Staedtler Initium

[The Blue Knight]

I was browsing cultpens looking a drafting pencils and stumbled across Staedtlers new range of fountain pens. I was initially excited thinking the new pens may borrow designs from there premium drafting pencils and be similar to the rotring 600 fountain pens. However there new range seems to mirror the new Faber-Castel and Lamy ranges. There seems to 1 designs across the range in various finishes and colours. None of them really seem to standout however it will be nice to eventually read a review on them them.

 

http://www.cultpens.com/acatalog/Staedtler-Premium-Initium-Range.html

 

http://www.staedtler.com/en/inspirations/for-design-lovers/

Edited September 3, 2013 by top pen

[UK Mike]

I hadn't noticed that these had finally reached the shops - the catalogues have been on Staedtlers web site for about a year.

 

It is almost certain that the range uses Bock/JoWo nibs so it will write like any other pen with a Bock/JoWo nib and be, as you say, mirroring the Faber Castell range.

 

First thought is that they look slightly expensive. I will also be watching for reviews with interest.

[Gloucesterman]

Looks like a very nice pen. I'll have to check and see if it made its way to this side of the pond.

[Namru]

£225 for the high end leather model... With a steel nib. Rad.

[cybaea]

Steel nibs can be nice - my Faber Castell e-Motion has one of the smoothest nibs in my collection. But I have zero experience with Staedler: can anyone comment on their performance?

 

The pen is perhaps a little expensive compared with, say, the GvFC Initio pen (which I have on order), but not outrageously so.

[ballboy]

I do like the plum wood fp; the pic of it in the presentation case at the bottom of the page gives more of an impression.

 

50g sounds like an impressive weight if the balance is right.

[aderoy]

Have placed an order for one, should be here next week. Review should follow shortly afterwards...

Edited February 21, 2014 by aderoy

[The Blue Knight]

Have placed an order for one, should be here next week. Review sould follow shortly afterwards...

 

Cheers I look forward to it!

[cybaea]

 

Cheers I look forward to it!

+1

[reduziert]

Saw them today right at the flagship-store in Nürnberg/ Germany. But no hands-on ´cause I was too busy. Maybe next time. Looking forward to your review!

 

Cheers

Thorsten

[aderoy]

Still waiting for the mail to deliver the package... backordered.

So I guess the choice of ink will have to keep my amused.

[ParkerBeta]

I bought one recently from cultpens.com in the UK for less than GBP 60: the entry-level model in white resin. I got a leather single-pen case for free with the pen, but no converter. The nibs are the same (steel) on all models in the Initium lineup, but the higher-end models are made of more exotic material.

 

Looking at the pen, I'm in two minds: the pen has a nice size, enough heft to reinforce your faith in its quality but not so much that it is hard to write with, and a screw cap. However, the chrome trim somehow gives the impression of "cheapness." I really cannot put my finger on it, not being a manufacturing expert, but I keep thinking that the chrome parts are not really metal at all but chrome-colored plastic. I sincerely hope this is not true, but something about the way light reflects off the trim gives me this impression. If this is indeed true, shame on Staedtler! The section is also the same slick metal (or chrome-colored plastic), and gives the same appearance. At least plastic would have been easier to grip. This section simply slopes all the way down from the barrel to the nib, except for a small lip at the base of the nib, but this is not enough to provide a decent grip.

 

The nib is too plain and too small for a pen this size. Writes well (mine is an F) with no skipping but a wee bit of feedback. Again, the nib is very ordinary compared to that on even the Faber-Castell Basic or Loom (and anyway those nibs are probably the best steel nibs in the industry, and Faber-Castell reuses them on their Ambition, e-Motion, and Ondoro as well).

 

The clip is long and made of the same shiny metal or chrome-colored plastic (surely not plastic?! then why does it give off the overwhelming impression that it is?!!) Unfortunately, there is virtually no gap between the bottom of the clip and the underside of the clip, which means that it is only usable on the thinnest fabric, or perhaps a couple of sheets of paper.

 

All in all, disappointing for a pen that proudly advertises "Made in Germany." Faber-Castell pens costing half the price of this pen write and look better than this one. You may wonder why I keep bringing up Faber-Castell when there are other German manufacturers in the $50-$100 price range, chiefly Lamy. Somehow the design of this pen keeps bringing up comparisons with Faber-Castell, and not once does the comparison favor Staedtler.

Edited March 2, 2014 by ParkerBeta

[sirtoti]

Thanks, ParkerBeta, for this detailed feedback.

I didn't order one because I had the same thoughts when I saw it. It felt like a 30$ pen that is priced in 60$. I got the impression that Staedtler wanted their share of the "luxury writing instrument's" cake with their upper tiers, and then decided to also make this low tier resina line.

It's not only in fp's that they make you think about GvF-C. Their pencils too, look like a "century XXI version" of GvF-C's, but it's more succesful/original because of the TS "stilus" on the cap's top.

It's a bit sad that a company that really made great fp's such as Staedtler is now coming back into the market with this kind of models. I can feel their hunger for money and their lack of interest in their own product. I'll be awaiting some reviews of the other models.

Edited March 2, 2014 by sirtoti