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My next pen will most likely be a Faber-Castell with a fine nib. However, I can't decide whether to go with a Loom or an Ambition. I like the design of the Ambition better, but it's €55 is 26€ more than the Loom. I have just renovated my kitchen, so my pockets are not exactly overflowing with money. Are the nibs and feeds identical on these two pens? If that's the case, my choice will be slightly easier. Thanks in advance! /Andy

After a long & strong fight with the penavarice-devil , I finally gave in and bought a GvFC Intuition. I went with the 'terra' - the red-orang-ish barrel. I have also replicated the content with some additional pictures in my blog as the images are reduced to a small thumbnail after a short-while. Below is a link to the same: Graf von Faber-Castell Intuition Review Here goes a review of the same: The Intuition With a covetous eye on this pen, since the time I had got my FCD Ambition and then an orange coloured Ondoro fountain pen, it indeed required lady luck's blessings, to get this one at a steeply discounted price. I must say, that there was already a strange sense of loss of colours, after I had given both of my orange coloured fountain pens away - Ondoro (mint & boxed) and later the Pelikan m205. And this was an appropriate treatment for my colour blindnesshttp://lh5.ggpht.com/-a-Tba4pAIVk/VPfDFXW0uAI/AAAAAAAAEBE/0lhEVc5hixI/wlEmoticon-rainbow2.png?imgmax=800. Coming to the Faber-Castell Design(FCD) and the rather luxurious Graf von Faber-Castell(GvFC) line of pens, I must say that they have been able to splendidly highlight the art of convergence of design and utility. The Intuition pen comes in six lines of resin-based designs and two(earlier three) lines of wood-based designs. The wooden designs are called Intuition Platino Wood which is an enhanced intuition design altogether, be it the fluted wooden barrel or the platinum plated cap or an extra-large and more exquisitely designed bi-colour nib. And, it naturally places them in a more premium segment http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xbUGfrYQ50k/VPfDGkDN4aI/AAAAAAAAEBM/SJueZw-VO6s/wlEmoticon-surprisedsmile2.png?imgmax=800. All these design lines come with a fountain pen (with 6 to 7 different nib widths), a roller ball, a propelling pencil (0.7mm) and a ballpoint pen. Presentation (6/6) It’s a chamois-coloured gift box with top and bottom wooden linings, which secures itself by a magnetic catch within the two folds. There is the pen resting in a cardboard box within a chamois-coloured linen bag, which carries the Graf Von Faber-Castell name and their coat-of-arms logo. I someway like the linen, bag because of its differentiated appeal, though not from an utilitarian perspective. There is also a warranty leaflet-cum-manual, which states a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects and assures services, in case any need for repair arises. Then, it also illustrates refilling the entire range of GvFC pens and other stationery. http://s25.postimg.org/pcc1oi7n3/Gv_FC_001.jpg Design (6/6) The Intuition range comes in six variants (terra - orange, ivory – off-white/fluted, black - black/fluted/metal cap) with six different nib sizes – EF, F, M, B, OM and OB. Only one of these variants comes with a platinum plated metal cap with a shiny black barrel. Coming back to the pen, once you take it out, it surely looks like a compact enchanting piece of art. A high gloss sheen of the of the barrel and the cap reflects back quite a bit of light. Complementing this sheen, are the dazzling platinum plated trims of the pen. http://s25.postimg.org/u4qwx28mn/Gv_FC_009.jpg On pulling the cap off, you would initially notice the singularity of the barrel, a section sans joints. It’s made out of a single piece of resin, in this case reflecting the colour of earth or ‘terra’, gleaming with an orange smile. At the top end of the barrel, is a twist-metallic crown, which disengages the bi-tone nib section and converter system, from the rest of the body. I just love this element of design! The knob is embossed with the coat-of-arms logo, on the finial. Usually the coat-of-arms logo is used in GvFC pens and FCD pens(Ambition, Ondoro, e-motion) carry the jostling knights logo. Traditionally coat-of-arms is said to represent full-achievement in a heraldic tradition. GvFC has quite a bit of design superiority over the other FCD pens. Towards the nib end, the singular barrel narrows down to a slightly concave section to form a comfortable grip. Despite the glossy and smooth finish, the pen has a subtle but non-slippy grip section. The cap is engraved with GRAF VON FABER – CASTELL, encircling the metallic finial insert which again bears another coat-of-arms logo with its platinum sheen. The cap band says GRAF VON FABER – CASTELL on one side and on the other end it's HANDMADE IN GERMANY. ‘Handmade’ because there are over a hundred steps in the entire manufacturing process of this pen, a majority of which are carried out by hand. The clip on the cap carries the gleam of platinum with a highly efficient and visible spring loaded system. http://s25.postimg.org/xcqcczokv/1_Gv_FC.jpg Filling System (6/6) Once the crown of the barrel is rotated anti-clockwise to disengage the nib & filling system, you would notice a rather classical CC filler system. The nib has a screw fit, and inserts into a metallic sleeve like most of the Faber-Castell fountain pens which I have seen. The nib sleeve has threads which synchronize with threads on the inner barrel, both ending up with an octagonal cross section. The converter has a metallic premium band which friction-fits into the nib section though it does not fit a FCD Ambition section. However, the Ambition converter fits in the Intuition nib section. The converter has a reasonably high capacity of 0.8 – 0.9 mL, and the ink does last for quite a while! I usually have a bias towards piston fillers, but I do appreciate the Faber-Castell converter capacity. http://s25.postimg.org/xgk5t8u27/2_Gv_FC.jpg The nib section carries a six-digit number which denotes the date of manufacture, which I did confirm with the Faber-Castell team. Mine says 011210, which would mean it was manufactured way back on 01-December-2010.http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4LhAicXcVUM/VPfDJ9JciiI/AAAAAAAAEBk/kRvZ6XhRsSM/wlEmoticon-peace%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800 Nib (5/6) – All that matters The 18k bi-tone nib comes in four main widths – EF, F, M & B and two special widths – OM (left) & OB (left). The tail end specifies the nib size and composition (75% Au , 18 ct) of the alloy used. A white rhodium decor occupies the outer tines converging with the iridium tip, while the inner part circumscribing the breather hole gleams golden with engraved stripes. There is a dazzling white coat-of-arms logo resting just above the tail-end. This one is a fine nib and writes quite smoothly with a 'minutely minute' hint of feedback when I use relatively drier inks. It lays down a wet albeit fine line, which will be covered in the last section of this review. With a rather curved shoulder, the nib does portray an apparently smaller size even if it’s quite similar to the size of the relatively flat Ambition nib. [minus 1] http://s25.postimg.org/yhkeidb1r/Gv_FC_008_wb.jpg Below is a comparison to the FCD Ambition (non-premium) sections. You can check the differences between the two converters, the Intuition has got some metallic embellishment. They do use a similar feed. http://s25.postimg.org/fnylldctr/3_Gv_FC2.jpg Physics of it (4/6) – relatively speaking With a cylindrical body of 1.2 cm diameter, it does give a comfortable feel without adding too much weight. The capped length of 12.5 cm is quite similar to a Pelikan m400. In short, it is quite a compact pen when compared to an MB146 or even a thinner Ambition, for that matter. And a compact pen, can have its advantages along with some disadvantages. The weight of this pen has a significant contribution from the resin cap. http://s25.postimg.org/93vtf0ysv/Gv_FC_017.jpg Uncapped Length ~ 12 cm Posted Length ~ 15 cm Nib Leverage ~ 2 cm Overall Weight ~ 29.4 g Uncapped, it’s quite similar to the m400 but slightly shorter than the Ambition. The loss of weight and length is somehwat balanced by the wider grip section, if not completely. http://s25.postimg.org/g9nkhh7vz/Gv_FC_018.jpg Alternatively, you can post it and it’s similar to a posted m400 with a slightly top-heavy configuration. However, I feel comfortable to use it both posted and unposted, although I never have shared the same feeling with Ambition. http://s25.postimg.org/hant6lovj/Gv_FC_019.jpg Economic Value(5/6) Although pen retails around USD 600, it is available at a street price of around USD 430. With end of season clearance sale, I was able to get the pen at a good discounted price (around 50%). Overall (5.3/6)I feel loved by the design and exquisite appeal of this pen on an overall scale, whenever I write with it. No skipping or hard starts right from the beginning, it was quite smooth out of the box. With a stiff nib, it delivers a wet (not broad) line, with the fine nib. The line width closely resembles a Japanese FM nib. For a pelikan 4001 brilliant green ink, it takes around 12-13 seconds to dry up. You may not notice any line variation with horizontal and vertical strokes for this one. http://s25.postimg.org/bp1e2jo6n/Gv_FC_020.jpg It was fun reviewing the intuition. Hope you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for your time. Awaiting your feedback on the intuition... Best, Sonik

Hello. i dont use all the much my Faber castell because of the nibs they have , a broad and a medium nib. I was wondering if i could replace these nibs with more interesting nibs , like a architect or a italic grind nib. i know i'd use them so much more with these nibs. that being said , is it possible to change these nibs ? if yes , where can i find interesting ones? Thanks in advance!

I have long followed a utilitarian approach to fountain pens, which ultimately serve as the vehicle for inks, with a collection mainly of Lamy Vistas and Mujis; but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good looking pen, even if many of those are way out of my budget. I have better pens in terms of their nibs or ergonomics, but with the arrival of an m205 it made me think about design, as I find this pen mesmerizing, so here are my four finalists: Pelikan m205, Faber Castell Ambition in pearwood, Lamy Studio in Imperial Blue and Black. Which are yours? Pictures please!

I've got a Faber Castell Ambition inked-up with Diamine Eclipse. Unfortunately it drys out after a couple of days of not being used. I'm not sure if this is a function of the pen's nib (it has no breather hole), the ink, the cap, or the storage. It is stored with many other Waterman and Kaweco pens in a dry box - none of which exhibit this problem. Can anyone provide any insight into this problem? Having to dip the pen and invariably getting ink on my fingers each time I use it , is frustrating and discouraging its use. Will a change of ink make a difference? thanks tbzbbt

Faber-Castell Ambition Review (Medium in Black Resin) I have owned this pen for a year now, and it has been used very heavily during that time. It was the first pen I bought and chose myself and it was a sort-of grail at the time. Th pen's design is very minimalistic. It's all straight and cylindrical. The cap is made of chrome with plastic internals, but it's very heavy. The barrel is made from brushed "precious" resin. After a year, the brushing has worn away, so it looks more polished. Still doesn't look smooth and glossy, though. The pen was breathtaking when it was new. The resin could be compared to the Lamy 2000's makrolon: Makrolon on top, resin below. Before buying the Ambition, my main concerns were the resin cracking and the comfort in the hand. There are no cracks in the pen to report, and the comfort isn't perfect, but it's fine. It's not for everyone, though. The step seen above is what concerns most. I hold the pen on the chrome section, but most hands would be too large to do so. I use the pen unposted, as posting throws the balance off a lot, due to the heavy cap. It does look very nice posted, though. The writing experience is far from perfect. The nib is very smooth, but it makes a lot of sound when writing, which makes you think it's scratchy. There is some feedback on left-to-right strokes, but it's only noticeable with pressure. Speaking of pressure, the nib is definitely a nail. Very hard with almost no line variation to be had. I would rate the flow 3/5 for wetness. The feed doesn't maintain the flow perfectly, but it's not horrible. Keep in mind the pen is only £40. Compared to other pens in this price, you get a great writer. The medium nib is quite fine, so it's suitable for everyday writing. All nib units within Faber-Castell's "Design" range are the same and compatible with other pens from the range. Overall, I enjoy the pen very much but it's not without its flaws. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a £40 pen that's both beautiful and a good writer. This was my first pen review. How did I do?

I took my Faber-Castell Ambition on an airplane, and despite the Faber-Castell website stating "You do not need to worry about traveling by air with Faber-Castell fountain pens." it leaked a bunch of ink. Part 1: Cap liner The ink has gotten itself in between the metal cap and the plastic cap liner, and, I believe, into the spring mechanism at the end of the cap. If it's possible to do non-destructively, I'd like to remove the cap liner and clean the interior of the cap. Google's not turning up any tricks, and I haven't figured out how to pull it out myself. Does anyone know if there's a way to get the cap liner out, clean it, and put it back? Part 2: Clip spring mechanism. Ink is leaking around the clip, (which is sprung), and through the end of the cap. Is it possible to remove the spring mechanism without destroying it so I can get it cleaned up? I can't see any way to make it happen, especially with the cap liner still in the cap, but it was put together, so there must be a way to take it apart! Thanks! - John

Hi guys, I have a Faber-Castell Ambition but its wooden body broke after a stupid decision of lenting it to my clumsy brother, in hope I would convert him to our side. The whole section with the nib and feed in it are still ok, so I am trying now to turn it into a fountain pen once again. I contacted the company and they said they are willing to replace it free of carge if I send it to them, but I don't have it anymore and they don't sell only the bodies of their products . My brother threw it away cause he didn't want me to find out that he broke it. He wanted me to think he lost it cause he always breaks my things and somehow in his head losing it was a better explanation . So I need your help! Do you know of any other Faber-Castell product that the section would screw on? Or any other company. Even if it is a pencil or a rollerball (but cheaper than the Ambition line) I could buy it, remove the insides and screw the front section on it. Or maybe if I could use the nib on some Jinhaos I ordered? I was wondering if I could use some pottery clay or wood to make the pen body myself, even if it comes out ugly. This was my first pen and ohhh that wooden body was so nice to hold and write with. And this nib has my personality now after all these years and still write with it everyday and want to continue to. I want to hear your ideas or your instructions! That's what I am left with:

I have only one Faber-Castell fountain pen: the Loom. The nib is quite good, so I'm thinking about possibly buying more F-C pens down the road. Which brings me to my question: does F-C use the same kind of nib for all of its fountain pens, or does it use something different on its more expensive models (such as the Ambition or Ondoro)? And if it does use different nibs for different pens, have you noticed any differences in nib performance worth mentioning?

Hello everyone, I would like to buy a Faber Castell Ambition and I need your help. Could anyone post a sample note written with a fine nib and, for comparison, with a medium nib? I would be also grateful if someone shared some thoughts on the wetness, smoothness and general performance of the nib. I have read a few, but they all vary so much that I don't know what to expect. I have to choose between two nibs - F and M. I'd prefer a thin line and a smooth nib, but I'm not sure if a combination of the two exists in this case. Thank you very much!

One of my initial reviews@fpn was of the FCD Ambition. I took this pen out today to give it a deeper look, after gaining relatively more experience with Faber Castell line of pens. Here is a link to my review on blogger: The Faber-Castell Design Ambition Review So here goes a detailed review. Long ago during school days, I had used some of the not so expensive Faber-Castell ballpoints, pencils, highlighters, rulers, mechanical pencils and geometry sets. They used to be a bit scarce in India then, as they came with a ‘Made in Germany’ tag. Though there was little or no price difference with other Indian brands like Camlin or Omega, these were not widely available as such. Years later one fine day, while randomly searching for pens made by Faber-Castell, I bumped across the Ambition/Ondoro/e-motion fountain pens which were placed in a premium segment with Graf-Von Faber Castell Anello/Intuition in luxury segment. In India, a few models were available in Shoppers Stop Online and some of the other known e-com sites, back then. I finally ordered an Ambition (then an Ondoro) from Pensavenue, as they were running a discount sale on all Faber-Castell products. I added a converter since it was clearly mentioned that a Faber-Castell Design (FCD) converter was not included with the gift package. A BIT OF FABER-CASTELL HISTORY Around 1660s Kaspar Faber was one of the pencil makers in Stein, Bavaria, Germany. Later Kaspar’s son Anton Wilhelm Faber took over the business and the initials A.W were added from his name in 1839. Later on in 1898, when Ottile Von Faber (sixth generation of Faber family) married Count Alexander zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, A.W Faber-Castell was born. Count Alexander modernised the company and introduced the jousting knights logo. Faber-Castell started manufacturing fountain pens in 1951, after acquiring the Osmia Company and produced fountain pens till 1975. They had carried the Osmia logo [diamond-within-a-circle] till the 1960s, given Osmia’s high brand recognition in the fountain pen industry. Later under Anton Wolfgang von Faber-Castell, Faber-Castell started expanding their factories & offices across the globe and also started manufacturing fountain pens under two banners of Design and Graf von Faber-Castell (introduced in 1993) from the 90s. These Ambition range comes with a fountain pen (with 4 different nib widths), a roller ball, a propelling pencil (0.7mm) and a ballpoint pen with various barrel designs constituting of resin, wood or brushed steel. PRESENTATION Within 3 days, the pen and a converter were delivered in a moss-green cardboard box. The colour reminds me of lush green cricket outfields and the Australian Baggy Green Caps. The box has a slider and the pen is secured with an elastic band on a felted bed, along with a warranty card. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-msdcMLZM5x8/VcX15lwx8aI/AAAAAAAAFCI/azlre_iK5vU/s1600/DSC_4963.jpg DESIGN - THE CYLINDRICAL MOTLEY OF RESIN & METAL (4/6) Held in hand, the pen will feel somewhat heavier towards the cap end, with a relatively lighter brushed barrel made of up black coloured resin (Like MB, Faber-Castell also calls it ‘precious resin’, I feel it has comparatively lower density). http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hih-SaIwMKU/VcX2CwS4I1I/AAAAAAAAFCQ/DXWLWXZ25Hw/s1600/DSC_4973.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SxktYdYHRiQ/VcX2Xh2uVkI/AAAAAAAAFCo/sz_dpqB7bMw/s1600/DSC_5010.jpg A convergence in its minimalistic design of the chrome plated accents is achieved with another piece of metallic finial at the end of the barrel, which also serves as the click-lock for posting the cap. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n4O_LTCsd-8/VcX2HuQbODI/AAAAAAAAFCg/iPvdisa5D18/s1600/DSC_5000.jpg And yes, the chrome accents are prone to fingerprints. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P96DZiiL9xI/VcX2EdtvRaI/AAAAAAAAFCY/8T7Awrn-FRk/s1600/DSC_4983.jpg The cap is substantially heavy with a snap-on locking mechanism. Once you pull it, it comes off with an audible click, and you can see a chromed metallic section attached to the non-differentiated grip, at the end of which rests the shiny nib. Absence of any taper in the singular cylindrical section, introduces a steep step for holding the pen. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4UFE2LGgsjE/VcX2mbCswxI/AAAAAAAAFDA/LKc5NSRPrUQ/s1600/DSC_5019.jpg A mirror finish on the chromed cap etched with the Faber-Castell logo of two jousting knights will immediately gleam with the slightest amount of light and it is also embossed with the traditional statement preserving antiquity of A.W Faber-Castell - Since 1761. The clip is spring loaded and is shaped like an arc with a concave end. To generate friction with fabric, there are multiple grooves on the insides of the clip’s concavity, where it touches the cap. There is also a plastic insert inside the cap which gives the snap-on friction. However, it seems to lose grip with time. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UQI4QeeQLeA/VcbJiYDaMgI/AAAAAAAAFD0/gT_mkgHU35c/s1600/Cap.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (5/6) The small metallic section at the end of the barrel unscrews from the resin barrel with less than three turns and it disengages the section containing the nib and CC filling system. The nib has a screw fit, and inserts into a metallic sleeve like most of the Faber-Castell fountain pens which I have seen. The nib sleeve has threads which synchronize with threads on the insides of the resin barrel. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RK7DWlaZ-AU/VcX2asJWGLI/AAAAAAAAFCw/E6G25MRITCo/s1600/DSC_5048.jpg The converter says SCHMIDT on its piston along with a brand imprint of FABER-CASTELL Germany on the metallic sleeve. It has a reasonably high capacity of 0.8 – 0.9 mL, and the ink does last for quite a while! I am usually biased towards piston fillers, but I like the capacity offered by Faber-Castell or Schmidt converters. In case of GvFC Converters there is no mention of Schmidt on the converters themselves. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dha1qS8xnX0/VcX20pkwu2I/AAAAAAAAFDQ/kMbn4yPpB0Q/s1600/DSC_5072.jpg NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (6/6) The nib is made of stainless steel alloy with an iridium tip. The initially available nib sizes featured F, M and B nibs, though an EF was made available later. I went with an M sized nib. Right out of the box, this was a butter-smooth nib. The nib has a perforated imprint of dots which cover a third of its surface area. Had these been real perforations there would have been an opulence of breather holes. And in fact there is not even a single breather hole. The nib-size is embossed above the traditional Faber-Castell Design logo of two jousting knights near the tail. Nib section is screw-fit and thus easily removable from the steel sleeve for cleaning or replacement. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-56jH49qkE40/VcX2mZWV-lI/AAAAAAAAFC8/AkLF0kvG-Ec/s1600/DSC_5083.jpg The feed is standard grey plastic, with a big filler hole for ink suction, which is incidentally also used across the GvFC Intuition Series. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wJHOQThFG3Q/VcX200DcZCI/AAAAAAAAFDY/yqDYXJWC2QI/s1600/DSC_5103.jpg Faber-Castell Design (steel) nibs are sourced from JoWo whereas the GvFC nibs are known to be sourced from Bock. PHYSICS OF IT (3/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING Without the cap, the pen measures around 12 cm, which might not be comfortable for people with medium or large hands. Posting the cap is easy and it seems to be secured with a click-lock at the finial section. Although the posted pen exceeds a 15 cm scale, the steel cap makes it pretty top-heavy. In addition to weight, the cap freely rotates once it’s click-posted. While writing posted, the beautifully arched clip later becomes the pen’s arch-nemesis for top weight imbalance, with free rotation around the metal section. A girth less than 1 cm might be inadequate for the shorter uncapped length. Uncapped Length ~ 12.2 cm Capped Length ~ 14 cm Posted Length ~ 15.8 cm Nib Leverage ~ 1.9 cm Overall Weight ~ 28 g (Cap Weight ~ 15 g) Capped and uncapped and posted with a GvFC Intuition, Pelikan m400/2XX and a bigger MB146 run below for your reference. The Intuition has a wider grip than the Ambition. (Reusing some older pics here) http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-raOQ2a8hfmg/VaneoU3hiRI/AAAAAAAAE04/MbwYl1DQCNw/s1600/GvFC%2B017.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IfUp77HFXU/VaneucQwuSI/AAAAAAAAE1Q/ywtzuSmqxKQ/s1600/GvFC%2B018.jpghttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lEIIXA9iDXQ/VaneqEEmoVI/AAAAAAAAE1A/_cJ3dzaaoo0/s1600/GvFC%2B019.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (5/6) It retails at around USD 70 and I got a converter included at the same price because of the aforementioned discount. I believe it’s a good value for money pen given you too end up with such a nib, which defeats many of the gold ones. OVERALL (4.6/6) This nib is wet, runs wide and smooth like butter, without giving even a hint of feedback. I purposely used a less wet ink, but the pen did quite well against a drier pelikan 4001 ink. There is a bit of line variation with relatively thicker verticals. The nib has some spring and a touch of softness. In fact it lays a wetter and wider line with a little pressure. If you hold it from the metal section, the pen might feel slippery after some time and it might even rotate a little between your fingers. I instinctively hold the pen just above the metal section. Being a wet writer out of the box, the Medium nib puts a line which takes more than 20 seconds to dry on MD Paper with a relatively dry Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black ink. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w-SffYYQWEk/VcX3A22t3SI/AAAAAAAAFDg/aai7dhvEl5Y/s1600/DSC_5185.jpg REFERENCES Faber Castell History Bock Clientele Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

I spent many hours on this video, mostly because the program I use to edit is garbage. There's a typo or two in the video that I don't want to fix, as that would risk losing every subtitle and transition. That's how bad the program is.The pen's alright, though. I'm trying to improve, so feel free to leave criticisms.

I've now had this pen for long enough, and used it enough, to feel like I can at least give it a decent review. With a quick search, I pulled up a review that included a lot of photos of packaging and things, so I won't include those. I don't pay much attention to them anyway. Suffice it to say, the pen was safe and secure in the plastic pen case. Brand: Faber Castell Pen Name: Ambition Model: Pearwood Nib: Fine Intro: A friend purchased the pen for me as a gift to start my new job. I had ogled the pen previously, as I thought it was gorgeous. Simply holding it in the store, no ink, it felt very natural in my hand. I love the feel of the wood on my fingers. It's a silly, non-empirical sentiment, but it feels very New England to me, so seemed appropriate with my origins in MA. Appearance/Design: 10/10 Clean, gorgeous, "mission" styling. I'm biased. This pen plays to all of my stylistic preferences. Clean lines, warm (untreated) natural wood, unadorned metal, and what I think of as Shaker or Mission styling with the straight, square, simple but sturdy look. I look at this pen and I WANT to write with it. Construction/Quality: 8/10 Very little flimsy here. There's very little here that seems like it could break. The threads on the metal-core body are appear brass. The pocket clip is Faber-Castell's lovely levered clip which is easy to use and doesn't get over-stressed. Everything fits very tightly, there are no visible cracks, weak points, glue joins, etc. The only worries here are the plastic lining in the cap, which seems like it could eventually wear out as it's a very tight cap (something I value). Also, a core feature of the pen is the untreated wood. If you write with it regularly you'll probably be fine. If you care for it like you would untreated wood, you'll likely be fine. But as it's thin, I could see it drying out and cracking if left alone in a box for too long, like a guitar or such. Here's the clip Weight/Dimensions: 10/10 or 5/10 Perfect for me, Heavy cap for posting Posted, the pen is 6.2 inches long and 1.1 ounces - long and hefty Unposted, the pen is only 4.8 inches long and... much lighter. I don't post. This is lucky for me, as the cap is mostly metal, while the body is light wood and light metal so posted it feels top-heavy. I also have small hands and a slightly "off" grip. I love the light, thin, straight body, and the "short" barrel is just large enough that I actually alternate gripping the pen there, and on the wood, depending what kind of writing I'm doing. However, if you have larger hands/fingers, be aware that you will have to hold it by the wood or get used to your finger tips overlapping the seam between metal and wood. If you like the hefty, broad bodied, "power pens" then the slim line of this "skinnypen" likely won't make your heart sing. Nib/Performance: 9/10 mid-flow, smooth, a bit broad I tend to prefer super-fine, dryer writers, as I write a lot of really tiny stuff. This pen doesn't do that, which at first really disappointed me. Then I got some other pens, actually used this one at work, and came to appreciate it more. I'm now on refill 3 and I've only been using it for a month, that's how much I use it. It's so far played nice with Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin, De Atramentis Black Edition Brown, and Platinum Carbon Black. I have a Fine nib. They come in EF/F/M/B. The Fine is not as fine as I'd like. That's really not the fault of the nib, it's the fault of my being used to Japanese Fine and my friend not being a FP person. Objectively, it does fall into the "fine" category. That said, the nib is a beautiful steel with iridium tip, and I've yet to have a hard-start. While I don't always prefer broader/wetter writers, I've taken to carrying this with me to meetings if I might need to write on unknown paper. It doesn't flex, at least not much with the pressure I'm willing to put on it. That's fine, it's not what I use it for. The writing is very smooth, with just a bit of feedback, even on cruddy paper, even after it has sat for a few days unused, and that feature I love. I consider it a "wetter" writer, but that's in comparison with my other pens, which are mostly Pilots currently, none of which are wet at all. It's certainly not sloshy like my Creaper. And that wetness is what facilitates the crappy paper writing. (of note, I have Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin in it at the moment). Filling System and Maintenance: 8/10 It came with a Faber-Castell converter already installed, but that's easily taken in and out and replaced. The nib and grip are easily separable, and both screw into position. The converter is simple to operate. I don't know how you would clean the wood if it became ink stained. I haven't smudged enough yet to stain. I probably will, because I am not a neat person. I worry about this, and hope my finger oils will protect it some. Otherwise, the pen doesn't seem very high-maintenance. It filled easily and wrote flawlessly straight out of the box, and re-filled equally easily. Certainly caused me less issues than my newly acquired Platinum Plaisir *looks at bright orange hands* Taken apart. You can easily unscrew the nib from the metal grip as well. Cost/Value: 7/10 A bit pricey, but worth it for me I'll admit I have little idea about this one. It feels worth it to me. I ADORE the styling on this pen, I really like the way it writes, and use it regularly. It cost $150 with the converter, which is the high range of what this pen can cost, but having bought it from a physical store I could go back and have them mess with it if something goes wrong. I write with it on a daily basis, and it's my go-to pen when I need to write on unknown paper, or when I'm practicing my penmanship with quotes on Rhodia or sugar cane paper because, like I said, it makes me WANT to write. So, for me, totally worth it. For others? If you want a thin, low maintenance pen, that you probably won't post, that's really reliable and writes like butter... it's probably worth it. It came from Paradise Pens in Reston, VA. They only had Medium nibs in stock, and I pretty much only use Fine and Extra-Fine. The shop was happy to send out for a Fine tip, and it came within a week. He didn't realize they made an Extra-Fine. Conclusion: 8.7 or 7.8 I love this pen with all my little heart. I'm not broadly experienced yet, but for me it's one of my go-to pens. With this and my Pilot Cavalier, I feel like I can write on just about any paper I need to and am not going to have problems. I love the feel of it in my hand and it makes me want to write better. It definitely has it's flaws, especially if you're a poster, or have big hands, but I'm neither. I worry about the wood, but the wood is also the reason I love it so much (mm tactile). Hopefully this is helpful! If you're new to FPs and have small hands like me, it's definitely worth the monetary leap.

I kind of felt like writing a review of a pen which many adore for its immaculate design. I do adore it , one of my finest steel nibs Below is a link to the same on my blog. If there is some problem with the shared pictures below, I would request you to please go to the below link: http://iwonder-thecartographer.blogspot.in/2014/10/faber-castell-design-ambition-review.html Long ago , back in school days, I had used inexpensive Faber-Castell ball point pens, pencils, highlighters, rulers, mechanical pencils and geometry sets. They used to be elitist then, as they came with the ‘Made in Germany’ tag. Though there was little or no price difference with Indian brands such as Camlin or Omega , they were not widely available. One fine day, while randomly searching on fountain pens made by Faber-Castell, I came across the Ambition/Ondoro/e-motion fountain pens in premium segment with Graf-Von Faber Castell Anello/Intuition placed in luxury segment. In India, a few models were available in Shoppers Stop and some of the e-com sites such as flipkart, pensavenue and makoba. I finally ordered an Ambition from Pensavenue, as they were running a discount sale on all Faber-Castell products then. I added a converter since it was clearly stated that FCD converter is not included. The available nib sizes featured an F, M and B though an EF was made available later. I went for an M sized nib. Within 3 days, the pen along with a converter arrived in a grassy-green packaging. The colour reminds me of cricket fields and Australian Baggy Green Caps. http://s25.postimg.org/jxm71iey7/DSC_0944.jpg http://s25.postimg.org/5zzfigrhr/DSC_0946.jpg Once held in hand, the pen feels somewhat heavy with a relatively lighter brushed barrel body made of black coloured resin (Faber Castell calls it ‘precious resin’) . And a high polish chrome steel cap etched with Faber-Castell logo (two jousting knights) with the statement (actually, the entire thing that is on the green box), along with the barrel end-cap made with the same finish, bestows the pen with a rather minimalist yet efficient look. The Pen http://s25.postimg.org/khwmqgisv/DSC_0950.jpg Once you open the pen, you would notice a rather tiny chrome metal grip and a steel nib with a perforated pattern of dots running over it. http://s25.postimg.org/pn2fltl4f/DSC_0954.jpg The pen and it’s parts.. Converter is additional and does come with a Faber Castell Germany imprint. http://s25.postimg.org/8vh432kvj/DSC_0959.jpg The nib has a perforated pattern of dots imprinted across, covering more than a third of its surface area. Had these been real perforations there would have been plenty of breather holes . As you can see, there is no breather hole in the nib. It mentions the nib-size just above the two jousting knights logo embossed near its tail end. Nib section is screw-fit and thus easily removable from the steel grip for cleaning or replacement. http://s25.postimg.org/j6tgvqckv/DSC_0998.jpg Without the cap, the pen measures around 12 cm, which might not be comfortable for people with medium to large hands. A perspective would be a Pelikan m400/Pilot Custom 74 when posted feels very comfortable to me. Posting the cap is easy and can be secured with a click-lock at the barrel end-cap. Although the posted pen exceeds a total length of 15 cm, the steel cap makes it pretty heavy at the top. In addition to weight, the cap freely rotates once it’s click-posted. It has a beautifully arched spring-loaded clip (it’s heavy too) which later becomes the pen’s arch-nemesis for top weight imbalance, as the clip (with the cap) can freely rotate towards the direction of incline while writing. http://s25.postimg.org/dmgzl3dpr/DSC_1014.jpg The design is pretty alluring but functionality is a little inhibited when weight is not evenly distributed for a pen. http://s25.postimg.org/y7vrczvan/DSC_1019.jpg The nib performance can be termed superlative. A wet and even flow with an ultra-smooth performance, which could make even the 14k/18k s’ shy. http://s25.postimg.org/56rf3laun/DSC_1022.jpg Ratings FCD Ambition - Feature Length Capped ~ 14 cm Posted ~ 15.8 cm Unposted ~ 12.2 cm Nib Leverage ~ 1.9 cm Rating - 8 Comments - Posted length is preferable but not too comfortable for a top heavy structure Weight Posted ~ 28 g Cap wt ~ 16 g Rating - 6 Comments - Balancing is a problem for large hands - The cap when posted rotates freely along with heavy clip affecting the direction of weight of a top-heavy structure Design/Look - Silver Accents - Black ‘precious’ resin barrel - Chromed clip, barrel end-cap and grip Rating - 10 Comments - Chrome plated furniture with black resin (called precious resin) encompasses the minimalistic design - Spring loaded arched clip Filling System Faber Castell Design Converter Rating - 10 Comments - Does hold a lot of ink ~ 1 mL Nib Steel Nib Balancing Length ~ 1.9 cm Rating - 10 Comments - Wet Flow - Butter Smooth - Screw Fit - Removable Grip Ideally fingers would rest somewhere between the metallic grip and the barrel-end resin as support - Length (steel end) ~ 0.8 cm Rating - 8 Comments - Grip is kind of ‘okay’ - Short ~ 0.8 cm - Steel will be slippery with sweat Economic Value - Retails around USD 70 - Good Value for money Rating - 9.5 Comments - Given the pen’s performance the steel nib outperforms many gold ones Accessories - None other than the green cardboard gift box - You have to buy the converter separately for around USD 6 Rating - 7 Comments - Can use standard international cartridges - Other standard international converters (waterman, rotring) may not fit properly Overall Rating 8.56

I'm thinking about buying a Faber-Castell Ambition (black), but I'm a bit skeptical. Please help if you own one. There seem to be some unclear issues: 1. Does the resin body crack when screwed too tight? This seems to only be a problem with the black version, as the others have metal threads. 2. Does the the cap stop clicking in place? I read a review that said after 2 months the cap wouldn't click to the body 3. Is the grip section uncomfortable? It looks like it is. Also, how would it compare to a TWSBI 580/ Classic? Help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!