In my opinion, along with the nibs, the caps on Faber-Castell pens set them apart. The Graf von Faber-Castell Classic features a platinum-plated, solid metal cap that looks sort of like a chimney or old-fashioned smokestack that flares out at the top with coin edging. It’s similar, but not identical, to the cap used on Graf von Faber-Castell’s iconic - and somewhat ridiculous - “Perfect Pencil”. Even on most of their lower-end pens, Faber-Castell uses sturdy, spring-loaded clips that attach well to pen cases, bags, and shirt pockets. (Yet another sign that these pens aren’t just eye candy, but meant to be used.) The downside to these caps, however, is the weight, which brings me to….
What About Posting…?
Finally, the big potential drawback for me, and the reason why, at least to date, I don’t have a Graf von Faber-Castell Classic in my collection: this pen doesn’t post. (Technically, the pen will post, but the weight of the metal cap on the back end renders the pen far too heavy to make posting comfortable for even short writing sessions.) On the flip side, for such a slender pen, the Classic feels perfectly balanced and comfortable unposted. The combination of wood/metal construction, a long grip section, and a bit of added length helps in this regard. Prior to an extended test-run with the Classic, I had thought that the Classic would be too slim, and that I’d ultimately conclude “nice pen; not for me.” That’s not the case. I’m still considering this pen, especially now that I know they have a dark-trim Macassar version, but I need to get comfortable with the fact that I won’t be able to post it.
