The Tactile Turn Gist Fountain Pen in polycarbonate with Damascus grip and finial.  Bock titanium nib. — The Tactile Turn Gist Fountain Pen in polycarbonate with Damascus grip and finial. Bock titanium nib.

Pen Review: Tactile Turn Gist

July 2, 2016

The Tactile Turn Gist fountain pen was one of the most hyped Kickstarter projects of the past year (well, at least in the stationery world). Due in no small part to the previous successes of its creator, Will Hodges, the Gist blew away its $50,000 fundraising goal, drawing over $129,000 in total pledges. So now that I've had the final result in my hands for about a month, how did the pen turn out? Short answer: the Gist is well worth the money, especially if you like pens made from unique metals, but it's not without a couple hiccups.

Background

For those of you unfamiliar with Tactile Turn, the company is small machine shop and design studio located in Richardson, Texas and run by machinist and designer Will Hodges. Will's prior work has included his Mover and Shaker machined pens, since discontinued except for certain limited models. I reviewed the Mover a while back, and it's a favorite daily carry-type pen of mine.

Somewhat unrelated to stationery, Tactile Turn also ran a Kickstarter for the "Parer" and "Pruner" machined razor handles compatible with Gillette Mach 3 and Fusion cartridges. (Now if only they could do one for Harry's blades....)

Design and Build

My two Tactile Turn Gist fountain pens, in zirconium and Damascus steel.

On to the Gist. Overall, the Tactile Turn Gist is a well-designed, functional fountain pen that should wear well and stand up to whatever you might throw at it. Whereas most Kickstarter pens are crafted from metal or wood, Will decided to do something different, opting for fiberglass-reinforced plastic called polycarbonate, better known by its trade names Makrolon or Lexan. Those of you familiar with Lamy's flagship "Lamy 2000" fountain pen may recognize the material-it's very similar, if not identical, to what Lamy uses in the 2000. Because the Gist is a cartridge/converter pen, however, the body is very light and lacks the weight added by Lamy's piston-filling mechanism. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on your preferences, but you should understand that the all-polycarbonate Gist is VERY light. If I hadn't opted for the metal section on both pens that I ordered, the pen would probably be too light for me to use comfortably.

A look at my "blacked out" Tactile Turn Gist with Zirconium section.

But let's talk about the metal section. With the exception of the Lamy Studio, I generally dislike all-metal pens because I find them too heavy to use for extended periods of time. Not so here. The section, like the body of the pen, is textured, which minimizes slippage.

The Tactile Turn logo engraved onto the zirconium finial. You can opt for logo or "no logo". I wish I had gone for the latter. I think it would have given the pen a cleaner look.

You can customize your polycarbonate Gist fountain pen with a wide array of different metal sections and finials. Materials include the not-so-uncommon stainless steel, titanium, copper, brass, and bronze, as well as rarer materials like zirconium and damascus steel. I couldn't pass up the zirconium or damascus options, so I backed the Kickstarter for both pens. If you're a fan of all-metal pens, you can purchase the Gist in stainless steel, titanium, brass, bronze, and even zirconium (which comes with a pretty price tag).

The Tactile Turn Gist comes with multiple "trim options."  I opted for Damascus steel (top) and zirconium (bottom). — The Tactile Turn Gist comes with multiple "trim options." I opted for Damascus steel (top) and zirconium (bottom).

As I mentioned, the pen is well-built with an eye towards heavy daily use. The cap posts well, which I prefer, and I like the length of this pen both capped and posted. It sits well in a shirt pocket at work, and is well-balanced in the hand (more on that below). Tactile Turn used an excellent black metal clip, which not only looks great but clips the pen securely to whatever you use to carry it, whether that be a pen case, bag strap, or shirt/jeans pocket.

The clip on the Tactile Turn Gist will ensure the pen doesn't go anywhere.

Some people have been having issues with the threads being cut too tight. The threads on the Gist are "acme" threads, meaning they're cut thicker than is typical on a pen. This allows the cap to screw on securely, but I wish it took maybe one less turn to remove the cap. The threading on one of my pens is also slightly off: the cap is too tight, which has caused a small hairline crack in the cap lip. Nothing that makes the pen unusable as long as I'm careful not to overtighten the cap, but I'll eventually have to send this back to Tactile Turn for repair or a replacement cap. I've not read anything that suggests these problems are widespread. The threads on my other pen are flawless.

Writing Experience

The stainless steel Bock nib that shipped with my zirconium Gist.

As I mentioned above, the Gist is a well-balanced fountain pen, which makes it comfortable to write with for long periods of time. I prefer the pen posted, mainly due to the light weight of the polycarbonate. The pen uses the cartridge-converter filling system, but instead of the standard international converter, the Gist uses a smaller converter that appears to be the one manufactured by Monteverde. This choice of converter is an aspect of the pen I'm not crazy about: the Monteverde converter is shorter, so it has a relatively small ink capacity, and doesn't feel very durable. Also, if you lose the converter, if it breaks, or if the manufacturer ever stops making this part - and you can't find a replacement converter that fits - you might be forced to resort to refilling short international cartridges with a syringe to continue using the pen.

The Gist uses Bock nibs, which on the whole are good quality but can be temperamental. Lots of people like them, but my experiences with their steel nibs have been a mixed bag. I've had better luck with Schmidt and JoWo. The steel Bock nib that shipped with my Gist is no exception: the tines were misaligned and the nib was dry. Eventually, after some tuning, it will write at an acceptable level, but it needs some work.

I enjoy writing with Bock's titanium nibs, though be warned that you'd better have nice paper that can stand up to how wet these nibs tend to write. For a writing sample, check out my review of the Conid Bulkfiller, which uses the same nib. I had no issues with the titanium nib on my Gist.

What would I like to see in the future? A rhodium-plated gold nib option, which Conid offers on their pens. I'd consider upgrading my pens to the gold Bock nibs, but I'm not a fan of yellow gold on black pens.

Takeaways

I've enjoyed using my two Gist fountain pens, and overall I think they're solid additions to my arsenal. Tactile Turn's textured/ribbed design is unique, and when picking out my pens I really enjoyed being able to customize the design with the various metals available. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the polycarbonate/zirconium combination.

In terms of the price/value proposition, you're paying a bit of a premium for the design and the rare metals, such as zirconium and Damascus steel. The list price of the all-polycarbonate model starts at $99.00, with a zirconium section starting at $149 and a Damascus section starting at $179 (though you can add metal finials to your all-polycarbonate pen for a little less). Adding a titanium or gold nib will further increase the cost of the pen off the base price.

For someone making a first purchase of a pen in this price range, my overall recommendation would still be the Lamy 2000, which is a piston-filling fountain pen with a gold nib. Even with Lamy's own nib quality control issues, I've had fewer issues with the 2000 than I've had with the Bock steel nibs. If, however, you're like me, and a nut for Damascus steel and "blacked-out" metals like ruthenium and zirconium, the Tactile Turn Gist should definitely be on your radar screen because you won't find anything else like this on the market.

Where to Buy

Tactile Turn sells the Gist fountain pen directly through its online store, though the company has started to sell pens through retailers as well. Vanness Pens, one of my sponsors, carries the Gist, though as of the time of writing they are sold out of the "All Copper" and "All Polycarbonate" models.

Pen Review: Delta Rediscover Pompeii Limited Edition

June 22, 2016

It came as a surprise to a lot of people that Delta made my list of Three Favorite Pen Brands. To me, this makes perfect sense. When it comes to modern pens, the three major Italian Pen Companies - Aurora, Delta, and Visconti - are the main pen companies left that do extensive work with celluloid, one of my favorite materials. (One possible exception is Platinum, which has a small line of celluloid pens, and issues some limited editions in celluloid that generally never leave Japan.)

Why do I like celluloid so much? Because it tends to have a depth to it that's hard to duplicate in other materials like acrylic. While Conway Stewart (which is no longer in business) did an excellent job duplicating vintage celluloids with its line of acrylics, they're an outlier. Today, Delta is probably the most prolific producer of celluloid pens, and, in my opinion, has some of the most unique offerings out there.

Needless to say, when I first learned of the Rediscover Pompeii limited edition (via Glenn Marcus's review here), the yellow and black banded celluloid immediately piqued my interest. As to the pen, however, I initially wrote it off. Too big, too yellow, and too heavy to use on a regular basis. I thought the combination of size and color would look, for lack of a better term, tacky. When I saw the pen in person? Not so.

Design and Build

The Delta Rediscovery Pompeii is a full-size pen in eye-catching yellow and black celluloid.

The Rediscover Pompeii limited edition is a big pen--larger than a Pelikan M800. That said, celluloid is a fairly lightweight material, so it sits quite comfortably in the hand. With the exception of one nit discussed further below, the craftsmanship is excellent. The yellow celluloid is supposed to duplicate the original color of the houses of Pompeii. The cap band is engraved sterling silver with a "greek key" pattern. I love the look, though the sterling does add some weight to the pen when it's capped or posted. It's also slightly odd to have a sterling cap band combined with slightly cheaper chrome trim elsewhere, especially on the clip, though it's consistent with what Delta has done with its other pens such as the Dolcevita. Overall, I love the look. I wouldn't call this pen understated by any stretch, but it catches your eye in a good way.

The Rediscover Pompeii features a sterling silver cap band engraved with a "Greek Key" pattern.

My pen is a piston-filler, though Delta also makes a cartridge-converter version. What's unique about Delta's piston fillers is that they use a different mechanism than most modern pen companies: the piston is covered by a blind cap, which reveals a knurled metal knob that operates the filling system. To prevent over-tightening, the knob "clicks" when it's finished turning.

Delta's Piston-Filler Knob, with blind cap removed.

The Nib and the Overall Writing Experience

Out of the box, this nib was a medium and wrote very well, though it lacked character. The fine nib on my Delta Dolcevita Soiree has an italic/stubbish quality to it, which the Pompeii did not. At this year's Atlanta pen show, I had Mark Bacas grind the medium nib to a smooth cursive italic. The nib is now perfect for my writing style.

The Rediscover Pompeii features a 14k gold nib, rhodium plated.  I've had this nib ground to a smooth cursive italic. — The Rediscover Pompeii features a 14k gold nib, rhodium plated. I've had this nib ground to a smooth cursive italic.

Again, I can't emphasize how happy I've been with Delta nibs right out of the box. I've yet to purchase a Delta pen that needed significant smoothing or tine alignment. This goes for both my higher end Deltas with 14k nibs (this pen, the Dolcevita Soiree, and the Oversize Italian Technology demonstrator), as well as my pens with the stainless steel "Fusion" nibs.

Price/Value

At full price, the Delta Rediscover Pompeii Limited Edition is not a cheap pen. The piston filler runs upwards of $950, and the cartridge-converter version is around $660. I was able to find the piston-filler version on deep discount from Marte Modena for around $300 during one of their sales a year or so ago, which was an absolute steal and a no-brainer. I do wonder sometimes why there was such a deep discount off the MSRP, and it may be because this pen shipped with a slight factory defect. There's an issue with the threads where unless you align the nib a certain way when screwing on the cap (i.e., the nib has to face down, away from the clip), the inner cap will slightly misalign the nib tines. Given how deeply discounted the pen was, however, I'm not going to complain since this is an easy enough problem to avoid.

I did cheat a bit before splurging on this purchase. Before I went and bought the "big boy," I acquired the Delta Fusion 82 in the Pompeii celluloid at the 2014 Washington D.C. Pen Show. If you think that the full -ize Rediscover Pompeii limited edition pen might be too large, but the celluloid still speaks to you, Bryant Greer still has some of the limited edition Fusion 82 pens in stock.

Finally, I want to leave with a note on the packaging and presentation for this pen, which I found top-notch. I don't typically pay much attention to packaging, boxes, and the like, except when it's really well done (which it should be for a pen at this price point). Delta delivers this pen in a lined wooden box, with a bottle of their excellent black ink. What I like about this box is that it's lined underneath the pen/ink insert, so you can realistically reuse the box for storage. I've not had the chance to do so yet, but I'm probably going to refit this box with some pen slots and make a nice storage case out of it.

Takeaways

I'm glad that I have this pen in my collection. It's an excellent writer and despite being large, is well-balanced for long writing sessions and fits my hand well. Would I have paid full MSRP for it? Heck no. That's more than I'd pay for most pens other than the rarest of rare limited edition or vintage pieces. But the good thing about Delta is that they tend to issue their special or limited editions in relatively large numbers (my pen is marked as number 268), and if you're patient you can usually find them on sale or in the secondary market for much less.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection. This post may contain affiliate links, through which I may be compensated a small amount if you purchase an item from certain sites linked to in this article. While I'd greatly appreciate it if you use these links to purchase something you are interested in, you are, of course, under no obligation to do so. Many thanks!

Waterman Man 100 Patrician in its original box.

Pen Review: Waterman Man 100 Patrician, a Neglected Workhorse

June 8, 2016

I have a soft spot in my heart for modern Waterman fountain pens, even though their line has become a bit stale since they were acquired by Newell-Rubbermaid in 2001, with fewer models introduced into the lineup. To me, the pens that Waterman manufactured during the 1980s and the 1990s are excellent--I think of them as "vintage" in the sense that they aren't available anymore, but "modern" in that they use contemporary Waterman cartridges and converters. The term I use to describe pens like these is "near modern," and they are a fixture in my collection.

History of Waterman Pens

The name "Waterman" has a storied history in the fountain pen world, with the lore (repeated on the Company website) being that Lewis Edson Waterman invented the modern fountain pen. Others have recently cast doubt on this version of history, but the story still sticks. However, what many people don't know that the modern Waterman Pen Company is not the same company that made many of the classic Waterman pens from the 1930s and 1940s, but rather is a descendant of Jif-Waterman, the French subsidiary, which is now owned by Newell-Rubbermaid. Waterman has an interesting timeline on their website that shows various events from the history of the French and American companies, including all the major pen models introduced over the years. Of all these designs, the classic "Le Man 100" (known simply as the "Man 100" stateside), first introduced in 1982 for the company's 100th anniversary, is my favorite.

Design and Build

The Waterman Man 100 is a large pen with a lot of heft, since the construction is lacquer over brass.  The lacquer is very thick--despite the years and heavy use (from me), the finish is still flawless. — The Waterman Man 100 is a large pen with a lot of heft, since the construction is lacquer over brass. The lacquer is very thick--despite the years and heavy use (from me), the finish is still flawless.

The Waterman Man 100, at first glance, resembles a larger version of the Laureate and other more modern Waterman pens. It is solidly built using the typical Waterman lacquer-over-brass construction that gives the pen some weight. The style is classic Waterman, with the traditional "Waterman clip" the French company has used since the 1960s and the large 18k "Ideal" nib (borrowed, of course, from the early days of the Waterman "Ideal" fountain pen). The Man 100 was introduced in 1982 and intended to serve as Waterman's flagship luxury pen, competing with Montblanc and Pelikan. What makes this particular version unique, however, is the cap band.

Note the stylized Waterman "W" logo on the finial and the cap band. Also, the cap is friction fit, with the back of the pen tapered to allow the pen to post firmly and securely.

The band on this version of the Man 100 is modeled after the Waterman Patrician fountain pen from the 1920s and 1930s. Waterman manufactured these "Patrician" Man 100s as special editions from 1992 to 1994. If you shop around, they are starting to command what I consider to be extremely high prices. I'm glad I bought when I did: I love my two Man 100 Patricians, but I'm not sure that I'd be willing to pay what people are asking these days. One thing I will say--if you can find these new-old-stock, the packaging on these older pens is gorgeous. It comes with a nice wooden box. The faux-leather on the inside is a bit worn, but hey, it's almost 25 years old.

The Nib

Now for the writing experience: Waterman nibs are on the stiff side. The stainless and gold-plated nibs are definitely nails, but the 18k gold nibs have the tiniest bit of spring to them--just enough to keep the writing interesting. I have two of these pens: a coral ("Cardinal Red") and a green. Both of my pens have fine nibs and wrote adequately out of the box. My coral pen was N.O.S., so the fine nib wrote like a dream. My green pen was used, and the nib was slightly worn in (to someone else's writing style), so I had Mike Masuyama tweak it. No big deal. Both are now very nice daily workhorses.

Pen Review: Woods with a Story Ballpoint

May 18, 2016

I love me a good ballpoint. In terms of pure functionality, I enjoy ballpoint pens more than rollerball pens, simply because you don't have to pay much attention to the type of paper you use with a ballpoint. Needless to say, I keep an eye out for attractive ballpoints on Kickstarter and elsewhere.

Joel Lockridge, of Alabaster, Alabama, is a woodworker who has run six successful Kickstarter projects selling his hand-turned wood pens. Four of these involved his "Bourbon Barrel Pens", which, as you might guess, are made of wood reclaimed from bourbon barrels. The other two projects featured rarer materials: pens made from Ancient Bog Oak and Bethlehem Olivewood.

The Woods with a Story Bethlehem Olivewood Ballpoint pen, with Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook for scale.

I backed the Bethlehem Olivewood project, and opted for the "Grip Pen with Gunmetal Hardware". The clip, nock, and grip section appear to be standard hardware, but it's all perfectly functional and to write this off as a "just a kit pen" misses the point: the wood. The olivewood is beautifully turned and has lots of nice, dark grain in it. The color sets off nicely against the gunmetal. The thinner knurled grip section pairs well with the thicker, rounder wood body, which sits comfortably in the webbing of your hand. This pen takes a Parker-style refill (unlabeled, but I presume it's a Schmidt or a Monteverde) and I've been pleasantly surprised with the smoothness and darkness of the black ink.

Joel does excellent work, and if you missed the Kickstarter project, you can purchase these pens over at the BourbonPens website. The Grip Pen featured here sells for $60. For as much as I use this pen, it's money well spent.

DISCLAIMER: I purchased this pen with my own funds, for my own collection. I was not compensated monetarily or in any other way for this review.

Edison Menlo in Tibaldi Celluloid with clear acrylic ink window. Currently inked with Montblanc JFK Navy Blue.

Pen Review: Edison Menlo in Tibaldi Impero Celluloid

April 30, 2016

I've owned several Edison pens over the years: a Pearlette, a Herald, and a Mina (unfortunately never reviewed). And while I've enjoyed the pens, I've never found a shape and a material that I truly loved enough to make the pens stick in my collection. That may change with the Menlo.

The Menlo is definitely my favorite of all of the Edison pens that I've tried to date. I prefer the more slender torpedo shape that sits well in the hand and is comfortable to write with posted or unposted. Since this pen does not have the brass pump filling system that the Menlo is known for, it's extremely light and perfect for longer writing sessions. I have it filled as an eyedropper, so it also has an enormous ink capacity. I haven't measured it yet, but my best guess would be around 4ml. The ink lasts a long time on one fill.

The Material: Discontinued Tibaldi Celluloid

This pen is made from Tibaldi "Impero" celluloid, which is no longer available so I snatched this pen up as soon as I saw it come on the secondary "Slack" market. This particular celluloid might be the most beautiful material I've ever owned. It's a mixture of black, graphite, and gray pearl intermixed with veins of bright blue (think "Bung Box Sapphire" blue). Photographs don't do the celluloid justice: the material appears much darker on the screen than it does in real life, and you can't get a good sense of the depth of color and complexity of the design.

Tibaldi Impero celluloid is notoriously difficult to photograph.  It's hard to capture the full range of colors running through this material. — Tibaldi Impero celluloid is notoriously difficult to photograph. It's hard to capture the full range of colors running through this material.

A lighter picture in which I tried to capture the detail in the material a bit more.

This custom pen also features a clear acrylic ink window, which can serve as both a reminder of the color ink you have in the pen and a "warning light" to let you know when you're about to run out. A big thank you to my friend and fellow Pen Addict "Slacker" Phil for commissioning this design, and then passing it along for sale!

Once you can see the ink level through the window,

A word of caution about celluloid pens: they can stain. Usually, I would not use a celluloid pen body as an eyedropper (or even as a Menlo pump-filler) because the ink is constantly in contact with the material, and will eventually cause the pen to discolor. Because the Tibaldi celluloid is so dark, however, I haven't had any problems with noticeable staining from blue, black, or blue-black inks.

A Note about Edison Nibs

You observant readers may have noticed that I've already reviewed the nib on this pen. The GREAT thing about Edison Pens (and Franklin-Christoph pens, and Scriptorium pens, and Newton pens) is that the nibs are interchangeable. The Edison Menlo accepts #6 JoWo Nibs, so I swapped out the stock extra-fine that came with this pen for my Franklin-Christoph Masuyama Broad Cursive Italic that I purchased with my Pocket 66. I love this nib. The cursive italic grind has excellent line variation, and is a slightly drier writer than a stub nib, which makes this nib an excellent choice for work.

Pricing

The Menlo is an Edison "signature line" pen, meaning that it's custom-made to order, and because the standard Menlo has the fancy filling system, prices start at $350. You would need to confirm with Brian Gray of Edison, but I believe the price for an eyedropper or cartridge/converter Menlo would be $250, since you would not have the added cost of the pump filler. You also may have added cost depending on the material you choose and whether or not you opt for a gold nib. Brian's pricing is standard for a custom pen, and to me represents good value.

I'm a big fan of what Brian is doing over at the Edison Pen Company. His pens are of excellent quality, and he has a wide range of offerings suitable for many different tastes. He will also work with you on completely custom designs. I highly recommend you check him out.

Disclaimer: I purchased this pen with my own funds for my own collection. I have not been compensated in any way for this review.

Background

Design and Build

Writing Experience

Takeaways

Where to Buy

Further Reading

Design and Build

The Nib and the Overall Writing Experience

Price/Value

Takeaways

History of Waterman Pens

Design and Build

The Nib

Further Reading (and Shopping):

The Material: Discontinued Tibaldi Celluloid

A Note about Edison Nibs

Pricing

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