Sheaffer Agio Compact review

July 4, 2009

Hello fellow fountain pen lovers,

Here is my review of Sheaffer Agio Compact fountain pen ( http://www.sheaffer.com/writing/agio_compact/ )

1. First Impressions - I was looking for a small size pen to use with an agenda and/or with a polo shirt during this hot summer. My options were Montblanc Mozart 114, Parker Duofold Demi, Pelikan M300, Cross Compact and this little fellow. The prices were around $300, $350, $180, $95 and $55 respectively.

The pen was in a nice box and gift bag with vinyl/leather handles. Included were 2 black cartridges. The current models are in the above link, but this was was a Cranberry model. Sheaffer verified that they produced these models until 2007. A 2007 leaflet showed that a dark blue version was manufactured in 2007.

I apologize for not giving you any sizes, as I have no slider with me at the moment, but this is a small pen. It does not pose any problems to me when posted. You will find some photos of it compared to a Pelikano P460 below.

2. Appearance & Finish - The pen is made of metal. It is bordeaux/burgundy with yellow trimmings. The nib is gold dipped steel, and is medium size. There are some small chippings at the bottom of the cap. I would have asked for another one if there were any more of these, but since this was the last pen in the distributor and the fact that these were not produced anymore, I decided to get on with it.

3. Design/ Size/Weight- This pen is definetly on the smaller side of the scale. Enclosed are comparision photos with Pelikano P460.

4. Nib Design & Performance- The nib is M. This model has only been manufactured with M only. Below is a sample writing.

5. The Filling System- The pen is short international cartridge fill only. I do not think that a converter will fit.

6. Cost/Value- The cost is approximately 55 USD. It is worth the money when you consider its competitiors.

7. Overall Opinion/Conclusion- This is a pen that is nice to use with an agenda or carry in small pockets. The nib is an actual Agio, the only difference between the two is the barrel size. It starts without a problem, it is a great value for its price. This is of course not a daily writer, but a quick note taker. I would recommend it to others.

Sincerely,

July 9, 2009

Thanks for this first review. Good idea on drawing a comparison to the Pelikano. When you get a chance, see if you can provide some measurements, as the compact size is a driving attribute. It'll be interesting to see how it compares to other smallish pens.

July 10, 2009

Thanks for this first review. Good idea on drawing a comparison to the Pelikano. When you get a chance, see if you can provide some measurements, as the compact size is a driving attribute. It'll be interesting to see how it compares to other smallish pens.

Here are the measurements:

Posted = 10,2 cm = 4,0 inches

Unposted = 9,6 cm = 3,8 inches

Capped = 12,5 cm = 4,9 inches

Diameter of the body = 0,8 cm = 0,3 inches. The diamater increases a little towards the middle of the body; I assume it to be around 0,1 cm increase.

Regards,