Rotring Core

[meanwhile]

So I grabbed a Core off the excellent Lewertonski aka Pen Seller From France on ebay. It cost about $10.

 

Appearence 3

I'm one of the few people in the world to be neutral on how the Core looks. I's an "extreme sports" styled pen aimed (I imagine) at teens.

 

Nib 4

The nib is amazingly good at the price. The XS version I got is a smooth fine going on extra fine that's both rigid and wet.

 

It's not the same as the nib on the more expensive Initial, but it's definitely a relation. Both nibs are more "three dimensional" than most over nibs - the Core's is actually has folded down sides. I suspect the idea is to get some of the beneits of a Sheaffer Triumph cylindrical nib, without paying the full manufacturing cost.

 

Filler 2

Mine came with a cartridge and no convertor. I'm sure a convertor can easily be fitted.

 

Writing... Either 1 or 5

I hate the pen! The weird grip makes it unusable for me. It's so irritating that I can't remember what I'm trying to write.

 

Otoh... My best friend has horrible handwriting. Really - it looks like something a 8 year old serial killer would produce, it's both scary and incoherent. It turns out that the strange grip on the Core is exactly what he needed to cure this. Unfortunately he's embarrassed to carry the pen because of its extreme sports styling - which is ironic because he wears clothes from Quicksilver and Bergahaus, and windsurfs and snowboards... His comment was that the pen looks like a chav's idea of what an extreme sports branded product should look like.

 

Overall...3

At $10 the Core has to be worth trying if you have grip problems with normal pens or want a novelty. Otherwise I'd consider a Kultur, which can be bought off ebay for the same sort of price, or a Hero 329 a better bet for a $10 pen. And possibly a Safari's triangular grip might do just as well as curing rare grip problems while alienating fewer users.

 

It's pity that Rotring don't offer this nib on a "normal" pen.

 

Photos to follow.

[Velma]

Hmmmm. I just bought a Core, and am waiting for it to arrive in the mails (I suspect it'll show up tomorrow or Thursday). I hadn't even thought about the odd grip. If it doesn't work for me, someone will get one in the mail shortly.

[RLTodd]

Comments under "everybody is different."

 

1. On mine I find the nib and feed excellent.

 

2. I have adapted to the grip and find it very comfortable.

 

3. Mine came with the converter and I found it to work very well.

 

4. I don't care for the styling but that in of itself would not keep me from carrying it. It is that bulky cap that causes the problems. It doesn't fit my shirt pocket.

 

5. It seals very well when capped. I can leave it for days and the nib doesn't dry out.

[meanwhile]

It's undoubtedly a very well-engineered pen with unusual ergonomics. For some people it will be 1, for others a 4 or a 5. The 3 I gave the pen was an average of these extremes, bumped toward the high end because the pen is so cheap to buy.

 

It might be nice if one day a manufacturer released a pen where you could change the shape of the grip, so you could use it with a Core style grip, Balance, P51, of gel padded, like on the Skynn...?

[*david*]

Cross had a ballpoint where you could expand or contract the triangular grip section.

[Velma]

Well, I have my Core (thank you, wordherder62), and I can't decide whether it's hideous or so ugly it's cute, rather like a pug. It feels good, fits my hand comfortably, and writes smoothly, though.

 

I might save it as my "lending out pen," because there's no way someone can borrow it and "forget" that it's not their pen.

[Slush99]

i love everything about my Cores. It's rather a matter of personal preference, I guess

[georgem]

  Slush99 said:

i love everything about my Cores.    It's rather a matter of personal preference, I guess

AMEN!

 

I have five of the Cores, all filled with different color inks, and like them immensely

[Slush99]

  georgem said:

  Slush99 said:

i love everything about my Cores.     It's rather a matter of personal preference, I guess

AMEN!

 

I have five of the Cores, all filled with different color inks, and like them immensely

 

so far..... i have three.....one has purple, another has black, and another has Shoreline Gold....

 

another wouldn't hurt....

[krz]

I like my Cores. And I like Pugs too!

[southpaw]

Nice review of a certified "love it or hate it" pen.

[kareth]

  meanwhile said:

So I grabbed a Core off the excellent Lewertonski aka Pen Seller From France on ebay. It cost about $10.

 

Appearence 3

I'm one of the few people in the world to be neutral on how the Core looks. I's an "extreme sports" styled pen aimed (I imagine) at teens.

 

Nib 4

The nib is amazingly good at the price. The XS version I got is a smooth fine going on extra fine that's both rigid and wet.

 

It's not the same as the nib on the more expensive Initial, but it's definitely a relation. Both nibs are more "three dimensional" than most over nibs - the Core's is actually has folded down sides. I suspect the idea is to get some of the beneits of a Sheaffer Triumph cylindrical nib, without paying the full manufacturing cost.

 

Filler 2

Mine came with a cartridge and no convertor. I'm sure a convertor can easily be fitted.

 

Writing... Either 1 or 5

I hate the pen! The weird grip makes it unusable for me. It's so irritating that I can't remember what I'm trying to write.

 

Otoh... My best friend has horrible handwriting. Really - it looks like something a 8 year old serial killer would produce, it's both scary and incoherent. It turns out that the strange grip on the Core is exactly what he needed to cure this. Unfortunately he's embarrassed to carry the pen because of its extreme sports styling - which is ironic because he wears clothes from Quicksilver and Bergahaus, and windsurfs and snowboards... His comment was that the pen looks like a chav's idea of what an extreme sports branded product should look like.

 

Overall...3

At $10 the Core has to be worth trying if you have grip problems with normal pens or want a novelty. Otherwise I'd consider a Kultur, which can be bought off ebay for the same sort of price, or a Hero 329 a better bet for a $10 pen. And possibly a Safari's triangular grip might do just as well as curing rare grip problems while alienating fewer users.

 

It's pity that Rotring don't offer this nib on a "normal" pen.

 

Photos to follow.

i have ordered a rotring core. i would like to know:

1. whether it's nib can be used with carbon paper, to make duplicate impression/taking a copy of original?

2. whether it comes with catridge only. in other words, should the buyer insist for the converter if he wants one and does it require payment of additional money?

please advise.

[stephen82]

[I]2. whether it comes with catridge only. in other words, should the buyer insist for the converter if he wants one and does it require payment of additional money?[/i]

 

I just purchased a Core and it came with both one cartridge and a converter. From what I have seen on different retailer's Websites - the pen should come with a converter. I purchased the pen because it was on sale for $12.50 thinking I would never take it out in public (because of its strange appearance). But now after I have used it for a week - it's growing on me and I plan on taking it to work.

[kareth]

If the pen comes with a catridge only, then is it possible to remove the catridge and fill the barrel with ink using an eye dropper. Similarly, can it's nib be used with a carbon paper?

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

While you can use it for carbon paper (Certain types only). You can't fill it up with ink.

 

Dillon

[Neecerie]

I use a Core as my everyday work pen.

 

It was cheap, 1.99 at a Big Lots near me. I really should have bought 10 of them, but when I went back, they only had the ballpoints left.

 

I ended up with a XL nib, because these were evidently the kids learn to write version of the Core.

 

It writes wonderfully on all the cruddy paper work uses. I don't worry about it vanishing off my desk, if it does, its two dollars gone, not 50.

 

I got used to the grip and now a lot of other pens seem skinny and hard to hold on to.

 

 

Denise

[Judybug]

I had no idea Rotring Cores were that inexpensive. It sounds like this might be a good first fountain pen for my 9 year old grandson. What do you think? Does it take standard international cartridges?

 

Judybug

[meanwhile]

Judy -

The pen takes international cartridges, yes. But I wouldn't recommend the Core as a pen for a child - the grip is too non-standard and might be hard to write with if your grand son inclines one way, or make it hard for him to write with other pens if inclines to the opposite extreme.

[JimStrutton]

  Judybug said:

I had no idea Rotring Cores were that inexpensive. It sounds like this might be a good first fountain pen for my 9 year old grandson. What do you think? Does it take standard international cartridges?

 

Judybug

Judybug,

 

I have a completely off the wall suggestion for you. As I was given a Parker "51" when I was 11 and just starting secondary school, last year when my nephew needed a 'proper fountain pen' , I got him a good "51". Now both he and his parents realise that it is a relatively expensive pen, (but under $50), it is not mint but is a good user. It has been cleaned, serviced and the nib tweaked so it writes smoothly. Rather than him writing with a cheap pen that may or may not be good, I know that he is learning to write with a decent writer.

 

Now this is not to denigrate the Core, but just an appeal to say that if you are learning to write with a fountain pen for the first time. Would you rather write with something not too smooth with perhaps an iffy flow? Or a well adjusted pen that writes smoothly and reliably?

 

The biggest danger to Matthew's pen in his class is his teacher, she saw it and told my sister that she could not believe it as it was just like her grandfather's and she had always wanted one. I just hope she does not go off and buy the 51SE :blink:

 

Just a thought,

 

Jim

[BillTheEditor]

  JimStrutton said:

The biggest danger to Matthew's pen in his class is his teacher, she saw it and told my sister that she could not believe it as it was just like her grandfather's and she had always wanted one. I just hope she does not go off and buy the 51SE :blink:

Maybe you could find a way to slip the FPN url to your nephew's teacher, with a suggestion that she could find leads to the pen she has always wanted through FPN.