Exploring Stock Stub Nibs, Part II: Higher-end Options

February 7, 2019

A couple of years ago I wrote a piece on stock stub nibs, which focused on inexpensive options such as the Pilot Metropolitan and the TWSBI 580, both of which offer a very affordable stub nib that gives you line variation and makes your writing look more interesting at a price point as low as $15. As I wrote in that article, the main advantage to starting out with these inexpensive specialty nibs is that they allow you to learn how a stub writes without having to (potentially) sacrifice a pen in your collection to a nibmeister. I say this because for every pen I have had custom ground that ended up amazing, an even greater number of grinds didn’t work out, mostly because I chose a poor grind for my handwriting style, but a couple flopped because I went to a pen show and had the pen worked on by someone who didn’t know what they were doing.

Here, I want to discuss a couple of excellent stock stub nibs that are available on pens at higher price points. You might ask why spend money on an expensive stock stub when you can get a pen custom ground to your own personal preferences? A few things to consider:

If you’re looking for a stub nib at a standard “broad” width, a stock nib offers this at a stock price point (though sometimes with a slight upcharge) without having to undertake the additional expense and uncertainty of going the custom grind route.
You don’t have to visit a pen show. If you’re thinking of getting a pen custom ground for the first time, I highly recommend visiting a pen show and having the nib work done in person. You can work with the nibmeister to adjust the grind to your specifications as opposed to working through the mail. The costs of return shipping can add up!
Most importantly, a stock stub nib is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty and return policy. Everyone in this hobby thinking of having their nibs custom ground should realize that it voids the warranty on the pen, so if the grind doesn’t work out, you have to replace either the nib or the pen. On the other hand, if a stock stub is bad, or the grind doesn’t work for your particular writing style, you can return it to the retailer or distributor for an exchange.

So which stock stubs am I currently enjoying? I added a couple to my collection last year:

Three writing samples, starting from top: the Leonardo Officina Italiana Stub; the Aurora stub, and a custom ground .6mm Masuyama stub for comparison purposes.

Aurora. If you enjoy a crisper nib that offers more line variation than your typical stock nib, Aurora makes an excellent 18k stub. It’s approximately .7mm in width and has an ebonite feed, making the line width and ink flow perfect for everyday writing. It’s also surprisingly smooth, and mine has little to no tooth. A few years ago, I had picked up an Aurora Ipsilon Quadra with a stock italic nib, and I didn’t care for that nib at all because it was far too sharp and skipped and hard-started like crazy when I tried to use it as an actual writer. The stub on my 88 Minerali, however, is superb, on par with custom work. Lately, the word has gotten out about Aurora stock stubs, so they have been a bit harder to find. Currently, Pen Chalet has a stub nib option available in the all-black Aurora Unica Nera, and Dan Smith at The Nibsmith also keeps them in stock as an option for most Aurora pens.

Leonardo Officina Italiana. If you prefer a wider, smoother stub, consider the offerings from a new pen company based in Italy, Leonardo Officina Italiana. I was a fan of Delta pens before that company went out of business, and Leonardo was founded by former Delta employees. The company’s products reflect its heritage, though I’d say the Leonardo pens I own are a step above Delta in terms of fit, finish, and quality control. (It also doesn’t hurt that they have access to some discontinued Omas celluloids, due to a manufacturing partnership with Omas successor Armando Simoni Club.) Though wider than the Aurora stub (about 1.1-1.3mm), the Leonardo nib also features an ebonite feed and writes a narrower line than you would expect, making it another good option for everyday writing. I hear good things about Leonardo’s steel stub nibs as well, but haven’t personally tried them. I acquired the pen pictured here from Pen Venture as part of a three-pen set, and Emy tuned the nibs to perfection prior to shipping.

Franklin-Christoph and Pilot. Two other brands I should mention are Franklin-Christoph, which offers a wide variety of stub, cursive italic, and S.I.G. (Stub Italic Gradient) nibs in both stainless steel and gold. Those nibs are all excellent, and deserve their own article. The other brand I should mention here is Pilot, and in particular the Vanishing Point. Pilot offers a stub (“SU”) nib option for the VP that is roughly the same width as the Aurora, but I haven’t had the opportunity to write with one extensively.

If you’re interested in custom grinds, you can also check out this article, in which I talk about some of my favorite specialty grinds.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. Both pens pictured in this post were purchased by me with my own funds, for my own collection.

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Battle Scars: Revisiting the Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black after Five Years

February 2, 2019

Few pens make it five years in my collection without boring me, but the Sailor Professional Gear Imperial Black has managed to survive countless purges, trades, and fire sales, which makes it one of the my five oldest “pen friends.” Part of this is sentimental - I received this pen the day my daughter was born - but that’s not the main reason I’ve held on to it.

In my opinion, Sailor has the best looking black-plated trim on the market.

Five years with a pen is long enough to write a “revisited” or “extended” review. The pen has also been in heavy rotation for those five years, with only a few breaks longer than a month or so. Here, I’ll go through a few things I love about this pen, but also a few things that, yes, annoy me, particularly given this pen’s steep price point. Finally, I’ll talk about how to acquire a Pro Gear Imperial Black without breaking the bank, and the risks and advantages of purchasing from overseas sellers.

What I Like

Everything I said about this pen in my initial review holds up five years later. The pen looks great, writes well, and is a joy to use on a daily basis. I need to commit to having this pen in constant rotation as it’s one of my top five pens ever.

Matte Black Acrylic with Ruthenium Trim. Sure, people are getting tired of the “stealth pen,” and I agree that it’s somewhat played out, with nearly every major pen brand now trying to release a pen with a black acrylic/black trim or clear acrylic/black trim color combination. Doesn’t matter. I still love the look of this pen. I even purchased the Pro Gear Imperial Black multi pen so I have a matching set that I can carry.
Sailor’s Plated Nibs. I’ve owned a lot of Sailor Professional Gear fountain pens over the years, and in terms of look and feel, their black plated nibs are my favorite. I own three: the Pro Gear Imperial Black, the 1911 Black Luster, and the black-plated 1911 standard demonstrator released as a Nagasawa department store exclusive. While most 21k nibs are extremely stiff, these Sailor nibs are slightly softer and have just a bit more bounce than the typical nib found on a Pro Gear. They are not flexible in any way, and somewhat easy to bend/spring (see below), so don’t try to push them for “flex” - you won’t get any.
Size and Weight. This goes more to the advantages of the Pro Gear itself than to the Imperial Black model, but it’s one of my favorite-sized pens on the market. The combination of a relatively compact size when closed, and a barrel that’s comfortable to use posted or unposted, makes this a great daily workhorse.

Sailor-Professional-Gear-Imperial-Black-Posted

Negative Considerations

Price. I’ll talk about this more in a minute, but my biggest complaint about the Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black is the fact that Sailor insists, for whatever reason, on charging over $450 for this pen in the United States. If you love the look of the pen, there are ways around the ridiculous pricing by ordering from overseas, but as I discuss below, that’s not without risk.
Durability of the Finish. I don’t mind a bit of wear on my pens - it gives them character after all, especially following five years of heavy use - but I feel like I need to mention this here because many people like their pens to remain relatively pristine. The matte finish on my pen has definitely worn smooth over time, and the black fill on the Sailor cap finial has started to chip off. I have not, however, experienced any damage or wear to the plating on my pen.
Durability of the Nib. The nib on the Professional Gear Imperial Black is both its biggest strength and its biggest weakness. I own two of Sailor’s 21k black-plated nibs in fine, one on this pen and the other on the 1911 Black Luster, and both have bent and had to be sent to a nibmeister to repair. (They’re fine now, thanks to Mike Masuyama and Mark Bacas.) This is, of course, my own fault, but a small drop onto a desk from the pen slipping out of my hand damaged these nibs, whereas other nibs have easily survived a similar incident. As I noted above, the Sailor 21k black plated nib has a bit of bounce, so this probably has something to do with this nib being “softer” than your typical 21k Sailor Pro Gear nib. I’ve also heard reports of the plating wearing off the nib, or “peeling,” usually after the nib has been ground. For this reason, I don’t recommend a plated nib if you’re looking to add a nib modification like a cursive italic or architect grind.

Paint wearing off the cap finial. Honestly, I would have expected this to be plated.

Takeaways, Where to Purchase, and Considerations on Buying Overseas

Overall, I’m extremely pleased with the Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black from a “looks and functionality” perspective. I don’t see this pen ever leaving my collection. That said, it’s stunning to me that five years later, Sailor has declined to lower what I feel is an outrageously expensive asking price to something more reasonable. As I mentioned above, the MSRP on this pen is an absurd $590, with the street price at $472. I didn’t pay that much money, and firmly believe this pen isn’t worth anything close to the standard U.S. price, no matter how good it looks. Until Sailor or its U.S. distributor closes the gap between the U.S. and Japanese pricing, consumers will buy from overseas, where the price hovers between $220-250 USD.

Both the strength and the weakness, the plated 21k nib is an exceptional writer and looks great, but, at least in the fine width, can easily be sprung, and the plating can wear off if you grind the nib.

Before you order from an overseas retailer (typically via Amazon, eBay, or Rakuten storefronts, or from a buying service like Pensachi), you should know the risks and considerations. First, you likely won’t have warranty protection, and if you do, you will be under the Japanese warranty, so if you have a problem with the pen you will have to ship it back to Japan. Honestly, when the price differential is nearly the cost of buying a second pen, this doesn’t bother me that much. Most problems with a cartridge-converter pen like a Pro Gear will be a nib issue, and $200 in savings will more than offset the cost of nib work by an independent nib technician. Second, you’re not supporting your local retailers, which I generally take into account when making my purchases, and typically shop local unless the price difference is so large that I can’t justify the extra cost. Here, this pen costs nearly double to buy through U.S. channels, which frankly I can’t justify, and Sailor needs to follow the lead of Platinum and Pilot and compress that price gap.

Finally, when buying overseas, there’s always the risk of getting ripped off on the internet (i.e. receiving a fake pen or not receiving a pen at all), but you can take steps to protect yourself. If you’re willing to take the plunge on a Pro Gear Imperial Black by ordering from Japan, look for an eBay or Amazon Seller with an extensive history and positive reviews. Here’s one example. If after receiving your pen, you are dissatisfied with the purchase in any way, notify the Seller immediately and if they don’t promptly respond and agree to make it right, notify invoke the platform’s customer protection policy. As an extra layer of protection, I make sure to pay through PayPal or a credit card with a good consumer protection benefit.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Pen Review: Montblanc Starwalker Rollerball/Fineliner

January 31, 2019

Before Montblanc introduced the “M” by Marc Newson collection in order to grab some younger market share, the Starwalker was Montblanc’s attempt to introduce a more contemporary design option into their lineup. I avoided Starwalker pens for years because I didn’t like the fact that they were cartridge-only, and had heard reports of temperamental fountain pen nibs (much like the “M”). I also wasn’t sure about the cap. Montblanc abandoned their traditional snowcap in favor of a “floating” emblem encased in clear acrylic, which for years looked a little funky to me but grew on me over time. I still sometimes think of the Starwalker as the “Montblanc pen for those who don’t want a pen that looks like a Montblanc.”

Shown here compared against the Le Petit Prince Classique rollerball. The Starwalker is a larger pen, sitting between the Classique and the 146, but it’s still slender enough for me to characterize it as “slim.”

Honestly, what finally made me pull the trigger on a Starwalker was the fact that I ran across one of the “Midnight Black” versions at a brick-and-mortar pen retailer who was discontinuing the line, and phasing out all of their Montblanc stock. (This was many months ago, so the location of the sale isn’t important because all the pens are gone and weren’t sold online.) I’ll never pass up the opportunity to grab a blacked-out pen with ruthenium trim a steep discount, especially one as nice as this.

Even the threading on the back of the barrel is ruthenium-plated, with the same texture as on the cap band of my Montblanc 146 “Ultra Black.”

Personally, I think the Starwalker design lends itself more to a rollerball/fineliner or ballpoint, as opposed to a fountain pen. The barrel-end is threaded, so if you want to post this pen you will have to thread the cap onto the back. Posting this pen therefore takes some time, and when I’m using it I tend to post the cap and leave it off - something you can’t necessarily do with a fountain pen without the nib drying out.

Other notable design touches are the introduction of a knurled metal grip, which emphasizes the pen’s modern look that’s a bit out of character for Montblanc. Some find knurled metal uncomfortable regardless, but this section is very well done. The knurling isn’t particularly sharp, and I’ve had no issues using this pen for long periods of time, posted or unposted. The cap doesn’t add a lot of weight when it’s posted, since it’s acrylic. As always, Montblanc fineliner and rollerball cartridges are of exceptional quality, if somewhat pricey.

Some models of the Starwalker have more prominent texture on the grip than others. The “Midnight Black” edition features fairly pronounced knurling, but it’s not uncomfortable to use.

Montblanc also incorporated a different clip design into the Starwalker - it’s arched rather than flat, and the clip is longer than the cap. “Montblanc” is also engraved around the top, just below the acrylic dome.

Another shot of the “Snowcap” emblem and how it “floats” in the acrylic.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I enjoy writing with my Starwalker, and typically keep it in a two-pen leather sleeve with my Montblanc Le Petit Prince Classique rollerball, as a two-pen carry for when I can’t use my fountain pens. It makes a great travel set, and I keep one pen loaded with a blue refill; the other red. Because the Starwalker is slightly heavier than the Classique, those bothered by metal sections or heavier pens might want to hold a Starwalker and write with it before purchasing.

It appears that the Midnight Black version of the Starwalker is being phased out. Montblanc currently has them in stock via their website, so if you like the look of this particular edition I’d grab it while you can. Other retailers, such as our sponsor Appelboom, have different versions of the Starwalker Rollerball in stock, such as the standard Black Resin, the “Ultra Black”, or the “Black Mystery”. Pricing on all of these pens run around $400, so as with all Montblanc pens, it’s not a purchase to be made lightly.

Note: You will sometimes see the Rollerball version of the Starwalker advertised as a “fineliner,” but they’re one and the same other than the refill that ships with the pen. Montblanc fineliner and rollerball refills use the same format and are interchangeable in all Montblanc rollerball or fineliner pens.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I purchased the pen featured in this post with my own funds, for my own collection.

Debate Reopened? The Pelikan M400 and the Perfect Pelikan Size

January 19, 2019

Back when I first reviewed pens from Pelikan’s flagship Souveran collection, I only had one: the M600, which is the “mid-size” model and what I had expected would be a great size for me. I wasn’t wrong. I love the M600, and have long expressed a desire for Pelikan to do more with that model in terms of special and limited releases. This past year we M600 fans got our wish, with a special edition “Brilliant Orange” M600, though not everyone’s a fan of the color. I’m still on the fence, leaning towards passing on Brilliant Orange and waiting to see what, if anything, Pelikan has in store for 2019. But I digress.

The Pelikan Souveran M400 (left) compared to the M600 (center) and the M800 (right)

As it turns out, I’m no longer sure that the M600 takes first prize among the Pelikan lineup for me. More and more, I find myself turning not to the larger M800 (as many Pelikan fans do), but to the smaller M400. This isn’t about price, though as I’ll discuss below, the M400 sits at a fairly attractive price point once you take into account all the features. No, it’s mainly about portability. For an everyday workhorse, I like a pen that sits comfortably in a shirt pocket. As a lighter-weight pen, the M400 doesn’t pull the pocket forward as much as its bigger cousins, probably due to the use of a lighter piston mechanism.

The brown tortoise acetate that Pelikan uses as the binde on its pen barrels is one of my favorite pen making materials ever. If only they would leave it in the lineup! Also, as with the M800 Burnt Orange, the acrylic used for the cap, section, and … — The brown tortoise acetate that Pelikan uses as the binde on its pen barrels is one of my favorite pen making materials ever. If only they would leave it in the lineup! Also, as with the M800 Burnt Orange, the acrylic used for the cap, section, and blind cap is actually a very dark brown, though it appears black in most photos.

Even though it’s one of the smallest pens in Pelikan’s current lineup, I don’t necessarily consider the M400 to be “small.” Taken in its historical context, the M400 is approximately the same size as many - if not most - vintage Pelikan’s, as well as many other vintage pens of the same era such as the standard Esterbrook J. I can comfortably use the M400 (as well as the M200 and the M120) for very long writing sessions without any discomfort, and the M400 has excellent balance when posted.

Another advantage to the M400 size is that the nibs can be swapped with most similarly sized vintage Pelikan pens. In my review of the Pelikan M120, I discussed how I was able to take an oblique medium nib from a vintage Pelikan and swap it into a modern one. Guess what? That vintage nib fits into both the M120 AND the M400. I plan to spend my pen show time this year hunting more vintage Pelikan nibs in this size.

Pelikan nibs are among my favorite in terms of decorative scrollwork and brand logo.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As I mentioned above, while the Pelikan M400 certainly doesn’t come at a bargain price, I do consider it good value. For around $300 (and even less with the occasional coupon code), you get a reliable Pelikan piston filler with what is, for the most part, an excellent 14k gold nib right out of the box. Over the years, quality control on Pelikan nibs has ebbed and flowed, but recently I’ve had nothing but good luck. The fine nib on the M400 writes more like a traditional medium, but it’s smooth and the ink flow is perfect with no tendency to skip or hard start. The M800 I purchased recently also had a great out-of-the-box nib, though it was a medium that wrote more like a broad. I generally advise people considering Pelikan pens to purchase one nib size smaller than what they normally write with. If you only like extra fine or needlepoint nibs, you will almost certainly be looking at having someone grind the nib down for you, as gold nib extra-fines from Pelikan write more on the fat side of a traditional “western fine,” in my experience.

I purchased the Pelikan M400 in Brown Tortoise pictured in this review from Pen Chalet, but unfortunately that pen has now been discontinued. Pen Chalet does, however, carry the standard M400 (gold trim) and M405 (Rhodium Trim), both priced between $300-315, and you can get that down even further using one of the coupon codes floating around out there. The M405 Stresemann costs a bit more at $380, and I don’t know whether or not Pelikan considers this pen to be a special edition like the Brown Tortoise. If so, it may also be susceptible to being phased out in the future, though I hope not.

If you have your heart set on the M400 in Brown Tortoise, shop around and act quickly if you locate one. Currently, site sponsor Goldspot has a few in stock, and there are also various Amazon sellers that still have the pen. Again, don’t wait, because whenever Pelikan discontinues one of their pens in brown tortoise (i.e, the M800 and previous M400 versions) they quickly become hot commodities on the secondary market. Of course, Pelikan tends to bring them back every few years, but there’s no guarantee they’ll continue to do that, and no telling when.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

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Catching up with Baron Fig: New Squires, a Confidant Partnership, and Leather Goods

January 17, 2019

In terms of companies that make some of my favorite products for everyday use, both at home and at work, you need not look much further than Baron Fig. From its origins as a Kickstarter notebook project, the company has evolved from being simply the makers of the Confidant notebook to a full-blown lifestyle brand, though the focus remains on stationery. Today I’ll take a look at a few of the Baron Fig products I’ve added to my daily kit over the past year or so.

Pictured from left: Squire Rollerball in “Sheath” Pen single pen sleeve; “Lock” Brass limited edition Squire (check out that patina!) and my getting-worn-in slim bifold wallet. All of these products are sitting on top of a Mastermind desk pad.

Squire Rollerball Pen. Baron Fig’s Squire is my preferred iteration of the retractable rollerball - I like the teardrop shape, they’ve kept the design clean, and now there’s even a compatible Uniball Jetstream Refill that you can use to turn your rollerball into a fine-tip hybrid gel/ballpoint. Over the past year, Baron Fig also has backed away from a quarterly “limited edition” release schedule in favor of a wider range of standard colors and materials. The most recent release has been a Squire in brass, which is one of my favorites and which I’ve had the pleasure of using as part of the “Lock and Key” limited edition set that was released about a year ago. Today, my brass pen sports a gorgeous patina. I’m glad to see brass join stainless steel and copper as part of the regular Squire lineup.

Confidant Notebooks. The Confidant lineup also has expanded over the past couple of years, with both new sizes and new colors now available as part of the regular line. The limited or special edition Confidants that were being released on a quarterly basis have apparently been replaced by special-purpose notebooks designed in partnership with various writers and designers. These include the new Clear Habit Journal (designed to accompany the book Atomic Habits by James Clear), the Wander Dream Journal, and the Show & Tell Notebook (designed in conjunction with Dribbble design showcase). Of these three, the Clear Habit Journal is probably the only one that might find its way into my regular rotation - and I have one on the way to review - but I love that Baron Fig has branched out and released these other products. I know several people who have enjoyed using the Wander Dream journal, and the Show & Tell will appeal to those who like to combine lined pages for writing with blank pages for sketching, doodling, or diagramming.

Workspace Accessories. In 2018 the Mastermind Desk Pad remained my most used stationery item. I probably churned through a dozen of these things, far outpacing my use of anything else in my kit. Though the Mastermind is not intended for writing on both sides of the page, the paper quality holds up with fountain pens, especially with respect to feathering and dry time. One of the things I love about Baron Fig paper is that it’s slightly absorbent, so it dries relatively quickly and doesn’t get all over your hands and wrists if, like me, you keep a Mastermind notepad underneath your keyboard. It also comes available in an “Mini” size, and Baron Fig subsequently released a narrow “Weeks” version to help you plan.

Bags and Leather Goods. Last but not least, I’ve found Baron Fig’s leather goods surprisingly impressive in both their looks and durability, especially at the price point. I’ve periodically posted that I’m carrying one of their slim bifold wallets in Charcoal, which is actually a very light gray that ages into an almost khaki color. I’m very hard on wallets, and this one has held up well. Other Baron Fig leather goods in my regular repertoire include the leather “Sheath” pen case for the Squire, as well as the “Guardian” notebook covers.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Baron Fig is one of those brands that I’ve enjoyed getting to watch grow over the past few years. One thing I appreciate is that despite their rapid growth and introduction of new product lines, I’ve not had significant quality control issues, even as they’ve managed to keep their pricing reasonable. The stuff just “works,” and allows you to get down to doing your work, whatever that may be, with a minimum of fuss.

You can purchase any of the products featured in this post through the Baron Fig website, and they’re even starting to expand into retail streams. Our sponsor Vanness Pens currently carries a range of Baron Fig products, including the Confidant and Vanguard notebooks.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. Baron Fig provided me with certain of the products pictured in this review free of charge for review purposes, though others (like the gray squire pen and the Mastermind desk pads) were purchased with my own funds for my own personal use.