Pen Review: Schon DSGN Pocket Six Fountain Pen

August 1, 2020

One product that makers have tried to perfect over the years, with inconsistent results, is the pocket fountain pen. It’s a hard product to do correctly. Fountain pen filling systems have never been designed for the rigors of pocket carry, and pens holding large reservoirs of ink tend to leak (or “burp”) ink into the cap when the pen gets jostled or there’s a shift in temperature or air pressure. Moreover, many pocket fountain pens end up too small for comfortable longer writing sessions, or feature smaller No. 4 or No. 5 nibs, which for some reason tend to have ink flow and other quality control issues at a higher rate than larger nibs.

The cap threads onto the barrel to post securely. Nearly everyone will need to post this pen to write comfortably.

After perfecting the design on his Classic Machined Pen - an excellent pocket ballpoint - pen and watchmaker Ian Schon set out to develop a true “pocket fountain pen” that he refers to as the “Pocket Six,” because - you guessed it - it features a full-size No. 6 nib. Due to its combination of design, functionality, and ability to accept interchangeable JoWo nib units, I can safely say that the Pocket Six is the best execution of the “Pocket Fountain Pen” concept on the market right now.

For a pocket notebook to go along with your pocket fountain pen, my go-to choice is the Write Notepads Copper Anniversary Edition.

There’s no one characteristic that sets the Pocket Six apart from its competition - it’s an all-around well-designed pen with excellent fit and finish. The selling point that gets the most attention, however, is that namesake No. 6 JoWo nib. Ian specifically designed the cap and section to hold this larger nib, which lives up to its billing in that it generally offers more consistent ink flow and a smoother writing experience than the smaller nibs found on other “pocket” fountain pens. While JoWo nibs are still “stock” nibs and therefore occasionally need tuning, the JoWo nib unit is probably, overall, the most reliable stock nib unit available, and therefore used by most custom penmakers. To have this nib in a pocket fountain pen is a huge plus.

The Pocket Six is so small, closed, that three of them easily fit into my hand at once.

Closed, the Pocket Six is easily “pocketable” at 3.5 inches long. Unless you have tiny hands, or are used to writing with pencil stubs or gripping pens with the ends of your fingers, you’ll need to post the pen to write, and that’s how the Pocket Six was designed, with threads on the end of the barrel to post the cap securely. Fully extended, the pen sits at a comfortable five inches, which for me is long enough to use it for pretty much any writing scenario. While the Pocket Six is a metal pen, Ian uses lightweight aluminum, so even with a brass section I had no issues with fatigue. As you might expect from a pen this compact, it fills with short international cartridges, and since it’s metal, I wouldn’t eyedropper it.

I now own three Pocket Six fountain pens: I picked up my first in at the Philadelphia Pen Show, in a special blue, purple and black anodized finish with a brass section. and recently added two more from Ian’s ongoing “online pen show”: one in “Deep Sheen” (a black and silver mottled finish with dark blue and green “sheen” undercurrents) and another in “Malachite” (a green/blue/grey/brown/black pattern with a real mineral quality to it). Ian also offers standard editions in aluminum, brass, and copper, including a few pens with “hammered” textures both on the body and section. Moving forward, when pen shows resume, I think it’s safe to expect that the Schon DSGN table will become a standard destination, much like Franklin-Christoph, where people can’t wait to see what new prototype colors and patterns Ian has been able to devise.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As I mentioned earlier, the Pocket Six has quickly become my favorite pocket fountain pen on the market. All three of mine are currently inked and see heavy use on a daily basis. Of my three, the Malachite is my favorite aesthetically speaking, followed by my blue pen from Philly (not sure that it has a name) and the Deep Sheen, but I enjoy every one. I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll be adding one or more new Pocket Sixes annually, since they’re like Kaweco Sports - eminently collectible!

You can purchase the Schon DSGN Pocket Six directly from Ian via his website. Since all pen shows are currently suspended, there’s unfortunately no way to view the pens in person before you purchase, but let’s be honest: I’ve never seen a bad one. If you have been looking for a pocket fountain pen with a reliable nib and a creative design or finish, you absolutely need to give the Pocket Six a try. Prices range from $118 to $135 for an aluminum pen, while brass and copper models can cost more, especially if you opt for the hammered texture which takes more time to finish. These prices are on par with Kaweco AC Sports and Art-Sports, and for the level of workmanship and creativity that goes into these pens, are more than fair.

Disclaimer: I purchased the three fountain pens featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. I was not compensated for this review.

Pen Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with PO Nib

July 15, 2020

Three years ago I reviewed the Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with Pilot’s flexible “FA” nib, and decided that while I enjoyed the classic look of the pen, that particular nib wasn’t for me. At the time, I predicted that once I had the chance to try the “PO” (or “Posting”) nib - Pilot’s take on the “ultra extra fine” or “needlepoint” trend - I would end up purchasing a Custom Heritage 912 for myself. It took longer than expected, but I was right.

In certain aspects of my work (i.e. annotating documents and working on very cheap recycled paper) it’s advantageous for me to be able to write extremely small. In addition to standard Japanese extra-fine nibs, my collection features several hand-ground needlepoints and also standard “specialty” nibs like Platinum’s “Ultra-Extra Fine”, which I’ve previously reviewed and which is now increasingly available at retail outside of Japan. I’m just now getting around to exploring what the other Japanese pen companies like Pilot and Sailor have to offer in this regard.

Yes, that’s how the tip’s supposed to look!

The first thing you need to understand about Pilot’s PO nib is that it’s intended for a very specific user, meaning that you shouldn’t purchase this pen without careful consideration. For starters, the Custom Heritage 912 costs around $200 whether you purchase from your domestic U.S. retailer or overseas, so it’s not in the “impulse buy” category. While you used to be able to save money buying on eBay or Amazon, the current pandemic has caused shipping rates to rise, cutting into the “discount.” Second, the PO nib is extremely stiff - firmer than any nib I’ve ever used - so if you’re someone who likes even a little cushion when writing, you’ll probably want to take a hard pass on this pen. Those two things notwithstanding, I can comfortably say that Pilot’s PO nib offers my favorite out-of-the-box “ultra fine” or “needlepoint” writing experience on the market.

This nib was originally intended for writing on cheap postcards, which apparently used to cost much less to send through the Japanese postal system than standard mail. The point of the nib has been turned down to reduce ink flow and to prevent feathering on this less expensive, more fibrous paper. While you may still get some bleedthrough, in my experience this nib makes a fountain pen usable on even the cheapest recycled copy paper.

A writing sample showing how you can write even smaller if you flip the PO nib over and write using the reverse side. — A writing sample showing how you can write ***even smaller*** if you flip the PO nib over and write using the reverse side.

Takeaways and Where To Buy

Dare I say that the Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with a PO nib might be the “ultimate note-taking pen” for those of us that like to cram as much writing as possible onto a page? This workhorse might not be flashy, but it showcases the best of what Pilot has to offer nib-wise. While you can purchase this pen with a couple different standard nib sizes (EF and Soft Fine), most people opt for a specialty nib, including the PO nib featured here, the SU (stub), music, FA (flexible), and Waverly. As you can tell from my review above, I love the PO nib, and just wish it wasn’t so hard to find in the U.S.

Currently, both Pen Chalet and The Nibsmith stock the Pilot Custom Heritage 912, but neither retailer has the PO nib in stock. If your preferred retailer can’t place a special order for you, you’ll have to order direct from Japan, where the PO nib still appears to be available. You may get a slight break on price as well, but these days shipping costs will eat up most of the difference.

Disclaimer: I acquired the pen featured in this review from Dan at The Nibsmith for review purposes, and received a discount. Many thanks to Dan for making this review possible!

The Pilot Custom Heritage 912, shown here compared against a Write Notepads Reporter-style Notebook, available for sale in the TGS Curated Shop.

Pen Review: CW&T Pen Type-B

July 11, 2020

Described by its creators as a "minimal everyday pen, over-engineered to last generations," CW&T’s Pen Type-B is one of those products that I resisted for years. Despite the pen receiving rave reviews, I didn’t feel the need to invest in a high-end housing for Pilot’s Hi-Tec-C gel refill, even though I’ve long been a fan of needle tip gel pens and rollerballs. At times, Pen Type-B even seemed a bit “too popular,” with Kickstarter hype driving a lot of the sales. Was this a pen for me? And would I end up using it enough to justify the relatively high price point?

If there’s a matte-black option, I’m in. Shown here is the black Cerakote-finished titanium model, with an Esterbrook single-pen sleeve (which fits perfectly).

Brooklyn-based design group CW&T (short for Chei-Wei Wang and Taylor Levy, the team behind their ever-expanding range of products) bills Pen Type-B as the “ultimate pen for illustrators, designers, and architects." I'm none of those things, and the marketing initially kept me away. It shouldn’t have. The lore surrounding the Hi-Tec-C has long focused on Pilot’s needle-tip gel pen as the perfect pen for visual-art creatives, but many writers enjoy this refill as well, myself included. Pen Type-B is no different, and for those of us who use the Hi-Tec-C for writing, an upgraded pen body with some heft can make for a much more comfortable writing experience than the standard plastic barrels or some of the less refined machined pen options.

A Truly Minimalist Industrial Aesthetic

Pen Type-B consists of a cylindrical metal pen component inside a machined pneumatic sleeve with zero visible branding anywhere. It’s a very clean look, and the facet on the sleeve allows you to rest the pen on your desk without fear of it rolling away. I rarely use clipless pens these days unless they have some roll-stop function - it may seem like a little thing, but when you work at a desk for a living, the little things are often what differentiate the nice pens that sit in a case and never get used from those that become core workhorses.

To replace the refill, you unscrew the back of Pen Type-B. In addition to the Pilot Hi-Tec-C, Pen Type-B will accept a range of other refills, though you will have to use a spacer. CW&T has posted details on their website.

In terms of writing, whether you find Pen Type-B enjoyable will likely depend on your feelings about the Pilot Hi-Tec-C refill. As we Hi-Tec-C enthusiasts know quite well, it’s one of the more finicky gel pen refills on the market. When it works, it’s absolutely amazing, but you will inevitably get a few duds. If you’re already a Hi-Tec-C devotee, however, there’s nothing to dislike here. In addition to the bulletproof build quality, Pen Type-B offers a genuinely enjoyable writing experience. You can use this pen in two ways: (1) unposted, in which case the cylindrical "pen" component is exceptionally light; or (2) posted, with the sleeve reversed, which adds a fair bit of weight and creates a writing experience I would compare to the Lamy Dialog 3 in terms of weight and balance. I use Pen Type-B both ways, but when at my desk I prefer to use the lightweight titanium insert for longer writing sessions. (Note: On the version with the brass sleeve, the insert is made from stainless steel, which will be heavier than titanium.)

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The "over-engineered" tagline refers to the pneumatic sleeve, which alone will offer you hours of entertainment if you find yourself bored at work (or, more likely these days, at home). The machining is so precise that the sleeve is basically airtight. It makes a popping noise if you pull the pen out quickly, and when you recap, you can watch it slowly slide back into the sleeve like a piston. This also serves a functional purpose: It keeps the refill from drying out.

Posted, the facet on the Pen Type-B creates a comfortable place to rest your grip while writing. (At least for me. YMMV in terms of comfort, depending on how you grip the pen.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Is Pen Type-B unnecessary for some (or maybe most) people? Sure. Ever since it launched on Kickstarter, Pen Type-B and it's predecessor, Pen Type-A, have courted controversy on whether these admittedly over-the-top pens are just "too much,” even going so far as to turn it into a bit of a marketing pitch. But if you're a Hi-Tec-C aficionado - clearly the target audience - it doesn't get much better than this. And while I used to balk at the price, which starts at $160 for a brass/stainless steel version and can cost as much as $230 for the black Cerakote titanium pen, other makers in this market segment have started to creep upward to the Pen Type-B's price point, not the other way around. (For example, the most recent line of Tactile Turn pens, for some combinations of materials, break the $300 ceiling and appear to be selling quite well). Given the level of craftsmanship and durability, I'm comfortable recommending, and now selling, these pens at CW&T’s standard pricing, provided that people understand on the front end that this is a pen aimed at a very specific audience.

As I noted above, Pen Type-B and Pen Type-A are the first pens I'm carrying in the TGS Curated Shop as part of my regular retail lineup, with all four finishes in stock and available to ship immediately. The pen featured in this review is the titanium model finished in black Cerakote.

To give you a sense of scale, Pen Type-B is shown here alongside a Write Notepads Reporter Notebook. I wouldn’t call Pen Type-B a pocket pen, but it is relatively portable.

Pen Review: Esterbrook Camden "Composition" Edition

July 8, 2020

In less than two years since acquiring the relaunched brand, Kenro has grown Esterbrook into a fixture of the modern fountain pen scene. Their original release, the “Estie,” is wildly popular, as evidenced by the success of the recently released oversized “Sparkle” edition, made with Diamondcast acrylic, which many retailers already have sold through. Beyond the Estie, the company has begun to get some traction with what I will describe as their secondary model, the Camden, an anodized aluminum pen that originally came in three brushed “satin” finishes: Rose, Silver, and Graphite. Today, I look at a limited edition version: the Camden “Composition” in “Spring Break Fluorescent Green.”

The finish is my favorite aspect of the Camden Composition. The marbling has a nice texture that eliminates any slipperiness inherent in most metal pens.

The inspiration behind this limited edition will be obvious to those of you who have ever attended school in the U.S.: the classic composition book. Esterbrook has taken the Camden and applied a textured marbled finish akin to the traditional covers on these notebooks. Currently, two colors have hit the market: “Back to School Black” and “Spring Break Fluorescent Green,” with “Fall Leaves Burgundy” apparently coming in Fall 2020, per the Esterbrook website.

The Esterbrook Camden features a standard Schmidt nib without the Esterbrook branding found on the Estie. The “Composition” edition uses the same contoured brushed metal section as on the standard version.

As much as I love the finish and the aesthetics on this particular model, the Camden itself is a bit of a mixed bag for me personally. While it’s a well-made pen, and the stainless steel Schmidt nib makes for an excellent daily writer, the proportions of this particular pen feel a bit off. The Camden is already a relatively long pen, and Esterbrook’s cushion-cap system (discussed further below) makes it even longer when posted because the cap doesn’t rest deeply on the barrel. As a committed “poster” - especially for daily writer-type pens intended to be used in class or at the office - I’ve found the Camden too back-heavy to use for long writing sessions. Unposted, the balance is much better, but the tapered barrel has has me really wanting to post this pen, and I can’t help but wonder how much I would love the Camden if the cap sat just a bit deeper on the back.

As I mentioned, like the Estie, the Camden features Esterbrook’s spring-loaded “cushion cap” that uncaps with only 3/4 of a turn, allowing for quick deployment. As with the Estie, there may be a bit of a learning curve for those unfamiliar with this sort of closure. In order to engage the cap you will need to gently push the cap down and turn to engage the threads. After you’ve done it once or twice, it’s not a big deal, and the purpose behind the design is similar to Platinum’s “Slip & Seal” system: the inner cap acts as a seal that prevents the nib from drying out even if you leave the pen sitting unused for long periods of time. While systems like these are nice to have, they’re not a huge draw for me personally, since I rarely leave pens sitting inked for weeks at a time (much less months).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Like the Estie, the Camden is another well-made fountain pen from Esterbrook that will serve you well as a daily writer, but if you post your pens the Estie might be a better choice. Posting the cap on that pen just feels a bit more secure, and the slightly shorter posted length and lighter-weight acrylic makes the Estie more comfortable for me to write with for longer sessions. Price-wise, the Camden and Estie both sit at the $156 retail price point - the current standard for higher-end steel nib pens - so I can’t really argue with Esterbrook’s decision here, even though I might like to see the Camden closer to $130 simply because the Estie feels more “premium.”

The Esterbrook Camden compared against the Estie.

I acquired the pen featured in this review from site sponsor Pen Chalet, which currently has the Camden Composition in stock in both the “Back to School Black” and “Spring Break Fluorescent Green” finishes. Though I’ve not yet seen the pen start to sell out, Esterbrook apparently has limited the run to 250 pens in each color, so eventually this one will go away.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is a participant in the Pen Chalet affiliate program, which allows me to earn store credit for orders placed with Pen Chalet through links on this site. It’s one of many ways I’m able to support the blog and continue to acquire new products for review.

Unsung Heroes: The Waterman Expert Fountain Pen

July 4, 2020

The popularity of some pen brands has ebbed and flowed over the years, as tastes, ownership, and management change. In my mind, no company exemplifies this more than Waterman. Those of us who came of age in the 1980s and the 1990s may fondly recall Waterman as a popular brand that you would regularly see available for sale in brick-and-mortar office supply stores (remember those?), with a quality build and classy design at a lower cost than brands like Montblanc. For a brief history of Waterman pens and the modern company (which is actually a corporate descendant of the original U.S. company’s French subsidiary), check out my review of the Waterman Man 100 Patrician.

This navy blue Waterman Expert ballpoint with gold trim is the oldest pen in my collection. I think I received it when I was twelve.

Though Waterman may be a shadow of its former self, I still have a soft spot for their pens, and over the years have accumulated a micro-collection of sorts. All of my Watermans are either modern or what I would consider “near modern,” pens like the Man 100 that aren’t made anymore but are still modern enough in construction and build that I wouldn’t call them vintage. One of my favorites - and probably the first “nice” pen I’ve ever owned - is an early 1990s Waterman Expert ballpoint that a relative gifted to me for a birthday. I recently had the opportunity to add a sort-of-matching Expert fountain pen, a model I’ve never owned despite the fact that it’s still readily available at retail.

Small details such as the imprint has changed, but most of the design language remains the same over the thirty years that separate these two pens.

Since Waterman has discontinued its true entry-level options such as the Phileas and Kultur - wonderful pens that never should have been allowed to go out of production - the Expert has stood a the lower end of Waterman’s reduced lineup, at least in terms of price. While it appears that the company is introducing a few new entry-level pens that haven’t yet made it to widespread distribution in the United States, for most the Expert is their introduction to the Waterman brand.

The slanted finial is the Expert’s “signature.” I appreciate how it lends a touch of flair to an otherwise standard basic pen design.

The design of this pen has not changed over the years. I would describe the Expert as a moderately sized, streamlined pen with flat ends (though the cap finial is angled in a signature design touch). The pen features a stainless steel nib, a friction fit cap that also “clicks” to post securely, and a cartridge-converter filling system. (The pen does NOT ship with converter - a pet peeve of mine at the $100+ price point). Waterman has clearly designed the Expert to appeal to the maximum range of tastes, not only in terms of design but also size preference. It fits my moderately sized hands perfectly, and I tend to see more Experts in the workplace than any other fountain pen or rollerball, in the hands of both men and women. It’s a great “universal” size for a writing instrument - relatively lightweight and exceptionally well-balanced. The medium nib offers exactly what I expect from Waterman: reliable, moderately wet ink flow and what I consider to be a classic “Western medium” line width. Again - middle of the road, and designed to appeal to as many people as possible. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that given the market for this pen.

The perfect size for me. I could write with this pen for hours.

Notwithstanding the fact that I still love Waterman, the quality of the modern Expert doesn’t feel quite as good as on my now 30+ year-old ballpoint. That’s not necessarily surprising, since “mainstream” companies like Parker, Waterman, and even Montblanc all seem to have cut some corners in recent years, giving their modern pens a less substantial feel than those you might have picked up as recently as 10 years ago. On the Expert, it’s most noticeable on the finials. The black plastic feels harder and more brittle, whereas on my vintage version they feel more like softer resin, almost rubbery. Only time will tell whether this change in materials affects long-term durability.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

While not as ubiquitous as it used to be, you can still find Waterman fountain pens at most pen retailers. I honestly believe that this storied brand should be getting more attention than it does, especially among those of us who rely on our pens as everyday tools for the office or study and don’t necessarily need something flashy, but rather just want a predictably reliable pen that gets the job done at a reasonable cost. The Expert fountain pen retails for $185 MSRP (which is too high), but you mostly see it priced at less than $150. If you can use a discount code to get the pen down into the $125-130 range, I’d recommend this pen any day of the week.

I acquired the blue Waterman Expert featured here from site sponsor Pen Chalet, which currently has the pen priced at $147.35. There’s always a 10% discount code floating around (such as the current “FREEDOM” Fourth of July promotion), which gets the pen to a very attractive price point. For an extra $15 or so, you can opt for the “Deluxe” version with an engraved metal cap.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which allows me to receive a small commission, payable in store credit, that I use to acquire additional pens to review on the site. It’s one of many ways I support the blog.