Pen Review: Giuliano Mazzuoli Officina Ballpoint and Fountain Pen

November 22, 2017

Giuliano Mazzuoli is one of those brands that’s come on and off my radar over the past few years. I recall reading about one of their pens on the now-dormant FPGeeks website four or five years ago, but then they seemed to have dropped out of sight until this year’s D.C. Pen Show, when I noticed them at the table for distributor Luxury Brands. A month or so later, Carol from Luxury Brands reached out and asked whether I would be interested in borrowing some pens for review.

A Bit About Mazzuoli, the Company

Mazzuoli pens are the product of their eponymous designer, and are sold as part of his 3.6.5 sub-brand that focuses on writing instruments. (Giuliano Mazzuoli also designs a line of wristwatches.) Per the company, the pens are made in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy, and the website references a design partnership with motorcycle company Ducati.

While I have a few different Mazzuoli models to review, I figured that I would start with the most classic design, the “Officina,” which Luxury Brands sent me in both a fountain pen and ballpoint version. Capped, the fountain pen and ballpoint look the same: a medium-sized, semi-cigar shaped metal pen (but for a flat back-end), featuring different patterns of knurling on the barrel. The first thing I noticed was the weight: these are very light metal pens, made from aluminum, yet they don’t feel insubstantial. The pens were a touch short for me to use unposted, but posting the cap did not affect the weight and balance at all.

Officina “CassetTa” Ballpoint

The Officina "Cassetta" includes a leather pen sleeve.

The Officina ballpoint (dubbed the “Cassetta”) is my favorite of these two pens. And it’s not just a ballpoint - it’s a convertible clutch pencil! While not a true “multi pen,” the option to swap in a pencil scratches that itch for me, and I love how Mazzuoli includes all of the necessary accessories in the box, so you don’t have to go searching for a lead pointer, etc.

Under the "false bottom" of the box, you'll find three additional Schmidt Easyflow Refills, the clutch pencil insert with multicolor leads, a lead pointer, and an eraser.

One note on the ballpoint’s design: I had to adjust my grip a bit to account for the lack of a smooth section on the Cassetta. In order to avoid holding the pen by the somewhat sharp threads, I had to either slide my grip back higher than I normally would, or move it down almost to the tip. Since I don’t use ballpoints for longer writing sessions, but rather only for shorter notes, this didn’t end up being that big of a deal, but it warrants mentioning here.

Officina Fountain Pen

The fountain pen version of the Officina that I received sported a different design, called “Micrometer Chrome.” While the pen kept the same shape, it featured three “bands” of knurling on an otherwise smooth metal pen. (Note, the fountain pen is also available in the “End Mill” and “Knurler Chrome” designs, if you prefer a completely textured barrel.)

Giuliano Mazzuoli fountain pens feature stock Schmidt stainless steel nibs. Not particularly exciting, but quality and reliable.

The fountain pen does not have the same section as the ballpoint. It instead sports a polished metal section that offers more room to grip the pen, and as a result the Officina fountain pen ended up being quite comfortable during my limited test. Mazzuoli chose to go with a Schmidt stainless steel nib - a reliable German workhorse that is relatively inexpensive, and has the added benefit of keeping the price of the pen down. The Officina uses a cartridge/converter filling system.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Mazzuoli Officina collection is a fun set of writing instruments all around, but if I had to choose, I’d probably go with the Cassetta ballpoint. For starters, it’s a good value, considering what is included in the package. In the box, you receive the pen, three Schmidt Easyflow refills (red, black, and blue), a swappable clutch pencil mechanism, a set of clutch pencil leads, and eraser, lead pointer, and a leather pen sleeve. I love the presentation, and the Officina Cassetta would make a great gift idea for a ballpoint fan who also draws or enjoys writing with pencils. MSRP on the Cassetta ranges from $172-183, depending on the model, with the retailer "street" price typically coming in lower. MSRP on the Officina fountain pen ranges from $103-112 (again, typically with a lower price at actual retail) and also represents good value, but for some reason the uniqueness of the Cassetta "system" really drew me in - I've never seen anything like it on the market.

While more retailers are starting to stock Giuliano Mazzuoli writing instruments, the pens are still relatively difficult to find. Currently, you can purchase them from our sponsor Pen Chalet, who carries both of the Officina pens reviewed here (the fountain pen and the “Cassetta” ballpoint) as well as other available models. Stay tuned for additional reviews!

Disclaimer: These two pens were sent to me on loan by Luxury Brands, the U.S. distributor for Giuliano Mazzuoli writing instruments, as well as Platinum, Noodler’s Ink, and others. Many thanks to Carol for making this review possible. This post contains affiliate links.

EDIT: This post has been modified to clarify some information on pricing.

Notebook Review: Action Method Notebooks

November 15, 2017

“Action Method” notebooks have been around for a while, and are one of a handful of products I’ve reviewed here that could be considered “mainstream.” (As in, I have a colleague at work who swears by the Action Method notetaking system, and only uses these notebooks. He actually found them on his own, too, as opposed to me enabling him.) You may have seen these notebooks marketed in the past as the "Behance Action Method" notebooks, and the current iteration is a collaboration between designers at Behance and Ghostly, two boutique design houses.

The Action Method Notebook is a great basic, black spiral-bound book that will seamlessly blend in around the office.

Action Method sent me two notebooks for review: a standard dot grid spiral bound notebook, and a notebook in their “Action Method” format. The "method" itself is a riff on Cornell-style notetaking, where the page is divided into two or more sections: one for actually taking notes from a lecture/meeting, and another section for synthesizing the notes into themes or, as here, action items. With the Action Book, “[f]our distinct zones on each page help you to get the most out of meetings and everyday brainstorm sessions.”

Action Method notebooks are “designed to help push projects forward, by organizing ideas with a focus on action steps.”

The notebooks are double spiral-bound and all feature a durable black “hard suede” cover. These are sturdy notebooks that should stand up to some considerable daily abuse in your bag or around the office. The paper is 80lb, 30% recycled blend, which Action Method calls “via Vellum cool white." I’d compare it to Doane or Miquelrius paper in terms of how well it stands up to fountain pen ink: you’ll be ok with extra fine or fine nibs, but with a medium or broader you should expect a bit of bleed or show through. The recycled paper has a nice pleasant tooth to it, though the texture may be a bit much for ultra extra fine fountain pens or “ultra micro” Japanese gel pens.

Finally, I want to discuss something that many notebook makers ignore, but which I absolutely love about these notebooks: page perforations. The Action Method notebooks are double perforated for maximum versatility. If you aren’t someone who tears pages out of your notebooks, and prefers to use separate notebooks for different topics, you can certainly do that here. On the other hand, if you’re like me at the office, I tend to organize my notes and papers in folders or binders, and sometimes need to scan individual sheets for electronic storage or distribution. That’s impossible - well, not impossible, just really messy - with a nonperforated hardbound notebook or a spiral notebook without perforations where you’re left with a torn “fringe” at the top or side of the page. Here, the double perforation gives you the immediate option of having a plain sheet for scanning/foldering, or a three-hole punched sheet to stick in a three-ring binder. (Yes, people still use those in a law office.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I like the Action Method notebooks. While the “Action Method” notetaking system itself isn’t necessarily something that I use on a daily basis, these are well-built notebooks and I wish more notebook companies would incorporate the double perforation. I can see this one having a place in my stationery toolkit, especially at work.

You can order the Action Notebooks directly from the Action Method website. The price on these notebooks ($16) is fair, though maybe a bit on the high side for a notebook with only 50 pages. To compare, a similar-sized Rhodia spiral notebook gives you 80 sheets for a few dollars less, and the Rhodia “Meeting Book” costs a few dollars more but also gives you 80 perforated sheets. I’m not especially cost-sensitive when it comes to notebooks, especially workhorses that I use around the office, and I do think the price is fair, but in the interest of providing an accurate description of where these sit in the market I figured I would mention it here.

Disclaimer: I was provided these two notebooks free of charge for review purposes. Many thanks to the team at Action Method for making this review possible

Baron Fig Confidant Cover by One Star Leather Goods

November 11, 2017

I’ve more or less settled on the Baron Fig Confidant as my preferred hardbound notebook. The combination of value, size, and paper quality make it an excellent choice for my day-to-day work. That said, I’m pretty rough on my notebooks, and cloth covers like the ones that Baron Fig uses can eventually look pretty grungy, especially if you’re carting them around in a bag full of graphite dust, ink, etc. I’m all for a little Wabi-Sabi here and there, but I don’t go through notebooks that quickly, and I’ve been in the market for an attractive leather cover that would both look great and extend the life of my Confidants.

One-Star-Leather-Baron-Fig-Confidant-Cover

One-Star Leather Goods, run by Keegan Uhl, has been many people’s go-to source for custom handmade leather products for years. Keegan emphasizes durability, craftsmanship, and using top quality materials, offering excellent leather products at a fair price. You may have seen reviews of Keegan’s pen sleeves (particularly for the Kaweco Sport), wallets, and recent collaboration with Nock Co. on a leather Fodderstack. So when Keegan reached out asking if I’d like to review one of the Confidant covers in advance of his “holiday rush,” it really was a no-brainer.

The hand stitching on my Confidant cover is pretty much flawless. Also, the leather is soft to the touch while still feeling sturdy, if that makes sense. None of that "plasticky" feel that you sometimes get with cheaper notebook covers.

This particular notebook cover is entirely handmade in chestnut harness leather from Wickett & Craig. While I generally prefer brown or cordovan leather, the Confidant cover is also available in black. I’ve carried the cover for the past month or so, and while it’s accumulated a few dings and scratches here and there, that’s part of the charm. Leather goods will not stay pristine. Scuffs and scratches add character as your notebook cover takes on that worn, “vintage” look. In order to maximize its life, Keegan recommends that you apply leather balm periodically, which is relatively inexpensive and sold by One Star Leather. (Note: A jar will last you a long time - a little goes a long way.)

Keegan also sent over this gorgeous pen sleeve in red leather. It's become another regular addition to my pen carry.

Those of you who use hardcover planners may want to consider investing in a leather cover to ensure your book makes it through the year intact. Also, if you’re not a Baron Fig user, worry not, because One Star Leather offers many more options for notebooks made by Hobonichi, Leuchtturm, Nanami Paper (Seven Seas), Moleskine, Midori, and more. I chose to review one of the more basic notebook covers, but others are available with card pockets, pen loops, snap closures, etc.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

One-Star Leather makes an exceptionally sturdy and attractive leather notebook cover that will age well and should last a very long time. I look forward to enjoying this one for years to come. You can order One-Star Leather products through the Etsy storefront or directly from the One-Star Leather website. Keegan’s pricing is extremely reasonable. The leather Confidant cover reviewed here costs $75 and comes preloaded with a lined Baron Fig Confidant notebook ($18 value).

Guest appearance by my Ryan Krusac Legend (Cocobolo with Turquoise Inlay)!

Earlier I mentioned the “holiday rush.” Because One-Star Leather is a small operation, you need to provide plenty of lead time if you want to have your product by Christmas. If you are interested in a custom item, be sure to place your order by Thanksgiving.

Disclaimer: I received the product featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to Keegan and One Star Leather Goods. I’m an Etsy affiliate, so because One-Star Leather’s store is powered by Etsy, all links here are affiliate links.

Notebook Review: Darkstar Collection

November 8, 2017

I've followed UK-based Darkstar for the past couple years on Instagram, watching as they've experimented with different sizes, paper, and covers in order to refine their notebook design. They now seem to have settled on two main products: a Pocket Notebook that's 14.5cm x 10cm (slightly smaller than A6), and a larger "Adventure Notebook" that's 20cm x 14.5cm. Today I'll take a look at the Pocket Notebook in the "Shine Star Black" color scheme, which Darkstar recently sent over for review.

For an extra £0.99, you can add one of these neat elastic belly bands, which will come in handy if you carry multiple pocket notebooks around with you.

When I first saw these notebooks in person, "Field Notes Night Sky" and "Pitch Black" first jumped to mind, primarily because all these notebooks feature black covers with reticle grid paper. There are, however, two key differences between the Darkstar and Field Notes products: minimal branding and paper weight. I love that Darkstar limits their cover design to the single "Shine Star" logo, which lends the notebook a sophisticated and understated look - great for working professionals who may not be able to get away with carrying "Dime Novel" or notebooks with shiny holographic covers into meetings.

It doesn't show up as much in this photo, but the "Shine Star" logo is black foil-stamped.

The 100gsm paper that Darkstar uses is high quality, feels nice to write on, and as far as most pocket notebooks go, works fine with fountain pens. Darkstar states on their website that the paper "will stand up to a range of writing instruments from Blackwing Pencils to Broad Fountain Pens," and that's not inaccurate - the Shine Star notebook contains 54 pages of good paper that's very usable with most fountain pens while keeping to a very fair price point. That said, you all know I have an extremely high standard for labeling something "fountain pen friendly," which is "zero bleedthrough", and I did experience some pinpoint bleeding on the reverse side of a page. If you only write with very wet broad or stub nibs, and insist on using them in your pocket notebooks, you may have some trouble if you want to write on both sides of the page.

For this writing sample, I used a Montblanc 146 with a medium stub (Robert Oster Fire & Ice), a medium TWSBI 580 (Diamine Deep Dark Red), a Schmidt .6mm rollerball refill, and a Pelikan M800 with a fine cursive italic. All of these pens are relatively wet writers that I wouldn't typically use in a pocket notebook, but I wanted to push the paper to its limits. While I did experience some pinpoint bleedthrough with the stub and the TWSBI, the finer nibs and rollerballs didn't bleed or show through. Nothing feathered on the Darkstar paper, which is a big plus.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I can see these Darkstar notebooks getting some serious use in the future. Since I carry and use my notebooks at work, I tend to gravitate towards sturdy, more understated books (i.e., solid and/or subtle cover designs) over some of the more intricate offerings like those that Field Notes has released in recent quarters. I can appreciate those from a design perspective, but something along the lines of the Darkstar Collection notebooks better suits my day-to-day needs.

You can purchase Darkstar Collection notebooks directly from Darkstar's website. The pocket notebooks are priced at £6.99 for a three-pack (approximately $9.20 US), and the larger "Adventure Notebooks" are sold in packs of two for £7.99. In addition to the basic black, the notebooks come in orange, red, and yellow. Darkstar offers free global shipping on orders over £20, so it's worth your while to stock up.

Disclaimer: Darkstar sent me the notebooks featured in this review for review purposes, free of charge.

Kickstarter Alert: The Modern Fuel Mechanical Pencil 2.0

November 6, 2017

There's always a spot in my carry for a quality mechanical pencil, and I recently had the opportunity to sample the Modern Fuel Pencil, Version 2.0. I missed out on the first iteration, but Andrew Sanderson, the project founder, kindly sent me a 2.0 prototype in stainless steel. While I didn't have an extended period to "road test" this pencil, I could immediately tell from the outset that a LOT of time and effort went into development, from the seamless body design to the customized, interchangeable refill mechanisms that allow you to switch between .5mm, .7mm, and .9mm lead sizes. The 2.0 version of the Modern Fuel pencil also features a retractable tip, and an option to plug the eraser for an even sleeker look. Yes, the all-metal pencil is heavy, but it's also slim and well-balanced, and the weight didn't bother me even when I used it for some more extended writing sessions at work.

Version 2.0 added a retractable tip to the pencil. This prototype came loaded with the .9mm mechanism. If you back the project, you can add to your pledge for additional lead size options.

Where to Order

Kickstarter Rewards start at $80, and the pencil is available in stainless steel, copper, bronze, and titanium. There are 19 days left to back this project, so if you're interested, be sure to get in on it before it closes. Andrew also indicated that he would send me a final version of the pencil once production is finalized. If the finished product is anywhere near as good as this prototype, this could turn into a must-have EDC item.

Note: The Kickstarter is now closed, with the pencil available on the Modern Fuel website.

I love the look and design of the eraser and end cap, sort of a super high-quality homage to those classic Bic mechanical pencils I used as a kid (and still indulge in from time to time).

Disclaimer: Andrew of Modern Fuel loaned me the prototype pencil featured in this post for review purposes, free of charge.