Hörner Terra review

[Azulado]

Intro

Hörner is a small German company, located in Dresden, that has been marketing a line of fountain pens and ballpoint pens since 2016. The firm is virtually unknown and the only reviews I have found about its models are from two German YouTube channels, Big-G ́s Tintenkiste and Writing Delight deutsch. It was founded by André Hörner, who, as he tells in an interview, found the motivation to make quality pens when he was a student, seeing the general poor quality of the writing instruments used by his colleagues. In the early days, he occupied the garage of his home and then moved to a shared industrial building.
Hörner's creation seems to follow some marketing manual to the letter (the founder is a marketing consultant). There is a clear idea: to build pens of a certain quality that have a refined appearance at a reasonable price. To achieve this, production is subcontracted to a qualified manufacturer - we do not know which one - and a prestigious supplier is chosen for the nibs, Jowo in this case. In addition, the profit margins are much lower than those of other luxury brands. This is a formula already used by a young brand such as the English Scriveiner (They admit to outsourcing production to China). Hörnet also create a predominantly digital sales channels, their own website and Etsy. It is also distributed in India, Western Europe, the USA and Canada. Finally, to define the type of customer they are targeting, they associate their instruments more with a lifestyle than with other aspects more linked to the world of fountain pens. One of the advertising photos shows a glass of whisky and a Havana cigar, and another shows a table in a luxurious office. It is worth noting that we produce several models with a wooden body.

 

 

Appearance and design

The Terra is a slim and elegant pen, slim and rather short. It features a clean design, with a classically cut chrome-plated cap with the Hörner name engraved on the ring, a chrome-plated mouthpiece and a body painted in bright blue with an engraving of a world map. The body is topped with a chrome cap. It stops short of looking like a slim because its shape is slightly tapered. I would say that its appearance is more luxurious than pens in its price range such as the Kaweco Student or the Faber-Castell Ambition. Its appearance does not invite you to carry it daily. It is more for use at home. The paint, while looking quality, does not seem to me to withstand careless treatment. Germany is not engraved anywhere on the pen.

Weight Dimensions & Ergonomics

I find it to be a very comfortable pen that holds up to long writing sessions. Despite having a chrome section, it doesn't feel slippery. Because of its size, it may not fit large hands. If you don't like slim pens, this is not the pen for you. I don't post pens, so I can't say how it feels that way (I don't dare to post it for testing for fear of scratching the paint, although the smoothness of the locking mechanism invites to think that nothing will happen if I put the cap on).

Length capped = 136 mm (5.35")

Length uncapped = 120 mm (4.72")

diameter at section = 9-10mm (0.35 - 0.39")

weight capped/posted = 26,76 gms

weight uncapped = 15.44 gms

 

Nib performance

The nib is stiff, glides well, but on some papers there is noticeable feedback greater than that of my Faber-Castell Ambition M, something I attribute, at least in part, to mounting a fine nib. It reminds me of that of a Hongdian 523 EF I tested some time ago. The units reviewed by the German channels of Big-G ́s Tintenkiste and Writing Delight deutsch mounted medium nibs and in various digital stores that I have consulted the size M is offered exclusively. Neither on Etsy, nor on the website of the companies is possible to choose your size and we do not find it engraved on the nib. But it is possible to purchase replacement nibs in sizes F and M. In addition, there is a gold option. The feeder does appear to be of German origin, the same one used by the Moonman M2 from the time when it mounted Jowo and Bock nibs. I wonder if it is a Schmidt.

Filling system and maintenance

International type converter and cartridges. Maintenance is minimal, as befits this type of filling system. Nib cleaning is quick, ink comes out well after running a syringe with water through an uncapped cartridge a few times. Otherwise, fingerprints on the chrome plating disappear easily with a goggle cloth and there is nowhere for ink residue to become embedded.

 

Cost and value

Without reaching Chinese levels, it can be said that the Hörner Terra offers quite a lot for the price at which it is sold, around €50. But I wouldn't say it's a bargain either, I don't see it clearly superior to a Kaweco Student or a Faber-Castell Ambition, but it can be an alternative to these and is a bit cheaper, although the price deference depends on the versions. It is below the Otto Hutt Desing #01, the brand's entry-level option, but it costs twice as much and the writing experience is similar as Christian from Writing Delight deutsch told me.

 

Construction and quality
The Terra surprises me with its quality. It is very well finished, the parts fit perfectly and the machining is excellent. The chrome plating on the mouthpiece gives the impression of being resistant, I don't think it will flake off due to rubbing against the cap or a table. The cap has a very soft closing mechanism, it looks pneumatic, like the doors with shock absorbers. The paint is very nice and seems well applied, but I have the impression that it may scratch if not careful enough. It is not for storing in cases with other writing implements. On close inspection with a magnifying glass I noticed only one minor flaw, the chrome trim on the body had a small scuff.

 

Conclusions
I consider the Hörner Terra to be an interesting option among the second tier pens. It is somewhat cheaper than the Faber-Castle Ambition, the Lamy Studio or the Kaweco Student and I think that, in terms of quality, it stands up to comparison. In terms of writing, the Jowo nib is a winning bet, it writes well out of box and offers a remarkable performance. It also offers a different visual, a stylish, elegant and clean design, without the excesses of other pens that are sold as luxurious. Stylistically, I see it as an economical alternative to the Otto Hutt. I also see similarities with some Hongdian models.

 

[jchch1950]

Azulado: thank you for the pen review of a new name in the market. 

[Azulado]

15 hours ago, jchch1950 said:

Azulado: thank you for the pen review of a new name in the market. 

You are welcome! In many occasions, FPN is the only place where you can consult some information about little-known pens. My intention is to put my grain of sand in this database. 😉

[nive]

Thanks for the review. From my uninformed perspective, I don't quite see a reason to buy it over some much cheaper Chinese pens. I don't have a lot of experience with Chinese pens but the first pen I bought was a Picasso. It was the same slim design with metal trim and grip and lacquer. Quite smooth out of the box. No skipping. No fuss. Converter included. It was def sub 20 euro at the time. They seem comparable but the price is doubled for this

[Azulado]

3 hours ago, nive said:

Thanks for the review. From my uninformed perspective, I don't quite see a reason to buy it over some much cheaper Chinese pens. I don't have a lot of experience with Chinese pens but the first pen I bought was a Picasso. It was the same slim design with metal trim and grip and lacquer. Quite smooth out of the box. No skipping. No fuss. Converter included. It was def sub 20 euro at the time. They seem comparable but the price is doubled for this

Imagine two pens of similar quality, one for €0.50 and one for €1. You like the €1 pen better, but out of strict rationality you buy the €0.50 pen, even though you like the €1 pen better. There is a subjective component to the purchase, I don't mind spending €25 more if the pen satisfies me completely. Everyone has a price range to move into without having to be strictly rational. Likewise, the Picasso looks good, but they haven't been compared directly, so we're in the realm of conjecture.
I am fascinated by German design and engineering. The Jowo nib was decisive. But I really liked the nib, the design was perfect for me. The rest of the instrument I think is made in China, with a very good level of quality. If it were made in Germany it would be an Otto Hutt and cost twice as much. I have just ordered a Kaweco DIA2 because it seems to me to be very good value for money by European standards.
There is also a political component to my decisions. I like brands such as Kaweco, Lamy, Faber-Castell, Pelikan, etc. They will survive only if someone buys them. I understand that the European socio-economic context is different from the Chinese. They can't sell at the same price. But I'm not an idiot either, if a model doesn't have a price that I consider fair, I don't buy it.
But, at the same time, I think it's great that China is progressing and raising the welfare of its population. I also buy Chinese pens. I am delighted with a Wing Sung 601 that I have just bought.

[txomsy]

Excellent considerations.

 

Personally, my experience with Chinese quality has been -as for many others- hit-and-miss, with a tendency for the good hits to develop issues over time. It is not one cannot get a great pen with no issues at all for a bargain price. They know and do make them (as demonstrated by their production for non-Chinese brands), but tend to skip the quality control step, or have lower requirements (understandably, as they ask for a lower price, and need a greater return and user turnovers), or market pens that didn't pass they QC standards under lesser brands (like anyone else does, mind you, only with a lower threshold) or as no-name. OTOH if you're lucky to get a hit, it is a bargain and no question about it.

 

I do have a respectable -for me- number (and percentage) of Chinese pens, but still do find that sometimes the increased expense on a non-Chinese (even Indian or Pakistani one, not just European, USA or Japanese) is justified. I have some 100+ year old pens that look like new. I seriously doubt any of my Chinese pens will last that long in similar conditions (maybe the Jinhao x450/x750, dunno). Most have developed issues in 3-4 years. But as long as one knows or is lucky, they are OK. Last time I think I ordered like 20-30 of the same model (so I could find several good ones and give the rest away as initiation -and non-lasting- pens).

 

OTOH, my trusty MB Slimline has been with me for 30+ years on constant use, almost always in a shirt or jeans pocket, and taken such a beating over that it is a wonder it still looks and works like new. Something similar can be said for the Kaweco AL Sport vs the Delike Alpha or their clones, not to mention the -for me- added bonus of the aging patina and weary looks developed by the Kaweco Bronze Sport and the Kaweco Liliputs. Yeah, you can polish the Alpha so it may age, but its default 'aged' look is a preset, artificial, fixed one; it won't age unless you take that extra work. And my time is worth something, I'd subjectively say.

 

So, as you see, there can be many other reasons entering the decision-making game. Not all of us see the world in the same perspective.

 

However, beware. If you decide on entering the non-cheapest price game (even if only to get a better quality or longer lasting pen), you'll be entering a rabbit hole that's deeper than the one Alice fell through. For it values self-gratification over price, and self-gratification is addictive (bluntly said, it is a soft drug).

 

OTOH, if you can exercise the same self-restrain you demonstrate refusing non-cheapest pens, and do not hate to use the same pen forever, expending the extra amount on a verified quality pen will certainly pay off in the long run. I've probably spent more on Chinese pens than what the MB Slimline or any of the Kaweco cost me, and I am still using the later ones far, far more (and for longer) than the former (Chinese) ones (and note I do also keep some Chinese pens from 30 years ago -yes, indeed, a Hero  I think from the engraving in the nib-, but they did not age so well, do not write so well, and I do practically never use them).

 

In summary: YMMV

[Azulado]

11 hours ago, txomsy said:

However, beware. If you decide on entering the non-cheapest price game (even if only to get a better quality or longer lasting pen), you'll be entering a rabbit hole that's deeper than the one Alice fell through. For it values self-gratification over price, and self-gratification is addictive (bluntly said, it is a soft drug).

I agree. I know that you can often buy good parts without spending a lot. I bought a Herlitz calligraphy set for only 15 euros that seems very solid and writes very well. In the last few months I have purchased 8 Inoxcrom new old stock whose quality is very appreciable. This Spanish brand closed down because it could not cope with the Chinese competitors. Then a new Inoxcrom was created which subcontracts the production to China, but it has no relation with the old Inoxcrom.

And I recently bought a second hand Indian Parker Frontier which, without being anything exceptional, is not bad for the 10 euros it costs new -it can be obtained there for 7 euros in discounts-.

11 hours ago, txomsy said:

seriously doubt any of my Chinese pens will last that long in similar conditions (maybe the Jinhao x450/x750, dunno)

My Jinhao X-750 looks armored and has very good presence, but I don't like the way it writes. On the other hand, the chrome section ring has started to deteriorate. I already have plans to remove the inner section and ring, then install a sleeve and a Jowo or Bock nib unit. Such a nice pen deserves a custom like that. 

[nive]

21 hours ago, Azulado said:

Imagine two pens of similar quality, one for €0.50 and one for €1. You like the €1 pen better, but out of strict rationality you buy the €0.50 pen, even though you like the €1 pen better. There is a subjective component to the purchase, I don't mind spending €25 more if the pen satisfies me completely. Everyone has a price range to move into without having to be strictly rational. Likewise, the Picasso looks good, but they haven't been compared directly, so we're in the realm of conjecture.

As a buyer, I don't really think of what is subjective and what is objective but I can see why it is important for writing a review. What do you think is objectively good about this pen and which part do you think is subjectively good but may not a universally or objectively considered as good?

 

21 hours ago, Azulado said:

There is also a political component to my decisions

I agree a lot. A lot of video reviews I watch on Youtube tend to avoid it but you cannot separate business from politics

21 hours ago, Azulado said:

The Jowo nib was decisive. But I really liked the nib, the design was perfect for me.

Now I'm curious about what options you have for pen bodies that can hold a Jowo nib housing at a relatively low price. This might be the cheapest option I know of so that is a good reason to buy that pen👍. I suppose I didn't think of Jowo nibs as a plus. I'm neutral on Jowo nibs as their quality is consistent in my experience but I always needed to do some slight tunning to get it to my preferred smoothness.

[Azulado]

@nive First of all, sorry if you detect a misunderstanding in my answers, my English has limitations and I don't know if I have understood you perfectly.

 

15 minutes ago, nive said:

As a buyer, I don't really think of what is subjective and what is objective but I can see why it is important for writing a review. What do you think is objectively good about this pen and which part do you like subjectively good but may not a universally or objectively considered as good?

Objectively, the nib is of exceptional quality, although those who prefer glassy nibs may not be as enthusiastic about it as I was. The body and cap are of good quality, both for their manufacturing quality and for their machining. But it is below Faber-Castell. I would say that it is at the level of Hondiang. To go to a higher level of objectivity you would have to talk to an engineer.
What is subjective? The design, I find it very beautiful, is a pen that attracts me a lot. Other people may think that the design of this pen is unremarkable.

26 minutes ago, nive said:

Now I'm curious about what options you have for pen bodies that can hold a Jowo nib housing at a relatively low price. This might be the cheapest option I know of so that is a good reason to buy that pen👍. I suppose I didn't think of Jowo nibs as a plus. I'm neutral on Jowo nibs as their quality is consistent in my experience but I always needed to do some slight tunning to get it to my preferred smoothness.

I like the Lamy, Bock, Jowo, Inoxcrom and Pelikan nibs. Also Hongdian, Platinum, Pilot, but my experience with them is limited.
Inexpensive pens with Jowo nibs can be purchased. I have two, Online College and Kaweco Perkeo. Online costs €10 in Germany, but its quality is the worst of all German brands, at least in that price range. However, the nib is a gem that I installed on a Jinhao 911 after the College cap broke.
My best nib is a Jowo from the Faber-Castell Ambition. The Hörner Terra nib is excellent. I usually adjust almost all the nibs. From Jowo I only touched the one from the Perkeo due to a misdiagnosed problem. It wouldn't have been necessary. For me, Jowo is a note 10 nib. It glides well, does not skip, does not have a baby bottom, continuous and homogeneous flow. After Bock, Lamy, Inoxcrom (I have one note 10) or Pelikan are note 8 or 9, the quality can vary from one to the other. What is subjective in my appreciation? I like feedback. This may be a feature that some aficionandos dislike.

[Azulado]

Allow me to reproduce the comment of the owner of Hörner in a thread about his brand on Penexchange.de. It clarifies some doubts about this manufacturer. In a previous entry, I asked if it would be Schmidt who made these pens. I find his commentary about it very interesting.

 

https://www.penexchange.de/forum_neu/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=36370&p=412177&hilit=schmidt+feder#p412177

 

Quote

I am very pleased that Hörner has made it onto the Pen Exchange. Obviously there are some questions I would like to answer.

Our Hörner pens are made in China, for a number of reasons. Firstly, in our market research we found that most customers pay more attention to the writing than the barrel. This allows us to offer very high quality at a comparatively low price.

Furthermore, we are a small brand and companies like Schmidt that produce to order require a minimum order of 2000 pens per model. For a small company like us, this is simply not feasible. So we decided to look for high-quality suppliers in China. I personally also visited the factories and could see that they work under high quality standards and with modern machines.

By the way, as far as I know, all manufacturers in this price segment produce in China - at least all the big companies I have already spoken to.

I am particularly pleased that our service, quality and communication have been positively highlighted here. If you have any further questions, comments or tips, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards
Andre Hörner

 

https://www.penexchange.de/forum_neu/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=36370&p=412177&hilit=schmidt+feder#p412177

[mr T.]

On 6/10/2023 at 4:57 PM, Azulado said:

There is a clear idea: to build pens of a certain quality that have a refined appearance at a reasonable price. To achieve this, production is subcontracted to a qualified manufacturer - we do not know which one - and a prestigious supplier is chosen for the nibs, Jowo in this case.

In my opinion they failed. The Hörner Terra looks like a cheap low end Chinese pen without a 'refined appearance'. The "Hörner Germany" mark on the nib is borderline misleading in my opinion. It suggests that the the Hörner Terra is a pen that is made in Germany (it is obvious not). No reason to buy it over much cheaper (other) Chinese(?) pens.

[Azulado]

1 hour ago, mr T. said:

In my opinion they failed. The Hörner Terra looks like a cheap low end Chinese pen without a 'refined appearance'. The "Hörner Germany" mark on the nib is borderline misleading in my opinion. It suggests that the the Hörner Terra is a pen that is made in Germany (it is obvious not). No reason to buy it over much cheaper (other) Chinese(?) pens.

I don't know if you've only seen the Hörner in photographs, but I assure you it doesn't look like a cheap Chinese pen when you hold it in your hand. It is very well made. I feel like I paid a reasonable price. It doesn't come close to being as refined as an Otto Hutt, that's for sure. Perhaps we could compare it to the Hongdian 523, 517, 525, etc. But the finishes are somewhat different and the comparison is relative. Hörner is not fooling anyone, it manufactures the body in China, but there are also good OEM manufacturers there. The English brand Scriveiner does the same. In addition, it is equipped with a Jowo nib, something that is paid as an extra in Chinese brand pens. Maybe if it had a Chinese brand it would cost a little less, but I'm sorry I bought at a premium. I also have a Faber-Castell Ambition which is similarly priced. The chrome plating on the Ambition looks better to me, but it's not a big difference. It remains to be seen how it stands the test of time.
Another aspect is that your point of view can be applied to Chinese brands. Do you pay a little for a Jinhao or a lot for a Hondiang, PenBBs, Wing Sung, Asvine, etc.? Are these brands better than Jinhao? For me yes, but there are people who don't think so.

[Azulado]

@mr T. There are aspects of quality that can only be verified over time. I am concerned that the chrome plating does not deteriorate. So far, they remain flawless, but the pen is only a few months old. The chrome plating on the end ring of the section of my Jinhao X-750 has already started to flake off. The chrome plating on the section of the Pelikan Jazz -made in China- is very sensitive to scratches, if you are not very careful, it will soon turn a coppery color.
I am certain that the Horner Terra is not a cheap low-end pen. The price may be debatable. The owner of the company implicitly says that if it were made in Germany it would be more expensive. To me, it is reasonably priced for what it offers. If it ends up being durable, I will continue to think the same. I will qualify my opinion if it starts to deteriorate. But so far it's making a good impression on me.