Search the Community

Monteverde Invincia - Stealth Black (M Nib) Review To start this review off, keep in mind it is my first review; and as all reviews, is at least somewhat subjective. Also, for perspective, I have used this and 4 other fountain pens, which are: Pilot Varsity Lamy Al-Star Lamy Safari Conklin Duragraph and I have been using this pen for around 1 month. Overall Appearance: Measurements: 5.35" / 136mm long capped 5.30" / 134.7mm long uncapped 6.10" / 154mm long posted 1.10" / 28mm long nib 0.55" / 14mm body diameter 0.35" / 8.9mm grip diameter 1.40 oz/ 39g weight overall Monteverde makes some amazing looking pens and this is no exception. This pen is downright edgy. From it's shiny, reflective all black metal surface to the rounded style which makes it look sharp and artsy; this is a beautiful pen. Well.. chances are that it wouldn't be taken as a compliment it by saying it's "beautiful", so.. let's instead just say this.. it's a good looking pen. I love the little details on this pen such as the Monteverde mountain etched into the nib, the rounded body which is dynamic and changes in girth frequently throughout the pen. Also, the logo on the top of the cap is a nice touch. Pen Parts, Build & General Details The pen cap screws on securely and takes about 2 rotations to pop off. In posting the pen, the cap just slides on securely and really feels sturdy and macho even in the way it does this. There are many things about this pen that just feel so edgy and make me feel as if I am the coolest person on the planet. The grip of the pen is probably the biggest turn off for me. I have very large hands, but with the grip being skinny and having a pretty quick cut off to the body, combined with it being metal makes it a tough pen to hold for a long time at least for me. I prefer to hold my pens further back then most anyway, so maybe this is what causes the issue. Adding to this, the clip is EXTREMELY tight, its hard to even slide onto a pocket. This isn't a huge deal for me since I never clip my pens, but it may be for you. It has a standard international converter and cartridge filling mechanism. It comes with your standard run of the mill piston converter (standard international) and as such isn't remarkable but works as it should. I haven't encountered any problems with filling the Invincia. You are going to be getting 1.07ml of ink out of cartridges and 1.12 out of your converter. It should be noted that I used monteverde black ink which, once again, was a fairly standard black ink; very similar to noodler's black. The nib is a #5 steel nib, which writes well. It surprised me to find this out as most outlets say it has a #6 nib. Whether it's a change in production or something else I'm not aware of, the important thing is it fits! I'll be getting more on the writing later, however. I chose the medium nib model and it fit fantastically for me. I cannot say how it compares to other mediums very well as this is my first medium nib, however, it seems to be a broad medium with some stub properties (some, very small but more on that later) which was a surprise to me. Not a lot more to say about it's structure! I think the black look was absolutely essential and having an all black pen just looks really sleek. Writing As mentioned above, the pen feels a little strenuous on my hands and eventually causes them to cramp up. However, aside from that, this pen is an excellent writer. It's incredibly balanced unposted, and when posted is ever-so-slightly back heavy. This is the first pen I can use either posted or unposted simply because I have such large hands and most pens aren't very large until you post them. This pen isn't huge, but the length mostly subsides in the body as opposed to the cap. It's got some weight to it and feels durable. I love the metal finish in looks.. but sometimes it can be a tad slippery in writing. Putting the pen to the pad, this thing writes extremely smoothly. Its a really interesting writer and feels unlike anything else I've written with. It's smooth, with very very little feedback, but not at all glidy. It feels as if you are effortlessly carving into paper, like a butterknife into soft butter. That being said, It has a bit of a sweet spot. When you use it any way else other than right down the middle, it makes a very thin line and can feel a little scratchy. Using horizontal or diagonal lines result in a skinnier line because of this and therefore can produce really interesting results, resembling a tiny bit of a stub look, or so I've seen. Very interesting and fun nib to write with. Overall, this is a pretty great pen. It has some issues, but I like the overall look and feel of this pen. The all metal body with a black nib and nice writing comes to a pretty good conclusion for me. Final Verdict: (7.8/10)

So, at this moment I have a cheap, no-name fountain pen with a scratchy "iridium point Germany" nib, but I still love it and want to upgrade to something serious. I`m looking for a stylish, a bit luxury and good writing pen. For several reasons I want to buy it from local store, and thus I`m limited to Monteverde, Lamy, Cross and Conklin, and most of them are available only with medium nibs. I`ve fell in love with the design of Monteverde Invincia Deluxe Rose Gold, however I didn`t get an opportunity to try how it writes. I`ve read several reviews of it, and it seems like I`m going to like this pen, but I`ve also found several topics on this forum about people having issues with Monteverde. So, now I`m struggling to decide: is there any reason for not buying this pen? Should I really be afraid of getting problems with this one? Maybe You would recommend something better from these 4 brands with similar price?

Yesterday I received a new nib for my rose gold Monteverde Invincia, a black 1.1 Monteverde stub. Unfortunately neither of these nibs fit into my Monteverde. After doing some research I discovered that the current models of Monteverde pens are not the same as the models which were available when I purchased my Invincia several years ago. With a little more research I discovered that my current nib has the same dimensions as a #5 nib. This was upsetting for a number of reasons, not the least of which was that I could not use my newly purchased nib in this pen. I have contacted the seller who is willing to take back the nib, but this leaves me with a problem. I very much want to put a stub or italic nib onto this pen. I have looked everywhere I can think of for a #5 nib that comes as a nib only (not attached to a feed section). The only places that seem to have loose #5 nibs are xfountainpens, Mazurka Pens, and Fountain Pen Revolution. Mazurka Pens does not have any stubs or italics. xfountainpens only has oblique broad and oblique broad X2. I have heard good things about Fountain Pen Revolution and have no issues with their prices, but I really don't want to wait for 2+ weeks to receive a new nib. Is there anyone out there who knows of a seller with #5 italic or stub nibs located here in the USA? Any assistance would be appreciated.

I have a rose gold Monteverde Invincia that has been sitting, unused for a while now, which is a shame because it is a nice looking pen. I am learning italic cursive and would like to fit a new nib onto this pen to use with italic cursive and chancery writing. I am having a hard time deciding between a Knox 1.1, Monteverde black 1.1, Goulet Pens two tone 1.1, and a Nemosine 0.8. The Nemosine 0.8 is the least expensive and is a bit smaller, which may make it a good choice for every day writing, but it may not be as smooth. The Monteverde 1.1 is the most expensive, but looks excellent, has good reviews, and has the same branding as my pen. The Knox 1.1 is inexpensive and may be a good middle of the road 1.1, not too expensive or too cheap, but it has mixed reviews. The Goulet Pens two tone 1.1 looks nice and has good reviews, but I have heard that it is broader than most 1.1s. The Nemosine and Knox are both pretty inexpensive, and I could get both, but I would probably end up just using one or the other. What do you guys think? Any other suggestions? I want to spend $25 or less, as this is a replacement nib for a pen that only cost about $50 to begin with. I have a cheap Manuscript calligraphy pen and a Lamy Safari with a 1.1 nib (which should arrive in the mail tomorrow), but I would also like a nice metal pen for regular italic use.

Decided to step up from my flaking Jinhao x750. Decided on a Monteverde invincia deluxe chrome. I had read here about finish issues on the all black models so decided on chrome. All of the pics I have seen online had an all chrome grip and step down. What I received from a retailer with a black plastic step down. It is a sharp edge screw in type that has a larger diameter than the grip. Quite annoying on such a beautiful pen. Is this something new?

Monteverde Invincia Stealth Black Review Introduction I am fairly new to fountain pens, and the invincia was my first fountain pen, which I got for Christmas last year (2012). The reason I am reviewing this fountain pen today is because I used it continuously for 2 months as my only pen, writing 3+ hours a day with it, 6 days a week. As a result, I have a pretty good understanding of its pros and cons. I recently purchased a noodlers Ahab and a Visconti homo sapiens, so I have something to compare it to in this review now, which I have wanted to write for a while. Please forgive me if my terminology is a bit off, and feel free to correct me if I say something wrong. Appearance While very subjective, I thought I might offer my thoughts on the appearance. The pen is of a tapered design, bulging in the centre and slowly decreasing in radius towards the end of the cap and the barrel. It is brass, coated in shiny black paint or lacquer. The cap screws off to reveal a black metal grip section and large, dark grey (think of graphite) nib. On the base of the cap, Monteverde invincia is printed, and the logo is also printed on the top of the cap. Personally I really like the look of the pen. It is not gaudy, and will not catch the eye of those around you like some other pens, but this is perhaps a good thing, and it will not attract thieves either. I love the look of the nib; the slightly lighter colour contrasts well with the rest of the pen. Mine is a little scratched in places, revealing the metal under the paint, but this is not a flaw of the pen, but rather a fault of mine for carrying it in my pocket for two months. The pen is 43g with the cap and 31g without. I think it is a little back heavy due to the thick barrel but overall I like the weight of the pen. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/9234845525_d979f39676.jpg P8140234 by arfien1, on Flickr http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3724/9237621638_67727d4a9e.jpg P8140238 by arfien1, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/9237617218_85cc7d8e18.jpg P8140241 (2) by arfien1, on Flickr Construction: 15.5/25 (combined score) Disassembly :4.5/5 The pen can be disassembled; the section, barrel, the nib unit and the converter can all be removed. The nib and feed seem to be inseparable, though you can screw them out of the pen together for cleaning. I would've liked it of the nib and feed could be separated entirely so the feed could be cleaned better. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7325/9237610682_7b8fb1dbd6.jpg P8140243 by arfien1, on Flickr Barrel:5/5 The barrel seems to be solid brass. It has metal threading for both the section and the cap, which work wonderfully and don't seem to wear at all, even when people like me repetitively screw and unscrew the section during a boring class or lecture. It is very thick and heavy, and would probably survive even the most brutal treatment. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5480/9237619544_b3e4f29716.jpg P8140239 by arfien1, on Flickr Cap:3/5 The cap, like the barrel, is solid brass, meaning it is very durable. It has a plastic lining inside where the nib sits, and screws on snugly. The clip is stiff but still functional, and like the rest of the pen, it appears to be very durable. The biggest problem for the cap is that you cannot post it at all; it will fly off when writing, and could get lost. Personally, I find this to be very poor design. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2846/9237612800_715ac1f5f9.jpg P8140242 by arfien1, on Flickr Section: 2/5 The section is made of metal like the rest of the pen. It is functional, but very slippery and during exams or long period of writing, it can become a pain. I find that it tapers too fast, and is far too thin just before the nib, which can become uncomfortable after a time. The rim just before the nib is a welcome touch, as it stops your fingers sliding down to the nib. The threads connecting the section to the barrel are well designed and durable; the section never becomes loose. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2838/9234843413_2089140532.jpg P8140236 by arfien1, on Flickr Converter: 1/5 The converter that comes with the pen is just awful. It holds about 0.5mL of ink, which is not nearly sufficient for me. I was refilling it about 3 or 4 times a day when I was using the converter. The converter also comes loose of the feed really easily. Several times each day, I would have to open the pen and reconnect the converter to the feed, as the ink would stop flowing. I started using large cartridges which held much more ink and did not come loose. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2860/9237615016_a5a1b63613.jpg P8140241 by arfien1, on Flickr Writing experience: 22/30 Medium nib The nib is very smooth when writing at a moderate pace. The amount of friction seems to increase exponentially as you write faster however, though I didn't really find this much of a problem, and didn't even really notice until I purchased my homo sapiens. This is a relatively cheap pen, so I suppose it is to be expected. This lessened by switching from pelikan Edelstein to Visconti ink. Skipping is a real issue for this pen. It often skips when quickly crossing "t" or very quick downstrokes on "L". More frustratingly, it almost always skips or railroads on the downstrokes of right brackets. For most, this wouldn't be much of an issue, but in a math exam when writing 3 pages of matrices very quickly, it became a serious issue for me. Because of this, I found myself applying a lot more pressure than should be necessary to try to eliminate the frequent skipping. A strange effect of this pen is that it seems to write with a very faded line. My black inks look very grey and somewhat "soft" around the edges rather than well defined. My blue ink seems lighter too. There is no feathering or bleed though, so this is not necessarily a bad feature, but it may not be what some people are looking for. The pen has a little bit of line variation, but certainly can't flex well. I can make it flex on the downstroke with enormous amounts of pressure, which can be useful when writing integral signs, or to add a bit of flare to a capital letter, but the amount of pressure required for the flex is beyond what would be comfortable for everyday writing. The small amount of line variation makes my writing look quite nice, and it is far more legible than when using a ballpoint pen. Writing Sample http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2892/9234841297_960a7f4bcf_o.jpg P8140238 (2) by arfien1, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7441/9234850009_6714c5bf6c_o.jpg P8140234 (2) by arfien1, on Flickr http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3750/9234826273_a32d6a566d_o.jpg P8140245 by arfien1, on Flickr Conclusion Final score: 37.5/55 (68%) The invincia black is not a bad pen. It looks great, most of the components are very sturdy and the pen is almost indestructible. It wears very well; only a bit of chipped paint over 2 months of solid use. There are a few problems however. The converter does not work, you cannot post the cap and the nib sometimes skips. It also writes with a very faint line and has a bit of friction when writing very fast. I'm not sure if I would recommend this pen to someone. For me, its down sides became too much to bear, and after using it for 4 exams, I went out and bought my Visconti which is almost flawless except for a small ink capacity. For others who do not write so much, it would probably be fine. I would suggest trying it out before buying it, and see if the skipping or the grip is an issue for you.

I just ordered a Monteverde Invincia from eBay and the nib doesn't have the Monteverde's engraving. The seller told me that are old Monteverde stocks from 3 years back. I've seen that kind of nib in a lot of handmade custom pens here, how well do these nibs behave? Thanks. Here is the listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/171347601704?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

So Recently I just bought a Monteverde Invincia Stealth (about 5 days ago) And I've been having some really annoying problems with flow and skipping. The pen just downright does not want to start up unless I shake or tap it, or twist the piston to push more ink through. When it does get started up, after a few sentences it starts to skip. Then goes back to being completely dry, until I once again tap/twist/shake. Just rinse and repeat, that's my problem. I've flushed the pen several times with distilled water and once with a tiny bit of dish soap. I've also tried several different inks, J-herbin, Noodlers, Monteverde, Lamy. still the exact same problem, So I believe the issue lies with the pen itself. I've sent in an email to Yafa to claim warranty. I'm thinking is it just worth it to take it to a local fountain pen repair shop to see if they can fix the problem. or should I pay the $20 or so postage to send the pen in for warranty and wait another month for it to get back? Is this a problem that's easily fixable (ie. Local repair shop) or should I play it safe if it is a more major problem (Send it in for Warranty). Or option 3- Can I myself do anything about it? (not very keen on doing any DIY, rather leave it to the pros)

Hey, everybody, here is a review of my new favorite pen: the Monteverde Invinicia Color Fusion - Stealth Black with a 1.1 mm stub nib. I had a problem with the feed that I managed to fix (I explain in more detail in the handwritten part), but I don't think anyone should be afraid of that if you are considering purchasing this pen. It was such a strange problem that I think it was just a factory fluke. Anyways, here you go. Enjoy: Hope this was helpful to someone. youNibs