7.23.2016

Edison Pearlette Lapis Lazuli Fountain Pen - a Video Review

In the week preceding our Nation's birthday, the all-American, Edison Pen Company debuted two new materials to their production line of fountain pens that are available to their network of esteemed retailers (like us!). One was a rich, subtle color in the larger Collier model, which was named as 2011's Goldspot Pen of the Year, called Burnished Gold.



The second finish is the topic of this blog post and review - The Edison Pearlette Lapis Lazuli.



Let's check out the video review we published a few weeks back. We unbox, fill and write with the Edison Pearlette Lapis Lazuli with an 18kt gold nib.



The Pearlette is the smallest of the Edison pen models, but by no means is a pocket pen like a Kaweco Sport. Here, we see the pen model comparison from the Edison Pen Co website :



The size has a vintage feel, as many models and brands manufactured pens of this size back in the mid 20th Century. I compare it closely with the size of my Parker Vacumatic, which measures about 5 7/8" posted.



While this Vacumatic would be considered to be around the "standard" size of pens made by Parker at the time, the Pearlette is seen to be a diminutive design in the modern age of fountain pens. For an average hand, this pen works is still a good fit. I would strongly recommend it for anyone that prefers a smaller pen with a thinner grip section. If you prefer a heavy hitter like the Collier, then the Pearlette would not be an enjoyable pen to hold.

Edison Pearlette Specifications
  • Nib : #5 Size, available in stainless steel or 18kt gold.
  • Filling System : Cartridge or Converter
  • Cap Diameter : .515in
  • Barrel Diameter : .515in
  • Length Capped : 5 3/16in
  • Length Uncapped : 4 3/4in
  • Pen Weight : 18g
  • Barrel only Weight : 12g
As one would expect from a quality Edison fountain pen, the attention to detail on the fit and finish of this pen is remarkable. The Lapis Lazuli acrylic is polished to a high luster. The cap threads on to the front section securely and posts on the back as well. The standard Schmidt converter fits snugly into the section to make filling the pen effortless.




The Lapis Lazuli material itself is splendid to behold. I argue it looks even better than the precious gemstone that carries its namesake. The rich, saturated blue has a shimmer and sheen when held up to direct light. The flecks of marbled acrylic are highlighted with gold veining that, matched with the gold clip and bi-color gold nib, create an elegant picture of a pen that carries the heritage of American-made writing instruments.

The smaller, #5 size nib doesn't have the grandiosity of the #6 nib that is standard on most other Edison fountain pens, but the performance is "write" on par. The 18kt gold nib that was used for this review flows nicely with a slight bit of feedback. The gold responds to the amount of pressure you put on the point, but I wouldn't recommend doing any flexing.

The Edison Pearlette is part of the production line of fountain pens, which are available at many fine writing shops (both online and brick-and-mortar). The advantage with the production line is the pricing. A custom Edison that is ordered directly (in any material of your choosing) will run you at least $250 for a steel nib. One of these production model Edison pens is only $149 for the steel nib and $274 for the 18kt gold nib. For their production line, the Edison Pen Co. usually picks stunning pen materials that appeal to a wide audience. The Lapis Lazuli is certainly no exception. Come check it out on the Goldspot Pens shop and enjoy free shipping on any Edison fountain pen shipped within the USA.

7.18.2016

Kaweco Supra Brass Fountain Pen - a Video Review

You may have seen the Kaweco Supra and dismissed the pen as simply another Liliput design. There's a lot more to this fountain pen that meets the eye. This review will take you into the details of this all brass pen that is made in Germany and why it would be a fidgeter's dream pen.

Before we go on, check out our video review on the Kaweco Supra that will show you the unboxing, filling and writing ability of this unique pen.


The first thing you notice about the pen straight out of the box, besides its polished brass appearance, is its weight. The pen weighs a hefty 1.8 ounces in all, which is 3x the weight of a Lamy Safari, for example. With a nearly half-inch barrel diameter, the pen feels quite significant in-hand and would certainly please those who prefer larger, heavyweight type pens.

(Additional measurements of this pen can be found, in detail, at Gourmet Pens' review of this pen.)

Once you uncap the pen, the second major feature of this pen is the larger, number 6 size nib in stainless steel. Most Kaweco pens, including the Sport and Liliput models, use the smaller #5 nib. The larger nib looks right at home with the profile of this larger pen.

The third and most distinctive feature about this pen that you would notice right away would be the middle, "extension" section of the barrel. Measuring 2.5cm in length, the brass extender piece is a game-changer on this pen. It changes the entire dynamic of your writing experience with the Supra and allows it to be adapted to your own personal taste.

As you would see in our video, the extender piece unscrews from the front grip section and the rest of the barrel. It removes 0.4 ounces from the total weight of the pen, and shortens it up to the equivalent length of a Liliput. When in "mini mode," the Supra is a heavy pocket pen, similar to the Kaweco Brass Sport, but still has the smooth, cylindrical features of the Liliput model. It is up to your own personal taste of how you would like to write with this pen, so you can test out the mini mode uncapped or posted to your liking.

Speaking of posting, the cap does screw on to the back of the pen, which is a great utility feature for those who like a pen that posts, since one never has to worry about the cap falling off and getting lost.

Personally, my favorite mode of writing with this pen was without the extender piece and with the cap posted on back. It gave me the most comfortable writing experience out of the four ways you can hold this pen.

The drawback of removing the extension piece is that the Kaweco Supra can no longer hold a standard, international size ink converter. You would have to resort to filling ink cartridges or using the Kaweco Sport Piston Converter, which holds a minuscule amount of ink.

So, just how does the Supra stack up to the two most popular Kaweco pen models (the Sport and Liliput)? Let's check out some comparison shots to show you the length and size of the Supra stacked against these Kaweco models you may be more familiar with.

Top to Bottom : Kaweco Sport Classic, Kaweco Supra, Kaweco Liliput Fireblue. Closed Position.
Kaweco pens with caps removed.
Kaweco pens with caps posted on back.
Kaweco pens with caps removed, the extender piece has been removed from the Supra.

Here, the Supra is Posted without the Extender Section. Pens Open with Caps Posted on Back



The last point of comparison between the Supra and the Liliput is one that you cannot see, but speaks volumes : price. An all-brass Liliput pen will run you $80. The blow-torched steel of the FireBlue Liliput goes for $180. The extra-large Supra sits in between at $140. Kaweco could have priced the Supra above the most expensive Liliput, but they didn't, which many wallets will appreciate.

The Supra fountain pen is also a fidgeter's dream come true because not only can you roll the smooth cylinder of this pen across your desk at your amusement, but you can also assemble and disassemble it to remove the extender piece, screw on the cap to the back end and take it all apart again. The Kaweco Supra can be your new best friend to occupy your hands during long meetings and webinars.

You can purchase your Kaweco Supra fountain pen from your favorite source for fine writing supplies - Goldspot.com for the street price of $140. Package it together with international size ink cartridges from Kaweco or many other brands (I would suggest Diamine, as they have a broader selection of colors). You can also add-on an international size Kaweco converter, as they are not included with the purchase of the pen. Put it all together with a travel-size, pocket notebook from Clairefontaine, and you're all set for your writing adventures.

Any questions about the Kaweco Supra? Please feel free to leave us a comment below or shoot us an e-mail and we'll be happy to help.

7.08.2016

How to Pronounce J. Herbin's Caroube de Chypre

Fountain pen enthusiasts have come to embrace the craze that has become J. Herbin's 1670 ink collection with open arms. Every year, a new ink has caused upstanding pen lovers to geek-out over the sparkle, saturation, shading and sheen of the 1670 Anniversary inks.



For 2016, J. Herbin has brought us a warm brown ink that is inspired by carob pods from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. This ink is aptly called "Caroube de Chypre," which is French for Carob from Cyprus.

Any non-French-speaking person may end up tripping over their tongue while trying to pronounce the name of this ink. Even the Pen Addict, Brad Dowdy, faced difficulty agreeing on a pronunciation on a recent Pen Addict podcast episode (at the 11 min mark).

Thankfully, we have an Asha.

Asha grew up in Senegal and is fluent in French. She's one of our customer care specialists that has been with us for 10 years. If anyone knows how to detangle this tongue twister, she does.

She confirms the correct pronunciation in our short video on our youtube channel.


However, we know that not everyone is a linguist, so we will also accept other alternate pronunciations, should you call up and place your order with us over the phone for this new ink.

Other acceptable ways to ask for Caroube de Chypre :

"Car-ooh-bay de Shy-pree"
"Carob de Shyper"
"Car-oob de Ship-ray"
"Carib de Chipper"
"the new J. Herbin ink"
"the brown, sparkly one"

So, now that we've cleared up the best way to pronounce this gorgeous ink, let's talk about the best way to write with it. J. Herbin 1670 anniversary inks are well-saturated and contain flecks of gold particles that are suspended in the ink. The more ink that is laid down on the paper, the more noticeable the effect is. Therefore, the thicker and wetter the nib, the better the result.



The East meets West as a French ink is paired up with its perfect match in the Japense Pilot Parallel calligraphy fountain pen. Pilot's parallel plate technology is a champ in getting a large amount of ink down on the page, while maintaining crisp edges of every stroke. If you're looking for a versatile selection of nib widths, check out the Pilot Parallel 4-pack with J. Herbin Caroube de Chypre combo. It includes the necessary CON-50 twist converter to extract the sparkly ink from the bottle.

On the more exotic side, where writing meets artistry, you can opt for a folded nib to put down a ton of ink on the page. Ed Jelley uses a folded nib in his video for the Caroube de Chypre, which looks so cool!


The only problem with folded nibs is that they require a bottle of ink close at hand. The whole purpose of a fountain pen was to carry pen ink within the pen so that it can be used without having to constantly dip from an inkwell. One solution is to take a Pilot Parallel nib and modify it to behave similarly to a folded nib. The large, 6.0mm Parallel nib lays down bold strokes as you attempt to control the beautiful chaos of ink on the page.



The modified Parallel nib, which we lovingly dubbed "Naifu" (Knife in Japanese) writes with raw emotion and has the advantage of being able to fill up with using the CON-50 converter. Packaged together with the Caroube de Chypre, this is a winning combination that will add a whole other dimension to your snail mail correspondence, journal entries and instagram pics.

If you're still struggling with trying to get the sparkles and sheen to appear with your anniversary ink, read our tips on how to get maximum satisfaction with your J. Herbin ink.