Franklin Christoph

[CoolPensAreCool]

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Franklin Christoph Pens. I live in Raleigh, NC and they are based in Wake Forest, NC which is one town over and less than 15 min. away. What has been the skuttlebutt?

[Uncial]

My experience is good. Their customer care is excellent and the pens (especially the fine italic nibbed ones) are very good. I like the stripped back style. It's kind of sober and plain but nicely done.

[zaddick]

Try using the search function or google.

[CatHerder]

Picked up a model 20 (with an 18K Masuyama broad cursive italic nib) at the Baltimore show; wonderful pen. I highly recommend visiting them at a show, so you can try the different nibs. I went planning to buy the model 20 (and did), but wound up choosing a different nib than I'd originally thought. Flawless service; they tuned the pen until it was perfect- probably my favorite pen now, out of about a dozen. They should be at the Triangle pen show in June

[mmg122]

Quality pens, wide selection of excellent nibs, outstanding customer service.

[NinthSphere]

Quality pens, wide selection of excellent nibs, outstanding customer service.

 

This. Three Franklin-Christoph nibs, a Masuyama broad italic in a Scriptorium custom, a Masuyama broad stub in a Panther 40, & a broad SIG in a Model 02 Intrinsic are among my perpetually inked. Worth consideration if you like the style. Or the nibs. Or the ink, although I don't have experience with their line, but reviews of the current stuff can be found in the ink review section.

[cjr]

I have a Stablis 65 and a Marietta Model 20. I have an EF steel nib they adjusted which is wonderful and a fine Masuyama italic which I really love. Check them out at a show because they have all their nibs available for testing, including the special Masuyama nibs. Their inks are nice, too. They fill the pen with your choice of ink when you purchase one at the show and tune the nib while you wait. Great pens for a great price.

[Horseknitter]

I have a 02 & 03 with Matsuyama nibs and a 31 with the FC 1.1 steel stub. Really great pens! I am currently asking myself why I would pay more for a fountain pen that won't perform better than Franklin Christoph.

[tinta]

Though I am at the point of selling my only F-C pen, I would still heartily recommend their pens, their nibs, their innovation & their excellent customer service.

Check this thread that I started three years ago:

Who Is Using Franklin-Christoph.......?

in USA - North America
Started by tinta, 13 Mar 2014

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 7 →

Edited April 29, 2017 by tinta

[Moonshae]

I like their nib choices, but I think the pens themselves are ugly. Maybe they're great writers, but for their prices, I want some aesthetics, too.

 

That said, their leather pen holders are quite nice; I have a single and a triple.

[CatHerder]

Picked up a model 20 (with an 18K Masuyama broad cursive italic nib) at the Baltimore show; wonderful pen. I highly recommend visiting them at a show, so you can try the different nibs. I went planning to buy the model 20 (and did), but wound up choosing a different nib than I'd originally thought. Flawless service; they tuned the pen until it was perfect- probably my favorite pen now, out of about a dozen. They should be at the Triangle pen show in June

[CatHerder]

Typo - should have said 14K

[rutherfordr]

I like their nib choices, but I think the pens themselves are ugly. Maybe they're great writers, but for their prices, I want some aesthetics, too.

 

 

They do look like they're designed by an engineer. If I could change anything about them, I'd get them to hire a designer to make more attractive pens.

 

However, they make some of the best new pens available today. Their dedication to quality is outstanding.

[dapprman]

I think looks wise it's very dependant on the model. Some like the 65/66 pocket/stablis are very pretty, though really still sticking to traditional forms, where as others do seem a little over-engineered in appearance. Still the quality of the pens and the comfort factor is high and the nibs are second to none in not only this bracket but also at a higher price point.

 

Value wise, if on looks alone, maybe you're right (by which means you probably also think the same for Karas Kustoms pens as well), however when you look at who their market rivals are, Edison Pens (I will try a collier one of these days), Newton Pens, Kanilea, etc., they are either competitively priced or cheaper.

 

TBH in this market sector, i.e. the small manufacturer, a lot of 'is it worth it' is down to personal preferences.

[displacermoose]

They are very nice pens if they are what you like. I have a Bellus (discontinued) and an Intrinsic, both of which I enjoy. I see myself getting one of the Italian Ice models if I can ever manage to get on the wait list because I love the way they look

 

That said, you should be aware that the nibs are standard Jowos. While they do a good job of checking them, they are absolutely identical to nibs from Edison, Goulet, Scriptorium, and others which you can buy loose for $20 and fit into a $2 Jinhao.

 

Their service is wonderful and the pen bodies are exceptionally well finished. Just don't expect anything particularly special from the nibs.

[dapprman]

There standard and gold (I assume) nibs, however there's also their own speciality (probably manufactured for them by JoWo) and the Mike Masuyama.

 

As to manually testing, tuning, and fixing nibs, I know Edison also do the same.

[SpecTP]

I don't find the FC pens to be ugly at all. For example, the Abditus is a really elegant pen. The customer service is also excellent.

[gerigo]

I have to say that comments like this raise my ire quite a bit. I wonder why I would take so much offense when Franklin Christoph is not even my business, nor am I in any way connected to them?

 

I personally really like what Franklin Christoph is doing. The time and commitment they put toward a unique design aesthetics and design language, their choice of specific functional directions, and even their unique way of business. They serve a very unique niche in the global pen collecting community, and they are creating a set of pens I find to be quite understated and sophisticated, and at the same time easy to use, and highly functional. At least in my eyes.

 

In the same way, I personally aren't as partial to other pen makers that use much more flashy materials, and are much more referential to pen models of the past. But it does not mean I go to each and every topic that inquires about them and say that their pens are ugly?

 

I like their nib choices, but I think the pens themselves are ugly. Maybe they're great writers, but for their prices, I want some aesthetics, too.

That said, their leather pen holders are quite nice; I have a single and a triple.

[SpecTP]

it's a subjective statement.. don't internalize it.

[AGxM]

I have one of their SIG nibs in an 02, and it's my favourite nib hands down. The pen is nice and solid, I have a Smoke and Ice, but not spectacular but the nib blows me away every time I use it.

 

Do they fit any other type of pen as I would buy more and fit to more of my pens if I could.... (never swapped nibs before)