Kickstarter Alert: Studio Neat Mark One

May 2, 2018

If you're not already in on this latest Kickstarter, you have just over two days left to back the Mark One, a new rollerball from Studio Neat. Described as a "minimal, durable, retractable pen," it's all of that, and a comfortable writer to boot.

I suspect a lot of people will look at this pen and ask themselves what the big deal is here. To be honest, I did too, until I spent some time with a Mark One Prototype. For me, what makes this pen great is the texture: the aluminum barrel is coated with cerakote, a ceramic-polymer coating that's not only extremely durable, but gives the pen a unique matte finish that I've not seen before, especially on a white pen.

The combination of the matte white barrel and the copper knock is stunning. While the Mark One is a round pen, it doesn't roll around as much as I expected, due to the way the pen is weighted.

Studio Neat launched the Mark One in two color schemes: a black cerakote pen with a brushed aluminum knock, or a white cerakote pen with a copper knock. When Studio Neat offered me a choice of prototype pens to review, it was a no-brainer. The white/copper version is unlike anything else out there at the moment, in terms of both looks and feel.

Though somewhat difficult to see, you can vaguely make out the matte texture of the cerakote in this photograph.

As you might expect with a retractable rollerball pen, the Mark One comes loaded with the excellent Schmidt P8126 rollerball refill, but also accepts any Parker-style ("G2") refill. This gives you some versatility: I currently have mine loaded with the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 hybrid ballpoint refill, and I recently learned about these Premec fine-point gel refills that should fit not only the Mark One, but other retractable rollerballs such as the Baron Fig Squire and the Retro 51 Tornado.

The Mark One is well-balanced, and clearly intended to be a durable minimalist workhorse. The pen has been seeing regular use over the past several months.

Where to Buy

The Mark One pen is available exclusively via Kickstarter. Studio Neat launches all of their products on the Kickstarter platform, and they're pros, so you should feel confident that this project will be well run and you'll get your pen. The Mark One starts at $50 for Kickstarter backers, with an intended retail price of $65, placing it at roughly the same price point as the Baron Fig Squire. Backer rewards include options for one or two Mark One pens, as well as an option for a Mark One pen and a Studio Neat Panobook notebook, which I reviewed last year. The Panobook had it's own successful Kickstarter launch, and is now sold separately.

As I mentioned earlier, you have two days left to back the Mark One, so if this pen piques your interest and you want to get in on the Kickstarter pricing, act now. If you happen to miss the Kickstarter, no worries, because Studio Neat should have the Mark One for sale on their website in the near future.

Disclaimer: The pen featured in this post is a prototype provided to me free of charge by Studio Neat for review purposes. While I understand that this prototype is substantially final, there may be slight differences between this pen and the Kickstarter reward you ultimately receive. Many thanks to Studio Neat for making this review possible!

Workhorse Pens: Faber-Castell E-Motion Pure Black Review

April 25, 2018

The Faber-Castell E-Motion is a pen that I initially reviewed on loan, but always wanted to revisit after an extended period of usage. So, I purchased the model that appealed to me - the E-Motion "Pure Black" edition - and the pen has spent the better part of a year in heavy rotation. Everything from my initial review still applies to this pen: the fit and finish are high-quality and top notch, the nib is sublime, and I like the unique chunky design. But what tips the E-Motion Pure Black over the top into "daily workhorse" territory, when I don't think the standard E-Motion would have caught on nearly as well?

Three "pure black" workhorses, from the top: Lamy 2000, Faber-Castell E-Motion Pure Black, and Montblanc 146 Ultra Black.

The texture of the barrel. The Pure Black model may have a metal barrel, but it doesn't feel like it. Faber-Castell has coated the barrel with some sort of PVD material, engraved with a subtle guilloche pattern, which gives the pen a soft feel and makes it extremely comfortable to hold. Frankly, I'm surprised at how easy it is to write with this pen for long periods of time. It's somewhat counterintuitive since the Pure Black is a very heavy pen, but the E-Motion has good balance, even posted, and is a perfect example of how metal pens don't need to be unwieldy. Sure, the design looks a bit "unique," and people tend to have strong opinions about the aesthetics, but I count myself a fan, and you can't argue with results as a daily writer.

The only drawback to this pen from a "workhorse" perspective is ink capacity. Like nearly all Faber-Castell and Graf von Faber-Castell pens, the E-Motion is a cartridge-converter pen that will hold far less ink than, say, a piston-filler. That said, this nib writes a true medium line, and it's not overly wet, so I've never had a situation where I've run out of ink during the day, even during periods of heavy writing. The Faber-Castell converter has decent ink capacity, similar to a standard Schmidt.

Faber-Castell's understated nib design. There's no breather hole, which is a hallmark of Faber-Castell's nib design, and doesn't affect ink flow at all.

Despite it's weight, I prefer to use the E-Motion posted. Another selling point on this pen is the clip. The lever-action is tight and easy to use, and the pen will clip on to basically anything.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Faber-Castell makes some of the best true "workhorse" pens out there, mainly because their nibs are so good. I've never had a Faber-Castell nib that required work or adjustment, and the ink flow always seems to be moderately wet - perfect for the type of writing I like to do. Though the pens tend to be more expensive than your typical steel-nib pens, you get what you pay for, and in the year I've had this pen I've never once regretted shelling out for the E-Motion Pure Black.

You can purchase the Faber-Castell E-Motion Pure Black fountain pen from our sponsor Appelboom Pens. Appelboom carries a wide range of Faber-Castell and Graf von Faber-Castell pens, at very reasonable prices. They also have quick international shipping.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use.

Pen Review: The TWSBI Diamond Mini (AL Gold Model)

April 21, 2018

Since introducing the 530 several years ago, TWSBI has dominated the $50-100 price point, and has also made serious headway into the entry-level segment with the TWSBI Eco. But what about the TWSBI Diamond Mini, the pen that seems to get lost in the shuffle? Honestly, it's probably my favorite TWSBI pen, at least in terms of functionality.

Unposted, the TWSBI Diamond Mini is quite a bit shorter than the TWSBI 580.

There's no real need to go into the history of TWSBI again in-depth - I've already done this in prior reviews of the flagship TWSBI 580, the TWSBI Vac Mini, and the TWSBI Eco. The short version is that TWSBI is a Taiwanese manufacturer that has proven companies can bring a high-quality piston-filling fountain pen to market at well under $100. The Diamond Mini has never really attracted the same amount of attention as the Vac models and the 580, because I think many people tend to write the Diamond Mini off as a "smaller and cheaper" 580 that's a bit boring. In terms of looks, they're correct: there's not a lot to visually distinguish the Diamond Mini from the 580, other than - obviously - the shorter length and some different color schemes. Both pens have the same faceted barrel and similar nibs. So why do I like the Mini so much? Because it posts.

Posted, the Diamond Mini is actually slightly longer than the TWSBI 580. — Posted, the Diamond Mini is actually slightly *longer* than the TWSBI 580.

The piston knob on the Diamond Mini is threaded, so the cap not only posts, but screws on for maximum security. This feature is quite convenient for someone like me, who tends to write "on the go" a lot in situations where I don't have a table to place the cap. I don't typically recommend that people purchase a fountain pen for their primary "pocket carry," simply because they take longer to deploy, but the TWSBI Diamond Mini is always at or near the top of that list if you just can't bring yourself to use a ballpoint.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I always recommend TWSBI pens to people who are interested in trying a piston-filler fountain pen for the first time. The barrier to entry is lower than a Pelikan M200 or a Lamy 2000, and TWSBI generally offers a relatively inexpensive, reliable writing experience while still allowing people to dabble in the "limited edition" craze. For the past few years, TWSBI has released a series of AL (aluminum) trim models in various colors. If you like the AL Gold model pictured in this review, I'd jump on that pretty fast because they seem to be getting scarce, and TWSBI will likely replace them with a new color sometime this year. The standard Diamond Mini, however, is pretty much always available, and also comes in a black "classic" configuration. I typically order all of my TWSBI's through Amazon.

Note: The reputation of TWSBI's "Diamond" models (the 580 and the Diamond Mini) have suffered a bit in years past due to reports of barrels cracking. More recently, TWSBI seems to have improved both their quality control and manufacturing process. I've personally never suffered any sort of catastrophic failure or ink leakage, even on one Diamond Mini that developed hairline cracks on the section. (This was an initial run model from four or five years ago.) Regardless, TWSBI is known for having good customer service, so if you run into a problem, they will make it right.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. This post does contain affiliate links. Pricing and availability is current as of the time of this review.

Pen Review: The Moonman M2 Eyedropper Fountain Pen

March 28, 2018

Lately I've become a bit enamored with all the unique (and inexpensive!) pens coming out of China. Even just a couple of years ago, when someone in the pen community mentioned "eBay Pens" or "Chinese Pens," they were referring to extremely cheap pens by Jinhao, Baoer, and others that could be found priced at $5 or less. These pens are, of course, still available, and there's a reason they're so cheap: manufacturers perform little to no quality control, and it can be a total crapshoot whether or not you receive a pen that actually writes out of the box. I most recently experienced this issue with a Monteverde Monza, which I've since learned is a rebranded Jinhao.

The acrylic on the Moonman M2 is well-polished, both inside and out.

The overall landscape, however, has changed over the past year or so. Whether it's a question of manufacturers actually upping their game, or simply different (and higher-end) Chinese pens being made available internationally for the first time, I've recently purchased several sub-$20 fountain pens that significantly outperform their price point and are legitimately good pens. The overall winner so far is the Moonman M2, a clear acrylic eyedropper fountain pen with one of the best out-of-the-box steel nibs I've used.

I use the Moonman M2 as a desk pen, shown here sitting atop my Logitech K780 Keyboard. I typically use the keyboard's tablet/phone holder as a pen rest.

I don't know much about Moonman, but from what I've read elsewhere, it's a brand run by stationery and pen enthusiasts who source their pens from a factory and then further tunes/customizes them. Their enthusiasm shows - Moonman plainly has put a lot of attention into the M2. While the pen itself is a straightforward design, the acrylic is well-polished, and the pen sports an attractive red anodized cap band that looks especially good if you have the pen filled with red ink. (Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock is my current choice.)

Note that this pen is eyedropper-only. If you prefer to use a cartridge/converter filling system, this won't be the right pen for you. Kudos to Moonman for including a very nice glass eyedropper in the box alongside the pen. I like this eyedropper better than the one that accompanies the Opus 88 Koloro pens, since this one has a "needle tip" that makes it easier to get the ink down into the barrel with minimal mess.

As I mentioned earlier, the nib on this pen is a stunner. I wouldn't call it a needlepoint, but it's definitely a true extra-fine that's been perfectly tuned for smoothness and flow. Don't be thrown off by the lack of a custom imprint and the "Iridium Point" engraving - someone who knows what they're doing has worked on this nib. I also don't think my pen's an outlier - the reviews I've read have been uniformly outstanding.

The Moonman M2 is a great length. posted or unposted. The section is comfortable, with unobtrusive threads that take about 2 turns to open and close.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The extra-fine nib on my Moonman M2 might be the best nib on a "cheap" pen that I've ever experienced (and certainly the best Chinese-made nib I've ever used), making this a no-brainer purchase for me to recommend, especially if you like eyedroppers. Which brings me to the question of where to buy them. Since Moonman pens aren't stocked at retailers outside of China, as far as I know, and are made in relatively small batches, you may have to consider a variety of avenues to get your hands on one. You can find them easily on eBay at a range of listed price points, though you should pay close attention to the shipping charges which usually causes the total price to average out into the $10-15 range.

Perfect Pairing: Faber-Castell Loom Fountain Pen and Colorverse Quasar Ink

March 24, 2018

Sometimes you run across a pen and ink combination that works especially well, and you just have to review them together. Such is the case with the Faber-Castell Loom and one of the new inks I received last week, "Quasar" by South Korean company Colorverse.

The Faber-Castell Loom: Budget Workhorse?

First off, I've written about Faber-Castell pens before, and in my opinion, the German company sells some of the best steel-nibbed fountain pens on the market. I've never had a Faber-Castell pen with issues, and I've owned several. The nibs always write smoothly and have especially good ink flow. The Loom is no exception.

Since you can purchase the Loom for as little as $40, you might ask why it's taken me so long to review this pen. Well, in pictures, I was always a little put off by the cap. I thought it looked chunky and heavy, and suspected it would throw off the balance of the pen when posted. I was wrong. The cap on the gunmetal versions pictured here is a lightweight plastic, which posts fairly deeply on the aluminum body. I've been writing with the Loom nonstop for the past week and it's extremely comfortable to use for long periods of time.

The Shiny Gunmetal version, which I demoed in-store at Vanness. The pen sits nicely in the hand, and is a great length.

The only real critique I would have is with the grip. The section has raised ridges to give it some texture, but it's still pretty slick, even on the matte pen. It wasn't that big of a deal for me, but I know some readers are sensitive to this issue. I believe the "Piano" versions of the Loom add even more texture to the section in the grip area, which may help.

The Faber-Castell Loom that I actually took home with me was this matte version. I like both Gunmetal versions (matte and shiny), but this one spoke to me more.

Colorverse Quasar: A Sheeny Ink You Can Actually Use

That reddish-purple sheen is insane. And it dries relatively quickly. No smearing three days later like some other sheeny inks.

So what's been my favorite ink to use in the Loom? So far, I've had great luck with one of the new Colorverse inks that I received in the mail last week. Colorverse Quasar is a rich, dark blue that features a reddish sheen, reminiscent of other inks I've tried such as Akkerman Shocking Blue and Diamine Majestic Blue.

I love the fact that Colorverse includes two bottles with every purchase. You can use the smaller bottle for travel, or - even better - you can trade the smaller bottles among friends, making it easier to collect all the colors!

The Faber-Castell Loom ended up being a perfect pen for this ink because the medium nib was wet enough to show off some of the sheen, but not such a gusher that I ended up with bleedthrough or smearing issues. One thing I've loved about the Colorverse inks is the fact that for such saturated, sheeny inks, they seem to be relatively low maintenance, especially with respect to dry time.

No issues with bleedthrough, feathering, or smearing on Baron Fig Mastermind paper. Even on office paper, this ink performed decently.

Take that last comment with a grain of salt, because it's more of an initial impression than a final verdict. I plan to do a more thorough write-up of the Colorverse inks in the future after I test more of the line. I have additional colors on the way. That said, I'm impressed so far, and others whose opinions I trust have had equally positive experiences.

You also get some fun extras in the box, including stickers, a pen rest, and a bookmark. (They also throw in a Colorverse cocktail napkin, which I've heard some people describe as "blotter paper." It's not. It's a cocktail napkin.)

A note on Colorverse pricing: At first glance, the Colorverse inks might appear expensive at $36 apiece, but once you break that down a bit it's not that bad. For each color, you get not one, but TWO bottles (65ml and 15ml) for a total of 80ml of ink. That comes out to roughly $0.45 per ml, which on a per-ml basis is similar to the new Sailor Jentle inks ($0.44) and Iroshizuku ($0.40). All calculations were done using Pen Chalet's best pricing.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Faber-Castell Loom took me by surprise. This pen represents excellent value and has one of the best nibs that I've used in the $40-55 price range. Vanness currently has a large stock of these pens in various colors, but unfortunately the "Gunmetal Matte" version is sold out. During my visit to Vanness Pens back in December, I was torn between the matte pen and the "Gunmetal Shiny" version (which I photographed in the store), as well as the "Piano White", both of which Vanness still has in stock.

While I expected to like the Colorverse inks, simply because the "space/astrophysics" concept behind the brand was so well thought-out and intriguing, I didn't expect these inks to work as well as they do for everyday use. As I mentioned, I've ordered more, and look forward to testing the other colors. You can purchase all three "seasons" of Colorverse inks from Pen Chalet, who (along with Vanness) carries the entire line.

Disclaimer: Vanness Pens provided the Faber-Castell Loom for review purposes, free of charge. Pen Chalet supplied me with the Colorverse Ink. This post contains affiliate links.

Where to Buy

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Further Reading

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Further Reading

The Faber-Castell Loom: Budget Workhorse?

Colorverse Quasar: A Sheeny Ink You Can Actually Use

Takeaways and Where to Buy

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