Onoto Magna Classic

[The Good Captain]

And it arrived yesterday and is an absolute gem! It certainly beats the hell out of my Conway Stewarts in terms of writing and 'pretty' resins or LE metal barrels are things I'm not particularly bothered about.

A marvellous pen and I don't say that very often.

[david6]

I've just received my Onoto Classic in black with silver trim. This is my first Onoto with silver trim and I am delighted with it. It looks classy with the silver and black supplying a nice contrast to a classic design of fountain pen. I went for the plain cap and barrel rather then the chased pattern and I'm pleased that I did as it looks superb.

 

The other thing that I love about the Onoto pens? They write first time straight out of the box. I've just filled the pen with Diamine ink and it is writing beautifully.

 

The guys at Onoto certainly know how to make pens

[The Good Captain]

I've just received my Onoto Classic in black with silver trim. This is my first Onoto with silver trim and I am delighted with it. It looks classy with the silver and black supplying a nice contrast to a classic design of fountain pen. I went for the plain cap and barrel rather then the chased pattern and I'm pleased that I did as it looks superb.

 

The other thing that I love about the Onoto pens? They write first time straight out of the box. I've just filled the pen with Diamine ink and it is writing beautifully.

 

The guys at Onoto certainly know how to make pens

Glad you are enjoying your pen. The Onoto people I met at the Lichfield pen show were certainly pleased to here my comments and let's hope they see your latest posting as well.

[Mr. Sweet]

Wow... that's a nice pen!

 

You had mentioned that the fine people at Onoto are willing to negotiate a lower price for FPN members. Who do we contact? I'm definitely interested in the Magna.

 

Great review!

[The Good Captain]

Wow... that's a nice pen!

 

You had mentioned that the fine people at Onoto are willing to negotiate a lower price for FPN members. Who do we contact? I'm definitely interested in the Magna.

 

Great review!

I spoke to David Cooper at Onoto when I ordered mine and there was a 15% discount for FPN members. I'm sure that should still apply. They are great pens and Onoto genuinely seem happy to be of service - even if things take a little time!

[Bronte]

Interesting review, pictures and comments. I'm also interested in buying an Onoto, and wrote to David via the Onoto website to enquire about the Cambridge Alumni special edition. He now charges £65 extra for the gold nib (rather than the standard SSteel). It's not a cheap pen, but I'd like to support a home-based company if I could; interesting to hear comments comparing the pen favourably with Pelikan, which was my other likely choice.

[DanielCoffey]

The thing the Pelikan has going for it is ink capacity but it gets that at the expense of ease of cleaning.

 

I know some folks might think that fitting a cartridge converter to a quality pen seems "cheap" but it is very effective, is totally fit for purpose and many of the classier brands do it. The Schmidt K5 converters hold about the same as an international short cartridge but pens like the Onoto and similar are so easy to clean when you can get to the back of the section. If you are going to use highly saturated inks such as Noodlers and Private Reserve, being able to get a rubber bulb syringe to the back of the section is a godsend, I can tell you.

 

If you want the ink volume of the Pelikan but like the Onoto brand, have you considered the Onoto Plunger Filler? I can't remember how the price compares to the Magna special editions but it might be worth asking about it. You would have a similar cleaning issue as the Pelikan but that would not be an issue with either pen if you restricted yourself to the lower maintenance inks. Diamine is our British brand of ink, remember.

 

As a "year on" follow up to my review above, the Magna Classic is still immaculate and the Broad Stub is a fantastic nib for impressing folks with personal letters and cards. It really lets some of the crazier colours shine on the right papers. I loaded it with Diamine Matador for all my Christmas cards this year and regularly put the stronger coloured or more highly shading inks in it for impact. I keep my Magna 261 (medium) for daily use with the more neutral or darker inks (you don't want to see a whole page of Matador or Beau Blue in front of you) and break out the broad stub for special occasions or when I want impact.

[The Good Captain]

The thing the Pelikan has going for it is ink capacity but it gets that at the expense of ease of cleaning.

 

I know some folks might think that fitting a cartridge converter to a quality pen seems "cheap" but it is very effective, is totally fit for purpose and many of the classier brands do it. The Schmidt K5 converters hold about the same as an international short cartridge but pens like the Onoto and similar are so easy to clean when you can get to the back of the section. If you are going to use highly saturated inks such as Noodlers and Private Reserve, being able to get a rubber bulb syringe to the back of the section is a godsend, I can tell you.

 

If you want the ink volume of the Pelikan but like the Onoto brand, have you considered the Onoto Plunger Filler? I can't remember how the price compares to the Magna special editions but it might be worth asking about it. You would have a similar cleaning issue as the Pelikan but that would not be an issue with either pen if you restricted yourself to the lower maintenance inks. Diamine is our British brand of ink, remember.

 

As a "year on" follow up to my review above, the Magna Classic is still immaculate and the Broad Stub is a fantastic nib for impressing folks with personal letters and cards. It really lets some of the crazier colours shine on the right papers. I loaded it with Diamine Matador for all my Christmas cards this year and regularly put the stronger coloured or more highly shading inks in it for impact. I keep my Magna 261 (medium) for daily use with the more neutral or darker inks (you don't want to see a whole page of Matador or Beau Blue in front of you) and break out the broad stub for special occasions or when I want impact.

I quite agree with you, Daniel. My Magnas are going well. I'm glad I got the blue chased and silver option as well as the plain black. I had been using R&K Salix in the blue one but have changed that ink into a Pelikan 200 which i loves even more. So at the moment, the Onotos are idle - sorry, resting!

[notVirtuThe3rd]

Really nice review. Thanks for the sharing. I liked the pen so much. I have YouTube channel about fountain pens. If you have time, please take a look at my channel. : ) I'm looking forword your new review!!

[Les49]

Lovely pen, just gorgeous - great review. Thanks

[georges zaslavsky]

looks nice thanks for sharing

[gmax]

Thanks for this terrific review Daniel. I've had an email from David to confirm that my Classic is on its way

[Edwaroth]

If you ever wish to have a Magna in Blue Chased with F steel nib, please PM me. I have inked it once, wrote with it two or three times and flushed it. Now it just sits in a drawer and unused. I might add that this is broadest Fine I have ever written and all my closed letters come off as dots.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Edwaroth

[The Good Captain]

John Sorowka recently reground both my M nibs to 'Fine' and now I'm using both Magnas all the time. Wonderful pens.

[Rufus]

Very nice pen. It's unfortunate, however, that it comes only with a cartridge/converter filling system. A piston filling system, a la Pelikan for example, would have kicked this pen to the head of a very crowded pack.

[plillico]

I'm sold, great review. I have always written with Pelikan or Mont Blanc and just ordered my first Onoto. Thanks for posting the review.

[View from the Loft]

I'm sold, great review. I have always written with Pelikan or Mont Blanc and just ordered my first Onoto. Thanks for posting the review.

It's a slippery slope - it's unlikely to be your last Onoto :-)

[The Good Captain]

It's a slippery slope - it's unlikely to be your last Onoto :-)

Oh, yes indeed!

[plillico]

Sounds like that might have been an expensive decision but fed up with the mainstream, and just moved to Norfolk so wanted to support a local business.

[sotto2]

Does this pen really and truly require 3 and 2/3's FULL turns to just unscrew the cap?? Why all the unscrewing??

Edited March 31, 2014 by sotto2