VISCONTI: Homo Sapiens, test in real !

[Epictete92]

Several weeks ago, i heard a rumor on internet talking about a pen made of lava from Etna…first i thought that it was a joke.You know…sometimes limited editions are so special..but who would buy a pen made of lava…

 

Last week, the French distributor of Visconti asked me to test the pen for real and I said “ok” thinking that it would be a fancy pen but nothing more.

 

Because as many of us, I can not always test the pens and get the real pictures of them, this time I have decided to make this humble home made video to share another point of view of this pen.

Here is my feedback.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N316TMNSI5Q

 

When I saw it for the first time, I was surprised because this is not that kind of limited edition that you are afraid to use in a board meeting for exemple, the design and the colors are classical and elegant, black and bronze.So you can use it everywhere !

Same clip system as usual on Visconti pens, a little bit like the Faber Castell ones( I mean the concept).

 

The system to clip the cap on the barrel is clever even I do not like the design of the system when you use the pen , cap off.

Bronze is a nice material.

 

The pen is heavier rather than the Pelikan 1000 about 15/20g more.

SO….how does it feel to have a barrel made of 50% of lava ? Well, here are my first words:rubber, “neoprene” sorry I do not know the English word for this, it is the material used for swimming suit, peach skin…I would say that for me it is something pleasant.

 

I have used it during a whole day, without the cap on the back ( I have little hands and the pen is heavy for me with the cap posted ),you really feel the material, the pen does not move in your fingers and it was funny to often touch it just to “feel it”

The filling system is something like my old Sheaffer Vac Fill pens  easy and fun, it is funny to fill you pens with that kind of system because all the people around you do not know it and ask questions.

 

And what about that nib with palladium?

Well my friends, for the moment my favourite nib was my Pelikan M1000 one without any doubt possible but this one…..i have tried the Homo Sapiens with a broad nib ( I prefer a stub or a fine one ) and when I found the right position…how to say…honestly..you feel for real the difference,the pen writes very well with a minimum of pressure.To be sure of my sensations, I have asked my wife to test it ( she found it too big for her ) but said the same about the nib.

For my to write must be a pleasure before all, and that s the reason why a love to use a Waterman 52 with its flexible nib, a OS Sheaffer flat top for its design, its celluloid odor and its manifold nib..but the palladium nib is a discover for me and I really would like to have your point of view about it.

Pricing in France will be around 350 euros…well..the ration pleasure/price if correct for me in comparaison of some other pens…

 

There it is, sorry for my english mistakes and i hope that you will be able to test it by yourself also.

 

Thanks for reading, Jean Elie

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t120/epictete92/homosapiens.jpg

[dizzypen]

Neoprene is the correct word in English. I must say I am intrigued. Thank you for the 007 video!

[Deirdre]

I really loved the feel of the body. I'm definitely picking one of these up.

[Epictete92]

Neoprene is the correct word in English. I must say I am intrigued. Thank you for the 007 video!

 

Thanks for the word, yes you can be intrigued, now the next step for me will be to buy one from the coming regular production to confirm my first sensations.

[The Dude]

While on the one hand I really wish it didn't say homo sapiens in such huge letters(huge turn off), and would actually prefer it had no words at all on it aside from maybe the visconti on the pocket clip, I'm probably still going to get one. The grip texture sounds great, and I just dont stop hearing praise for palladium. Already sitting here debating what shape I'll have my nibmeister grind it to...

[WendyNC]

Thank you for the video. Your music choice was excellent!

 

I also appreciate your description of the feel of this pen.

[RitaCarbon]

Can't wait when Bry gets them in stock. The pen will be here in March.

 

I was probably the first one to sign up for it. I hold the BP at the LA Pen show. It's a very humble pen indeed, but with some amazing touch. Smaller than the rest of my Viscontis.

 

I brought some lava beads from Mt. Etna as a souvenir from Sicily a couple years ago. I'll use them to make a necklace holder for the pen.

 

Waiting for my Lava

 

 

 

 

[Silvermink]

I didn't realize it had the bayonet cap - nice.

[jips123]

Great looking pen! The palladium nib is indeed intriguing. I must try it as soon as it is available here in the Netherlands.

[Ed Ronax]

Nice review, thanks.

[significantpass]

I've got this pen on my radar. Can't wait for it to be released, but it will probably be a few months before I get it. Thanks for sharing.

[Epictete92]

Thank you for your feedbacks :-)

[SamCapote]

Jean Elie, what purple ink did you use in that video? For whatever reason, another black pen is not appealing to me--especially at $600. Seeing bronze used....hmmm....not exactly an expensive metal and I'm thinking of everything I know in brass tarnishes over time.

Edited April 11, 2010 by SamCapote

[goodguy]

Wow, what a cool pen.

I didnt know its got the Power Filler.

I was sure its a CC filler.

I will have to give this pen a better look.

[breaker]

nice review

[Fanatyk]

That video looks almost like some FP striptease ;-) Can't wait to get one - this wednesday hopefully ;-)

 

Cheers,

Adam

[epo]

Great looking pen! The palladium nib is indeed intriguing. I must try it as soon as it is available here in the Netherlands.

I was in Den Haag last weekend and I'm certain Aakermans had them in stock - noticed them at the last minute but as my partner wanted to go to see iPads so didn't have time to try it out.

[kanajlo]

Jean Elie, what purple ink did you use in that video? For whatever reason, another black pen is not appealing to me--especially at $600. Seeing bronze used....hmmm....not exactly an expensive metal and I'm thinking of everything I know in brass tarnishes over time.

 

But Sam, brass is not bronze. They do not oxidize in the same way. Yes, I do think that the MSRP is too high.

[hsianloon]

nice review...hopefully the pen will still be on sale in a few years time

[georges zaslavsky]

I tried several of those in ef,f and m nib sizes and it didn't fit my bill nib wise and ergonomically wise. The nibs wrote larger than their size and weren't flexible and not as responsive as omas or stipula nibs. But this is my personal opinion, everyone is different and has different way of holding the pen and making pressure on tines.

Edited January 23, 2011 by georges zaslavsky