Pen Review: Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen in PVD DLC Stainless Steel

If I had to pick one “small-batch” maker who has seriously impressed me with his ability to consistently produce high-quality pens at a relatively small scale while still maintaining an accessible price point, it’s Ian Schon and his company, Schon DSGN. You’ll recall that I reviewed the Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen last year, but this particular pen - my Classic Model in PVD DLC Stainless Steel - was not featured in that review. Why? Unfortunately I had “misplaced” it at the time, and I was despondent. As it turns out (and as frequently happens when you have hundreds of pens lying around your house), I found it in the pocket of some shorts that I had stored away last winter and didn’t pick up again until the June. This beauty is now firmly back in the rotation.

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Compact, durable, and equipped with the reliable Fisher Space Pen refill, a Schon DSGN pen - especially in a nearly indestructible material like DLC-coated stainless steel, could easily be your go-to everyday carry pen.

What is “PVD DLC”?

Let’s get that out of the way first. “PVD DLC” refers to a process by which items such as pens and watches are coated to make them darker and more durable. The “PVD” part of the process ("Physical Vapor Deposition”) actually refers to the process, and I’m not about to delve into the technicalities because it’s way above my head. You can read more about it here. “DLC” (“Diamond Like Carbon”) refers to the coating itself, which darkens the look by bonding to the steel and hardening the pen even further. Needless to say, it will be very difficult to damage a PVD DLC stainless steel pen, especially one that’s already as durably built as a Schon DSGN Classic.

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I picked up the PVD DLC Classic at the 2017 D.C. Pen Show, which I believe was the first time that Schon DSGN attended. Why did I pick this particular pen to take home? Because during my conversation with Ian, he was showing it off as the pen he designed for himself, and at the time, the PVD DLC model wasn’t a regular part of the lineup. If I’m at a pen show, talking directly to a maker, and they tell me, out of all their pens, which one they built for their own use, 9/10 that’s the one I’m buying.

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The Schon DSGN Classic is a short pen to use unposted, but the stainless steel model actually feels pretty good due to the added weight.

Despite the heft of this pen, I still find it comfortable to use for it’s intended purpose: short notes and marking things up in the course of day-to-day activities. While it may not be the best choice for novel writing, I had no issues posting the pen and using it to write out a full page of notes for this review. Like the other Schon DSGN Classic pens, this one accepts the Fisher Space Pen refill, and I swapped in the burgundy version.

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The Schon DSGN Classic posted. Since the pen is well balanced and the cap threads on the back, I have no issues posting this one. Those with smaller hands may find it too back-weighted to use comfortably posted.

Side Note: Did I mention that the DLC coating is super hard and durable? To the point where it. will. scratch. anything. Don’t carry a DLC-coated pen in a bag or pocket with something like a phone unless you want a big scratch down the center of your screen. Personal experience here.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

When I purchased this pen in 2017, Ian wasn’t sure that he was going to make PVD-DLC a standard option, since it’s (1) a fairly “hardcore” EDC choice, and (2) expensive to make. I’m glad to see that the PVD DLC version of the Schon DSGN Classic is now available for purchase at a relatively accessible price point of $150. If you don’t want/need the added “boost” of DLC durability, Schon DSGN also makes a polished stainless steel version of the Classic priced at $108. While the default refill on this pen is the Fisher Space Pen refill, Schon DSGN also sells a D1 refill adapter.

Unfortunately I was unable to break away from the table long enough to pick up one of the new Schon DSGN fountain pens that were released at the 2019 D.C. Pen Show. These will be released to the general public on the Schon DSGN website August 20th. I would expect the first run to sell out quickly so keep your eyes peeled and act quickly if you want one!

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

First Impressions: Kanilea Pen Company Aolani Fountain Pen

I’ve eagerly awaited this year’s release from Kanilea Pen Company, the Aolani, because the rumors turned out to be true and this pen is a departure from previous Kanilea releases: a darker-colored pen, and purple to boot! “Aolani” means “heavenly clouds,” and it’s a fitting name. Swirls of purple, silver, dark blue, black, and gray are all visible throughout the acrylic. As my interest in pens and stationery has matured, I’ve become increasingly drawn to unique materials, as opposed to new shapes or design profiles. While occasionally a new design will move me, I feel that most innovation these days comes on the materials front, which is where Kanilea really grabs me. They nailed the acrylic on the Aolani, and the pattern and color combination evokes the transition between night and day that’s only visible at dawn.

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The Kanilea Aolani in the “Classic” profile. The Aolani will also be made available in each of the other four Kanilea design profiles.

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The material for each Kanilea model is based on a photograph taken by Hugh and Karol of a favorite location in Hawaii. The pen comes with a wooden keepsake box, complete with a copy of the photograph on which your pens is based and information about the company, pen care, etc.

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The Kanilea wooden boxes are one of my favorite aspects of a Kanilea purchase. They make excellent pencil cases!

“Ascending Haleakala volcano (on the island of Maui) is a spectacular experience, especially at sunrise. The sun appears over the horizon, and the blanket of clouds within the crater’s interior takes on a luminous glow. Colors change from black to midnight blue to violet to rose. We sat watching with a cup of hot Kona coffee, drinking in the moment as the stars twinkled and gradually faded away.”

— Kanilea Pen Company

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Because there are unique variations in the acrylic on each pen, I love choosing my Kanilea pens in person. If you look closely here, you will see that the swirls in the material are continuous. Kanilea uses a feature-matching process that transitions the color and design from cap to barrel.

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The flip side of the Aolani. Note how the swirls on one side of the pen are quite dark, but on the other side, shown here, you get more of the gray, purple, and iridescent silver.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I haven’t yet seen a pen from Kanilea that I don’t like, and Aolani is certainly no exception. Purple pens sell extremely well, and I expect that Aolani is going to sell out quickly at next week’s upcoming D.C. Pen Show, much like the Hanauma Bay and Haleakala Silhouette pens have in the past. If Aolani has piqued your interest, I’d make plans to jump on it quickly!

Kanilea Pens can be purchased directly from Kanilea Pen Company, either through their website or in person at a pen show. Though it may not be an option for everybody, if at all possible I strongly recommend attending a show and picking out your pen in person. Not to ensure you “get a good one” - they’re all good - but to pick the material that speaks to you the most and to have the opportunity to work with Hugh to tune your nib and ensure that it writes exactly the way you want it to write. All of my Kanileas have been purchased in person and write to perfection. Check out my prior reviews of the Kanilea Mauna Kea, as well as my Nui Nalu and Hanauma Bay Fountain Pens.

The Aolani is available now, starting at $395.00 for a pen with a steel nib, $520 with a gold. Since all pens are handmade, online orders typically take 14-16 weeks for fulfillment, but Kanilea always comes to shows with a healthy stock of pens, and you’ll get one as long as you make them one of your first stops in D.C.!

Disclaimer: Kanilea Pen Company loaned me the pen featured in this post for review purposes, free of charge. Many thanks to Hugh, Karol, and the rest of the team at Kanilea for making this review possible.

Pen Review: Esterbrook Phaeton 300R Fountain Pen

Since Esterbrook’s “reboot", most of the attention has focused on the Estie, the Company’s first release following its acquisition by Kenro. Currently, Esterbrook only has two pens on the market: the Estie (which comes in standard and oversize versions) and the Phaeton, which I’ll look at today. In my opinion, this somewhat singular focus has served Esterbrook well, and the Estie, which I consider a well-designed, appropriately priced “daily workhorse”-type pen, has received largely positive reviews. Kudos to Esterbrook for pacing themselves and letting their reputation build around the Estie and expanding their offerings by gradually releasing new versions of that pen, as opposed to flooding the market with multiple designs and seeing what sticks. It shows confidence in their strategy.

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The Esterbrook Phaeton comes in four colors: Signal Red, Mineral Blue, Spruce Green, and Midnight Black. Gold-plated trim only.

Which brings me to the Phaeton (also listed as the “Phaeton 300R”), marketed as a re-release of a vintage hooded-nib Esterbrook, the Phaeton 300, a pen you don’t hear much about save in vintage collector circles. Though I understand Esterbrook’s desire to expand the line across a wider range of price points - particularly the need to offer something in the sub-$100 price bracket - I question whether this current version of the Phaeton was the right move, mainly because this pen faces steep competition from lower-priced alternatives.

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I love the practicality of this type of converter - it works better than any Indian-style converter I have used, but man does this thing stink!

For starters, many people have pointed out that the Phaeton bears a striking resemblance to much less expensive offerings sold by Indian fountain pen companies such as Kanwrite. Assuming there is some relationship there, however, I do think that it’s unfair to write the Phaeton off as a pure “rebadge” of a stock pen purchased abroad. There clearly have been some design modifications to the cap and clip, and the nibs and feeds on the Phaetons have plainly undergone more rigorous quality control than you would find on a typical $15 Indian fountain pen. Moreover, it’s no secret that Esterbrook pens are made by contract manufacturers, presumably incorporating stock parts that go into other pens sold by different companies. Esterbrook doesn’t own their own factory, and many other companies do the same thing. The end result for the Phaeton is a good daily writer with a cool vintage vibe, especially if you like hooded-nib fountain pens, as I do. At the end of the day, however, the question is still whether Esterbrook has done enough to this pen to justify the $85 MSRP/$68 street price. That’s where I have my doubts.

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I love hooded nibs! Even on relatively inexpensive pens, they seem to write well, and are very practical for those times when you’d prefer to use a pen that doesn’t scream “Fountain Pen!”, such as in a meeting.

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Before I talk further about the price-value proposition, a few comments on the Phaeton’s specs and usability. I had no issues whatsoever inking up the Phaeton and getting it writing out of the box. The syringe-filling converter works well, and makes it easy to flush the pen, though you have to deal with the extremely stinky plastic that Indian pen companies use to manufacture these types of converters. (If you’ve ever used a Noodler’s pen, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.) The nib writes a standard medium-fine line, which is the only nib size available, and while the pen has some tooth, I found it pleasant to use. In terms of size, the Phaeton will remind you of classic vintage pens such as the Parker 51, Parker Super 21, Aurora 88, and, yes, the original Esterbrook Phaeton. Like those pens, the metal cap is a friction-fit clutch design, which also posts easily. In short, from a pure usability standpoint, the Phaeton is a nice pen that will serve you well as a daily writer.

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Overall Takeaways and Where To Buy

The Phaeton offers a retro vibe at a not-objectively-unreasonable price point, especially if you wait for a sale or coupon code. The issue I have with this pen is the increasing level of quality competition at the same or lower price, and I’m not sure that I can recommend the Phaeton at $68 over, say, a TWSBI 580 at the same price, a PenBBS 456 vacuum filler priced around $40, or a PenBBS 308 cartridge converter filler or 309 piston filler at an even lower price point. If you want a hooded nib pen, the KACO Retro costs less than $20.

I am glad to see Esterbrook experimenting with lower priced offerings than the $150+ Estie. That said, I don’t necessarily see the Phaeton gaining as much traction, given the relatively high price point as compared to pens of similar - and some would say better - quality. One reason why you may still want to consider the Phaeton, though, is the widespread availability at retail in the U.S. If you’re uncomfortable purchasing pens from eBay or Amazon sellers - a mainstay at this price point - the Phaeton can be acquired from pen retailers such as Pen Chalet or Vanness Pens, both of whom will certainly stand behind the product if you have a problem (as will Esterbrook).

Disclaimer: I received the Esterbrook Phaeton featured in this review from Esterbrook, free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to Esterbrook for making this review possible! This post contains affiliate links.

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Closing the Circle: The Lamy 2000 Rollerball Joins the Family

There are fewer pen designs that I love more than the Lamy 2000. I promised myself that I wouldn’t write yet another piece harping on the Bauhaus-inspired, truly minimalist brushed Makrolon construction (but if you want that, go ahead and read my other reviews of the pens from this line, links at the bottom). Notwithstanding my love for the fountain, ballpoint, and multi pens, it’s taken me quite some time to add the Lamy 2000 rollerball to my arsenal. I finally did so earlier this year, as I was in the midst of rediscovering my love for the smooth writing experience that quality rollerballs have to offer.

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The rollerball version of the Lamy 2K features the same brushed stainless steel on the section, and even the same little metal “wings” on the pen that secure the cap.

Fans of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen won’t notice much difference between the fountain pen and the rollerball pen bodies. The first thing you will notice is that it appears to be the exact same body, including the piston knob, which on the rollerball unscrews to allow you to change the refill. Sure, the section is different, but given that the fountain pen features a hooded nib, the overall appearance of the pen doesn’t vary that much between the fountain pen and rollerball versions. The cap and clip remain the same, as does the brushed stainless steel grip section. The balance of the two pens is also quite similar, though the rollerball weighs a bit more, curiously, despite the absence of the fountain pen piston mechanism.

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Swapping out the rollerball cartridge is pretty simple: just unscrew the back end of the pen and drop in the refill.

Which brings me to the refill. The standard Lamy rollerball refill is a Schmidt-sourced standard .7mm rollerball cartridge, dubbed the M63, which is certainly smooth but a touch broad for my personal taste. to get a finer tip size, you can either purchase a Schmidt fine-tip rollerball refill, or “upgrade” to my personal favorite, the Montblanc rollerball refill, which writes one of the finer rollerball lines out there and can be made to fit the Lamy 2000 by adding a small spacer - I used a folded up piece of Post-it Note - to the inside of the end cap. Otherwise the refill is too short.

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I noticed no discernible difference between the Lamy 2000 rollerball and fountain pen in-hand. It feels like the same pen to me, which is a good thing.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Lamy 2000 Rollerball doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but rather builds on an already great design platform to offer what many people will consider a much more accessible and practical writing instrument. The ability to use high-quality Schmidt or Montblanc rollerball refills is an added bonus. To me, the Lamy 2000 in all its various forms represents the pinnacle of understated, functional design and durability. You simply can’t go wrong with any of them no matter what type of pen you are looking for, be it a fountain pen, ballpoint, multi pen, or rollerball. Now all I need to do is try out the mechanical pencil….

2023 Update: Over the years, I became frustrated that not many retailers were carrying the Lamy 2000 ballpoints and rollerballs and focusing on the non-fountain pen portion of Lamy’s excellent lineup, so I became a retailer! You can now purchase the Lamy 2000 line of pens, including the rollerball, directly from T.G.S. in the Curated Shop.

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A Lamy 2000 Family Portrait: From left, the fountain pen, rollerball, 4 Color Ballpoint/multi pen, and standard ballpoint. The ultimate daily carry?

If you’re interested in reading further on my other reviews of pens in the Lamy 2000 family, check out my reviews of the Lamy 2000 fountain pen, the 4 Color Ballpoint (multi pen), and the standard ballpoint. I highly recommend all of them.

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

Pen Review: PenBBS 469 Double-Nibbed Fountain Pen

Alright, here’s the last PenBBS review for a while, or at least until I place another order for more of these excellent, reasonably priced workhorses. Up today is the PenBBS 469 “double-sided” or “double-ended” (i.e., two-nibbed) fountain pen. Pens with two nibs have gotten a lot of attention from time to time over the years. The first time I recall seeing one was when my friend Thomas commissioned a custom double-ended Edison Pearl from Brian Gray of Edison Pen Company. Other custom pen makers have produced their own versions, but custom pens are expensive and run in the hundreds of dollars. Until now, I have not seen a double-ended pen at the sub $50 price point, which is where this one sits.

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Two nibs, two reservoirs. It’s almost as though two pocket eyedroppers are fused together.

The key selling point of a double-ended pen is to allow you to have two nibs: one with a broad tip for general writing or highlighting, and another fine tip for annotations and notetaking. The two nibs on the PenBBS 469 don’t really deviate from the norm, but the fine nib on this pen does have the same slightly upturned tipping that you find on other PenBBS pens, while the broad nib has a more traditional round shape. In my recent reviews of the PenBBS 456 (vacuum-filler) and the PenBBS 355 (syringe-filler “bulkfiller”), I remarked on how much I enjoy the upturned nib, which makes for a smooth writing experience with some line variation.

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When you uncap one end for writing, the PenBBS 456 is a very well-balanced pen.

So how the heck do you fill a double reservoir pen? Obviously, it would be extremely difficult (but maybe not impossible?) to use two converters without making the pen unwieldy and huge. Therefore, most are eyedroppers, like this one, which actually comes supplied with a glass dropper in the box. No silicone grease is necessary, because the sections are fitted with o-rings I’ve had zero leakage, despite the pens jostling around in my work bag all week, and have experienced only a minimal amount of ink burping into the cap, even with one of the nibs needing to be inverted at all times.

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The broad tip is rounder than your typical PenBBS nib.

Each of the two reservoirs holds a fair bit of ink. I’ve been using this pen for the better part of two weeks, and there’s still plenty of ink left. If you’re someone who needs (or simply likes) to switch colors for annotation or notetaking purposes, the PenBBS 469 could easily be your one-pen workhorse.

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The slightly upturned fine tip on the PenBBS 469.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I have yet to be disappointed by a PenBBS pen, and I’ve frankly been stunned at the level of quality they manage to produce at their current price point. The PenBBS 469 is no exception, offering a unique writing experience for less than $50, where you otherwise would have to pay $200+ for a custom pen. I just want them to make more of their pens available in this red material.

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PLEASE make a Model 456 in this material!

The two primary ways to purchase PenBBS pens are via the PenBBS Etsy Store, which usually snags you the best price, or via eBay, where certain sellers may have more variety. (As I’ve noted before, for some reason PenBBS carries less diverse stock in their own store, probably to focus on limited or special edition materials while pushing most of their standard stock to their retailers.) Here, the PenBBS 469 costs $29.99 in the Etsy store, while the transparent/red-webbed pen featured in this review runs just under $40 from most eBay Sellers, and can include an optional rollerball attachment if you don’t want to use two fountain pen nibs. I’ve not tested out the rollerball, but Susan over at the Pen Addict has had a positive experience. Check out her review here.