Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen Anniversary Edition

In Pursuit of the Perfect Patina: The Schon DSGN Machined Pen v2 Anniversary Edition

July 9, 2022

If there’s any universal rule of pen shows, it’s that I’ll walk away from the Schon DSGN table with something(s) in my pocket. This year’s Chicago Pen Show was no exception. Literally 20 minutes into what was supposed to be an “I’m just here to look” show, I was at Ian’s table finalizing the purchase of a faceted “aged copper” Pocket Six fountain pen, and one of the new “Anniversary Edition” Machined Pens in Polished Bronze. What can I say? I can’t help myself.

Schon DSGN Purchases from Chicago Pen Show 2022

A bit of a recap of the history of Schon DSGN is in order here. The company originally launched its first design - the “Machined Pen”, now the “Original Classic Machined Pen” - back in 2012. That pen defaulted to the Fisher Space Pen refill, which is an excellent option for write-anywhere pocket carry, and could also accept D1 refills using an adapter (sold separately). I have a couple of these Classic pens that I use regularly, including one in DLC-coated stainless steel and another in anodized aluminum. That said, Ian is rarely completely satisfied with any of his designs, and this year decided to offer a “redesigned” take on the Classic to celebrate more than a decade of high-quality writing instruments!

Schon DSGN Pocket Pen Collection — My Schon DSGN pocket pen collection, from left: the Classic Machined Pen in DLC stainless steel; the Classic Machined Pen v.2 in polished bronze, a Classic Machined Pen v1 in aluminum, a Pocket 6 fountain pen in faceted aged copper, and a Pocket 6 fountain pen in faceted brass.

So What’s Different?

Externally, there isn’t much of a difference at all between the “Classic v1” and the new “v2” or “Anniversary Edition.” The pen retains the same cylindrical shape, with a threaded end to allow you to post the cap securely for longer writing sessions. The pen, however, now unscrews from the grip section to refill, and the interior has been modified to accept a Parker-style refill cartridge, offering significantly more versatility with respect to refill options. The pen ships by default with the excellent Uniball Jetstream SXR-600-07 (.7mm tip size), a smooth, quick-drying writer that should please most people, though the Schmidt Easyflow 9000 is also available upon request.

But the refill swap isn’t the most exciting aspect of the new pen, at least to me. As part of the redesign, the Classic Machined Pen v2 is now fully compatible with Pocket Six fountain pen and rollerball sections, meaning that you can combine parts and switch how you use this pen depending on your needs. If you’d like to purchase a full kit outright, Schon DSGN sells the pen with all three section options, though the bronze shown here is currently available with the ballpoint grip only. (If you want to use a brass fountain pen section with the bronze, it still looks great!)

Classic Machined Pen v1 vs v2 grip sections — As you can see, there is very little, if any, differences between the grip section on the v1 (left) and the v2. If you enjoyed the first, you’ll almost certainly enjoy the second.

A Note on Material Choice

A huge reason why I love Schon DSGN metal pens, and especially the brass, bronze, and copper versions, is how they develop a patina over time. This particular pen features an aluminum bronze, which I find slightly warmer than brass and which takes on a somewhat unique tone as it ages. In the photo below, you’ll see the body (which has had significantly more hand/pocket contact than the section) has taken on a completely different tone. With the exception of sterling silver, I very rarely shine or polish any of my metal pens because I enjoy the weathered, “experienced” look.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Classic Machined Pen v2 is a solid standby that’s served as a core EDC item since I picked it up. The rock-solid clip holds firmly to either my shirt or pants pocket, and the Jetstream SXR-600 is a longtime favorite refill. What I can’t decide is whether to stick to the .7mm tip size (which will work fine for most people) or move to the .5mm or even the .38mm.

You can purchase the Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen v2 directly from Schon DSGN, starting at $150 for the polished brass ballpoint, $160 for the polished copper, and $170 for the polished bronze. Purchasing the full set (ballpoint plus rollerball and fountain pen adapters) adds approximately $60 to your purchase. While not inexpensive, if you’re looking for that “one pen” (or “primary pen”) for your everyday carry, especially one that you can switch from ballpoint to roller to fountain, it’s a worthy consideration.

The Schon DSGN Classic Machined Pen (far left) closer to when I first acquired it. You can see from the more recent pictures how the polished bronze has aged. The pen is pictured here, from left, with a Kaweco Liliput, a Tactile Turn Titanium Gist, and a VERY well loved Rotring 800. (Only the Schon is mine - pen club pic.)

For further reading, you can check out my reviews of other Schon DSGN pens, such as the Pocket 6 fountain pen and the engineered plastics collection, by visiting our archive.

Disclaimer: This post does not contain paid advertising or affiliate links. I purchased this pen at the 2022 Chicago Pen Show with my own funds. If you enjoyed this review, consider supporting us directly via the T.G.S. Patreon Program and purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop, which this week is running a 10% off sale on all pencils and paper to thin out our inventory. Be sure to check it out! (Discount automatically applied at checkout.)

Pen Review: Kakimori Brass Dip Nib

June 25, 2022

Kakimori’s round metal dip nibs have been among the more difficult-to-obtain stationery items this past year. Following the hype that was the Drillog Kickstarter, interest in dip nibs that could be used to easily sample inks and do calligraphy exploded, and Kakimori has come up with one of the best everyday options, at least in my opinion. (It’s also a LOT less expensive than the Drillog.)

Just use the side of the brass nib to lay out a thick line (or fill in your Inkyconverters ink stamps)!

So what makes this dip nib so good? For starters, it’s versatile. By varying the angle of the dip pen, you can also vary the line thickness - something that’s difficult to do with your average inexpensive dip nib or cheap glass pen. For example, writing with the broad side of the Kakimori nib offers you the ability to easily swab ink samples into your notebook and add a line of handwriting, using the same pen. And if you want to swatch multiple inks quickly, all you’ll need to do is rinse the pen with water and wipe the nib off.

You can actually get a pretty fine line with the tip of the Kakimori.

You should note that this dip nib does not fit into every holder. I’m not sure what “size” it is, but none of the holders I had at my house worked, so I ordered this Sakura wood holder from Kakimori. It’s quite nice looking, and I look forward to getting some ink stains on the natural wood handle!

I’m close to declaring the Kakimori Brass Dip Nib to be the perfect ink sampling tool!

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you’re looking for a dip nib for ink swatching, lettering, art, or just for general writing purposes, then you should definitely consider picking up the Kakimori Brass Nib. As of 2024, we carry the Kakimori metal nibs (in both brass and stainless steel) in our own shop. At $55, these nibs are not inexpensive, but they should last a long time.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Exploring Custom Nibs: Custom Nib Studio "Perspective" Grind

June 11, 2022

When I was choosing pens to take on this latest trip, I leaned heavily towards loading up on specialty nib grinds that are an absolute joy to write with, because I really want to get some fun writing done. Whether that be journaling, a bit of “work” on the blog as opposed to the store, or simply playing around with pens, inks, and nibs, I feel like I haven’t had the chance to truly step away from the grind in a while. With that in mind, it’s a complete no-brainer that one of the pens I’d choose to take with me is my Pelikan M800 featuring the “Perspective” nib grind from Gena Salorino at Custom Nib Studio. Put simply, this nib is a joy to write with, whatever your specific use case.

This grind is a bit difficult to describe. Gena’s Perspective Nib combines the vertical/horizontal line variation of an architect with the variable line-width of a Naginata as you raise or lower the writing angle. It even writes an incredibly smooth XXF point on the reverse. The result might be the most versatile nib I’ve used. The standard writing angle can best be described as a forgiving medium architect, excellent for everyday writing because it omits sharp edges while still offering character and line variation. What sets this nib apart, however, is the fact that it can serve as an “all-in-one” workhorse. For example, I typically enjoy writing with a medium nib, but also need to be able to alternately write larger and smaller to highlight/underline and annotate, respectively. The Perspective lets you do it all with one pen.

One nib, four different writing options. The ink is Laban Poseidon Green.

From underneath, the Perspective grind appears almost wedge-shaped. You can see the tipping get wider, allowing you to write a wider line as you lower the angle.

I often talk about nib grinds as a way to salvage pens that you “like” but don’t “love”. Here, I asked Gena to modify the medium nib on my Pelikan M800 Stone Garden - a true workhorse pen that wrote too broad and wet a line for the type of writing I was doing. It bled through most of the paper used in my office (since we’ve recently cut costs even more and apparently gone even cheaper.) Paired with this grind, the M800 has arguably moved into my Top 5 Personal Pens, and I plan to send at least three more pens to Gena for the “Perspective” treatment.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

While you should absolutely take this glowing review with a grain of salt, since opinions on nib grinds reflect the personal preferences and use cases of the writer, the Perspective Nib from Custom Nib Studio is currently my favorite specialty nib grind. (I will say that everyone who has tried this nib - lefties included - has enjoyed it as well.) Fans of architect and Naginata-style nibs will certainly want to give this one a try.

If I’m working, and want to emphasize something that I wrote, it’s nice to be able to lower the angle for a bold underline.

The Perspective Grind costs $55. You can read more about this and other grinds Gena offers on the Custom Nib Studio website, or you can visit them at a pen show, where they’re regular attendees, though you’ll either want to take advantage of early sign-up prior to arrival at the show, or get there very early on show days for the best chance of getting a table slot.

This review is part of a larger review series on custom nib grinds. You can follow along here. I purchased the nib grind featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use. I was not compensated for this review, and all opinions expressed are my own. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

Exploring Custom Nibs: Predator Hybrid by Mark Bacas

May 28, 2022

Late last year I embarked on what I expect to be a year-long experiment of comparing custom nibs available from the different nib grinders currently working, focusing on those grinds from each that can be considered a specialty or “signature”. Mark Bacas is one of the most experienced nib grinders out there, and whether you’re looking for a simple tuning or a more complex grind like the “Predator Hybrid” I’m discussing today, Mark will work with you to ensure the nib is ground to your personal preferences, and that you’re happy with the result.

So What the Heck is a “Predator Hybrid” Nib?

I can only assume that the “Predator” name draws its inspiration from the shape - pictured at the top - which resembles a bird’s beak. The “Predator Hybrid” nib is ground to an ultra-fine point on the normal side, with the reverse a wider, slightly brush-like medium. To compare, a “Predator Extreme” nib has the same ultra-fine point on the normal side, with the reverse ground to a full architect. You can read Mark’s own descriptions on these and other nib grinds he offers directly on his site. I would say that on this “Hybrid” version, the reverse is slightly softer than a full architect, while still offering a bit of the line variation you would expect from that grind.

Mark Bacas Predator Hybrid Nib Writing Sample — A writing sample showing the “normal” (i.e., nib down) width, compared against the reverse (i.e., nib upside down) width.

So in practice, how do I use this nib? If you’ve read my past pen reviews, you’ll know that I value pens I can use for annotation during my reading and research. This particular nib falls squarely into that category. The ultra-fine point accommodates my tiny handwriting and allows me to make even the smallest margin notes, while the reverse side is perfect for underlining, highlighting, and even standard writing. Frankly, I’ve never had a reversible nib write well to the point where I could use the reverse side for much more than a line or two. This one is smooth enough for standard writing.

TWSBI Diamond 580 Interchangeable Nibs — The TWSBI Diamond 580 Fountain Pen is one of many that features interchangeable nib units, so you can have multiple custom nibs ground to switch among your various TWSBI Pens.

Why I Love Interchangeable Nib Units for Custom Nib Work

For this grind, I chose to have Mark modify a TWSBI 580 medium nib unit, so that I can swap the nib between my various TWSBI Diamond 580 pens. Lately, wherever possible I’ve been having nib grinders modify interchangeable nib units from JoWo, Bock, and TWSBI so that their work isn’t tied to any particular pen. It’s quite helpful to be able to move the nibs around at times - some grinds are more suitable to different pens, depending on weight, balance, etc., and these threaded nib housings make swapping nibs a cinch.

Cost of Nib Modification - Cheaper Than Buying a New Pen

The grind featured here cost $50, and since I did not pay a rush fee, it took several weeks for Mark to turn around. (Mark is fast - some nib grinders take months, or even up to a year.) In response to posts like these, I often get the question: “Why pay extra money to ‘fix’ a pen that should write perfectly out of the box?” Here I think we need to break down the question a bit: Are you paying to fix a manufacturer’s flaw with the nib, in which case I absolutely agree with you that the cost of any repair should be born by the company that made the pen, or are you looking to personalize the pen for how you write? It should be fairly obvious that if you write extremely small, a standard stainless steel extra-fine nib may not be narrow enough for you, and you should consider a needlepoint or a nib like the Predator.

Mark Bacas Predator Hybrid Comparison — The “normal” point of the Predator nibs writes a ***very*** fine line, even finer than a needlepoint nib like the one ground by Kirk Speer (Pen Realm) for Esterbrook.

Even with standard nib widths, it’s impossible for a manufacturer to anticipate things like the amount of pressure you use and how you hold the pen. I have pens in my collection that, out of the box, wrote within “the range of reasonableness” and wouldn’t be considered defective, but still didn’t work for me until I had them tuned. I would estimate that 80-85% of the pens in my collection have been modified or tuned from “factory standard,” either by a nib grinder or yours truly. At the end of the day, if you love the look of a pen, and it’s not writing perfectly, consider paying a little extra to make it yours. If you keep it for years, you’ll get more enjoyment from the writing experience than the $20-50 modification fee, and in many cases it’s cheaper than buying a new pen.

Workhorse Pens: Metal Pens as Workhorse Pens

May 14, 2022

I talk a lot about unintentionally accumulated “mini-collections,” where I buy a lot of a seemingly-random type of pen over a period of months (or years) and then decide that the accumulation wasn’t really random at all, but rather says something about my changing needs and work habits. Over the past two years, I — like the rest of the world — have been working remotely, either from home, or outside or in a corner of the local library. A recent review of my collection shows that since that first quarantine period in early 2020 (and probably starting slightly before that), I’ve picked up more metal pens, especially pocket pens, since they’re durable and useful for working on the go.

I’ve not been a huge proponent of machined or all-metal pens in the past, generally finding them heavy and awkward, but in recent years certain makers have revolutionized the writing experience by using different machining techniques to reduce weight and improve the ergonomics, particularly with respect to the grip section. If you enjoy the look of a machined pen, fountain or otherwise, you no longer have to sacrifice comfort and usability over long writing sessions. Today I’ll discuss a few considerations that I take into account when selecting a metal pen, all of which relate to their usability as daily writer (or “workhorse”).

Baron Fig Squire Brass — The Baron Fig Squire in brass is quite heavy, but still comfortable to write with due to the contoured “teardrop” shape.

Balance

To me, the balance of a pen is far more important than the overall weight. A heavy, well-balanced brass pen can be more comfortable for me to use than an oversized resin pen that’s been manufactured solely for purposes of “looking big and expensive” without any concern for usability. I use the term “balance” to refer to how the pen sits in my hand when writing, but be aware a certain pen may feel different from person to person, depending on things like hand size and underlying conditions such as arthritis. Metal pens that I consider particularly well-balanced given my average hand size include the Baron Fig Squire, with it’s contoured shape that places most of the weight towards the middle-front, as well as the Schon Full-Size Fountain Pens, aluminum pens which are so light and well-balanced that you can even post the cap without sacrificing comfort - something you rarely see in the machined pen universe.

The Schon DSGN Full-Size Fountain Pen has become one of my favorite designs of all time. I know that’s lofty praise, but rarely a day goes by when I don’t use this particular model.

Weight Reduction Machining

Weight remains a significant consideration. In recent years, makers have been machining the walls of their pens thinner to control for this factor. Thus, while I consider balance to be more important overall, for something like a thicker fountain pen that has to be wide enough in diameter to hold a converter, you won’t be able to achieve good balance without paying close attention to weight, even with lighter materials such as aluminum and titanium. Favorite makers of mine who have done excellent work in this regard include Ian Schon (see the Full-Size Fountain Pen, discussed above), and Matthew C. Martin. Though not currently in production, the titanium version of the Gist 2.0 fountain pen by Tactile Turn is also a delight to use, as well as the bullet-style metal fountain pens made by Traveler’s Company (and the ballpoint).

Schon DSGN Pocket Six in Brass and Weathered Copper

A Comfortable Grip Section

When you mention “metal pens” to many fountain pen enthusiasts, they envision a smooth section that becomes slippery as you write for longer periods of time. While that problem still exists for those of us that tend to use a tighter grip, many companies have introduced a slight texture to their sections in the form of machined grooves or the application of a matte finish. One of the more comfortable sections I own, machined or not, is the longer, ridged section on my brass Schon DSGN Pocket Six.

Schon DSGN Faceted Brass Pocket Six Long Section — I’m glad I sprung for the elongated grip section (though the standard smooth section is also excellent).

The end result of all this is that I no longer necessarily look at metal pens as occupying their own category or product segment, separate from "normal pens.” I find the pens mentioned here indistinguishable, usability-wise, from traditional celluloid, resin, or acrylic pens, and some are in fact even more comfortable. If you’ve been considering a metal pen, but have been put-off by potential weight issues, please reconsider, especially if you have the opportunity to test out one of these pens at a pen show or local pen club.

So What’s Different?

A Note on Material Choice

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Takeaways and Where to Buy

So What the Heck is a “Predator Hybrid” Nib?

Why I Love Interchangeable Nib Units for Custom Nib Work

Cost of Nib Modification - Cheaper Than Buying a New Pen

Further Reading

Balance

Weight Reduction Machining

A Comfortable Grip Section

Further Reading

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