Kickstarter For Nexus Fountain Pen

[MrThoth]

For those of you keeping score at home, the project has now brought in over £3,000 in pledges, or over 30% of its goal. By Kickstarter's statistics, that means it's 90% likely to reach its goal and fund.

[zepp]

Looks cool until the cap, the cap looks... too minimalistic, and short.

[KBeezie]

For those of you keeping score at home, the project has now brought in over £3,000 in pledges, or over 30% of its goal. By Kickstarter's statistics, that means it's 90% likely to reach its goal and fund.

 

But if the only people to buy it are the backers for the discount, then how is this any different than just MassDrop in the long run? Other than being machined metal in a pen, it doesn't strike me as much different from the offerings you can get from Faber-Castell for around the same intended price (ie: not taking into account the 'early' backer discount). .

 

Personally if it does reach it's goal that's great, but they may want to consider making the grip section more sleek and comfortable looking, least that would truly be more minimalistic. (plus being able to post it, or at least a clip if you can't post it would be a better route, otherwise you got a loose piece you have to keep track of that could just roll away)

 

Also wouldn't minimalism be more like a capless with a button filler behind a blind cap? no need to take apart etc, just dip, pump it a few times and write.

[watch_art]

I like it. I can imagine a stepped nipple that would accept both converters. I think it's pretty cool.

[Wheatflower]

I like it. I can imagine a stepped nipple that would accept both converters. I think it's pretty cool.

Having the converter flexibility is a nice feature, I'll grant that. But I like clips, and I already have a Lamy 2000, so...

[watch_art]

Yeah - I was typing in my credit card number to back it and stopped.

 

No clip?

 

No. Can't have that.

[The Blue Knight]

This doesn't feel minimalist to me. A big, big pen (nothing slim) and all metal?

 

That weird gap between the nib and the rest of the body. The threading that high up on the body? One dent, and its bye-bye nib.

 

 

Translation: We couldn't be bothered to figure out how to post it.

 

The lack of clip I guess could be considered minimalist, but again not useful.

 

If it is minimal, why isn't it an eyedropper?

 

 

Minimalist means that a lot of careful thought and planning goes into making a smooth, clean look. It takes a lot of work to hide the details.

 

This pen seems to be minimalist as in "the minimal amount of work we could do."

 

I kind of agree, it seems they have taken a few short cuts and are defending them by calling them minimalist.

[hot cocoa]

This doesn't feel minimalist to me. A big, big pen (nothing slim) and all metal?

 

That weird gap between the nib and the rest of the body. The threading that high up on the body? One dent, and its bye-bye nib.

 

 

Translation: We couldn't be bothered to figure out how to post it.

 

The lack of clip I guess could be considered minimalist, but again not useful.

 

If it is minimal, why isn't it an eyedropper?

 

 

Minimalist means that a lot of careful thought and planning goes into making a smooth, clean look. It takes a lot of work to hide the details.

 

This pen seems to be minimalist as in "the minimal amount of work we could do."

 

Agreed! Not my style, and not terribly functional in design. On a personal note, I think most unsightly clips are paired with unsightly pens, but the vast majority of pen makers put some good thought into clips that pass both the form and function tests.

 

IMO, this marketing copy doesn't seem to reflect that the makers have broad fountain pen experience, either using them or designing them.

[KBeezie]

Well they're almost half-way (4.1k) there with plenty of days to go.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, I have seen less attractive pens.... But those sort of ridges (speed divots?) look kind of uncomfortable to hold. Okay, admittedly I have a similar issue with Lamy Safaris -- but those at least have a semblance of being attractive, and truly, what *I* would call minimalist.

I'm really kinda skeptical about the (alleged) ability to handle both Parker and non-Parker (International Standard?) converters. I've got some weird non-standard slide converter that came in a Parker Vector I got on Ebay. I'm not sure the thing fits right and as a result it seems to be leaking; but I also tried a converter I already had that I know *is* Parker brand, and *it* didn't fit either. So that is Yet Another Pen that probably gets an all expense paid excursion to DCSS to cruise the repair tables....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[RMN]

Re reading the filling part.

 

Strange.

1 I understand, standard cartridge or the long ones from Pelikan.

 

2 I understand basically. Fill the converter in the bottle and insert in the pen. Good for when your bottle is almost empty. But why a Parker converter works on an standard international? (as noted by several others ^^^^)

 

3 With a Faber-Castell converter you can suck the ink through the section and nib. Why only with an FC-converter? And can't you fill the FC-converter straight out of the bottle?

 

Strange. Like with the "Visionaire Debacle" there are too many loose ends to what seems a wonderful story.

 

I wanted to ask this as a question, but you need either Facebook or be a Kickstarter member. I have/am neither.

 

 

 

D.ick

[load81]

Do you EVER carry a fountain pen around in your shirt pocket? Again, in my estimation most clips are only roll-stoppers (since I don't post most of the time) and ornaments to make things prettier. I'm sure SOME people carry a fountain pen in their pockets, but a lot of us never do.

 

Not in my shirt pocket but in my jacket pocket all the time. Where else could you carry a pen? Even if they are only roll stoppers they are useful.

 

I dont want to judge about the "design" of this, but having a manufacturing background i would say form follows function here. And the function is being as easy to manufacture as humanly possible. Two simple turned aluminium parts, standard supplier nib and probably feed, standard converter and your basically done.

[MrThoth]

 

But if the only people to buy it are the backers for the discount, then how is this any different than just MassDrop in the long run? Other than being machined metal in a pen, it doesn't strike me as much different from the offerings you can get from Faber-Castell for around the same intended price (ie: not taking into account the 'early' backer discount). .

 

Personally if it does reach it's goal that's great, but they may want to consider making the grip section more sleek and comfortable looking, least that would truly be more minimalistic. (plus being able to post it, or at least a clip if you can't post it would be a better route, otherwise you got a loose piece you have to keep track of that could just roll away)

 

Also wouldn't minimalism be more like a capless with a button filler behind a blind cap? no need to take apart etc, just dip, pump it a few times and write.

 

 

Huh?

 

All I did was report a fact -- that they're likely to succeed based on Kickstarter's statistics.

 

I haven't said one word about (a) the relative merits of Kickstarter versus other forms of funding/crowdfunding (which I'm not sure are relevant topics here at FPN, though I'm certainly willing to discuss them if people want to), ( the relative worth of the pen compared to other pens, © how "minimalist" the pen is or isn't, or (d) what features the pen should or shouldn't include (comments which, if you're seriously concerned about the issue, should be posted on the Kickstarter's page, where the designers will see them, rather than here).

 

This isn't my Kickstarter -- as I stated in my first post which started this thread, I have no assocation with it. So I'm not sure why you're making these comments in a response to me, in a post which didn't raise any of these issues. All I'm doing is passing along information to a group of afficionados who might be interested in it.

Edited July 28, 2014 by MrThoth

[MrThoth]

Re reading the filling part.

 

Strange.

1 I understand, standard cartridge or the long ones from Pelikan.

 

2 I understand basically. Fill the converter in the bottle and insert in the pen. Good for when your bottle is almost empty. But why a Parker converter works on an standard international? (as noted by several others ^^^^)

 

3 With a Faber-Castell converter you can suck the ink through the section and nib. Why only with an FC-converter? And can't you fill the FC-converter straight out of the bottle?

 

Strange. Like with the "Visionaire Debacle" there are too many loose ends to what seems a wonderful story.

 

I wanted to ask this as a question, but you need either Facebook or be a Kickstarter member. I have/am neither.

 

 

 

D.ick

 

 

Since I am registered on Kickstarter, I can send the creators a question if you'd like. I am not backing this KS so I can't post comments directly to the project's page, but I can send the creators a private question.

 

Phrase your question with as much clarity and detail as you think is needed and either post it here, or send it to me via private message, and I'll pass it on to the project's creators and then post whatever response I get here.

Edited July 28, 2014 by MrThoth

[Algester]

I'd say THIS IS BETTER OFF AS A DESK PEN :X

[Flounder]

Hmmm... they've altered the filling description since I last read it. Either I'm confused, or they're confused. Or both... or all three!

[lahlahlaw]

 

And in regards to the Titanium nibs (if they hit their goal)... any real benefits to that?

 

Yes, flexibility. I have a Delta Galassia Titantio with a Ti22 nib and it's a very springy, semi-flex even.

[rafapa]

Re reading the filling part.

 

Strange.

1 I understand, standard cartridge or the long ones from Pelikan.

 

2 I understand basically. Fill the converter in the bottle and insert in the pen. Good for when your bottle is almost empty. But why a Parker converter works on an standard international? (as noted by several others ^^^^)

 

3 With a Faber-Castell converter you can suck the ink through the section and nib. Why only with an FC-converter? And can't you fill the FC-converter straight out of the bottle?

 

Strange. Like with the "Visionaire Debacle" there are too many loose ends to what seems a wonderful story.

 

I wanted to ask this as a question, but you need either Facebook or be a Kickstarter member. I have/am neither.

 

 

 

D.ick

I asked the question yesterday, no answer to date.

[RMN]

 

 

Since I am registered on Kickstarter, I can send the creators a question if you'd like. I am not backing this KS so I can't post comments directly to the project's page, but I can send the creators a private question.

 

Phrase your question with as much clarity and detail as you think is needed and either post it here, or send it to me via private message, and I'll pass it on to the project's creators and then post whatever response I get here.

 

 

I asked the question yesterday, no answer to date.

Thanks both. Interested to hear what the answer to Rafapa's question will be.

 

 

D.ick

[ninad]

Having the converter flexibility is a nice feature, I'll grant that. But I like clips, and I already have a Lamy 2000, so...

 

I don't understand the novelty of converter flexibility. it's not like you're going to assign two converters to this pen. As far as carts go, again, you just carry whatever carts are necessary.

 

Edit: Also, why position your pen ("ergonomic body, born of one seamless arc") against mass production techniques when the best thing about the pen, the Bock nib, is mass produced and supplied to a significant portion of new pens worldwide?

 

Edit #2: I'm so sick of weasel words in kickstarter projects (and elsewhere).

 

"...the solidity, the substance that resides in the object."

 

 

What the...

 

Also,

 

Sometimes less is more. Stripping an object of all its non-essential features can deliver a more direct, raw, uninhibited experience. [...] What if we achieved this level of experience with a fountain pen, an instrument that means so much for creative expression?

 

 

Ick.

Edited July 29, 2014 by ninad