Search the Community

Greetings everyone, I ordinarily only do video reviews but I thought I would give a shot at writing out my feelings about my favorite pen. I was able to purchase a Lamy Aion early because I live in Germany. I have owned my Lamy Aion since Mid August and it is my #1 choice for my EDC. I have broken down my major talking points that I have talked about my video (I will link at the bottom of my text review) Looks (3/10): Overall the looks of the Lamy Aion are very boring. All one color (either black or olive...which is really like a metal color) except for the clip which is a shiny metal. Only subtly does the clip have a small Lamy logo on the side of it. Other than that there are no frills, lines, curves or anything to break up the minimalist looks of this pen. If it were anything that would make me reach for a different pen it would be the looks just because it doesn't inspire anything, it is simply the look of a tool that you are going to use. Construction (10/10): The Aion is constructed of Aluminum. It feels solid in the hand. The aluminum has a brushed finish to it, but the "grooves" are fine enough where you won't feel it in your hands, but if you rub your fingernail from side to side you will be able to file down your nails with it. The body is very resistant to scratches and does not show any finger prints. Cap (9/10): The cap also has the same brushed aluminum finish with no other flair or flashy things on it. This cap is a "pop-cap" and it is removed relatively easily and can easily be removed with one hand. Due to the abrasive nature of the body the cap cannot be "flicked" off with the thumb, but that is probably not the best practice to do anyway. One major flaw is when putting the cap back on; If the cap is not lined up perfectly the lip of the pen will make contact with a ridge inside the cap and completely prevent the pen from going inside the cap. Regardless of how much pressure you put on the misaligned pair neither will budge. While this is not a huge issue, it happens more often than I would care for (especially when trying to cap it while not looking). Clip (10/10):As functional as a clip can get. there is a generous amount of space between the top of the clip and the body of the cap allowing for most clothing to slide underneath without extra effort or careful positioning. The other thing that makes this clip extra functional is there is extra material past the hinging point which allows you to position it between your finger when grabbing the cap to open the clip even further. This is very useful when putting the pen on a loose piece of clothing or on a lanyard or something similar. Grip section (10/10): Both the most comfortable and functional grips that I've owned on a pen. It is fatter than some of my other pens which I really enjoy. I have found that too many pens go to too fine of a point in their grip sections which cramps my hands. I have found that the gradual taper of the Aion is exactly what I find most comfortable. In addition to the shape constructed slightly different than the rest of the body. Instead of it being brushed aluminum, the grip section is "rough" like sea-glass so it is less abrasive than the body and it is very comfortable to hold. It is also extremely grippy. As a daily work horse pen I cannot always control the environment that I use my pen in, sometimes it is hot and my fingers are sweaty or I might need to write something in the middle of me eating lunch. And in every situation even with greasy potato chip fingers I get a firm and confident grip with the Aion. Nib (10/10): I know to some the standard Lamy steel nibs are a great and to some they are bad. To me I think the EF and the F are wonderful for daily writing. Yes, if you are looking for something with a lot of line variation during everyday writing these nibs will not suit your needs, but for a pen that is minimalist and just for function I think these nibs perform perfectly. My EF steel nib is smooth, with very little feed back, it has good flow and it never gives me any hard starts. Another thing about the nib that is great is that you can buy other nibs "cheaply" and swap them out in a matter of seconds, allowing this one pen to serve many functions as long as you don't mind having some inky fingers. Price (9/10): I don't give this a perfect 10/10 not because I don't think the materials/R&D/construction are worth it, but rather it just seems that such a simple pen would likely be slightly cheaper. Or in a trade off have something more interesting about the pen, the pen retails for around USD $70 which is alittle steep especically when you consider it has the same nib as a USD $29 pen. other things to note (not graded): one of the biggest disappointments about this pen is that Lamy did not make it include a self-filling system. When you unscrew the body of the pen the Converter looks so tiny, there is certainly enough room for them to work with to keep the same form and engineer a thin plastic sleeve(prevent it touching metal) with a plunger inside...so please please please if anybody from Lamy is reading this (unlikely, but I can still pray) make a Aion+ version that has an internal piston for greater ink capacity. Conclusion (calculated 8.7/10 || Personal rating 9/10): After using this pen for a solid month, I can confidently say that this pen is my gold standard of what an everyday / work horse pen for rough and turbulent environents like work and school. It is reliable in everyway that you would want it to be. Honestly the only thing I change is add something that would break up mono-tone boring minimalist look. Even adding one fake "turning knob" on the base would add a nice chrome ring which might be nice. but in the end if performance, reliability, and durability is important to you than there really is no better option! Link to my video so you can see the pen in action as well as see what i mean with the pen cap issue: https://youtu.be/NDqdK5Oal5E

The writing of the dragon snake may be natural, but the wording of the statement certainly isn't. I was ‘researching’ and browsing for something else, when I came across this: Source: Item listing on Taobao The endless scroll of marketing images in the item listing say, among other things: Source: Item listing on Taobao This looks like marketing collateral that came straight from Jinhao, and not advertising some after-market nib work. So, after all this time, it looks like a fountain pen manufacturer has finally stepped up to the challenge, and produce a very fine nib for a line width that is in the range Platinum previously published for its EF nibs, that is a standard option for the pen model and not custom ground. You can even order the nib in any of four different coloured finishes! The finest Chinese nib I've seen marketed to date, before this, is nominally 0.35mm EF (even though most Chinese EF nibs are nominally 0.38mm). As for nibs bearing European and American fountain pen brands, I don't think I've seen any brand advertise or commit to even 0.3mm. Parker speaks of an Extra Extra Fine nib that is available (specially produced on demand) only through its nib exchange programme, but in my experience that product is nowhere near fit for purpose. How this Jinhao nib — which, to my pleasant surprise, is labelled Extra Fine but not Extra Extra Fine or Ultra Extra Fine, while 0.35mm is Medium Fine, and so it is now adopting something closer to what nib width grades mean for Japanese nibs — will actually perform awaits to be seen; but I have every confidence it will better than what Parker can do.

Hello. Just bought my first lamy pen, safari charcoal in EF. I really want to love this pen because I like how it look and feels, it’s a beautiful pen. But I am kind of disappointed with the way it writes. As seen in the photo it writes somewhat faded. But I just want to ask if this is as expected of a lamy EF nib? (Shading?) I guess I am just comparing it with my pilot kakuno EF that writes super thin yet very solid dark lines using the same ink. Any thoughts? Btw I’ve tried flushing the pen multiple times, also cleaned it with water that has dish soap on it. I am using a z27 converter. I also initially used a pilot black ink but it comes out grayish even after writing with it for several days. I’m thinking of getting either an F or M nib but I’m still undecided. Please help! midori md notebook diamine tobacco sunburst ink

I hope I'm posting in the right place. Recently I bought a Falcon fine nib, which is available in the UK. As much as I loved the pen, the nib was still a tad too broad for me (mostly, I use fountain pens and dip pens for illustration). I've read good things about the EF nib, and that although not a true flex nib, offers the most line variation. However, it seems that Pilot don't want their UK customers to enjoy anything finer than the standard fine nib; currently, the Preppy is the only Pilot pen available in the UK with an ef nib. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I might be able to get hold of the Falcon ef in the UK? I'd rather not source from the US or Japan if possible, but happy to buy from a recommended supplier in the Eurozone. Thanks in advance!

I've been experimenting with extra fine nibs, so I can be less choosy about the paper I write on but still be able to write on both sides. I haven't been crazy about the nibs, but I'm wondering if that's related to the pens I'm using them on. The pens I keep going back to are the Parker Rialtos. I have not found one with an extra fine nib so am wondering if it's possible to put an extra fine nib on one of the Rialtos I have. Can that be done? Is it difficult? Where would I get an extra fine nib for a Rialto? Thanks! Tery

I have the choice between EF and M on a GvFC classic. I would probably have gone for an F normally but this is really a good opportunity so that is out of the question. I am happy with a fine line, as long as it isn't scratchy and has good flow. I hear GvFCs are on the wetter side so that pushes me towards an EF. Does anyone have any experience or comparison of an EF v M? I've again heard that GvFC, being German, tend towards a broader side of things. For comparison, I have a TWSBI EF which isn't too fine or scratchy for me (I think it's a good one though). I also have a MB 146 M which is a good thickness, although I'd like something a bit thinner here. I also have a Waterman Carene in M which is thicker than I want for my GvFC, a Nova with a Bock #6 medium which again is thicker than I'd want for this pen. That all said, if the EF is likely to be scratchy I'd rather go for a wider line to get a buttery smooth writing experience. If anyone has any samples that they could take a picture of, I would be extremely grateful. Otherwise any input is appreciated. Thanks!

1951 Montblanc 3-42 G BB Nib with Parker 51s and Watercolor Pens Enjoying Montblanc Pens — Broad, Oblique, Extra Fine, LE & Bespoke ~ One of the pleasures of visiting a Montblanc boutique anywhere is looking over the range of finely crafted pens on offer. Familiar models gleaming under refined lighting share space with the latest sophisticated designs. If circumstances are favorable, one may walk out the door after a friendly farewell bearing a fresh addition to a carefully chosen collection of writing tools which are jewel-like in their elegance. For most first-time Montblanc fountain pen purchasers the nib they buy will be an excellent M or an F, both of which write exceptionally well for most purposes. That there are other types of nibs is mentioned and on display, but for those beginning their Montblanc fountain pen journey, they often remain a specialty item about which little is known. After discovering or being introduced to Fountain Pen Network's Montblanc Forum, it's readily apparent that there's much to learn about and appreciate concerning fountain pens. Every month threads are added about pen repairs and maintenance, possibly fake pen verification, older model identification, questions about market value, news about upcoming pen releases and recent purchases. All of these together constitute an education in Montblanc pens in particular, as well as in fountain pen use, maintenance and collecting in general. There's a sizable number of Montblanc users who enjoy using pens with nibs which are seldom available in boutiques, although obtainable through Montblanc's ‘six weeks from purchase’ nib exchange program. Those include broader nibs, oblique nibs, extra fine nibs, limited edition nibs and bespoke nibs. Writing with such specialized nibs adds to the joy of handwriting in fine ink on quality paper. After nearly one year of posts in a thread about an OBBB nib, it became clear that the comments, pen and nib photos and handwriting samples had expanded beyond the original subject. Accordingly, this thread is for those interested in displaying, using and sharing their love for Montblanc's specialty pens and nibs, defined however one prefers. Daily life with fountain pens includes a rich dimension of tactility, as pens, nibs, ink and paper have texture, pattern, hues, weight, and refined materials. Whether enjoyed on a quiet work desk, or with a friendly pet, or in a work cubicle, in a diary or even on safari, writing with fountain pens is life-enhancing. May this thread gradually include a range of pen and nib photos, handwriting samples, and heartfelt comments to encourage long-time members and visitors alike to enjoy their pens as often as possible.

Hello everyone, I got a few months ago a Pilot CH 91 with an extra fine nib. I have been using the pilot blue ink in cartridge and I want to know if some of you with this nib EF have the same issues as I have. I understand that extra fine nib will be on a scratchy/ toothy side, I dont know exactly how one would define it. But I think may be something wrong. I guess it has a small sweet spot and outside of it it doesn't write very well. And aside when I write the ascending strokes, loops of the l, f, etc (I write in cursive) the line is barely not visible, not consistent, like skipping. Sorry, I dont have the pen with me right now and I can't provide writing samples. Would it improve with a different ink? Which ink have you used with extra fine nibs, getting good results? Would it improve with a nib work? Something not harmful that I could try? How would you describe your pilot extra fine? Thank you very much for taking the time to read it.

This pen has been reviewed before, but I just wanted to give anyone considering one or needing an extra fine nib another viewpoint to check out! First Impressions (5/5) The pen arrived from Jetpens in a small baggie. It is a fairly attractive pen, I got the clear demonstrator version, and came with a standard Black pilot ink cartridge. The plastic of the pen feels less brittle, and much thicker, than something like a Platinum Preppy or a Pilot Petit1. Appearance (4/5) The pen is long and thin, looking almost like a desk pen. There is a significant amount of space in the back of the barrel of the pen past the where the cartridge ends, making the pen even longer. The cap of the pen is tiny, just slightly longer than the nib, and has two small fins on it to keep the pen from rolling. The nib is simple, and steel colored, with “PILOT SUPER QUALITY JAPAN <EF>” stamped onto it. The style is very understated and utilitarian, and in a way beautiful for that. One slight problem with the Clear Cap is that ink can stick to the top of it and be visible through it. Design/Size/Weight (4/5) The pen is very light, but it’s length and ergonomic grip make it comfortable in the hand, and well balanced. The cap can post, but it is so tiny, short, and light, that you wouldn’t notice either way. The barrel of the pen is airtight, so it can be converted to an eyedropper if desired with some Silicon grease and an optional O-Ring. Nib (4.5/5) The nib is unsurprisingly, extraordinarily fine. The extra fine nib from pilot is perfect for note-taking, cheap paper, and math. The nib is not quite as smooth as some of the larger nib sizes from pilot, but for an extra fine nib I was pleasantly surprised at the smoothness and ease with which it wrote. In terms of flow, the nib is on the dry side, but it isn't something you notice when you are writing with it, if that makes any sense. I had to go back and think about it, because although being dry the nib never skips and is still exceptionally smooth for the width. One major plus of this nib is that it can be swapped into a Prera or Metropolitan if you want an Extra Fine nib in one of those pens. Filling System (5/5) Not much to say here, it’s a simple Cartridge/Converter system. The pen comes with one cartridge, and can be fitted with a Con-40 or Con-50 if you so please. The ink lasts much longer than it does in most pens because of the extreme fineness of the nib. Cost and Value (5/5) This is a great pen at a great price, and can be found in most places for $6-$8. Many people buy the pen just for the nib, to then be fitted into a Prera or Metropolitan, and it would be a steal if pilot offered just the nib for that price! Instead, you get an entire pen around it, and one that provides a very pleasant writing experience. Conclusion (28/30) I would strongly recommend this pen to anyone who needs a very fine nib on a budget. It has a great nib, perfect for swapping if you have a nice body like the Prera’s, but if you don’t the body that comes the with the Penmanship is still durable and good-looking.

This is my first attempt to regrind a nib and i wanted to share it with you. I have always had difficulties finding a really fine nib that would suit my need and taste. The western fine nibs are more like a medium to me, and the japanese fine nib i bought ( pilot 78g) is not fine enough. To solve this issue i searched for a very low cost pen, but with a nice look, and i discovered the Dollar 717i fountain pen that has a medium nib. It is a really nice demonstrator pen, with piston filling mechanism that hold 1,2 milliliters of ink, and i bought about 20 pens for 18€ on a lot sale on ebay. I had only sandpaper available for this attempt, in particular 1200 grit paper, i know it is not the right one, is too heavy, but i wanted to give it a try. Armed with patience and after watching this online guide, i started grinding the italic nib and i ended with a result nicer than i would have expected. After that result i was inspired to try to grind the medium nib of the dollar pen to a fine/extra-fine, i used the same starting tecnique for the italic nib, but later i went by inspiration, and adjustment by adjustment i obtained what i consider a nice fine nib how i like it. I am waiting to receive a package with a 40x magnifier to better see what i am doing when i will try to grind some more nibs the next time. I still need to smooth better the nibs , in particular the fine/extrafine, because they are not scratchy, but give more feedback than i like! What can i use to smooth the nibs without changing them? If someone know material largely available in italy or at least in europe, and cheap, it would be great! I found that i really love the fine italic nib Here are some picture of the pens and a writing sample: Black pen= Original Dollar pen with no modifications to the Nib Red Pen= Dollar pen with Fine/extrafine grinded Nib Blue Pen= Dollar pen with Fine italic grinded Nib For scale the square's side is 5 millimeters long http://s25.postimg.org/g4cutvce7/IMG_20140222_152634.jpg http://s25.postimg.org/yz8lkacfz/IMG_20140222_151952.jpg http://s25.postimg.org/46bafz8n3/IMG_20140222_152042.jpg http://s25.postimg.org/rhze52mwv/IMG_20140222_152319.jpg

Hello! I have been reading these forums for a few days and have just recently gotten into fountain pens. I wrote mainly with Maica Hi-tec-C 0.3 and 0.4 pens but found that they ran out of ink quite fast and was on the hunt for something that would fill that niche.... enter fountain pens! I started out by ordering the Pilot Metropolitan with a fine nib thanks to posts on the penaddict blog. Within about a week I now have: Pilot penmanship EF nib (a bit toothy) Pilot plumix M nib (stub/italic, a bit wide for my writing but fun to do letters with) Noodler's Nib Creaper (feels cheap but the flex nib is really neat) and a Platinum Preppy XF on order. All great pens! I have quickly amassed a wishlist of pens thanks to posts on here regarding fine nibs and flex nibs. I now realize I like extra fine to fine nibs (Japanese sizing) that are not overly toothy (the pilot XF is a bit too scratchy for me) and I LOOOOOOOVE flex nibs ( though I can't say I am a fan of the nib creaper). I am on the hunt for something that will be a smooth extra fine writer with a little bit of flex (maybe flex to an M or at most or B, and not too wet) I think something that writes a smooth 0.3 with little pressure and goes to M or so would be ideal! So far on my wishlist I have: - Platinum extra fine on a 3778 century - Sailor Sabi togi on a 1911, maybe with an extra fine or fine nib as well - Pilot custom 743 with #15 FA nib - Twsibi eco - the filling system on these looks great! maybe a 1.1 stub nib on this as a fun pen Also a couple vintage pens but I don't think I am ready to figure out how to buy a vintage pen ATM. - Vintage Waterman flexible nib (may be too wide and wet for me but some of those vintage nibs look amazing!) - Vintage Esterbrook - Vintage Wahl - Vintage Parker 51 - these look so great If you have any thoughts or recommendations please feel free to let me know. Thank you and nice to meet you

Hi all, I just purchased my first decent fountain pen, it's the TWSBI Diamond 580AL in silver with an extra fine nib. I was reading around and noticed that there were a lot of mixed reviews on how scratchy the extra fine nib was, and I was wondering what everyones personal experience was? Also, I read that the 580al is a huge improvement to the previous models as the ones made before the 580al had cracking issues. Is this still an issue with the 580al? How do I go about storing and taking care of the pen? I want to take this to class everyday and I'm wondering if you all could send me recommendations for a case or a holder of some sort? Lastly, is there a big difference between the extra fine and fine nibs for this pen? I've seen written samples for both and I couldn't tell the difference whatsoever and I'm not sure if what I've seen is accurate or even for the right pen. Thanks for your time everyone!

After weeks of deliberation, I finally placed an order for a Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with a Posting nib, ordered from Engeika (no affiliation) also with some Iro Take-Sumi ink. This will be my first $100+ fountain pen. Does anyone have a 912 that they like/dislike? What might be your comments on it? I hope this will be a good pen; I'm quite excited!

Hello, I've been looking to buy any Omas pen with a 14k extra fine extra flessible nib to practice my spencerian and copperplate with. I would prefer an ogiva pen, but at this point I dont really mind what model it is. Would anyone be willing to sell or direct me to one? Thanks in advance.

I've recently decided to upgrade my fountain pen collection to more investment pens, now that I've experimented enough to know exactly what I like: a crisp Japanese (~0.2-0.3mm) fine, relatively stiff. How is the Carène's EF by comparison? A little bit wider? A lot wider? Would grinding it to the desired width be a good idea?

Fellow FP lovers, I have decided to go for the TWSBI Eco EF as my first piston filler (hopefully of many😄). Love the aesthetics and the ink capacity of the pen. However, most of my pens are japanese F, namely pilot, so I'm used to very fine lines for my small handwritting. I have 2 lamys EF which produce too thick lines comparing to the metro. So, My concern with the Eco is the line width of the EF.... Can you guys help me decide if the eco Ef is similar to the metro fine (my usual EDC)? If you could upload some pictures that would be awesome. Many tks!

Hello, I use the black Platinum cartridge ink right now but it's running out fast (and expensive!). I'm also not really a fan of how light the color is and would like to try a different ink out. Works well with extra-fine nibs, need to be able to write kanji and small math notationsDeep black, the darker the betterDries fast enough for general note takingBonus points if water-resistant, but not necessaryI've heard good things about Noodler inks, but reading the reviews the bulletproof black dries really slowly. Would that affect how it works on EF nibs, or would another ink work better? prodo123

Vanishing point question: anybody tried/owns an extra fine 18k nib and fine special alloy nib? How do they compare in terns of small writing and scratchiness/smoothness? Some people discouraged me from getting an alloy pen as being too dry compared to the 18k, but the fine nib 18k seems a bit too wet for some uses, after initially being rather dry for a week or two. Since the alloy fine has been described as rather dry, I was wondering whether it might be better than an extra fine 18k for my purposes (smoother yet smaller writing is the goal). A wet writer defeats that purpose.

Hi, I am looking to get a daily use pen. I want a pen which is lightweight and writes fine and smooth (preferably high ink capacity and nib dries slowly). I am a graduate student and will use the pen to write a lot of math symbols/proofs mostly on HP laserjet 24lb papers for long time. I have Pilot Decimo F, Lamy 2000 EF and Metropolitan F. I use VP when I take notes in class since it is retractable, but when I need to write for long time, I cannot use it since it is kind of heavy for me. Thus, I have recently bought Lamy 2000 EF for long time writing. I like the weight and the size of Lamy 2000, but it writes too thick for me even though it has extra fine nib. This one writes thicker than Decimo Fine. I really like the smoothness of Decimo. I think it is smoother than Lamy 2000 EF and Metropolitan F. The only problem I have with it is the weight. I think I like Japanese fine size nib (not sure about other brands since I only have two Pilot pens). Can anyone recommend me some good pen for me under $150? (I prefer no vintage pen) Thanks,

I originally posted the following review in a discussion thread on the TWSBI Eco. It was meant to be a very short review, but it turned out longer, and I now think it makes more sense to put it here. So I've copied and pasted the text from that post, subject to minor edits. No photos, but there are plenty available of this much-awaited pen. Please note the inclusion of a Bonus category. The TWSBI Eco comes in black and white. I got the white version, with EF nib. Thanks to The Writing Desk in the UK for an excellent service (no affiliation). Design: 8/10 Simple, well thought out. For those, like me, who like to post their pens, the rubber ring at the end makes a lot of sense. Well thought-out. The plastic feels a little cheap, but at this price point, that is no problem at all. Appearance: 6/10 Without the cap, the pen is quite pretty, with a clear demonstrator barrel and solid color at the back (white in my case). Not mad about the cap, though: my wife's blunt comment was that it is very ugly. To me, it seems disproportionately thick/massive, and it clearly marrs an otherwise pleasing appearance. That's why I gave a modest 6/10 score here. Filling system: 10/10 A piston filler at this price point puts the tools you need to maintain it? Couldn't be better. The piston mechanism works beautifully. Nib performanc: 9/10 The EF nib writes smoothly, with a hint of feedback. No scratchiness. Excellent flow. Nib is stiff, with no flexibility to speak of; you could get some line variation if you abuse the nib, but it's a pleasant writing experience without doing so. Wetness is about 6-7/10. It is by no means dry, but could hardly be called a gusher. (I've been using Diamond's Carnival, part of the anniversary collection.) Writing experience: 9/10 I have been pleasantly surprised by this pen. It writes smoothly and pleasantly. The balance is excellent. It is large enough to use unposted, but is even more pleasant a size when posted. The cap is too light to affect the balance. I would have preferred a slightly girthier pen, but that's a small gripe and means it will suit a wider range of hands. WOOTB? Bonus: 5 This pen gets a bonus for Writing Out Of The Box without any modifications or work needed to the nib or any other part of the pen. I have become very annoyed at the number of new pens that need some sort of adjustment before they can be used properly (including some high-end brands), so any review I do from now on will include this question. Note: I have tentatively decided to award 5 bonus points to pens that just WOOTB, and zero to those that need work: this privileges writing experience over aesthetics, which not everyone will agree with. But to me, a pen is a writing instrument first and an item of beauty second, and if it doesn't work from the start then the final score should reflect that. Overall: 42/50 + 5 Bonus = 47 This is an excellent pen and is well worth the money. It knocks the socks off several much more expensive pens in terms of performance (if not beauty). I think it has real potential to knock the Lamy Safari or the Pilot Metropolitan off their pedestal as go-to entry level pens. But it is also a good choice for someone with more experience looking for a good daily carry pen. If you're looking for a thoroughly beautiful pen, look elsewhere. If you're after a decent-looking pen with excellent performance, then you should definitely consider the Eco.

My first review here at FPN. After reading a lot about the TWSBI pens on FPN, I was really tempted to try one of them. So, I purchased the recently released TWSBI Diamond 580 with a medium nib (and later on bought an EF nib too) directly from TWSBI. The pen cost me $80 ($50+$30 for shipping). An aside, noticed today that the TWSBI website has increased the shipping cost by $10, which means, you may have to shell out nearly as much as the pen if you are from India, like me. Edit: as pointed by hari317 below, the shipping rate is still $30 (when not logged in through a mobile) Coming back to the pen, the first time I wrote, I was blown away by the smoothness of the pen. The medium nib is really that smooth. And though I feared that the pen might be huge, looking at the images, but never felt so after actually handling it for a while. Also, I found the grip of the pen very pleasing and now, I am really comfortable with the length, grip as well as the weight of the pen. But my initial pleasure of using such a smooth nib vanished very quickly as the nib skipped a LOT and got dry very soon. I wrote to TWSBI and Philip Wang was quick to respond, asking me to press the nib using my thumb and index finger to stop the skipping issue. I followed that but didn't find much of a difference, but when I followed what TWSBI has demonstrated on their , I was surprisingly able to correct the issue and pen never skipped afterwards. With regard to the drying of the pen, unfortunately, the issue still persists, The solution, though not entirely pleased with it, is turning the piston knob to push the ink and then do it again after about a page. Meaning, if you are using the pen for longer periods, this might be bit of an irritation. When it comes to the extra fine nib, I had requested Philip Wang to test it and make sure that the nib doesn't skip, and then ship it. Thanks to TWSBI, my EF nib never skipped, but unfortunately, even that faced the same drying issue. After about a page, the nib/feed started getting very dry. Apart from that, the EF nib is, naturally, not as smooth as Medium and was too dry for my liking. So, followed the same method suggested by TWSBI, mentioned earlier, to make it wet and it worked and now, happy with the ink flow. (I separated the nib from the feed while following their method) Have to mention that I have changed the ink lot of times and it is a very easy and quick process to clean the pen. Overall, my experience with TWSBI, if I have to summarise in just a line, is it gives one of the smoothest writing experiences, except when it gets dry. I like the look of the pen a lot (pardon my photography skills) [original image] Writing sample of EF nib [original image] Writing sample of Medium nib [original image] Initial skipping of the nib (M) [original image] You can notice the difference between the dry nib (EF) and the wet nib immediately after turning the piston ring [original image]

So here is my second pen review, again hand written. Summary: Pros - Impressive box, light weight, well engineered design and smooth. Cons - Pen does not look or feel high end, and it may not initially be apparent why the pen costs as much as it does, can be too wet leading to bleed through. http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=rk77k&f=1 Click to view full size! http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=yypgp&f=1 Click to view full size! http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=mjg68&f=1 Click to view full size! http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=shayc&f=1 Click to view full size! http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=tiqz5&f=1 Click to view full size! http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=umhoo&f=1 Click to view full size! http://www.overclockers.com.au/pix/image.php?id=jaocz&f=1 Click to view full size!