Your Questions Answered: Flying with Fountain Pens

A common question I’m asked concerns fountain pens and travel, namely, “Can you fly with a fountain pen?” or “Can you take inked fountain pens on an airplane?” The answer I always give is “Yes”, with a few qualifications. I flew out to Baltimore on Thursday, and as my flight was sitting on the tarmac getting ready to leave Nashville, I realized that I had (inadvertently) packed five eyedroppered fountain pens, two Parker 51s with vintage aerometric filling systems, and a Lamy 2000, all of which were more than half-full of ink. Experiment time!

Instagram Poll Results

My first thought was to ask the readership (via Instagram): Which pens do you think will leak? Here’s what you all thought:

View fullsize

Two of the eyedroppers were Opus 88 Japanese-style pens with the shut-off valve, so I didn’t include them in the poll. Predictably, they didn’t leak.

Real World Results

And the “real world” test results? The only pen that truly leaked - meaning that it dumped a bunch of ink into the cap to the point where I had to rinse it out - was one of two Parker 51s with a vintage aerometric-filling system. Interestingly, a modern “fantasy” Parker 51 that used the same filling system but had a modern barrel and cap didn’t leak or even burp ink slightly. All three Schon Design eyedroppers had absolutely zero ink in the cap or on the nib, and my Lamy 2000 had a blob of ink on the feed that required me to blot it prior to writing. Importantly, I did NOT keep these pens “nibs up” during the flight. They were in my bag, in my pen case on their sides as I had to slide my backpack under the seat.

View fullsize

This unintentional experiment confirmed that you don’t have to worry excessively about flying with fountain pens. It’s never been something that I obsessed over, and these results are typical of what I’ve experienced over the years. Only one out of eight pens burped a significant amount of ink into the cap, though no ink leaked into my pen case, and that one pen was a vintage pen which I probably shouldn’t have flown with inked up anyway.

Tips and Techniques for Flying with Fountain Pens

If you absolutely want to minimize the possibility of a leak when flying with fountain pens, I might suggest the following general tips:

• Fly with eyedropper/vacuum-filler pens with shut-off valves, such as Opus 88 pens, the TWSBI Vac700R, or the Pilot Custom 823 (among others).

• Make sure any pens with other filling systems are full. This sounds counterintuitive, but it’s the expansion of air inside the filling system as air pressure changes that pushes ink out of the nib during a flight. If you remove the air by filling the pen immediately before taking off, you have a smaller chance of a leak.

• Remove your pens from your carry-on bag and fly with them nibs-up in the seat pocket in front of you. Just don’t forget to take them with you when you deplane. I’ve heard horror stories.

• Don't fly with vintage pens inked, especially vacumatic and aerometric filling systems. I’m no vintage pen expert, and can’t say why specifically these pens (in my experience) tend to leak more often than modern pens, but I suspect it’s due to modern feed/section/housing designs that minimize leakage. The majority of airplanes leaks I’ve experienced have involved me flying with vintage pens to or from a pen show.

Again, these are not absolutes, and there are no guarantees that you won’t have an issue, but I’ve had a lot of success flying with fountain pens and regularly do so.

View fullsize

Check in on my regular updates from Baltimore via Instagram!

Check Out My Instagram for Real-Time Photos of the 2022 Baltimore Pen Show!

I’ve been posting a series of pictures from the 2022 Baltimore Pen Show, ranging from crowd photos to vendors to nib grinders. It’s a combination of posts and stories (the latter of which are saved to the highlights so they don’t expire), and I’ll continue through today. To give you some examples of what you can find at the show, I picked up several inks from the Laban “Greek Mythology” series, took delivery of some specialty nib grinds I ordered from Custom Nib Studio (Gena Salorino), and had nibs ground in person by J.C. Ament (The Nib Tailor) and Josh Lax (J.J. Lax Pen Co).

Also, to celebrate the Baltimore Pen Show, and to compensate for the fact that I don’t have a table, all orders placed in the Curated Shop while I’m traveling this week will receive a free gift, and I’ve also added some new items from my personal collection to the Gently Used page.

This post does not contain paid third-party affiliate links, and I paid for all products featured in this post with my own funds. The Gentleman Stationer relies upon purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program for support.

Pen Review: The Schon DSGN Peek-A-Boo: So What Exactly Is "PEEK", Anyway?

Schon DSGN inserted itself into the “workhorse pen” conversation last year, with the release of their “engineered plastics” collection featuring two different types of Ultem, a “semi-transparent high-strength plastic” that has rapidly become a favorite medium for pen makers. Another such material, “PEEK” (polyetherkeretone), is similarly indestructible, with manufacturers traditionally using the material in aerospace, oil and gas, medical, and other applications that value durability and resistance to extreme temperatures and other environmental stressors. So of course it was only a matter of time before Ian introduced a third pen to the lineup!

View fullsize

Can you spot the ghost icon?

Schon DSGN released its “PEEK-A-Boo” edition fountain pen around Halloween, hence the name and subtly cheeky ghost engraving around the cap (which I love). Other than the PEEK material and this tiny flourish, the design of this pen is identical to the Ultem fountain pens, which feature a streamlined, lightweight design that’s extremely comfortable to use; five integrated o-rings that allow you to easily eyedropper the pen if cartridge-converter filling systems aren’t your thing; and the versatility of JoWo No. 6 nibs. You can read more about the design and usability of this particular pen design in my writeup of the Ultem fountain pens, and if you want to learn how to maximize the versatility of JoWo compatibility, check out this post about combining nib housings from Flexible Nib Factory with your favorite gold nibs from other brands like Platinum, Pilot, and even Sailor.

The full Schon DSGN “Engineered Plastics” collection, from left: PEEK, Amber Ultem, and Black Ultem fountain pens

What I find most interesting about the success of the PEEK-A-Boo fountain pen is how it’s held its own against the “brightly colored sticks of plastic” that seemingly dominate the pen hobby these days. The success of pens made from materials like PEEK and Ultem show that enthusiasts value craftsmanship and design choices beyond bright-and-shiny visuals, and hopefully more penmakers will take notice. In my opinion, there’s been such a focus on cranking out pens in increasingly crazy color variations, that those of us who appreciate a more understated, functional aesthetic have felt left by the wayside. Schon DSGN’s engineered plastic collection provides a suitable counterweight to the rest of their lineup, and for this reason I find that they have one of the more balanced selections of pens on offer.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Sure, PEEK may not be as traditionally eye-catching as Ian’s latest color-anodized creations, but like Ultem, it has it’s own functional, industrial aesthetic that to me evokes nostalgia for the era of similarly hued 1980s and early 1990s personal computers. (A matte version of this pen would be awesome.) If you’re a fan of excellent craftsmanship and modern industrial design, and like your everyday carry both versatile and indestructible, you won’t want to pass this one up. The two Schon Ultem pens and the PEEK-a-boo make an awesome three-pen set for your collection.

View fullsize

I have my PEEK-A-Boo fountain pen set up with a Franklin-Christoph Stainless Steel Flex nib, one of the benefits of the JoWo-compatible nib system.

You can purchase the PEEK (Peek-A-Boo Edition) fountain pen directly from Schon DSGN. The pens are priced at $275, which represents a slight upcharge from the Ultem pens. As with the Schon Ultem, these are small-batch pens made from unique materials that impact the price, which to me is more than fair, but this pen probably won’t - and isn’t intended to - appeal to everyone.

Schon DSGN provided the PEEK fountain pen pictured here for review purposes, free of charge. Many thanks to Schon DSNG for making this review possible. I was not otherwise compensated for this review, and this post does not contain any paid third-party affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by reader contributions and purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

Pen Review: TWSBI Vac700R

Count me a fan of vacuum-filling fountain pens, from the luxurious Pilot Custom 823 to the inexpensive PenBBS 456, and now, the TWSBI Vac700R. The TWSBI Vac and I have had a somewhat tortured relationship over the years. While I’ve always loved the large ink capacity and convenience of the vacuum-filling system, the original Vac700 suffered from a design flaw involving the o-rings on the valve system, which had a tendency to inhibit ink flow and cause the pen to write extremely dry. I owned an original Vac700 fountain pen back in 2012/2013, when they were first released, but ultimately parted with the pen because I simply could not get it writing in a manner that I enjoyed. Fast-forward to a few years ago, when TWSBI announced the Vac700R, which incorporated a redesigned (hence the “R”) filling system that resolved the previous issues. Let me explain a bit further.

The Vac700R features a brushed trim, a faceted cap, and smooth barrel. (The “Iris” finish shown here is not standard.)

Vacuum-Filling Systems: Travel-Friendly Ink Tanks

A key attribute of vacuum-filling fountain pens is their ability to hold a large amount of ink while also incorporating a “shut off valve” similar to those found in Japanese-style eyedroppers like Opus 88 pens. This means that as long as you tighten the end cap, the filling system will seal off the ink supply from the nib, allowing you to carry this pen in your bag, on an airplane, or however you wish without any real risk of the ink burping or leaking into the nib.

View fullsize

You can see the shut-off valve at the top of the barrel right below the section. Unscrew the end cap (pictured below) to release more ink; tighten it back up when you’re done writing or need to travel.

Practically speaking, this means that when you write with a vacuum-filling fountain pen, you will eventually have to unscrew the valve at the back of the pen to allow additional ink to flow to the nib, as you do with the Pilot Custom 823 and Opus 88s. Following the redesign, I have experienced zero ink-flow issues with either the Vac700R or its smaller sibling, the TWSBI Vac Mini. My Vac700R sports a medium nib that’s a touch on the narrow side but is a fairly wet writer - just about perfect for me.

View fullsize

The end cap open in writing position. This also gives you a good idea of how much ink the pen holds (a lot).

What about filling the pen? Well, I would describe it as “easy with the possibility of getting a bit messy if you’re not careful.” To fill the pen, you first extend the plunger and retract the valve/seal all the way to the back of the barrel. Submerge the nib and section into your ink bottle of choice, and depress the plunger. The key to filling a pen like this mess-free is (1) waiting a few seconds for the pen to fill completely - very cool to watch; and (2) making sure your ink bottle isn’t overly full, as the pen will expel some air on the downstroke.

View fullsize

Note: If you want to fill your Vac700 or Vac700R with as much ink as possible, consider using a specially designed TWSBI Vac20A Ink Bottle. DO NOT USE A VISCONTI TRAVELING INKWELL, as the Vac700R doesn’t seal completely on this device and you will end up with a mess like the idiot shown here.

View fullsize

View fullsize

Design Functionality and Aesthetics of the Vac700R

Those who appreciate TWSBI’s overall aesthetic should enjoy the Vac700R. At one point, I steered away from the Vac700R towards the Vac Mini due to the latter’s ability to post, but since I’ve found myself expanding my repertoire to enjoy larger, “unpostable” fountain pens in recent years, I’ve also grown to appreciate the Vac700R’s design. The pen has a long, rounded section that’s comfortable to hold, as well as a good length and balance unposted. While you can technically post the Vac700R, in the sense that the cap will fit over the end cap (even when it’s open in “writing position”), posting makes the pen very long and, in my opinion, unwieldy.

View fullsize

View fullsize

This particular pen might have one of the nicest TWSBI medium nibs in my current collection.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The TWSBI Vac700R is a great example of why the pen community loves TWSBI - they iterate on their designs in response to user feedback, constantly seeking to improve their pens in order to offer a better writing experience. Their ability to do this while keeping the price point below $100 continues to amaze me.

Nearly all TWSBI retailers stock the Vac700R, making it one of the easier vacuum-filler pens to find at retail. The pen sells for $65-$85, depending on finish and nib choice. The version shown here is the recently released Vac700R “Iris” finish, which incorporates this holograph-like anodized finish on the nib and metal trim. I have a small number of Vac700R Iris pens available for purchase in the T.G.S. Curated Shop, and as always would appreciate your support. (We also sell the TWSBI Vac Mini, which due to the same shut-off valve technology used in the Vac700R, makes a nice “pocket ink tank”.)

The T.G.S. Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of TWSBI and other brands we stock. By shopping with us directly, you are supporting original content, pen reviews, pen show events, etc. from The Gentleman Stationer. If you would like to support us even further, please consider checking out the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!

My Experience with the Drillog Metal Dip Pen: Hype vs. Reality

For those unfamiliar with Drillog, it’s a Japanese CNC-machined dip pen designed to look like a drill (hence the name) and advertised as being machined with “aircraft grade precision” (hence a hefty price tag). The pen launched last year on Kickstarter, and with as much hype as this product received, I couldn’t NOT back it. I’ve had my Drillog machined dip pen in hand for a few weeks now, and wanted to provide my initial impressions of this niche product that, while certainly interesting, I unfortunately can’t recommend until the manufacturer either works out the quality control issues or provides additional clarity on what ink and/or techniques need to be used to get the advertised performance.

As a preliminary note, I backed this product on Kickstarter and paid full price for it with my own money. I was not asked to review it or promote the Kickstarter in any way. You’re reading this as an unvarnished review from someone whose information comes from personal experience and the Kickstarter page, with no communications with the manufacturer.

View fullsize

My experience with dip pens and calligraphy is rudimentary at best, so I came to the Drillog as a true novice, and mainly saw this as a tool that could help me sample inks and experience writing with more “high-maintenance” formulations without having to worry about cleaning them out of a fountain pen. I was especially intrigued by Drillog’s claim that a single dip can “fill a sheet of A4 paper with writing lines”, even though I could never really see myself actually using it for that long of a session. So does Drillog live up to the hype and promise? In short, no.

The top two writing samples were done with Ink Institute’s “Cat at Dawn,” a shading ink that’s on the watery side. The top paragraph was written with the Drillog, and I circled in red the two points at which the nib ran dry and I had to re-dip the pen. The middle paragraph was written with a glass pen, using the same ink. The last paragraph was written with Noodler’s Blue, a slightly thicker, more saturated in that performed better, but I still didn't get close more than a quarter page.

“Ink Retention Structure for Uninterrupted Writing”: I’ll start here because this is what drew me to the Drillog in the first place. I write very small and like to take notes and make annotations in tiny handwriting, so there was something attractive about the (theoretical) ability to quickly switch inks and play around with different colors in my journals and notebooks without having to flush and refill multiple fountain pens. And to be honest, the Drillog does allow you to do that, to a point. My issue is that despite testing a half-dozen inks with this thing, I’ve never been able to get more than a quarter page of writing out of the .5mm Drillog, much less the full “A4 page” touted by Shion, the manufacturer. That’s similar to what I get out of a $25 glass dip pen, which writes a much wetter line and lays down more ink. I’ve also experienced consistent hard starts and other problems with getting my Drillog to write, often having to dip the pen multiple times to get it started. Upon close inspection, the tip of my pen appears ever-so-slightly bent or curved, and one side of the pen won’t write at all because ink doesn’t flow through the grooves. While I plan to reach out to Shion to request a replacement (or an explanation), I’m disappointed something like this made it through QC at this price point.

View fullsize

The drill-bit-like grooves in the nib are designed to hold a large volume of ink and, theoretically, allow you to write for a full A4 page before having to re-dip the nib. I’ve been unable to duplicate that in real life.

Ability to Use All Sorts of Inks and Easily Change Them. Drillog doesn’t expressly represent that the pen is intended to be used with fountain pen inks, but let’s be honest, that’s why many people ordered this pen and there needs to be more transparency around what users can reasonably expect. Jacob (writing at Fudefan) has done more extensive testing with the Drillog, and remarked that the nib appears to be sensitive to surface tension/ink viscosity, with certain inks performing better than others. Drillog also has a proviso on the Kickstarter page stating that “the area that can be written on may change due to the ink drying up.” I don’t know what they’re specifically referring to here, since there’s no context for the statement, but I suspect that because many fountain pen inks are water-based, with varying degrees of viscosity, surface tension, and saturation, thinner ink formulations may dry out on the nib before you have the chance to write the nib dry. This could be the source of the issues I’ve had with my pen, though I suspect that it has more to do with a manufacturing issue given the hard starts and scratchiness. Given the massive discrepancy between what I’ve experienced and what was advertised, I can’t get past that, especially where I can get similar performance in a less expensive product.

Performance aside, the Drillog is visually stunning, and a gorgeous piece of machining.

Comfortable and Convenient Nib Holder. I give credit where credit is due, and one area where Drillog did a nice job was the design of the nib holder. I opted for the longer round barrel, as opposed to the spiral or grooved designs, and I love the cap, which means that I can transport this dip pen easily to pen shows. Honestly, this is why I’ll probably hang on to the Drillog - so that I can sample different inks after hours in my pen show notebook. That said, you can find inexpensive capped glass dip pens by Moonman and other brands for much less money, and even if you have to buy a few to find one that works reliably, you’ll have spent much less money than on the Drillog.

View fullsize

Takeaway and Final Thoughts

I hate to say it, but I consider the performance of my Drillog dip pen to be unacceptable for the price. At ¥25,692, which equates to roughly $225 at today’s exchange rate, that’s a huge premium for a dip pen that promises performance based on precision engineering - the source of the astronomic price tag - but fails to deliver a writing experience consistently better than much less expensive options. If I paid $50 for this pen, I might say it was “ok” and recommend that people pick it up if they’re interested in using it for testing inks or are looking for a machined dip nib with a very small tip that might be advantageous for certain types of lettering and other artwork requiring a great degree of precision. That said, I’m not sure what this offers the typical writing and ink enthusiast over a glass pen or inexpensive traditional XXF calligraphy nibs, other than the Drillog will last much longer and comes with a capped holder (which is quite cool).

This purchase was intended as an experiment, and I went into it suspecting the Drillog would likely not live up to the lofty promises, having read a handful of online reviews and comments similar to my own. Still, I expected more than this. I’ve also had the opportunity to test a handful of early-release “tester” Drillogs sent to other bloggers and reviewers, all of which worked much better than the one I received. That leads me to suspect that these review units were subjected to a higher level of QC testing than the ones that ultimately went out the door to paying customers, which is disappointing. A quick scan of the comments on the Kickstarter page confirms that I’m not the only one who’s had problems. I’ll be keeping on eye on Shion and Drillog to see if there are manufacturing tweaks made to a “version 2.0”, and whether they offer to take back any malfunctioning pens. So far, I’ve not seen any outreach in the Kickstarter comments.

UPDATE: Following this review, Drillog reached out, confirmed that it looks like something is wrong with my pen from the writing sample, and offered to send a replacement. I plan to take them up on it and will report back on how the new nib functions.

Disclaimer: As noted, I purchased the product featured in this review with my own funds, for my own personal use. All opinions expressed here are my own. This post does not contain affiliate links, and I was not compensated in any way for this review.

Pen Review: Otto Hutt Design03

I remember back in 2016, when I seemingly was the only pen blogger who had reviewed a product from German pen maker Otto Hutt, based in famed jewelry town Pforzheim since the 1920s. Over the past several years, Otto Hutt has made a concerted effort to expand beyond Europe into the U.S. market, and since I first reviewed the Otto Hutt Design06, I’ve had the opportunity to look at their flagship Design07, and today, the Design03. Each pen has been a pleasure to write with, and I remain an unabashed fan of Otto Hutt as a brand.

View fullsize

The Otto Hutt Design03 in blue (right) shown with the Otto Hutt Design06 in matte black (left).

The Design03 has a completely different look and feel from either of the two pens that I’ve previously reviewed. While both the Design06 and Design07 feature a “flat top” look, the Design03 is rounded, with a more modern silhouette and a more visible logo on the barrel. The Design03 is also the slimmest pen of the three I’ve reviewed, and would easily fit within a planner loop or pen sleeve (though I’d be sure to clip it in because the Design03 is on the heavier side).

View fullsize

The Design03 makes for a classy looking workhorse.

And let’s talk about weight. Like most Otto Hutt offerings, the Design03 is a metal pen, which gives it some heft. But also like the Design06 and the Design07, this fountain pen is exceptionally well balanced. Due to the shape and cap design, the pen doesn’t post, but the balance is such that the heaviest part of the barrel rests comfortably between my thumb and forefinger. I had no issues with hand fatigue, but as with most metal pens, those sensitive to the weight of their writing instrument may want to try this one in person before you buy it.

View fullsize

For me, this pen writes a perfect medium line. The balance of this pen makes me feel as though I have a lot of control over my writing, which I appreciate.

Finally, the nib. Otto Hutt uses bicolor stainless steel nibs that I believe are sourced from Bock, though they are customized for Otto Hutt. Every Otto Hutt nib I have used has been expertly tuned for a smooth writing experience that’s never caused me any issues. Indeed, the nibs on my Otto Hutt pens are some of the most reliable in my collection. The Design03 is no exception, writing a smooth, medium-wet line with consistent ink flow. (The ink shown here is Scribo Grigio, a dark grey-blue that’s a current favorite.)

View fullsize

One distinction between the Design03 and the Design06 is the lack of visible branding on the Design06 (other than the cap finial and cap band).

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As always, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to review this Otto Hutt fountain pen. Despite the brand’s somewhat inexplicable lack of traction stateside, I remain a huge fan and try to get my hands on them whenever I can. Otto Hutt’s steel nibs are smooth, reliable writers, and I personally find their pens fit my hand perfectly. The matte texture that they use on both the Design06 and the Design03 (featured here) makes for one of my favorite tactile writing experiences.

View fullsize

if you’re interested in trying Otto Hutt out for yourself, please visit Pen Heaven, a UK-based retailer that carries a wide-variety of fountain pens, ink, and related writing accessories. The Design03 pictured here is currently priced at $162, which hits the sweet spot for a pen of this quality. The pen accepts standard international cartridges, and also ships with an Otto Hutt converter. Many thanks to Pen Heaven for making this review possible!

The pen featured in this post was sent to me free of charge by Pen Heaven, for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. This post does NOT contain paid affiliate links and I am not compensated for any purchases made from Pen Heaven.