Edison Herald

[Glenn-SC]

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/glenn-sc/HeraldClosed.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/glenn-sc/HeraldOpen.jpg

Initial Impression: 10/10

If you are impressed with boxes and packaging, keep looking. Edison ships its pens in a lovely crystal clear acrylic tube with blood red rubber end stoppers protected by organic shock absorbers. OK, it's a plastic tube with cotton inserts. But the pen was very well protected and no money was wasted. I was looking forward to this pen's arrival and it came in five days, visually it is stunning and the Herald is my favorite shape of pen, the rounded torpedo shape.

Look/Finish: 9.8/10

I ordered a Herald made of Cappuccino Acrylic. I had worked with Brian Grey on a number of materials for my pen. He sent me small polished samples of extra materials he had on hand. When none of those panned out he got on his web-cam and cut and polished some other samples for me. Ultimately, it came down to a choice between the Cappuccino and Butterscotch Swirl acrylic he shows made into a #76 on his website. Liking the cream swirls in the brown base material better I chose the Cappuccino. The material choice is, of course, totally personal preference, but I like the Cappuccino very much. The brown base actually has very small reflective particles in it, which shimmer when the light hits at an angle giving the material depth and luster. The shape is all nice smooth curves with no steps or abrupt changes from section to section in the barrel or cap. The only flaw in the finish (-0.2) is the joint where the cap tip captures the clip, you can feel it. The gold plated clip is elegantly simple and solid. As compared to the Balance II and the Argento, the cap lip is not tapered in toward the barrel. This leaves a thicker and more robust lip. It gives the cap a more substantial look and feel. (See the last picture.) When I first got the pen the cap to barrel were very tight but they've loosened up nicely with a few uses and still tighten on snugly.

 

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/glenn-sc/Herald-Balance-ArgentoOpen.jpg

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j95/glenn-sc/Herald-Balance-ArgentoNibs.jpg

Feel/Balance: 10/10

I don't have a scale but it feels the same weight as the Balance II and the Argento. The Balance has a brass weight in the end of the barrel to change the center of mass point, but all three balance the same. The "grip to tip" distance is about the same for the Herald and the Argento and less for the Balance, which makes the Balance feel nose heavy. Or the Herald feel more laid-back if you prefer. I like the laid-back feel better. I also like the diameter of the barrel and the Section as I like thicker pens.

 

From the Edison Website:

Weight w/ Cap 18g

Weight w/o Cap 10g

Cap Diameter .600"

Body Diameter .530"

Length Capped 5 3/4"

Length Uncapped 5"

 

Filling System: 10/10

The filling system is a Piston Type Converter filler that operates very smoothly and holds a lot of ink. It works and that's what counts to me.

 

Nib: 10/10

I got the Edison 18k gold nib in Fine. The nib keeps the "elegantly simple and solid" theme going. You can see a better picture of it than I can take at his website. Brian describes he typical grind as "buttery smooth, with a slight amount of feedback, with nice flow (7 out of 10)." The nib is indeed buttery smooth and it has a slight amount of feedback; sweet very sweet! The flow is closer to a 9.5 than a 10, but it handles all the inks I put into it and writes like a Medium.

 

Price/Value: 9/10

The standard Herald costs $190. I got the 18k gold nib upgrade for $100. I expect any pen over say $75 to work and work well. This is not a inexpensive pen. But it does what it does very very well. Is the gold nib worth $100 more than the Standard Steel or Brian's

Upgraded Steel Nib? Since I haven't tried them it is hard for me to judge the value of the upgrade. But the gold nib is smooth and soft, as compared to flexy, which is more important to me!

 

Overall: 10/10

I am very impressed with the Herald and am getting ready to buy another. All I need to do is find the perfect material.

 

<<Edited to correct reported filler system.>>

Edited February 15, 2009 by Glenn-SC

[Heirphoto]

Great review. I have the Pearl in capucino, the very one pictured on Brian's website actually and love the pen. I am more of an old time color guy but this one still has a very appealing look to it.

 

I have a #76 in Tortoise coming to me as soon as Brian returns from the LA show and a Herald in ebonite on order.

 

Great pens, nice fellow to deal with.

 

Tony

[MidnightBlue]

I'm still waiting but should be any day now. Very like a KOP but more smaller and therefore more practical AND CHEAPER.

[Heirphoto]

Glenn,

 

Piston filler? Do you mean a cartridge converter as it typical on the Herald or did you have soemthing specially made?

 

 

Tony

[Hennypenny]

Great review! I have several Edisons, including a Herald demonstrator. It (the Herald) has surprised me by becoming one of my favorite daily writers -- I'm not that into demonstrators, so it's a testament to its size, balance, and nib (also the gold Edison nib). And now I actually enjoy seeing the ink inside the pen!

 

Brian is doing interesting work -- his pens are expensive, but of a quality and functionality of far more expensive pens. Plus you can watch them being made, select the material you want, customize them, ask questions, and have the resulting product tweaked to your liking, etc. To me, that means GREAT VALUE.

 

I'm awaiting a red #76 bulb-filler when Brian gets back from LA. It still needs to be sent to the engraver, and I'm toying with having my initials or name engraved on it while it's there anyway. That little enhancement reminds me of the pens of yore -- when having your pen engraved was commonplace. It would definitely make the pen "mine" -- what do others think about doing this? Again, it's something that Brian says can be done easily enough since the pens are sent off for engraving.

 

Anyway, I love your Herald -- great color choice! HP

 

PS Remember that the gold nib can easily be swapped into another Edison pen -- so you won't necessarily need to order the premium nib on your NEXT Edison (and yes, there will be a next Edison!).

Edited February 15, 2009 by Hennypenny

[Glenn-SC]

Piston filler? Do you mean a cartridge converter as it typical on the Herald or did you have soemthing specially made?

 

Tony,

It is the Piston Converter.

Brian makes some special stuff, but I haven't seen him make a Pistol Filler yet.

Sorry.

I will correct my Review above.

 

Glenn

Edited February 16, 2009 by Glenn-SC

[goodguy]

Thank you for the review,I really have to get me an Edison pen but with a RHR body.

[penguinmaster]

Thanks for the review Glenn! Gorgeous pen as well. I had a cappucino in the old style herald, it's a lovely lovely acrylic. Glad to see it in a modern rendition! Tempting!

 

-penguin

[Douglas]

Can any other Edison owners comment on the fit between the tip of the cap and the lower portion of the cap? Is Glenn's pen an anomoly or is the lack of flush fit characteristic of the pen?

[asimplemaestro]

Very nice...I love the finish.

[MidnightBlue]

My Herald arrived yesterday. I don't know what to say.........BUY ONE OF THESE!! Stuart in Australia.

[Glenn-SC]

I am working with Brian right now on choosing the material for my next pen.

 

He's quite a nice person to work with.

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Thank you for the review -- this seems like a great pen.