - but at least it serves as an effective roll stopper! I'll give myself some time to decide whether I want to keep using it, or whether to ditch it. One final photo - a comparison with some of my other pocket pens. Top is the (now discontinued) Karas Pen Co Fountain K Mini; then the original TiScribe from Urban Survival Gear (another Kickstarter pen); and at bottom, an acrylic Moonman Wancai. I like all of these pens - but the top two are only really serviceable as "jotters" for taking quick notes. They don't post, and are too short to use comfortably for long writing sessions. The Moonman Wancai is more functional in that regard - but there's a fairly big step up from grip section to barrel, and the need to unthread and rethread the cap to use it posted is a downside compared to the XS. On the other hand, it's an eyedropper fill pen, which means it holds an impressive amount of ink. Final thoughts There *are* some obvious downsides to this pen - and I want to be up-front about them: small ink capacity (cartridge or Kaweco squeeze converter only), the thinness of the grip section (if you're accustomed to a wider girth) - and the o-ring at the end of the barrel looks like it'll need to be replaced periodically. I'm finding that when I push the cap over the o-ring, it tends to shave a little bit off the top. Hopefully this will settle down before the entire O-ring disappears! (Ensso provide two spares, and tech specs in case owners need to source their own.) That said, in the *very* short time I've had with this pen, I'm really impressed. It feels lightweight but substantial, and very easy to deploy. The design and manufacture of the pen are first-rate. It's a great size for carrying in a pocket, and a *really* decent size for writing (when posted). I think this is going to edge out my other pocket pens for the time being, as the convenient carry pen of choice. Thanks to Ensso for making this happen - I was a fan of the Piuma when it came out (though it was a larger pen that filled a different niche), and I'm an even *bigger* fan of the XS!

Hi all. I developed something of an excited passion for Japanese Pocket pens last year. A sometimes dizzy-headed buyer, I bought this: https://imgur.com/fpngallery/5bTXrSz It's a cute little pocket pen; so very nice, but who or what is 'Pioneer'?

Hello everyone, I bought a Platinum Pocket Pen a few months ago whose model name I don't know but would love to find out. I look forward for help and thank you. I read some topics here on FPN on Platinum and Pilot pocket pens, found old advertisements but can't identify it assuredly. Some characteristics are: - made by Platinum - black body with gold trim - 14k nib - accepts modern Platinum cartdridges but not converters - lenght closed ~11,9cm, lenght open ~10,3cm, lenght posted ~14,9cm - the trim on the clip and cap looks more yellowish than the ring on the body Again, thanks for any help!

Hi folks, I have a vintage Platignum pocket pen / long-short pen (is there another name I'm forgetting?). I don't know the model. It's a hard starter, and I'm not sure whether the nib is drying out overnight, or whether the ink isn't flowing well due to crud in the feed. I've given it several soak / flush cycles with Diamine ink removing solution, and when flicking the section with a tissue over the nib (using centripetal force to drive fluid quickly through the feed & nib) tiny dark flecks were left in the tissue, like minute particles of dried ink. So! I'd really like to remove the nib & feed to give it a really deep clean, but I have no idea how it comes out (if it's user serviceable at all.) Can anyone advise?

PenBBS appears about to launch their new pocket pen, the PenBBS 471. It's one of two pens we've been told to expect this month, the other being a new twisted polygonal metal pen. Pictures (and video) from Beini's Instagram account indicate it will be available in at least her traditionally exclusive colours of Niangao Is a Cat, Amber Is a Cat, and Silence (purple and blue). It has a few interesting attributes that distinguish it from other current offerings in the Chinese pocket pen market. For example, it takes the normal PenBBS nibs, meaning (cap room permitting) it can take standard size 6 nibs. Photos from Beini have shown the pens with the new M nibs and rounded F nibs, but it hasn't yet been stated if these new nibs will be available on all new models. Beini has also stated that Long is including a loose ... cap band? It's a coupling ring with knurled/faceted edges that looks like a cap band, and it screws onto both the back end of the pen and the end of the cap. So this can be used to couple the cap onto the back of the pen with the ring in the middle. The cap can also be screwed onto the back of the pen directly without the ring by flipping it around, like the Wancai Mini, shortening the pen by a few millimetres. It also means, however, that two pens may be coupled together back-to-back with the ring, with the cap of one posted/screwed onto the cap of the other, for a new take on a double-ended pen. (Several pens appear to be able to be connected together if you have any desire for a two-foot pen.) When the pen is closed (and without the ring) it's just shorter than the Wancai Mini. When it's posted with the ring, it's just longer than the Wancai Mini. I haven't seen photos of it posted without the ring, but it's possible according to photos of several caps screwed together. (I don't know if the ring can be 'stored' on the section between the barrel and the cap when closed ... My brain hurts when I try to think about how it would work.) It's an eye-dropper fill, obviously (or maybe not obviously ... Long has been engineering some pretty crazy pens lately), with what appears to be a fairly small reservoir. Beini's stated on the Etsy shop that she's out of town this week, so I think we may have until at least next week before they're launched in the west. Or not. I've been wrong about basically everything I've guessed about this pen thus far.

I received this unusual Sailor Pocket Pen. It was leaking between the metal and plastic part of its grip section but I managed to unscrew the metal part and seal it with shellac. The nib looks a bit like Lamy 2000 but most unusual is the clip. It looks like it is unfinished, made out of one thin piece of metal that is bent. It fits nicely if you clip it in your jeans but it is not tight enough to be secure in your shirt pocket. It is very small pen. Here it is compared to Sailor 1911 Standard, Pilot Elite 95s and Lamy Al Star. Nib is 14k but very wet. Too wet for my liking. Apart from 14k stamped on it it is plain. Pen is black, metal and silver colour. The only branding is Sailor engraving on the cap. It is the smallest of me Long/Short format Japanese Pocket pens. From Left to right : Unusal Sailor Pocket Pen, another Unknown Sailor, Sailor 21, Sailor 21 Silver, Elite Cross Hatch, Elite 95S, Pilot Myu Matte Black, Platinum P-200, Platinum P-200 White, P-200 Black with cap from Platinum Soft Pen. If anyone knows anything about this Sailor model I would be most interested. Here is another photo of the weird clip.

I recently purchased a vintage Sailor Pocket pen. It arrived from Japan very dirty and I did a thorough cleanse and even soaked in soapy water. Nearly all visible old ink has been removed, but when I add ink cartridge, the pen will write for a short while and then becomes very dry with no ink. I suspect the feed has dried residual ink. I have looked for some details on disassembling the nib and feed, but find nothing. Can anyone help confirm if the nib is friction fit and can be pulled out through the front or is there some screwed in retainer in the section which must be removed first? Are there any tools or diagrams to help. I don't want to use too much force and damage the pen. It has a nice 18K nib. Thank you.

Has anyone tried this Beast pocket pen that Bobby (no affiliation) is selling? https://www.etsy.com/listing/625198082/beast-fountain-pen-schmidt-f-nib?ref=shop_home_active_54 I like the look of it and I'm always interested in pocket pens, but at almost $50 it's a bit too expensive for an impulse purchase. So, does anyone know anything about it or have first-hand experience?

I am going through my (too many) pens before deciding which pens I will give away or sell or simply store in the attics. Part 1: Ohto Tasche - a pocket pen from Japan. https://mkepens.blogspot.com/2018/07/not-expensive-pen-1-ohto-tasche-ff-10t.html Conclusion: it is a not expensive pen which I can theoretically* recommend. * Personally, however, I prefer the MB149-sized pens, even for pockets. (No advertisement, I own the pen.)

We're giving away four sets of our forthcoming Starliner and Galaxie pens, part of our new Reaktor Line of Writing Instruments. We're on pace to give away 1,000 pens this year to anyone and everyone that participates in our monthly giveaways or our larger giveaways like this one. This giveaway is just the latest part of our 10 Year Anniversary and how we plan on celebrating it. If you want the details on our Reaktor Line of Writing Instruments, you can check out our YouTube playlist that covers all four of the pens we'll be releasing this summer. In the description of those videos you can look at some review links from Figboot on Pens, Gourmet Pens, and some other pen reviewers. If you want to skip straight to the giveaway, check out This Video for all of the details.

Oh ... this for you ladies ..... Well other than all the big names , China do had a school of small independent brand, and many fashion designer brand that made pens, most are OEM of others model but some do have their original design, and sometime you bump into something unique, interesting and well this happen to be one. This is the 里莜-莜米-Mini Fountain Pen. The brand 里莜 curiously had an English name "Liveinyou" No I am not writing it wrong , this is how the brand spell it in one word and " Live in you" is their marketing slogan. So this is in their 莜米 series , and the model is simply refer to as the Mini Fountain Pen 里莜-莜米-Mini in pink ( packaging ) by Mech for i, on Flickr Clearly pattered after the style of the pocket pen / Vest pen, but its got its own twist. its an all metal construction with a C/C filling ( custom shortened converter ) with a .... ding dong .... hooded nib , and its got eight color option ( Black, White, Pink, Turquoise, Soft Mint, Lemon Yellow, Race Blue, & Cream Beige ). Surprisingly sturdy and well made and some measurements 9mm/10.2mm girth ( barrel and cap ) 102mm uncapped 110.5mm capped 131mm posted 20g weight non inked 里莜-莜米-Mini in pink by Mech for i, on Flickr 里莜-莜米-Mini in pink ( posted ) by Mech for i, on Flickr

If you ask me, I am not really much into pocket pens. But this is a pocket pen I could never ignore, thanks to the excellent reviews from none other than Hari. I doubt if it could be a desirable starter fountain pen, but I do find it as a great VFM, given the stunningly big 14k gold nib. And finally it is good friends with my MTN pen holder. Here is a copy of this review on my blog: Elite 95S Review The Elite 95S (or E95S in US) was released as Pilot’s 95th anniversary pen in 2013, sporting a Pilot 14k nib, which is larger than a standard Pilot#5 nib. The Elite S was originally a pocket pen designed by Pilot in 1968. The second run of these pens occurred in 1974. The 95S is more of a evolution of the Elite S fountain pen and as it was launched 95 years after the company’s inception (i.e. 1918) it does carry the first two digits of the model number as ‘95’ with the S and the third digit is by default ‘1’ usually refers price at launch of the pen (i.e 1 X JPY 10,000). It’s referred as the E95S in the US market due to copyright obligations. The Elite 95S (for the Asian market, Model #FES-1MM-DR/B-EF/F/M) comes packaged in a standard pilot gift box (Z-CR-GN) which is usually more of a protection rather than presentation. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mVy918MFP7Q/VfAnBI0ZpKI/AAAAAAAAFdk/WinvMivuiDM/s1600/DSC_6068.jpg DESIGN - FOR YOUR POCKET (6/6) The E95S comes in two standard designs of acrylic resin with a double anodised aluminium cap - Black, Deep Red (or burgundy) in gold plated trims. The acrylic resin material feels sturdy but light, I guess a defining feature for a light pocket pen sharing one dimension with your shirt pocket. You will definitely like the E95S if you like Kaweco Sport pens. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E7QnDJIvgSY/VfAnA6IemxI/AAAAAAAAFdg/GFL7E97DuLI/s1600/DSC_6074.jpg The tapered geometry starts with a flattened finial of a pearly cap (with a hint of red shade) with a gold plated clip syncing nicely with concentric cap bands and a differentiated ring from the section before it concludes with burgundy of the barrel. The glossy red resin shines moderately under light and creates a good contrast with the cap. This pen seems to preserve a vintage look both in terms of design and make. The cap is light and and can be pulled out quite smoothly, revealing a big dazzling gold nib. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bpP3S0t-IZ8/VfAnAQrDXFI/AAAAAAAAFdY/syxBzXN6o9w/s1600/DSC_6084.jpg The grip section is moulded from the same burgundy resin and a thick golden step announces its beginning as well as the end stop for posting the cap. But as usual, the nib dazzles out the rest. The posted pen gains considerable length and renders both beauty and a deep red contrast to the pearly finish of the cap. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tu7FwfaAig0/VfAnH6CGu0I/AAAAAAAAFds/PtDIhpr0dnw/s1600/DSC_6088.jpg The snap cap with a slightly domed finial preserves a rather classical look. A few things etched across the lower band of the cap includes the model name of Elite on one side and PILOT & JAPAN on the other. Two concentric bands of golden paint render aesthetics to the entire pen, as the cap is quite significant for this pen. The spring loaded clip with an associate loop, has a rectangular top view with geometrical cuts. It’s engraved with PILOT vertically. The design of the clip is reminiscent of older Pilot pens. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6myhhnZXmqs/VfAnRhk2fYI/AAAAAAAAFew/NRpYMhDpeck/s1600/cap.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (5/6) The barrel unscrews from the section which has a metallic insert carrying the necessary threads for syncing with the resin threads inside the barrel. One of those rare pens, in which the section is considerably longer than its barrel. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R9nqKFombjg/VfAnItHuCtI/AAAAAAAAFd8/BfKRHQF7WfI/s1600/DSC_6108.jpg The pen takes only pilot CON-20 (0.5 mL) converter and pilot proprietary cartridges (0.9 mL) because of its size limitations. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hl1jSygOJJE/VfAnIlye93I/AAAAAAAAFeA/GRbeD8Gu5OY/s1600/DSC_6110.jpg NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (5/6) The nib is inset and comes in a 14k design across three stock widths - EF, F & M. The tail end of the nib specifies the month and year of manufacture. It has no other scrollwork apart from branding and nib specs. By the way, the productions are limited to 5000 pieces and that’s why you mostly see 413 (April-2013) as timestamp (or monthstamp) on these nibs. All branding and nib specs namely 14k-585 (58.5% Au Alloy), PILOT, along with the nib width & country of manufacture i.e JAPAN are imprinted below the breather hole. The tines are relatively short, given the longish nib. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YJBZbvTTBLI/VfAnJL8huMI/AAAAAAAAFeE/92C_DapDp7c/s1600/DSC_6114.jpg A partially enclosed or rather hooded bluish grey plastic feed with big feeder hole provides ink suction and a decent buffer. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2HUUDsP73c/VfAnKTv9ieI/AAAAAAAAFeM/7AILQMYxqrA/s1600/DSC_6120.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (5/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING This is a pocket pen and measures only around 12 cm closed. It is meant to be posted for writing and in addition to the length the cap does add some weight. Though the cap itself is quite light and weighs only 6 grams, the snap mechanism does make it a quick note scribbler. The grip is comfortably tapered ending with a longish nib. Closed ~ 12 cm Uncapped Length ~ 10.5 cm Posted Length ~ 14.7 cm Nib Leverage ~ 2.4 cm Overall Weight ~ 17 g (without converter) Capped, uncapped and posted comparisons with a Pelikan m2XX/4xx go below for your reference. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ0soCVTLV8/VfAnO3mOo2I/AAAAAAAAFec/g9R4qaz8Nms/s1600/DSC_6124.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MdcN6mtgxuQ/VfAnPPYxQgI/AAAAAAAAFeg/0I-4FVIG11s/s1600/DSC_6128.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cc7yiDx_MUE/VfAnPfe_giI/AAAAAAAAFek/IYqa_kJJDnI/s1600/DSC_6132.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (6/6) The E95S retails at around USD 136 in the US, although it sell at USD 100 or even less, in Japanese shops like Engeika or Rakuten. I had bought the first pen from Engeika’s Indian Arm - Pensindia. It’s a definite VFM pen. OVERALL (5.4/6) The fine nib has some feedback but is graced with a wet flow. Although pilot does not associate any softness with these nibs, these nibs are quite springy and have a decent amount of flex, the leverage coming from their unique shape. The verticals can grow thicker with slight pressure. The nib has a moderate flow, taking less than 25 seconds to dry a wet Diamine Majestic Blue ink on MD Paper. The paper grids are 5 mm squares. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iBITKFR13ak/VfAnSeFtIyI/AAAAAAAAFe0/ySbwApClgHw/s1600/DSC_6133.jpg Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here. ADORABLE REVIEWS Hari's Review of Red Elite 95S Black

The Exposition: A while ago I won a giveaway that was hosted for a Waldmann Pocket fountain pen. The giveaway asked folks to not only request a chance to win, but to also post the reasons why they felt that they needed the pen. I have to admit that I almost walked away from the competition without having even tried. I didn't really have any good reasons for why I NEEDED the pen, but I was quite taken with the little guy, so I decided to try something just a little bit different. I am a professional story teller (yes, I know that my grammar leaves something to be desired, but that's what writing resources, advanced word processing programs, and editors are for). Most often the stories that I am able to tell are nonfiction, but every once in a while I get to tell folks a story that originates from my imagination rather than from real life. I'm always happiest when I am writing something imaginary, but family life, deadlines, and general laziness really eat into the amount of time that I can dedicate to something that will not result in a pay check. After browsing several times through the entries for the aforementioned giveaway, my longing to create some fiction bit me in the face and would not let go. I bribed my 6 year old daughter with animated princesses on Netflix, put my 2 month old son in his chair and rocked him with one foot, while using the remainder of my resources to quickly create a story worthy of a fountain pen (time is a factor when trying to do something that does not involve being a clown for your small children). When creating a story for a forum post there are two factors that you must employ: brevity and sneakiness. The story must be brief (or else people will not read it), and it must not at first appear to be a story. For whatever reason stories tend to get ignored or overlooked in forums, so it is best to draw the reader in before they realize that they are reading a story and not some helpful hint, tip, or anecdote. These factors combined with a time constraint (and my son's sudden burst of crying as I began the very start of my editing process) resulted in a less than polished piece of fiction. In spite of its many faults my entry was unique and interesting enough to get an immediate positive reaction. The other folks involved liked it, the host liked it, and as a result I was awarded the pen. Here is the post with my entry: https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/4g49kn/spring_giveaway/ Now that you have the backstory, and without further ado here is my review of the Waldmann Pocket fountain pen: THE ARRIVAL: Yesterday a package arrived on my doorstep. This package was sent to me all the way from Portugal, but as the tracking for it did not transfer over to the USPS, I was not really sure when it would arrive. Needless to say, I was quite surprised when the postal worker had me sign for it. Inside of this unassuming brown wrapping was my eagerly awaited Waldmann Pocket fountain pen! I have been playing with this little pen pretty much non-stop since that point, and now have some initial impressions to impart. For those of you who do not know, Waldmann is a company that is virtually unheard of over here in the United States. I was quite curious to learn more about this company, so I did some research while waiting for the pen to arrive. There wasn't much information available, but from what little I have learned, the pens are really only sold in jewelry stores, executive gift stores, and a few high end pen shops. Add to this the fact that Waldmann pens are made of sterling silver, and you have a bunch of fairly expensive pens that are mostly bought to look nice in a breast pocket, and are only used when something needs to be signed. This is entirely too bad, and is a fate that no pen should have to suffer. The few reviews that I could find of Waldmann pens, and my limited experience with the brand show me that Waldmann pens are well made, nice looking pens that should receive way more exposure than they currently enjoy. THE BOX: I rarely care about pen boxes, but the Waldmann Pocket fountain pen came in the most amazing pen box that it has ever been my pleasure to open. The box is incredibly sturdy, made of padded leather and silver, and it smells and feels wonderful. It has a nice amount of heft to it and opens and closes with a genuine feel of security. The pen is absolutely dwarfed by the box, but it’s such a cool box! Inside, besides the pen is a polishing cloth, several cartridges, and a warranty card. http://65.media.tumblr.com/311ec0202aa4258d5fc4d80dc7c8f806/tumblr_o7aphcCfrC1uf00n4o1_1280.jpg http://67.media.tumblr.com/6f6f32adc1a5708fc642b85375d6150b/tumblr_o7aphcCfrC1uf00n4o2_1280.jpg http://66.media.tumblr.com/6206979c46f6bf7448fdce37b75cefc5/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o6_1280.jpg http://65.media.tumblr.com/ccb384a3ec380da8891719f1afb5edff/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o7_1280.jpg APPEARANCE: The pen itself is very similar in size to an Esterbrook SJ, but with a bit more length and quite a bit more heft. The sterling silver makes this a somewhat heavy pen, but not uncomfortably so. The body of the pen consists of a barrel coated in black lacquer with a silver end cap and a silver section. The nib is an 18k two tone F nib with Waldmann’s symbol and the year 1918 (the founding year) engraved on it. Everything that I have read, as well as the appearance lead me to believe that these nibs are provided by Schmidt. Schmidt is a distributor and not a producer of nibs, so I could not even begin to guess as to who actually made this nib. The cap is silver with raised pin striping, a Waldmann symbol on the clip, and a spot where an engraving can go. The cap is a click cap that has a sort of double click which secures it in place extremely well. The cap posts fairly deeply and securely with no hint of a wobble. The clip is springy and solid. http://67.media.tumblr.com/8c8a0a578688106120d4718351182d4c/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o3_1280.jpg http://67.media.tumblr.com/6c0250de172198aadf648a6931ab5cc5/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o9_1280.jpg FILLING SYSTEM: The Pocket pen is not compatible with a Monteverde mini converter, and although a Kaweco squeeze converter will fit onto the nipple the metal ring on the converter does not allow it to seat properly into the section. I may try one of the new Kaweco mini piston converters, but for now it’s international cartridges for me. This is no big deal as I have a bunch just sitting around, and I also have an ink syringe that I can use to refill them. NIB: The nib is a true European fine and is springy enough to allow for some excellent line variation. I wouldn’t use it for flex writing as this would likely push the elasticity of the nib too far, but it lets me do some expressive writing when the mood strikes. This is not the smoothest nib that I have ever used, but it’s not really scratchy either. I would say that it is fairly similar in performance to a Platinum 3776 soft medium nib. I am transitioning from using cursive italic as my standard handwriting to using Spencerian Business script, so this pen is perfect for my current situation. http://66.media.tumblr.com/641dd58938585ae89198406f69b3b1b3/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o2_1280.jpg http://65.media.tumblr.com/c8cb42988aa94921ff59c274cc0fa137/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o10_1280.jpg ERGONOMICS: Writing with the Pocket pen is a nice experience. The size when posted is perfect for me and the weight lets me know that I have something substantial without causing any stress. The pen is thin, but I like thin pens, so it works out quite well. The Waldmann Pocket is very similar in size to the Esterbrook SJ, a pen that I have been using quite a bit lately, so it works very well for me. I could see some folks having an issue with its thin section, but I like it quite a bit. The section IS a little slippery, but the flair at the end keeps it from being too big of an issue. http://66.media.tumblr.com/65084ba57256d40502c3e9f55f83bca6/tumblr_o7aoicmnWl1uf00n4o4_1280.jpg VALUE: As I stated earlier, Waldmann pens tend to be sold as jewelry rather than as usable writing tools. This fact combined with the materials used to create the pens, and the customer base that is being targeted make for an expensive line of pens. The gold nib version of the Waldmann Pocket sells for anywhere from $300 to $400 (partially depending on whether the nib is 14k or 18k). At about $150 to $200, the steel nib version is a bit less expensive, but still not cheap. These prices are far higher than I feel this pen is worth, but I understand that sterling silver pens are not cheap and that the price also reflects what their customers are willing to pay. I have heard of folks finding Waldmann pens on eBay or on sale in store for reasonable prices, but I was not able to find good examples of this. With all of that said, I would never pay the list prices for this pen (to be honest, I would have a hard time justifying paying $400 for ANY pen). Luckily for me, I got this one for free. CONCLUSION: All in all, I am happy with the pen and plan to use it pretty extensively. It is the perfect size and weight for my particular writing style, the nib is nice and flexible, and overall it just looks really nice. I'm happy to have won this pen, and I look forward to a long and fruitful writing relationship with it.

Hi! I bought two NOS Platinum Pocket Pens yesterday. I hope you could help me ID them. The Silver and Pink one has 18k stamped on the nib. The red one only has the P. Thanks very much!

Dear friends, I am relatively new to the fountain pen world. More of a writer than a collector. As my handwriting is tiny, I am interested in Japanese pens; until last week, I had been an exclusive Pilot user. Then I had the chance to buy a Platinum pocket pen at the Brazilian (I'm living in Rio de Janeiro) Facebook fountain pen classifieds. Thought it was a chance to have a look outside the Pilot world. The seller told me the pen had a really fine line, but when I tried it I thought it was too broad for me -- it is a medium nib. Still, I'm quite unable to find more info on this pen (which I will probably re-sell). It is a pocket pen, a sort of ladies pen, in white, with orange and pink leaves, very pretty. The nib is 18k, very smooth, different from a medium Pilot nib (from a "special alloy" VP that I'm selling as well). Does anyone know anything about this pen? I took some photos with my iPad Mini and made an album: Mystery Platinum Many thanks!

We have the Monteverde Mini Jewelria fountain pens and rollerball pens at 50% Off while they last. These are great pocket pens. Very small and compact with the cap on but decent size when the cap is posted. Ideal for a pocket, purse or every day carry pen. Available in the green stripe or blue stripe. Each pen has a unique resin cap and no two are alike. Monteverde Mini Jewleria Fountain Pen Retail: $50.00 Sale: $25.00 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Monteverde Mini Jewleria Rollerball Pen Retail: $45.00 Sale: $22.50

I recently picked up my first pocket pen, a rather smashing Pilot Elite! The nib is marked H1276, which the excellent blog Crónicas Estilográficas tells me means Hiratsuka factory, December of 1976. The barrel code says "QB 08". Does that mean the pen body was made in the same factory in 1977, February 8th, or am I reading the guide incorrectly? http://i773.photobucket.com/albums/yy19/flounder2009/Pilot%20Elite%20Isaac%20Newton/Pilot%20Elite%20Isaac%20Newton%20barrel%20codes.jpg

I am looking at buying a pocket pen and Kaweko has the Sport and Lilliput that look pretty good. I have a Parker Sonnet gold tipped medium nib which I love writing with (I write lightly). I am rather liking the look of the Liliput but I have a duple of questions: Do Kaweko use the same nibs for both the Sports and the Liliput? How do the gold-plated Sonnet and Kaweko nibs compare? Do the Kaweko broad nibs write any smoother than the medium nibs? Are the medium and broad nibs on the Sonnet and the Kaweko the same?

Given that the photo set of unboxing this pen is one of my more popular blog posts, I figured I wouldn’t wait too long to write the review. Physical presence The Al-Sport is a metal version of the popular Kaweco Sport, which is a plastic pen. Both are designed to be ultraportable pocket pens that are short when capped but full size when posted. I’m not going to bore you with measurements, since you can easily find those all over on the internet. (If you want to see how this pen sizes up against other ones you are familiar with, check out this nifty tool from Goulet Pens.) What I will say is that I think this is one of the most comfortable pens I have ever owned. Having never handled a plastic one I can’t really compare the two, but I think that I would find the plastic version too light. With the metal body this pen is the perfect fusion of “feels like quality” and “comfortable to use.” The section, while short, fits my grip very well and the threads are not sharp at all. When posted the pen is an ideal length for me and I can use it briefly unposted but it’s not comfortable. Of course, comfort-level will be different for everyone based on your hand size and how you hold your pen, so definitely don’t take my word for it. I also bought the “Sport N clip” to go with my pen, since it does not come with a clip of any kind. To be fair, you don’t need a clip to prevent your pen from rolling off a desk since the octagonal shape of the cap already has that covered. And the clip is not really very good for actually clipping the pen onto things either. While tight and springy, it’s a bit too tight to pull it out enough to clip over anything but a few sheet of paper without dislodging the clip from the barrel. So, I suppose I have it there purely because I can’t stand the aesthetics of a clipless pen. I was interested to see how the finish would hold up on this pen, especially since they sell “stonewashed” versions that have a distressed finish for those who aren’t patient enough to have it happen naturally. As you can see above, there is a bit of finish worn away near the threads, which I think is inevitable since you will have metal-on-metal contact there no matter what you do. I also have a small scuff on the cap where the end of the clip dug in as I was taking it off for this very picture. Otherwise I don’t see any wear from the clip but the more you take it on and off the more you risk damaging the finish there. The sad part of all this is that I really want my pen to get that worn-in look! I am not careful with this pen at all - I carry it around in my pocket, the same pocket that I stick change in on a daily basis. I’ve carried it in pockets with keys, in the bottom of my purse… I may need to take more drastic measures here. But, if you want a durable matte finish, I think this pen would be a good choice. Writing experience The nib that I got was not my favorite at first. I think the tines were a bit misaligned but I did a bit of work and now it is a comfortably wet F. A really nice aspect of the Al-Sport is that you can buy replacement nib units for ~$15, so if you want a different nib size or you get a bum one and don’t feel like sending it to a nibmeister, you can try something else for relatively cheap. I am overall quite pleased with how this pen writes. And, because it’s a small nib it does not dry out as fast, which is handy since a screw cap is not the quickest thing to open and close. I actually once left this pen uncapped overnight (not my finest moment, I know) and it started up without too much complaint the next morning. Now that’s quality. Filling system This pen is a cartridge-only pen. Yes, you can buy a little bulb-filler type converter, but I have not heard good things about it. You can even make your own with a silicone sac and old cartridge, but I don’t feel like doing that. So, for me it’s down to standard international cartridges only. I thought I would have a problem with this aspect of the pen, but it turns out to not bother me at all. This is not my pen that I grab to write a long letter or do homework with. It’s a pen for having on hand at all times and jotting down quick notes when needed. For that, cartridges are fine. Closing thoughts Overall, I really like this pen. Granted, most of my pen reviews are quite positive but that’s because I only hang on to (and review) pens that I am quite fond of and so there’s that. But I do not regret buying this pen at all and I think it will be a constant companion for a fair number of years to come. Is it worth the $80 price tag? I think so, purely based on the quality of construction and the fact that you can easily swap out the nib for another. Is it worth the huge price jump over the plastic Sport? Like I said, I’ve never had a plastic Sport, but I think so. This pen feels so much better than something plastic, with a solidity that says, “Hey, I am not going to give up on you, even if you drop me down a flight of concrete steps. Will your phone do that?” This pen was purchased with my own money and I am not being compensated in any way for this review. All opinions above are my own and you are free to disagree with them if you like.

IntroI have lately been looking to add a few low cost everyday pens to my collection so when I saw the UK high street and online retailer "The Pen Shop" had launched a new range of low cost fountain pens I jumped at the opportunity to add something new to my collection. The new youth orientated pens are under the Brand Dex as a division of their existing Kingsley own brand pens. I’m not really sure what to think of the name Dex as a pen brand, but hey, I may be too old to appreciate it’s name appeal, perhaps they were trying to associate the name with the once popular 90's Dexter’s Laboratory cartoon. The range consist of two different pen styles, both in ink roller and fountain pen variants in various finishes (see here) they do appear to have done a good job with a number eye catching designs.I ended up going for the Compact pen in blue as it caught my eye in the store. Here are my thoughts after two weeks of use. Design Materials and aesthetics 7/10The pen has a modern, distinctive design with chrome accent opaque body and an ink window with a contoured rubber grip section. The pen is a little on the light side as all the components bar the clip and nib are made of plastic. Overall an interesting, unique design. Construction Quality 6/10 The quality of the materials used in the pen are reasonable at the price point, however the plastics do feel low cost and the pen overall feels relatively cheap. Ergonomics 6/10 For a compact fountain pen the ergonomics are quite good and the pen fits fine into smaller hands unposted however, it probably will be too short for larger hands unposted. However, if the pen is posted it becomes a similar size to a posted Safari. The grip section of the pen is fairly comfortable, however, I do think the positioning of the finger placements recesses are a little strange as they seem to be placed too widely apart for a comfortable grip. Nib performance 8/10 I was pleasantly surprised with the nib having only paid about £13 for the pen I wasn't expecting much from its “iridium point” nib. However, I found the nib to be one of the highlights of the pen as it delivers a firm, smooth, Medium line with a little bit of reassuring feedback. The nib isn't quite as smooth as my Parker Frontier nib however the nib is excellent for a sub £15 pen. Filling Mechanism, 6/10 The pen is a compact pen so is relegated to using only small international cartridges out of the box. However, I have successfully managed to convert mine into an eye-dropper pen with a touch of petroleum Jelly which has meant the ink capacity has been effectively tripled to approximately 3ml. The ink window is especially useful when the pen has been converted as it allows for a clear indication of the remaining ink. Cost and Value 7/10 Bought for £13 The pen isn't bad value, however it does feel a little on the cheap side and perhaps a price of just under the £10 may have been a bit more reasonable price. Final Thoughts Overall score 40/60 The Good Smooth nib.Compact Design.Can be converted to an eye dropper. The Bad Feels a little on the cheap side.Cartridge only out of the box.