Opus-88-Koloro-Demonstrator-Fountain-Pens

Pen Review: Opus 88 Koloro Demonstrators

January 27, 2018

Since entirely new fountain pen brands are few and far between, those that do hit the market tend to immediately catch my attention, especially when the pens being offered are in any way unique. Enter Opus 88.

Opus 88 is a Taiwanese company that, from what I have gleaned on pen forums and other “unofficial” (and unverified) sources of research, previously has manufactured pens on a contract basis for other, better-known pen companies. This past fall, they started selling their own "Opus 88" branded pens in the United States through Pen Chalet. The pens apparently have sold very well so far, with certain colors and nib sizes periodically going out of stock.

Design and Build

Opus 88 currently offers two models: a smaller "Koloro" demonstrator that is available in four colors: blue/tan, blue, yellow/tan, and red, and a larger transparent demonstrator with black trim. The Koloro pens feature a unique combination of ebonite and acrylic. The majority of the barrel is constructed from acrylic, while most of the cap and the blind cap are ebonite. The only trim is a somewhat plain chrome clip.

Both Opus 88 models feature minimal branding, just "Opus 88" on the cap. On the Koloro pens, the branding is engraved. On the larger demonstrator, shown below, it's screen printed, which doesn't look as nice and likely won't be as durable.

The transparent demonstrator (also labeled the “Koloro” on Pen Chalet’s website, but I think that may be a typo) is much larger, made entirely from transparent polished acrylic, and features matte black-plated trim. Both pens are well-made for their price point, with smooth threading on the caps, sections, and blind caps, and no readily apparent tool marks or other manufacturing artifacts. For unique pens hovering around the $100 mark, the Opus 88 pens represent good value.

Filling System

All of the Opus 88 pens released to date are Japanese-style eyedroppers. It’s a pretty basic system: To fill the pen, you unscrew the section and use the included glass eyedropper or a syringe to fill the barrel with ink. I haven’t officially measured the ink capacity, but these pens hold a lot. Pen Chalet states that the smaller pens hold 2ml, but my guess would be that this estimate is on the low end. The larger pen holds nearly 4ml, as I was able to get almost an entire sample vial into the barrel. The section on each pen comes pre-fitted with an o-ring to prevent leakage, and I opted to add a bit of silicon grease to the section threads just to be on the safe side, since I travel so much and an accident could be disastrous.

In order to increase ink flow to the nib, all you need to do is open the valve, which unscrews like a piston knob at the rear of the barrel.

A note on the “Japanese-style” eyedropper system: While the Opus 88 pens are fitted with blind caps that unscrew, this is not a piston-filling or converter pen, and the blind cap does not force ink into or "prime" the feed. Eyedroppers are entirely gravity driven. The purpose of the blind cap is to control a stopper, which seals off ink flow from the barrel to the nib so that ink doesn’t leak out when you’re not writing - a common occurrence in eyedroppers without this shutoff valve mechanism. Without a way to restrict ink flow, shaking, drops, and especially temperature and altitude fluctuations can cause the ink in an eyedropper to expand and “burp” into the cap, into your bag, or even onto the paper when you’re writing. If you plan on using this pen extensively at work or while travelling, as I have, the shutoff valve is a good feature to have, and previously I had only seen it on extremely high-end Japanese Urushi eyedroppers such as those made by Danitrio.

A shot of the Opus 88 Koloro demonstrator with the blind cap unscrewed and the valve opened. When the blind cap is screwed all the way down, the plunger/stopper seals off the nib and feed, keeping the ink in the barrel.

The flip side is that in order to write for extended periods of time, you will need to open the shutoff valve by slightly unscrewing the blind cap to allow a continuous flow of ink to the feed, much as you would need to do with a TWSBI Vac or Pilot Custom 823. This allows ink to flow from the barrel into the section and saturate the feed. You can close the valve at this point, and with finer nibs should have enough ink to write for a page or two. I tend to leave the valve open all day while I’m at work, and close it up when I get ready to go home. The system works incredibly well. With the valve open, I’ve never had these pens dry out, skip, or hard-start.

Writing Experience

Opus 88 uses reliable stainless steel German nibs made by JoWo. The Koloro demonstrators use JoWo No. 5 nibs, while the larger transparent demonstrator uses a No. 6 nib. All three of my pens arrived well-tuned and did not require any nib adjustments. JoWo nibs are among the best stock stainless steel nibs, though I do find that the smaller No. 5 nibs work best in eyedropper or cartridge pens because they tend to write very dry when attached to a converter. I suspect this has something to do with the construction of the feeds in the No. 5 nib units, but I haven’t done enough experimenting to say for sure.

Nib size comparison: JoWo No. 5 (left) vs. No. 6 (right)

Both Opus 88 models are quite light, and therefore very comfortable to write with for long periods of time. The Koloro posts easily, even with the blind cap partially unscrewed, and I tend to use the smaller pen posted. The big transparent eyedropper doesn’t post, so it mainly sits at my desk at home.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As far as I’m aware, Pen Chalet is the exclusive distributor of Opus 88 fountain pens in the United States, though that may change as these pens attract more attention and become more widely available. Personally, I hope they do, because Opus 88 should have a hit on their hands with eyedropper fans who need a pen that holds a ton of ink and who don’t want to worry about the perils of temperature fluctuation and messy ink burps. Eyedroppers aren’t for everybody, however. They tend to be messier to fill and to clean, and if you like the look of these pens I’d recommend that you start out with one of the smaller, less expensive Koloro demonstrators, which is a much more practical size that will appeal to most people.

The multicolor ebonite and acrylic “Koloro” demonstrators are currently priced at $93 (minus whatever discount code Ron has running at any given time). The transparent demonstrator is available for $120 (minus applicable discounts).

Disclaimer: Pen Chalet is a paid sponsor of this blog. I purchased these pens from Pen Chalet at a discount for purposes of this review. This post contains affiliate links.

My Workhorse Pens: Montblanc 146

January 24, 2018

I often get asked, at pen shows or by e-mail, what fountain pens I use on an everyday basis. I do change them up a lot, which is how I manage to keep up the pace on pen reviews, but there are several pens that are “constants” in my rotation.

What is a “Workhorse Pen”?

The term “workhorse” gets thrown around a lot in pen reviews, casually used to denote a pen that’s not necessarily fancy, but rather intended to serve as a utilitarian daily writer. I’m as guilty of this as any. The problem with such broad categorizations, of course, is that one person’s “workhorse” might be completely impractical for another. For example, the TWSBI 580 is commonly offered as an example of a reasonably priced pen intended as an everyday writer, but it doesn’t work for me as a personal “workhorse” because I can’t post the cap (more on this below).

So before I get started on this new series of pen reviews, I wanted to take a few moments to define my criteria for considering something a “workhorse” - something I’ll keep inked up nearly 100% of the time.

The pen must post. Just as the watches that I wear need to have a “date” complication, the pens I use every day need to post. I often have a “busy” desk full of documents that I’m working on, or trying to sort out into some order that makes sense. I can’t worry about where I set the cap to write because it will go missing. I’m speaking from experience here. I have pens that don’t post, but they’ve been living in the Penwell.
The pen must be well-balanced. For someone who takes perhaps a dozen pages of handwritten notes per day, my pen can’t cause my hand to cramp. If the pen is lightweight, there’s a broader range of lengths that will work for me, but a pen that’s too long, especially if it’s back-weighted when posted, is a nonstarter.
The design must be understated. I spend a lot of time sitting in courtrooms/depositions/boardrooms taking notes, trying to be inconspicuous. I leave any flashy or “unique” fountain pens at home. Sorry, Visconti.
The nib can’t be too wet to write decently on cheap paper. Most nibs can be tamed with smart ink selection, but some (i.e. most Omas and Visconti nibs) write far too wet with any ink for me to be able to use them at work.
The pen must have a relatively large ink capacity. It pains me to say that I generally can’t use Sailor pens with nibs broader than a “fine”, since the Sailor converter has a ridiculously small capacity. Sure, I can use cartridges or switch pens in the middle of a meeting or deposition, but there’s no good reason why I should have to.

I really had to work to get this 1980s-era Montblanc 146 medium stub nib to write perfectly. Subsequent Montblanc purchases haven't been as finicky.

What I don’t worry about when choosing a pen that I think might make a good workhorse? How the nib writes out of the box, and for the most part, price. Temperamental nibs can almost always be tuned or ground by a nibmeister to something more appropriate, and while I’ve never spent $1000+ on a pen, I don’t worry about dropping a fair bit of money on a pen I know I’ll use all the time because I think of it in terms of the cost of long-term ownership. (i.e., The $400 I spent on a used Montblanc 146 - nibwork included - more than evens out over the six or so years I’ve owned the pen, and it's still going strong.)

Workhorse No. 1: Montblanc 146

It’s been years since I reviewed the Montblanc 146, and I’ve owed this iconic flagship a revisit. When I first published my review, I struggled with an iffy, 1980s-era medium nib that Mike Masuyama finally managed to fix. I now love that original pen, and I over the years I’ve picked up two more: a 146 Ultra Black and a 146 UNICEF limited edition.

From Left: The Montblanc 146 UNICEF Special Edition; the Montblanc 146 Ultra Black, and my standard 146 (1980s era).

Along with the Edison Menlo, Lamy 2000, and Sheaffer Legacy (other great “workhorses” that will get the same treatment here in the coming months), the Montblanc 146 has the perfect shape and functionality for me to use every day. The pen posts, has a well-balanced torpedo/cigar shape, and holds a ton of ink.

Nibs are where Montblanc will get you. Their standard nibs aren’t necessarily bad, but they tend to be over-polished with a bit of a baby’s bottom, meaning that they will hard start occasionally, especially on super slick paper like Rhodia or Clairefontaine. Mike Masuyama has ground most of my Montblancs to a .6mm stub/cursive italic hybrid, which makes for a very smooth writer that still retains a bit of line variation. I generally prefer cursive italic nibs over stubs for everyday use because they aren’t as wet for when you need to write on cheap paper.

The "Snowcap" isn't an uncommon sight in the corporate world, even today.

I’ll go ahead and address this because I know I’ll get the question: Doesn’t using a Montblanc violate Rule No. 3 (“The pen must be understated?”) Not for my purposes. Montblanc pens are fairly common in the corporate world, so unless you’re going to use something like a Skeleton or one of the crazier Writers Editions, you'll attract little, if any, attention.

The ruthenium plated nib on my Montblanc 146 Ultra Black.

The 146 also doesn’t have to be a pen that breaks the bank. If you’re looking for a pen in decent working condition, and don’t mind dealing with a few cosmetic blemishes, you can find them for as low as $250 at pen shows, which is around the same price as a new Sailor Pro Gear or 1911. Sure, the special editions will set you back a bit more, but the prices are generally in line with the rest of the market, provided you shop around and don’t pay MSRP at the Montblanc boutique.

Where to Buy

If you’re interested in acquiring a Montblanc 146, you have many options, ranging from the secondhand eBay market to the Montblanc Boutique. If you're new to pens, I'd advise you to proceed slowly, since there's a thriving market for counterfeit Montblanc pens and it's worth it to do your diligence and make sure that you purchase from a reputable seller. Here are some options to get you started:

Pen Shows. Where I purchased my first Montblanc 146. You can find exceptional pricing at pen shows (often 10-20% below what retailers sell for online), especially if you're willing to look at a secondhand pen, which is where I'd suggest you start. Larger shows like the D.C. Pen Show will have the best selection.
Anderson Pens. Our sponsor Anderson Pens is an authorized Montblanc retailer that sells both new and gently used pens, including the 146. They sometimes have stock that is not listed on their website. Be sure to reach out and let them know exactly what you are looking for.
Appelboom. Appelboom, another sponsor and authorized Montblanc reseller located in the Netherlands, carries the full range of Montblanc Pens, including the UNICEF and Ultra Black 146 pens pictured here. I purchased a UNICEF 144 Classique from Appelboom and was very pleased with the experience.

Disclaimer: I purchased all three pens shown in this review with my own funds, for my own use.

Editor's Note: The "Workhorse Pens" series is something new that I tried. Did you like this series? Did I leave anything about the pen out that you wanted to know? Do you have any additional questions about how I use my pens that you'd like me to address in future installments? Should I drop this entirely? Let me know!

My 2018 Notebook / "Planner" Loadout, Clockwise from Top Left: The Bellroy A5 Work Folio loaded with a Midori MD A5; Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A5; Baron Fig Confidant with One Star Leather Cover; Nanami Paper Cafe Note B6 with Gfeller Leather Cove… — My 2018 Notebook / "Planner" Loadout, Clockwise from Top Left: The Bellroy A5 Work Folio loaded with a Midori MD A5; Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter A5; Baron Fig Confidant with One Star Leather Cover; Nanami Paper Cafe Note B6 with Gfeller Leather Cover.

My 2018 Notebook Setup, Plus a Planner Giveaway!

January 20, 2018

I forwent a Hobonichi Techo for 2018, after three years on the wagon. Why? Both to give myself the opportunity to try something different, but also to pare things back. I had at least seven different notebooks going at once last year, and it not only became mentally exhausting to keep track of what each of these notebooks was for (not to mention where they were located at any given time), but this "system" was extremely bulk to carry around. Since the Hobonichi was the one that received the least amount of practical use, and to be honest was starting to feel more like a daily chore than anything else, it was one of the items that went on the chopping block.

So what does my setup for 2018 look like? I've narrowed it down to four notebooks that I use on a regular basis. I do use pocket notebooks as well, but primarily for things like quick idea capture, shopping lists, or a scratch pad.

Daily Carry for "Day Job" Projects. To track work projects I use a combination of a digital calendar and a loosely defined "bullet journal" that currently lives in a Midori MD A5 notebook. I'm thinking of trying out the Midori Cotton paper next, or moving this notebook to a Nanami Paper Crossfield. This notebook has been traveling with me every day in a zippered A5 Work Folio by Bellroy.
Daily Carry for "Personal/Side Gig" Projects. A Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter set up as a three-subject notebook using smaller A5 softcover notebooks from Baron Fig and Nock Co. OK, while technically it's not a "single notebook," it's as close as I'm going to get. The Roterfaden gives me a way to keep track of all of my side projects in one place.
Personal Journal. I've been using the Nanami Paper Cafe Note as a substitute for the Hobonichi, and it's both a nice size and a welcome change to be able to write/journal without (in my opinion) the unnecessary pressure of dated pages. I'm sure some people won't agree with me on this, but there are days when (1) nothing happens worth journaling about; or (2) you're just too exhausted or busy. I HATE ending up with blank dated pages, and I'm too OCD to restrain myself from going back and filling them in. The B6 size on the Cafe Note is insanely convenient in its portability, and the Gfeller natural leather covers sold by Nanami Paper are beautiful.
Brainstorming Notebook. My Baron Fig Confidant, inside my One Star Leather Cover. This book typically sits at my desk for morning pages/brainstorming sessions, and any ideas that merit further development will eventually find their way into one of these other notebooks. I could also see the Baron Fig switching places with the Midori as a "Day Job" project planning notebook at some point.

So far, this system has worked nicely for me, and I've stuck with it for two months without a hitch. (I actually started in early December 2017.) However, I also have a couple of paper planners that people have given me, that I won't use in this current system and I can now pass along to you readers in a giveaway! I need to get these out the door before any more time elapses in 2018. The prizes are:

Karst 2018 Stone Paper Planner. This Stone Paper planner from Karst surprised me. Having heard not-so-great things about Stone Paper products in the past, mainly due to their inability to play well with liquid inks, my expectations were low, but this Karst version actually handled the two fountain pen inks I tested (Skrip Red and Robert Oster Maroon 1789) with a Tomoe River-like dry time. Ballpoints, gel pens, and even a liquid ink Pilot V5 also worked. This sturdy hardcover planner is set up in a weekly format with four days to a page. Due to the waterproof and tear-resistant properties of Stone Paper, it may be a good option for those who tend to be very hard on a paper planner. I'm looking forward to trying one of their hardcover notebooks.
Slice Planner. You may recall that I reviewed the Slice Planner last year, which was developed as a hybrid digital-analog planning system that pairs a notebook with an app on your phone. The folks who developed the Slice Planner recently sent me a copy of their updated notebook, with upgraded paper and what feels like a more durable cover. As I mentioned in my previous review, I enjoyed my time with the Slice Planner, and if you can make Chronodex-style planning / time-tracking work for you, it should merit your consideration.

Giveaway Rules / Terms and Conditions

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. Giveaway closes at 11:59 pm CT on Saturday, January 27, when I will assign a number to all comments and randomly select two winners using a site like random.org. I will post the names of the winners here in next week's Sunday Reading post. Many thanks to both Karst Stone Paper and the team at Slice Planner for providing these two notebooks for review and giveaway. Note that each of these planners may have some small amount of writing on a blank page at the back, which I used to test the paper. Please see the links above for information regarding value, etc. of the respective prizes.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. The Bellroy Work Folio, Karst Stone Paper Planner, Slice Planner, and One Star Leather Notebook Cover all were provided to me free of charge for review purposes. The Roterfaden and Cafe Note were purchased with my own funds for my own use.

Baron Fig Double Release: "Lock & Key" Confidant and Squire

January 17, 2018

Baron Fig has announced their first limited edition of 2018, and this time it's a Confidant/Squire combination! The "Lock" Confidant is a gorgeous dark "forest green" color, with a debossed maze cover and a puzzle insert. The brass Squire - a first for Baron Fig - sports a "key" motif, and the packaging from the pen contains a code that you can use to decipher the puzzle hidden in the Confidant.

The last few limited edition Squire Pens have sold out quickly - as in, within a day or two of release - so jump on this one quickly if you're interested. I've spent the last two days writing exclusively with the brass Squire, and if you like brass pens, this is a good one. The brass will patina quickly: mine has already started to develop after a few hours of use. It's not light by any means, but since the Squire is a shorter pen with excellent balance, you don't necessarily feel the weight of the material. I'd compare the writing experience, in terms of comfort, to that offered by the Kaweco Brass Sport or Supra or the Inventery Machined Pen.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I won't go on again about how the Baron Fig Confidant and Squire are two tools that I use on a near-daily basis and can readily recommend, because I've written a lot about both. You can purchase the Lock & Key Squire/Confidant set directly from Baron Fig for $77. This gives you a slight discount, as the notebook and pen are priced at $20 and $65, respectively, if you purchase them separately. This particular limited edition Squire costs $10 more than the standard pen, which is more than fair due to the brass construction.

As I mentioned, I expect at least the pen to sell out quickly, and this one is even more unique than past releases, so don't wait if you want one. Great job by Baron Fig on their first limited release of the year, and I can't wait to see what else they have in the queue.

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me the pen and notebook featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes.

Pen Review: RIIND Pen

January 13, 2018

There's no shortage of machined metal pens on the market these days. From the Karas Kustoms Retrakt to the Ti2 Techliners to the ultra minimalist Ateleia, it's become a category unto itself. Seemingly every time you turn around, someone is Kickstarting their new idea. So what separates the best machined pens from the also-rans? To me, it's a mix of functional design, comfort over long writing sessions, and refill compatibility. The RIIND Pen earns a high score in all three categories, and I'd be shocked if this pen didn't receive a lot of attention as it becomes more widely available.

The RIIND Pen is currently available in three colors: Black, Gray, and Clear Anodized. You can order the black pen with either a black or polished clip.

Design

What surprised me the most, at least at first, was the size of this pen. Most of the machined pens out there are on the slimmer side in order to cut down on weight. The RIIND measures about 5.5 inches in length, and isn't particularly slender, but the combination of lightweight aluminum construction and good design make this one of the most comfortable metal pens that I've ever used.

At 5.5 inches in length and anodized aluminum construction, the RIIND pen has excellent balance and won't tire your hand out if you decide to use it for long form writing or as your daily workhorse.

The RIIND website discusses several key aspects of the pen's design that make it stand out:

The "ContinuousCam" Technology: "ContinuousCam" refers to the knock mechanism that rotates 360 degrees to extend/retract the refill. On most pens that use this sort of rotating mechanism, like a Retro 51 Tornado or a Baron Fig Squire, the mechanism only moves a half turn in a single direction, and you're then required to move it back to retract the tip. On the ContinuousCam, you can rotate the knock 360 degrees in either direction, with the tip extending/retracting with every 180 degree turn. While this may not seem like a significant innovation on paper, it makes the RIIND an extremely quick pen to deploy, and eliminates just one more little thing you need to think about before you get down to work.
The "Super Clip": I wasn't sure how I'd end up liking the large, sort of funky styling of the RIIND's clip, but at the end of the day it's extremely functional and the design works well for this particular pen. This clip strikes the rare balance between being strong and being easy to use. It slides easily onto shirt pockets and slots in pen cases and bags, but there's enough tension that the pen isn't going to come loose.
The "Texture Grip": Better known to pen fans as "knurling." The grip area on this pen is quite comfortable, and isn't rough or sharp. In my opinion, some texture is necessary on the grip area of metal pens to avoid slippage during long periods of use. It also gives the RIIND pen an industrial aesthetic that I like.

Refills

I didn't pay much attention to refill compatibility until a couple days ago. I'm perfectly happy with the stock Pilot G2 .38mm refill that ships with the pen. People tend to criticize the G2, but personally it's one of my favorites, and I suspect that much of the "criticism" has more to do with the G2's status as a somewhat boring workhorse that's neither trendy nor flashy, rather than poor quality. For example, in terms of getting dud refills that won't write or are super scratchy, I've had MUCH better luck with the .5mm and .38mm G2 than with the Pilot Juice, the Hi-Tec-C, or even the Schmidt liquid ink rollerball refills. But that's my own experience and I digress. Whether you like the G2 or not, the RIIND website states that the pen accepts over 35 different refills without any hacking or modification whatsoever, which includes basically all of my favorite mainstream retractable gel refills. The ones that I tested that worked included: the Uniball Signo 207, the Signo RT, the Pentel Energel, the Pilot Precise RT, the Papermate Inkjoy, the TUL needlepoint, and the Zebra Sarasa Clip. Since the Pilot Juice refill has the same dimensions as the G2, it should work as well, though I don't currently have one on hand. Stick pens such as the Signo DX and the Pilot Hi-Tec-C generally don' t fit, though the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Cavalier refill will fit, per RIIND.

Correction: Clayton at RIIND reached out and pointed me to a list of compatible refills on the RIIND website.

I love it when you change the refill through the tip, as opposed to having to unscrew the knock mechanism. It's an easy system to use, and reduces the risk of the mechanism breaking.

Takeaways and Where To Buy

I can highly recommend the RIIND Pen. I've reduced the number of non-fountain pens that I own, and I could be very happy with the RIIND Pen, the Ti Arto, and the Baron Fig Squire as the only non-fountain pens in my tool kit. This set would give you the ability to use pretty much any pen refill in existence, in both retractable and non-retractable formats.

The RIIND packaging is minimal AND reusable. I love these pen tubes, which come in handy for storing and protecting pens should you need to ship them.

You can purchase the RIIND Pen directly from the RIIND website. All pens are $99, which is eminently reasonable for a pen of this quality. Currently, RIIND only offers one model in three colors (black, gray, and standard aluminum), but I'm hoping that they have more on the way. I'd love to see color anodized versions, as well as a slightly shorter, pocketable version of this pen, which would immediately make it's way into my daily carry.

Disclaimer: RIIND Pens loaned me this pen for review purposes. Many thanks to Clayton at RIIND for making this review possible. This post contains affiliate links.