Namisu Nova Brass Fountain Pen

Introduction.


Presented in the usual, classy yet understated standard that is Namisu, the box is the usual drawer type in a sleeve. On removing the sleeve, you'll find a cardboard box with a drawer that slides out from one end. The box outer is black, with the Namisu name in silver embossing on the lower right corner.
Slide the drawer out, and you'll find a felt type drawstring pouch to carry the pen in. Beneath this, in all it's shiny glory is the pen, nestled in a deep V. The box isn't padded, but the pen is securely transported from the factory to your door.
First impressions are it's big and it's heavy!!


Appearance & Design


It's a stunning pen. Obviously, being factory fresh, it's very shiny. The finish of my pen is perfect. It's smooth and there are no machine marks. Made from a piece of solid brass, it's fat, chunky and heavy. Not a pen for the faint hearted. Very similar in looks and design to the Nova Black Aluminium, the pen is what I would call a cigar type pen. Smooth lines, fat and chunky tapering off at both ends to a narrower finish, this pen makes a statement. I think the term 'Bold as brass' is a fitting statement to this pen.
The inside of the cap and barrel are also perfectly finished. Although you are likely to be the only person to see the insides of your pen, you can rest assured that the quality control is second to none.
Although brass is not a precious metal, the pen has the appearance of gold. Because of it's shine, size and colour, this pen definitely makes a statement. 9/10

Construction & Quality


My pen is perfectly machined with no unnecessary markings. The only visible line is where the cap joins the body. The threads do not interfere with my fingers when I hold the pen to write. I have not tried to cap the pen, but it is perfectly balanced uncapped. I like heavy pens, and I have big hands, so I find writing with it an enjoyable experience. However, those with smaller hands may find it less so.
10/10


Weight & Dimensions


The pen is 14.3cm Capped and weighs 90g / 3.2oz.
The pen is 66g / 2.3oz uncapped.
The widest part of the pen is at the join of the cap and body, which is 2cm.
So it's long, chunky and heavy.
10/10


Nib & Performance


The pen is supplied with a #6 Bock Stainless Steel Nib, in the usual choice of sizes. A Titanium nib can be chosen at an extra cost. I chose the standard nib in F, and it's great. I inked the converter with Iroshozuku Shin-Ryu and it writes beautifully. There's a hint of feedback, and it's not too wet or too dry. The line is fine. It ticked all the boxes for me. 10/10

Filling System & Maintenance


A converter is included, but the pen can also be used with any international long or short format cartridge. I'm unsure if it would be wise to attempt to convert it to an eyedropper, as the ink may react with the brass. However, plenty of options so 10/10


Cost & Value


The RRP is £70 UKP, but it's currently on sale at £60 UKP. If you want an 'oversize' pen, it's a good price. And P&P was free, but check the website for details here (opens in a new window) 10/10


Conclusion


9.8 / 10
If you want a pen that's big, bold and brassy, this one is sure to make a statement. Get one while you can!


Please note, I am in no way affiliated with Namisu. I purchased the pen myself, for my own personal use and collection. Fountain pens are my hobby, and I hope that this review will help someone make an informed decision before buying one. I have not been paid, nor received any reward for writing this review. All opinions are my own.

Fountain Pen Day 2015

Only 4 more days until Fountain Pen Day 2015.
This is an international celebration of the fountain pen and related paraphernalia. Started in 2012 with around 600 interested parties, there are now over 10,000 and counting!
Visit http://www.fountainpenday.org/ fit more information and also links to loads of special offers!!! Sign up for the newsletter while you're there, and follow Fountain Pen Day on Facebook and twitter too.
Keep on scrawling!!

Montegrappa Skulls Notebook

In November 2014, I saw a picture of a notebook which was being sold by Montegrappa. It had variously coloured skulls printed on the cover and looked awesome! I instantly did a search online but could find no information regarding the product. Very frustrating! So, I decided to contact Montegrappa directly by email to see what I could find out.

I received a very quick reply from a lady called Nina, of Montegrappa U.K. She was extremely helpful and explained that the notebooks had been produced purely for the U.S. Market (why???), but due to their popularity they had ordered a number of the for sale in the U.K. and they would be available in around 2-3 weeks. She stated that she would contact me when they were available.

It was mid December before Nina contacted me to say the notebooks were now in stock and available. Imagine my surprise when she stated that as I had had to wait longer than expected, she would like to send me one free of charge! Needless to say, I accepted her offer.

The notebook arrived on the 7th January 2015. It's an A5 sized notebook, and my first impression was that it is very similar to a Moleskine of the same size. Although this wasn't the original book I had seen online, I was extremely impressed with the version I received.

The hardcover has a leather effect, and it is embossed with the Montegrappa name and a skull. There is a black ribbon page mark, a pocket on the inside back cover and a black closure elastic runs around the open edge to stop it falling open.

It appears to be manufactured by Chameleon Like Inc; a company I know nothing about. However, the quality is outstanding. The closure elastic is tight fitting, the construction is superb and it feels classy. The pages are off white /cream in colour and lined. The pages hold ink really well, with no feathering or bleeding and no ghosting. I used a Kaweco Sport with a fine nib and Diamine Blue/Black ink to write the sample in the picture and they behaved beautifully.

The notebook is A5 sized and fits perfectly in a pocket. I haven't carried it around as I tend to want to keep it in pristine condition so it stays at home. However, I feel this notebook would take daily use in its' stride.

Although I didn't purchase the notebook, Nina's customer service was first class!  She was brilliant to deal with (the first notebook sent was lost in the post), very professional and extremely kind. I decided to write this review as a way of thanking Nina and Montegrappa for their generosity and first class service.

I cannot recommend this notebook highly enough. It's sturdy, and the paper performs much better than my Moleskine notebooks. It should perform perfectly as an EDC notebook or small journal.

My first Pen Show

I started collecting fountain pens about a year ago. I decided to look online to see if there are any pen shows in the UK, like there are in America. I was really disappointed to find out that I had missed the Bristol pen show by 1 week! I found out that the show was run by http://www.ukpenshows.co.uk and bookmarked the page (and followed them on Facebook) so that I could find out about future events. I live in Plymouth, UK, so Bristol is the closest show to me.

So today, I attended my first pen show. It was held at the Hilton Hotel in Bristol, just off junction 16 of the M5. Easy to find, easily accessible and free parking for the first 2 hours!

According to their Facebook page, there were going to be around 30 exhibitors at the event.

Unfortunately, on the day there were less than 10. The good news is that there were plenty of pens to admire, and bargains to be had (more on the bargains later).

Admission to the event was £5 per person on the door. I believe there are concessions for members of the Writing Equipment Society, but as I'm not a member yet I didn't look in to this further.

All of the dealers were extremely friendly, just like I'm used to from the members of the Fountain Pen Network on Facebook. It would appear that liking fountain pens and being nice go hand in hand!

It was great to finally meet John Twiss, of Twiss Pens ( www.twisspens.co.uk ) and see his hand made creations. I was on a tight budget, and as much as his creations are worth the very reasonable prices he charges, they were beyond today's budget. I will, however, purchase one in the future.

John Hall of Write Here Fine Pen Retailers, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, was another great guy. He was selling Visconti and Omas pens (among others) and was happy for me to handle them and write with them. I purchased a bottle of Iroshozuku ink from him as I've wanted a bottle for a while now. Their website is at www.writeherepens.co.uk

Nigel of The Hamilton Pen Company was also very welcoming. He makes his own pens and they are also reasonably priced. Have a look for yourself at www.hamiltonpens.com

And now for the bargains. I've been after a Danitrio Phantas for a while now. I've only ever seen them for sale on eBay from American sellers, at anywhere between £40 and £150, plus another £45 postage/packing/tax. Imagine my surprise when I saw a brand new one, unused and boxed on a table for £5!!!!! Needless to say, I grabbed it. My thinking was that if it writes like a nail, I may be able to swap out the nib. I'm pleased to say that once I got it home, I flushed it, inked it up with the Iroshozuku ink and it writes like a dream! I also got the unbranded dragon pen that is in the pic. It was also £5, and it too writes beautifully! Lady Luck was certainly smiling on me today!

So, for my first experience, today was a great day. If you've never been to a pen show before, find your nearest one and go. You never know what you may find!

My prize has arrived

Back in November I was one of the winners of a poetry competition for Fountain Pen Day, which was run by the eclectidbits blog.

I arrived home from work today to find a package from Australia waiting for me. Inside the package was a yellow Jinhao 599, complete with converter, and 2 FPD stickers! Thank you, eclectidbits for your generosity.

I've inked it up with my favourite Diamine Blue/Black ink and it writes really well. I'll do a full review soon. If you haven't noticed already, The pen looks like a Lamy Safari.

You can follow ecclectidbits blog at http://eclectidbits.blogspot.com.au/

The Fountain Pen Day website is at www.fountainpenday.org

Kaweco Classic Sport Dark Brown Special Edition Fountain Pen

I was fortunate to get some cash for Christmas, which enabled me to purchase this little beauty from Cult Pens ( Link to page http://goo.gl/tbesjA ). The pen came in the usual, excellent packaging and was securely wrapped in bubble wrap. It's my first Kaweco.

On opening the package I found the pen tin inside a cardboard sleeve. The packaging is great, and the tin can be used to store pen paraphernalia such as cartridges, nibs, shims etc, etc. my initial impression was of quality and care by the manufacturer.

Appearance & Design 10/10

A design classic that closely follows the original 1935 design. The pen, to me, is iconic. You know it's a Kaweco and it can't be mistaken for something else. The dark brown colour appears black under low light conditions. The words 'Kaweco Sport' are embossed in gold script on one facet of the octagonal cap, which is topped with a gold coloured, metal button that carries the Kaweco logo. The pen is small and compact, very light and very well made.

Construction & Quality 10/10

The pen is made of tough ABS/Microlon plastic and is well constructed. The plastic has a deep lustre, and as already stated, the dark brown looks black depending on the lighting conditions. The pen is small and extremely light in weight ( I haven't weighed it but it's no more than a few ounces ). The dimensions are 104mm capped, 132mm posted & 99mm uncapped. It's designed to be a pocket pen, but is also suitable to be carried in a ladies coin purse. I don't think it will scratch easily, but if it's rattling against coins or keys in a pocket I'm sure it will scuff and mark. I feel that any marks would add to its character and story. My wife thinks it's an ugly pen, but I like it. Each to their own. Judging by this pen, I would imagine that Kaweco have excellent quality control as it is beautifully put together. The pen is not supplied with a clip, but these can be purchased as an optional extra if required.

Nib & Performance 10/10

The pen is supplied with a Stainless Steel 24k gold plated nib, manufactured by Bock of Heidelberg. Available nib sizes are medium, fine, extra fine, broad & extra broad. I opted for an extra fine nib and I am not disappointed. The nib writes beautifully, neither too wet nor too dry. The feed managed to keep up with my scrawl across the page. I used cheap copier paper and there was no bleed through or ghosting ( see pics ). The nib doesn't flex, but I didn't expect it to.

Filling System & Maintenance 8/10

The Sport uses short International Standard Cartridges. There is a converter available but I'd imagine it holds less ink than a cartridge. A single blue cartridge is supplied with the pen. Kaweco own brand cartridges are available, and are relatively inexpensive. However, I will probably just clean the cartridge when it's empty and refill it with a syringe and my choice of ink. The Kaweco cartridge supplied performs well and the ink dries quickly. I've had no reason to disassemble the pen or clean it, so am unable to give any advice on the cleaning and maintenance side of things. I believe the nib unit is friction fit and therefore should easily come apart for cleaning. Not quite 10/10 as short cartridges = low ink capacity. I've been told that it is possible to convert this pen to an eye dropper, which would give more ink capacity, but as it stands out of the box this is the only down side.

Cost & Value 10/10

The pen cost £19.99 from Cult Pens online, and I think it's excellent value for money. Even more so because this model is a limited edition and comes with a presentation tin. The tin itself sells for £4.99 on the same site. A pocket clip is an additional cost, but relatively cheap if required. I think this would make an excellent pen to introduce someone to fountain pens, as it's relatively inexpensive but high quality. Kaweco is a solid brand and I am extremely happy with this pen. Very affordable, not over priced and great value. It performs equally as well as pens costing ten times as much.

Conclusion 48/50

Almost full marks, only let down by the small ink capacity. Although this is my first Kaweco, I don't think it will be my last! Highly recommended as an everyday pen for notes and scribbles. Grab one before they sell out.

© Chris Edwards 2014. I am not affiliated in any way with Kaweco or Cult Pens. This is an impartial review and I have not received any reward or inducement from the companies mentioned.

Fountain Pen Day competition.....

Well, lucky me! Yesterday was International Fountain Pen Day. I never even knew there was such a thing until I started collecting fountain pens this year. There was a poetry competition being run on the FPD website, and my poem was chosen as one of the winners! Happy days! The results, and poems, can be seen at http://eclectidbits.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/and-winner-is.html