Pen Review: Aurora Optima Rollerball

November 3, 2018

I’ve been on a rollerball kick lately, especially at work. Rollerball pens are among the most versatile and practical pens out there for many reasons: they’re smooth writers, refills are easy to come by, and the ink is typically permanent. Rollerball cartridges use writing technology similar to a ballpoint (i.e., the ink flows from the cartridge to a metal ball, which “rolls” the ink onto the paper), but instead of oil-based ballpoint ink, Rollerballs use a liquid ink formulation. This assists with the “smoothness” factor, giving rollerball pens a feel closer to a fountain pen, but not as close as a fineliner or a felt-tip pen.

My “go-anywhere” rollerball pen: the Aurora Optima, shown here on top of my Nanami Paper Cafe Note B6 in Gfeller natural leather cover, which is starting to show some wear!

The other thing I appreciate about rollerball pens is the price - a “nice” rollerball pen will run you much less than the same model of fountain pen. Take, for example, the Aurora Optima. I’ve previously reviewed the Aurora Optima fountain pen, which sports a price $200 north of the rollerball version. (I’ve not managed to add a fountain pen version to my permanent collection yet, but perhaps that’s coming?) In the meantime, I found myself in the market for one or two understated, business-appropriate rollerball pens that I could take to business meetings, depositions, and even to court, so I could have a reliable writing instrument that is much less distracting than a fountain pen. The Optima ticks all of these boxes:

It’s understated. No non-pen-person is going to look twice at the black-with-gold-trim design, or feel that it’s overly showing or ostentatious (often an issue when you want to “blend in” at the back of a courtroom or board meeting). At the same time, you’ll notice that I used the term “understated,” and not “boring.” The Optima rollerball sports Aurora’s signature “Greek Key” design around the cap band that lends the pen character.
It features a solid refill. I enjoyed using the Aurora-branded refill that shipped with the pen, but I did end up swapping in a finer-tip Schneider Topball 850 .5mm refill, which doesn’t get nearly the amount of attention that it should. Because rollerball pens feature a sharper point which can dig down into the paper fibers, the liquid ink in the cartridges has a tendency to feather and bleed through the page, even on fountain pen-friendly stock such as Tomoe River and Rhodia. The stock Aurora refill and the Topball 850 both perform well in this regard - you might have a bit of showthrough but I experienced less bleeding than with Schmidt refills.
It’s comfortable and well-balanced. Here’s where I think the Aurora Optima truly shines as a rollerball. Many companies make their rollerball pens slimmer and lighter, presumably to mimic consumer preferences in the disposable pen market. The Optima, on the other hand, sticks to the same dimensions as the fountain pen, which strikes me as a larger version of my beloved Sailor Pro Gear. It’s an amazingly comfortable pen to write with - if you need to use a rollerball pen for longer writing sessions, consider splurging on an Aurora Optima.

The vintage-style barrel engraving adds a touch of class to this pen, imho.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Aurora Optima rollerball has served as a solid addition to my daily rotation alongside my Montblanc Classique Le Petit Prince rollerball, which I’ve been using as a fineliner. While the Optima doesn’t necessarily have the visual “wow” factor that turns heads, I wasn’t looking for that in this pen, which was intended to meet a specific need in my kit.

I purchased the pen pictured here from our site sponsor Pen Chalet. This black pen with gold trim is the “base model,” with prices starting at $265. The “Auroloide” versions are more expensive, starting at $445, and of course there are limited edition versions running as high as $800. Pen Chalet also carries the fountain pen versions of the Optima, with prices starting at $445 and running all the way north of $1200.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I purchased this pen using affiliate store credit, which is one of the ways I manage to keep this blog going. Many thanks for your support!

A New Distributor and Other Updates from Diplomat, Germany's Unsung Hero

October 31, 2018

Diplomat is one of those pen companies that traditionally has flown under the radar. They make high quality pens that are true workhorses, yet for whatever reason never garner the same amount of attention as the other major German brands. With a new distributor in place for the U.S. (Yafa, who also distributes Monteverde, Pineider, and Stipula, among other brands), I would expect that to change. Diplomat pens certainly had a wider presence at this year’s D.C. Pen Show, and more retailers are starting to carry their full lineup.

So What’s New with Diplomat Pens?

I’ve previously reviewed a couple of Diplomat’s offerings, including the iconic, Zeppelin-inspired Aero. During a bout of downsizing a year ago, I sold off my two Aeros, but missed having the pen so I picked up a new one in matte black. I immediately noticed a few differences.

The logo on this Aero seems like it will stay put. The one aspect of the Excellence A2 that I dislike is the plastic cap finial - I think it cheapens the look of the pen.

While Diplomat has not made any major design changes to the Aero, the finish seems less “matte” than in previous versions. This change may have been intended to increase durability - while the previous version looked great, the coating had a tendency to chip and flake, and as reflected in my prior review, the logo on the top of the cap actually scratched off. The snap cap also feels tighter, which is a welcome adjustment and makes the pen feel higher-quality. Previously, I had heard reports of Aero caps loosening over time and developing a tendency to spin and rattle, much like I experienced with the Lamy Aion.

Even though Diplomat uses standard JoWo nib options in stainless steel or gold, they’re well-tuned and come engraved with Diplomat’s “propeller” logo.

Recently, I’ve also had the opportunity to test the Excellence A2, Diplomat’s follow-up to the Excellence A. While the Aero receives most of the attention due to its distinctive design, the “Excellence” series is Diplomat’s conservative “flagship” pen - plainly directed at a business crowd - and it may remind you of a rounded version of Waterman’s “Exception” series (only much less expensive). According to the Diplomat website, the updated “A2” features a new and improved spring-loaded clip, as well as a “soft sliding click” cap that Diplomat claims is more durable. (From the product descriptions on the Diplomat website, it appears they made the same adjustments to the cap closure on both the Excellence line and the Aero.) I wrote with the Excellence A2 at work fairly extensively for two weeks, and enjoyed the pen. The section offers plenty of grip space, and the pen itself seems indestructible.

A good clip is a crucial element to a daily workhorse, at least for me. The spring-loaded clip on the Excellence A is solid - no cheap folded metal here.

The one potential drawback to the Excellence A2 is the weight, especially if you post. The pen is very well-balanced either way, but it’s still substantial. This didn’t end up as an issue for me - my hands are just large enough to handle a heavier pen - but if weight tends to bother you I’d test this one in person before committing to a purchase.

The overall build quality on the Diplomat Excellence A2 impressed me, from the simple, subtle engraving around the cap band to the metallic “Midnight Blue” finish. Here you can also see the addition of the spring loaded hinge on the clip.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Both the Excellence A2 and the Aero are nice pens that deserve your consideration if you’re in the market for a reliable workhorse that’s compatible with all of the JoWo nib units you may own. As I’ve mentioned before, as far as JoWo nibs go, Diplomat’s are some of the best out there. I’ve heard the company works closely with JoWo to ensure the nibs used on Diplomat pens are properly tuned, and I’ve not experienced any issues with them being misaligned or scratchy.

I acquired both of the Diplomat pens featured in this post from site sponsor Pen Chalet. Pricing on both the Excellence A2 and the Aero ends up at a street price of around $150, sometimes a bit less if there’s an applicable coupon code. This places Diplomat around the same price point as brands such as the new Esterbrook, production-line Edison pens, and Franklin-Christoph (and maybe even a bit lower). Given the quality, the price is reasonable, and I have no difficulty recommending Diplomat as a brand to someone who likes their style.

In addition to the traditional matte brown, black, silver, and orange, Diplomat recently released the Aero in two new colors: blue and “factory” (raw aluminum). Also, our sponsor Anderson Pens currently stocks a special edition version of the Aero in a gorgeous bright red. Be sure not to miss the latter if you’re considering an Aero. That one’s a stunner.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

Spoiler alert! Of all the extremely inexpensive pens I’ve reviewed to date, the Wing Sung 3001 is my favorite.

Further Thoughts on (Very) Inexpensive Fountain Pens

October 27, 2018

I’ve previously touched on how we seem to be living in a new “golden age” of fountain pens. Pen companies - both new and old - are regularly releasing new models every few months or so, each more irresistible than the last. Sure, it may not be the best of times for the “legacy” companies such as Parker, Sheaffer, Waterman, etc., but the likes of Sailor, Pilot, Pelikan, Platinum, Lamy, and a host of relatively recent entrants have stepped it up.

That said, in the ten years or so I’ve been following this industry, there’s been a real void at the “low end” of the price spectrum. Other than two models from Pilot, the Metropolitan and the Kakuno, or the Nemosine Singularity, there just hasn’t been that much available at the sub-$20 price point - much less the $15 price point - and a lot of what was out there was ridiculously low quality. Sure, you can go with a Platinum Preppie, but it still sort of looks like a disposable pen. As vintage collectors are aware, even during the original fountain pen “golden era” from approximately 1920-1970, there was room in the market for so-called “third-tier” brands like Wearever, Majestic, etc. Some of these cheaper pens featured interesting materials, were quite nice looking, and sold for well under a dollar. (CENTS, people, imagine that!) Apparently there’s now a flourishing vintage Wearever collectors’ community.

Wing Sung pens have excellent nibs, in my experience. Most are paired with a transparent plastic feed.

Lately, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the resurgence of inexpensive pens being manufactured in China. Inspired by bloggers such as Frank Underwater and the Economical Penster, I made a few VERY inexpensive purchases off of Amazon and eBay. We’re talking five-pens-for-$13 kind of cheap. And you know what? The quality was more than acceptable - most of the pens I tried had very nice nibs, solid plastic construction, and some even featured piston fillers. (To be honest, the quality on many of these pens was better than pens I’ve reviewed in the $50-75 price bracket.) Cheap pens have their place. Not only do you not have to worry excessively about losing them on your desk at work, at a hotel when you’re traveling, or even in the car - you can use all those crazy permanent, shimmering, non-freezing, flammable, likely-radioactive, pen-dissolving inks that we all know you want to test out.

OK, Which Pens to Buy?

From left: Wing Sung 3010, Wing Sung 3001, Wing Sung 3008, Wing Sung 618, and Wing Sung 698.

I’ve discussed most of these pens in a previous post where I talked about how I was making more of an effort to test inks. It turns out I’ve found myself using these pens for much more than ink testing, and have carried a couple of the Wing Sung pens as daily writers. The 3001 model has become a favorite.

Wing Sung 3001. These are currently my preferred “cheap” pens. I purchased a five-pack, and every single pen wrote well without any adjustments. The colors look pretty nice too. I especially like the peach and smoke colored demonstrators. The filling system is cartridge-converter, but from what I can tell these don’t accept standard international cartridges. (I’ve heard Wing Sung pens accept Parker cartridges, but have not tried this myself.)
Wing Sung 3010. Along with the Wing Sung 3001, these are the super-inexpensive pens that I’ve been using the most as daily writer. Like the 3001, these pens feature extra-fine nibs and cartridge-converter filling systems. Because the 3010 has a “snap cap”, it might prove to be less durable over time, but then again, the plastic feels pretty thick.
Wing Sung 3008. The Wing Sung 3008 is a piston filling fountain pen that I originally purchased after using them at the DC Pen Show. Of the pens on this list, these are the ones that I’ve confined to “tester” status. They simply don’t feel as sturdy as others that I’ve used. The plastic feels a bit more flimsy and the blind cap on the piston is loose. That said, I’ve had no issues with them leaking or evaporating while they’ve been sitting on my desk, and the nibs are quite nice for a steel extra-fine.
Jinhao Shark Pen. For a pure coolness factor, you can’t beat the Shark Pen. While I don’t own any, I’ve written with them at pen shows and everyone I’ve talked to that bought a pack enjoys them.

A bit more money ($15-20) gets you into some very interesting pens such as the Moonman M2, the Wing Sung 601 Vacumatic, and the Wing Sung 618 and 698 piston fillers. Other people have had great success with the wide variety of acrylics and styles available from PenBBS (who also make popular inks). While I’ve used the Moonman and all of the Wing Sung piston fillers and vacumatics extensively, and they’re great, there’s something incredibly satisfying about writing with an excellent fountain pen that cost you $3. For that reason, if I had to recommend one super-inexpensive pen, the Wing Sung 3001 would take the prize.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

As you can see, these particular notebooks got some good use. Penwell Traveler in the background!

Notebook Review: Kunisawa Find Notebooks

October 24, 2018

A representative of the Kunisawa Stationery Company reached out to me a couple months ago and offered to send me some of their recently released notebooks to review - I didn’t realize that it would basically be a crate! I have three of each of their various products, and as I work my way through the different sizes and rulings, I’ll post my thoughts on the notebooks and pads. First up are the “Find Note Hard” and “Find Note Smart” - the first is a fairly standard A5 notebook, and the second is a tall and slim hardback pocket notebook, which is easily my favorite of the two. But first some information on the company itself.

One thing Kunisawa nailed was the logo and the texture of the covers. The Smart Note (top) feels like an old-school pocket ledger, and the A5 Hard notebook features a sheeny vinyl that also feels nice in the hand.

Background on the Kunisawa Stationery Company

Prior to receiving these notebooks, I’d never heard of Kunisawa Stationery. Per their website, it’s a new venture launched in 2017 by Kawachiya, an older, established Japanese paper manufacturer. Kunisawa is to be marketed as a “prestigious stationery brand for business performers,” and they’ve clearly focused on making a clean, fairly minimal notebook that doesn’t look out of place in an office or a boardroom. For their logo, Kunisawa has chosen a three-legged crow, based on a mythical Japanese figure “Yaragatsu.”

The “i do not seek, i find” quote appears on the inside of both notebooks.

“Due to using a golden luminance to guide Emperor Jimmu on his journey through the dark roads of Kumano, Yatagarasu is celebrated as ‘the God of Guidance.’ The three legs represent ‘heaven,’ ‘earth,’ and ‘humanity,’ indicating that all three are brothers born of the same sun. We use Yatagarasu as a symbol of business people that are casting a bright light on the future and inspiring the world.”

— Kunisawa Website

With the heavy focus on business users in the marketing copy, one could be forgiven for thinking this is a “Japanese Moleskine,” but it’s not. The paper and overall quality are much better, and serious effort clearly went into designing an attractive notebook, from the covers to the binding to the copper gilt edging on the paper.

So What About the Paper?

After having used both of these Kunisawa notebooks at work for the better part of a month, here’s my verdict: the paper on the larger A5 notebook is ok, and the paper in the “Find Note Smart” pocket notebook is exceptional. Others reviewing the same Kunisawa notebooks have not had any success at all with fountain pens, so I suspect there may be batch variations in the paper, much like what happened with the recently released “Elements” Notebooks. (See Susan’s review of the A5 and Jeff’s review of the Smart Note over at the Pen Addict.) Their disappointment is not unreasonable - the company expressly advertises the A5 Find Note Hard as “an ideas notebook specifically designed for fountain pens and carefully considered writing.” While the paper in my A5 isn’t terrible at all - I actually found it similar to the paper in Leuchtturm notebooks and the Studio Neat Panobook - it’s still not ideal for fountain pens. There is feathering and bleed through with wetter fountain pens and rollerballs, though I found that the paper performs much better with finer nibs and a light hand. The paper is far superior to Moleskine for fountain pen use, and I suspect most, if not all, typical business users wouldn’t notice any issues and would love the paper in this notebook.

Both Iroshizuku Yama-Budo and Asa-Gao feathered slightly on the “Foolscap” paper in the A5, and had pinpoint bleedthrough on the reverse. While these are both wet inks, they’re not regarded as high-maintenance.

Kunisawa describes the paper used in the “Find” notebooks as “Foolscap,” which they characterize as “created specifically for writing,” and “extraordinarily high quality.” While it’s good paper, I had always understood “foolscap” - at least the way it’s used in literature - to be a size, not a type of paper (which was confirmed by my Oxford English Dictionary), generally used by students, clerks, and attorneys for drafting. Perhaps something got lost in translation….

A sample of Yama-Budo and a very wet mix of Waterman blue/purple (“Blurple”) on the Find Smart pocket notebook. You can tell from the texture that this is likely different paper.

On the other hand, the paper in the Find Smart Note held up to any fountain pen I could throw at it without any hint of feathering or bleedthrough. I also love the format: 40 double-sided pages with gild edging, hardbound in a slim format that’s easy to carry in a coat pocket and use while standing up. The dimensions are slightly shorter and wider than the new Field Notes “End Papers” notebooks. I wish notebooks like this were easily available, and I can see myself using these up fairly quickly, provided the paper quality is consistent.

No bleedthrough whatsoever on my Find Smart Note.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Kunisawa notebooks are not yet widely available here in the U.S., so the easiest way to purchase is probably to buy directly from the company itself via their webstore. (Overseas orders must be placed by e-mail, with contact details on the site.) The A5 Find Note Hard retails for approximately $26, and the Find Smart Note for just under $9, subject to exchange rate fluctuations. These notebooks are not inexpensive, but they’re also within what I’d consider to be the “range of reasonableness,” to borrow some lawyer-speak.

If you’re a pocket notebook aficionado, and the idea of a hardback pocket notebook you can slip into a jacket or suit pocket appeals to you, definitely check out the Find Smart Note. I was less enamored of the Find Note hardback A5 - I expected more from the paper, given the description - but if you like the look it’s certainly not a bad notebook. I look forward to testing out the rest of the notebooks and pads sent to me to see if there are additional variations in paper quality among the Kunisawa line. Stay tuned for more testing!

Disclaimer: Kunisawa sent me the notebooks featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. Many thanks to Kunisawa for making this review possible!

Letterpress Stationery from Meticulous Ink

October 20, 2018

It’s taken me way too long to get this post up, and there’s one reason why: I’m terrible at letter writing. The plan was to work through my ever-growing stack of correspondence that I’ve been intending to answer, and write something about how I’m getting back into letter writing, featuring this stationery, but I just haven’t had the discipline to sit myself down and actually do it. Given the quality of this letterpress stationery kindly sent to me by Meticulous Ink, that’s a shame.

Meticulous-Ink-Letterpress-Greeting-Cards

Meticulous Ink is a shop in Bath, England that specializes in bespoke letterpress printing and fine stationery. All of their letterpress is done in-house. While I can’t claim to be a connoisseur of letterpress work or stationery in general, what Meticulous Ink has sent me is beautiful, from the letter sheets and correspondence cards to the greeting card and bookmark. (I absolutely love bookmarks, and have a massive stash of them everywhere around my house, so they pretty much had me with that.)

I was actually shopping around for some letter sheets and letterhead when Meticulous Ink reached out about a review. I couldn’t have asked for better. The design is classy and understated - exactly what I was looking for.

Who doesn’t need correspondence cards? I use these far more than letter sheets, to send short notes and thank-yous.

A great quote, and an even better design.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

This type of “review” works much better as a visual post, so I’ve tried to provide you with some detailed images of the type of work the team at Meticulous Ink can do. If you are in the market for bespoke stationery or correspondence cards, you should definitely visit their online shop. Meticulous Ink also stocks an array of calligraphy and lettering supplies, pens, pencils, notebooks, and notepads, some of which I’ve not seen before, like this FAF Desk Pad. If you live in the area, they also host calligraphy and lettering workshops.

Many thanks to Verity and the team at Meticulous Ink for sending me this stationery and making this review possible!

Disclaimer: I received the items featured in this post free of charge, for review purposes.