Pen Review: Faggionato Petrarque and PKS Fountain Pens

September 8, 2018

Faggionato fountain pens have brought a much-needed refresh to to the market over the past year or so, introducing new designs and materials at a time when a lot of the special edition, limited edition, and “custom” pens out there are starting to feel a bit stale (at least to me). French penmaker Fred Faggionato turns all pens by hand from his workshop in the south of France, and it’s been amazing to see the increasingly diverse array of materials and finishes he’s managed to come up with, including some intricate Japanese-style lacquers.

Faggionato Petrarque in translucent Blue Tortoise. Check out how much that blue in the acetate pops!

What initially drew me to Faggionato pens were the materials, particularly the line made from cellulose acetate, a celluloid derivative. According to Papier Plume, “[t]he colors are obtained from plant fibers processed, dyed, then heated and bonded together with solvents to produce colored blanks. The blanks are stored in a specialized chamber for several weeks to dry them and remove the solvents through evaporation. The blanks are then cut, turned, and polished into pens.” This process differs from that used to make traditional, vintage-style celluloid, which takes many months (if not longer) to cure. The shorter manufacturing time presumably allows Faggionato and others to bring more of these pens to the market at a lower price point, which is always welcome since celluloid pens regularly command prices in the $500-$1000 range, with prices going even higher for rare and unique materials.

Faggionato PKS in vintage Conway Stewart acetate

Blue tortoise Petrarque and "Dartmoor" PKS side-by-side. The simply engraved, curved clip is one of my favorite design elements of these pens.

While Faggionato makes a few different styles, most of the pens that make it to the U.S. come in either the Petrarque or PKS (Petrarque King Size) model. The Petrarque is the slightly shorter, slimmer version that posts, while the PKS is a larger pen. Both feature the same simple, streamlined design and Faggionato’s distinctive curved metal clip.

Showing off the clip curve on the Faggionato Petrarque.

At the end of the day, what makes these excellent pens is the writing experience. Both the Petrarque and PKS have cartridge/converter filling systems, and are therefore lightweight and easy to clean/maintain. The section has a slightly concave hourglass shape, with no step-down from the body, making these some of the more comfortable pens that I’ve used for longer writing sessions.

Faggionato pens feature Bock nibs tuned by the manufacturer. The medium gold-plated steel nib on my Petrarque writes a beautiful wet line, but I did have Mike Masuyama grind the titanium nib on my PKS to a .4mm cursive italic to tame the ink flow a bit - the nib wrote far too wet for my personal preference and everyday paper choice. But that’s not a knock on the pen or the manufacturer, just an issue that I typically have with titanium nibs.

Two Bock nibs: the nib on the Petrarque has a simple engraving, the titanium nib on the PKS has none.  I definitely prefer blank or minimally engraved nibs to some of the laser-etching you see on other custom pens at this price point. — Two Bock nibs: the nib on the Petrarque has a simple engraving, the titanium nib on the PKS has none. I definitely prefer blank or minimally engraved nibs to some of the laser-etching you see on other custom pens at this price point.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Faggionato Petrarque and PKS made my mid-year list of favorite products from 2018, and so far, nothing has changed. I love handmade/custom pens that feature unique materials, and in that regard neither of my two Faggionato pen disappoints. If I had to choose between the two, I’d probably prefer the Petrarque simply because it posts and therefore fits into my daily workflow a bit better, but both have been in heavy rotation for most of the year.

Size comparison, from left: Faggionato PKS, Faggionato Petrarque, Diplomat Aero, TWSBI Eco, and Montblanc 146.

I purchased both of my Faggionato fountain pens from Papier Plume. You may recognize the name from my New Orleans travelogues - Papier Plume is a pen shop located on Royal Street in the historic French Quarter. The smaller Petrarque starts at $200 for a stainless steel nib (plain or gold plated), with titanium and 14k gold nib upgrades available. The larger PKS fountain pen also starts at $200, but as noted above, doesn’t post. Faggionato makes both the Petrarque and the PKS not just in the gorgeous acrylics and cellulose acetate pictured here, but also in lacquered versions. As you might expect, urushi-style lacquer commands a premium price. If you’d like a peek at the full line of Faggionato pens, check out the Faggionato website, which also offers hints of things to come!

Disclaimer: I purchased both pens featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection.

Pen Review: Schon DSGN Classic and Clip Collections

September 5, 2018

Ian Schon of Schon DSGN has carved out quite a niche for himself in the pen and "everyday carry" communities with his line of contemporary pocket pens, and I find it hard to believe that I haven't managed to review one until now. Schon DSGN pens sport a modern and sophisticated design built around the always-dependable Fisher Space Pen cartridge. According to Ian, they're intended to be "a compact, dependable pen that you can easily carry with you every day," and they certainly hit that mark.

On the left, a limited edition "Classic" that I picked up at the 2017 DC Pen Show; on the right is the standard polished aluminum "Clip" version.

I love Schon DSGN pens for their functionality and design precisely tailored to their intended purpose. Like the Fisher Space Pen "bullet" pen, Schon DSGN pens are best suited to what I call "pocket writing" - for example, short notes, lists, drawings, or jottings in your pocket notebooks - as opposed to drafting novels or journaling. That said, I find them comfortable to write with for occasional longer note-taking sessions, and the pens post to a good length.

Schon DSGN incorporates a longer, narrower grip section that gives you plenty of room to avoid the metal threads. I've had no issues with in terms of comfort when writing with this pen.

Schon DSGN's "Classic" lineup is available in aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and titanium. The pens are intended to last a lifetime, with the materials chosen to showcase the oxidation and patina that will accumulate from years of use. All of the pens are manufactured in Massachusetts, USA, where Schon DSGN is located.

For packaging, Ian chose to partner with Write Notepads out of Baltimore. Write Notepads makes excellent perfect-bound pocket notebooks, one of which is packaged with each Schon DSGN pen.

One note of caution before you pocket-carry your Schon DSGN pen - the threads that allow you to post the cap securely are fairly sharp, meaning that they can scratch certain other things in your pocket (like a cell phone screen). While of course you should never carry anything in your pocket with your cell phone, absent-minded people (ahem) sometimes don't think about these things and accidents happen.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I love everything about Schon DSGN pens. They're extremely practical writing instruments perfectly tailored to serve their intended function - pocket writing. Size-wise, the pens are just large enough to remain portable without disappearing forever into the crevices of bags, coats, desks, etc., an issue that I (and others, I presume) have had with the smaller Fisher Space Bullet pens. If you're looking for a smart, durable pocket pen, and especially if you're looking for a "one pen" EDC setup, you won't go wrong with Schon DSGN.

Another shot of my limited edition anodized Classic.

You can purchase Schon DSGN pens directly from their online store, and at select retailers. The polished aluminum pen featured here is from the Clip Collection, which starts at $78.00 for a polished aluminum model (pictured) and also comes available in stainless steel ($108), brass ($138), copper 158), titanium ($188). Clipless versions (the "Classic Collection") are available as well, including some wild anodized aluminum limited-editions ($80) like the navy/gold color combination shown above. Colors on the limited editions change regularly as Ian experiments, and if you run into him at a pen show, you never know what he'll have! Schon DSGN also sells refills directly on their site, as well as a new D1 refill adapter, should you wish to use something other than the Fisher Space Pen refill.

Disclaimer: Schon DSGN sent me this pen for review purposes free of charge.

Pen Review: Opus 88 Picnic and Fantasia Fountain Pens

September 1, 2018

Last month, I had the pleasure of spending the 2018 D.C. Pen Show working behind the Vanness Pens table. One of the surprising things that I learned from helping people try (and buy!) pens is the appeal of Taiwanese brand Opus 88 - I think we sold more Opus 88 pens than any other brand during the show, and the Picnic and Fantasia models were probably the two most popular.

The current Opus 88 model lineup, from left: Transparent Demonstrator, Koloro, Picnic, and Fantasia.

I've previously reviewed the Opus 88 Koloro and larger transparent demonstrator. While those are excellent pens, some people are turned off by the half-ebonite/half-acrylic body on the Koloro, and the larger demonstrator is, well, friggin' huge. The Picnic offers a more traditional cigar shape and is made entirely of acrylic, while the Fantasia sticks to the acrylic and ebonite combination but presents a smaller package. In terms of "technical specs," the Picnic and Fantasia are more or less identical to the rest of the Opus 88 lineup. Both pens feature stainless steel JoWo nibs paired with Opus 88's excellent Japanese-style eyedropper system, which I discussed at length in my prior review. The short version is that you fill the pen as you would a regular eyedropper, but the Japanese-style system incorporates a stopper that closes off the ink reservoir from the nib and feed, which prevents ink "burping" and excessive flow due to temperature and air pressure fluctuations. To open the stopper to write, you turn the blind cap as you would with a piston filler, allowing the ink to flow and saturate the feed. You can then either close it up again - I can get 2 pages or so of writing with a fine nib with the stopper closed - or leave it open for longer writing sessions.

The Fantasia features a different clip than the Picnic and Koloro. I like it - it definitely matches the pen better and seems a bit more refined.

Some additional thoughts and observations on the Opus 88 Picnic:

The pen comes in bright colors, including green, turquoise, and purple, in addition to the more staid brown. The acrylic is thick and high-quality, and I've been pleased with the durability and scratch-resistance.
The Picnic is a good size, and the cigar-shaped body is comfortable in the hand either posted or unposted. While I'd prefer to see a No. 6 nib on a pen of this size, the No. 5 JoWo steel nib writes very well.
Colorverse manufactures a line of ink in partnership with Opus 88, with the ink colors tailored to match various pens in the Opus 88 lineup. For example, Colorverse Supernatural matches the green Picnic, and Colorverse Horizon matches the blue Picnic.

Some people prefer the engraved "Opus 88" logo on the Koloro (right) to the applied logo on the Picnic (left).

Thoughts and Observations on the Opus 88 Fantasia:

Some have described the Fantasia as a pocket pen, but I consider it a bit too large for that designation. While it's shorter than the other Opus 88 models, once you post the cap the Fantasia becomes a full-size pen, and even unposted the barrel has enough girth to be comfortable for short periods of time.
The ebonite blind cap on the Fantasia has a lower profile, and the pen is designed so that you can use the cap to turn it to open and close the eyedropper valve. (It's difficult to explain, see the photos below.) I've never used this trick, and have found that it's easy enough to screw/unscrew the blind cap with my fingers.
The cap and blind cap on the Fantasia are both ebonite, and the body is acrylic. I founded the multicolor banded cap design to be much more understated in person than it can appear in photos online.

The blind cap has a Phillips-head pattern carved into the bottom, and you can use the raised metal ridge in the top of the cap to turn it, if you can't make it comfortably work with your fingers. I've not found it necessary.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Opus 88 pens offer a great combination of unique design, value, and overall quality that has started to differentiate the company from its competitors in the $90-$125 price bracket. While eyedropper fountain pens certainly aren't for everyone, Opus 88's twin o-ring system and included glass eyedropper makes the filling process as clean and easy as it can be.

You can purchase both pens featured here from our sponsor Vanness Pens. The Opus 88 Picnic is priced at $99, while the Fantasia runs slightly higher at $125. As noted above, both pens come packaged with a quality glass eyedropper and instructions.

Disclaimer: Site sponsor Vanness Pens loaned me these pens for review purposes, free of charge.

Let's be honest. The star on the clip is pretty much why I chose this pen.

Pen Review: Montblanc Le Petit Prince Classique Rollerball

August 22, 2018

I previously reviewed the fountain pen version of the Montblanc Meisterstuck “Classique”, and I still consider this model one of the more overlooked gems of the pen world. Sure, the storied 146 and 149 models get most of the attention, but both are simply too big for many people to use comfortably, and you have to pay quite a premium, especially for the special and limited edition models. The Classique is Montblanc's "mid-priced" model that is still large enough for most people to use comfortably, and offers the same Montblanc writing experience as its larger siblings.

I’ve owned a Classique ballpoint for 15+ years (graduation present), so with the addition of this rollerball to my collection I now have a full ballpoint + rollerball + fountain pen set in this size. In terms of the writing experience, there’s not too much to say here that hasn’t already been said. Montblanc makes a great rollerball refill, which their pens are designed to showcase. The Classique rollerball is a relatively slim pen - slightly slimmer than both the ballpoint and the fountain pen - but it still has some weight to it, due in part to the metal end cap. As a result, the pen has a very nice balance for writing, especially when posted. The friction-fit cap opens and closes with no rattle whatsoever, and the cap posts securely.

Comparison shot: Ballpoint, Fountain Pen (in the metal "Doue" model), and Rollerball. The fountain pen has a slightly larger diameter than the other two.

The pen shown here is the Le Petit Prince Classique PT 163 Rollerball (if we want to be technical about model numbers). It features three key design elements from Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s story: the fox engraved in the resin on the cap, the star on the clip (which is the feature that sold me on a pen from this series), and a quote: “Créer des liens? ... Tu seras pour moi unique au monde” which translates to “To establish ties? ... To me, you will be unique in all the world.” If you’ve read the book, you’ll understand the significance, but if you haven’t, well, you need to read the book.

The quote from the story is engraved around the top of the cap, just below Montblanc's signature "snowcap" logo. The Platinum trim complements the navy blue resin nicely.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I love this pen. Sure, most of it is the design, and the tie-in with one of my favorite stories from childhood (and adulthood, and, well, ever) but whatever your feelings about the brand, they make a mean pen. The form factor of the Meisterstuck Classique makes it a great everyday writer for both long-form handwriting and quick notes.

Appelboom carries a wide range of Montblanc pens, including the Classique models, in both the standard and special edition versions like the Le Petit Prince pen shown here. Also, check out my previous review of Montblanc rollerball and fineliner refills, which I consider to be some of the best.

I've had this pen loaded with Montblanc's excellent fineliner refill, and haven't use much else, though the rollerball refills are also superb (if not the most wallet-friendly).

A Few General Thoughts on Montblanc as a Brand

The company takes a lot of flack for the price point of their pens, which in my opinion is unwarranted. The past few Montblanc pens I’ve purchased have had zero quality control issues, with excellent out-of-the-box nibs on the fountain pens. They also have a pretty liberal nib-exchange program and will stand behind their products as long as you purchase from an authorized retailer. Yes, at the end of the day, you are paying in part for the branding and design, not the pure functionality of the pen. The majority of Montblanc pens, however, are priced similarly to Aurora, Montegrappa, or Pelikan, especially once you get into special and limited editions, so I don’t see much of a reason to favor one of these brands over another based on how they are pricing things. If you like the pen, and can comfortably afford it, then buy it and enjoy it. If you’re looking for something else - like a no-frills workhorse or simply something at a lower price point - there are plenty of other excellent options out there to meet your needs, and I try to cover a range of options on the blog.

Pen Review: Caran d'Ache 849 Ballpoint, and Fountain Pen

August 18, 2018

While I've long enjoyed Caran d'Ache pencils and have dabbled in their inks, I've never explored their pen offerings, probably because I suspected that I would find the design of their pens too narrow for my taste and comfort. That said, given the overall quality of Caran d'Ache products, I didn't want to pass up the chance to review both the fountain pen and ballpoint versions of the Caran d'Ache 849, a budget-friendly option from a brand not typically known for pursuing the entry-level market.

I like the hexagonal barrel on the 849, but for reasons unknown Caran d'Ache has placed the logo underneath the clip. It's quite nice looking, so no need to hide it!

The Caran d'Ache 849 ballpoint has been around for a long time, so much that it's become something of an iconic writing instrument. The 849 features a hexagonal barrel, clip, and smooth knock, and comes loaded with the Caran d'Ache Giant "Goliath" cartridge, which according to the company "delivers up to 600 pages of A4 writing." Overall, it's an excellent ballpoint pen with a large-capacity refill that writes a solid line. The faceted shape of the 849 ballpoint mimics that of a sharpened woodcase pencil, and while I initially thought that the 849 would be too narrow for my taste, it’s grown on me to the point where it’s now my primary writing tool when I reach for a standard ballpoint. The version pictured here is the limited edition "Nespresso" edition, made out of aluminum sourced from recycled Nespresso capsules. [2020 Update: In the years since this review has been published, Caran d’Ache has continued to release Limited Edition “Nespresso” collaborations, an olive green, which I missed, and a purple version, which I stock in the Curated Shop. The Nespresso collaborations are slightly more expensive than other limited and special edition Caran d’Ache pens.]

Caran d'Ache recently introduced a fountain pen version of the 849 at the $50-60 price point, offering another option for a segment of the fountain pen market that too often goes overlooked. Featuring a hexagonal metal barrel, "snap cap", and stainless steel nib, the 849 fountain pen is a nice writer that retains the aesthetic of the ballpoint in a slightly larger package. The stainless steel medium nib writes a wet line and is pleasantly springy. The 849 fountain pen makes a wonderful edition to the lineup of fountain pens available at this price, especially for those who prefer a slender format.

The shape of the nib on the Caran d'Ache 849 is almost Lamy-esque. While the nib is NOT flexible, it does have some slight bounce to it.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

[2021 UPDATE] While I initially worried that both of these pens would be too narrow for me to use comfortably, the 849 ballpoint has grown on me to the point where I now have a sizable personal collection of these workhorses and use this model on a daily basis. At last count I own at least five 849s (the blue Nespresso, a Paul Smith collaboration, two standards in white and yellow, and a turquoise Metal X). I enjoy it so much that I’ve chosen the 849 as one of the first models to stock in my own small retail shop. The ballpoint mimics the tactile feel of a woodcase pencil, and as far as refills go, the Goliath is both legible and long-lasting.

Unfortunately, the blue "Nespresso" ballpoint pictured in this review was a limited edition that is no longer available, though Caran d’Ache has continued to release new versions of the “Nespresso” pen every year. The current version is the bright purple model made from the “Arpeggio” capsule, which I have available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop along with a selection of other Caran d’Ache limited and special editions. Caran d’Ache special and limited edition 849 ballpoints are typically priced between $40-50 (with the Nespresso on the higher end of this scale), which is comparable to similar editions from brands such as Retro 51.

As of August 2020, The Gentleman Stationer is an authorized retailer of Caran d’Ache.