A Custom Made Pen By One Of Our Own Fpn Members!

[IAmTheMusic]

Many "LE" and "custom" pens I've seen have been tasteless bling. This, OTOH, is simply stunning. Way more $$ than I could afford, but definitely follows the William Morris dictate: "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful and or believe to be beautiful."

Congratulations on your acquisition, and kudos to the maker.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Thank you so much for the kind words! I can't get enough of this pen. So much fun! May I ask what OTOH means?

[ehemem]

Thank you so much for the kind words! I can't get enough of this pen. So much fun! May I ask what OTOH means?

On The Other Hand...

[ArchiMark]

Yes, you're biased, but in a good way, Kevin!....

 

That is one unique and handsome pen!.....

 

I'm sure that ol' Leo is smiling down on you and Tim right now....

 

Thanks for sharing....

 

Enjoy!

 

Mark

[IAmTheMusic]

Thanks for the clarification. I can't seem to keep up with all of these new acronyms.

 

ArchiMark,

 

I'm glad you don't mind my bias I'm sure Leo would be very happy about this mechanical device. In fact, I've sort of nicknamed the pen the "Leo".

[davefeldman]

Wow! What a beautiful pen!

 

Dave

[Floreat]

That is stunning! Congrats on your beautiful pen Kevin, and congrats to Tim for creating such a lovely thing.

[mrchan]

Hello all!

 

It's been a while since my last review, but I need to take some time now to review the fruits of a collaboration between my desire for a beautiful work and a FPN member! I have been writing, for over a year, a large scale piece of music dedicated to the life of Leonardo da Vinci. He is a great person hero of mine (and rightly so). It's near completion, and is a good 40 minutes long. I am excited for it's premiere this coming year in New York. I was fascinated with the "Leonardo" by Montblanc, but a hefty $3,600 price tag held me back. HOWEVER,

 

When I emailed a gentleman by the name of Tim Self, of our own Fountain Pen Network, he explained to me that he could create a truly custom piece for me. I will explain details as we move along.

 

 

(Before we begin, I will note that there is some degree of bias in my review. Tim and I discussed what would be on the pen, how it would look, etc.. I will not be offended should you disagree with my review, but I will defend this bad boy!)

 

 

Appearance/Design:

 

The pen is visually dazzling. The amount of care and craftsmanship are amazing. Every time I look at the pen, it's a new adventure. Due to my musical background, Tim had explained that he could take the "Flying" melody from my work (and from da Vinci's fascination with flight) and print it right onto the pen cap! The body says Leonardo da Vinci and has gold inlay over the metal. Opposite that there is a print of the wing Leonardo used to study flying, and a small backward inscription from the corresponding codex. I wish I could award a 11/10 for this exceptional work, but alas, I can only offer a 10/10.

 

photo 1.JPG

 

photo 2.JPG

 

Function:

 

This baby is heavy. But, the cap does not post which is good for balance. The pen sits quite comfortably between my index finger and thumb. As for the use of the pen, the ink is delivered evenly, precisely, and very cleanly. I have had no trouble with bleeding with even the lightest of manuscripts.

 

Nib: Tim fitted her with a Bock nib. Stainless steel, very sturdy, yet still elegant. I'm very happy, indeed.

 

Filling System: I was told that this pen will accept universal cartridges. Being a stickler for tradition, I enjoy bottled ink or a well. I use Waterman ink almost exclusively, unless a brand (i.e. my Parker) specifies using another. The converter Tim gave me was long and very easy to fill. It is quick to suck up ink and remains leak free. Converter leaks have been an issue lately, unfortunately, so this is nice.

 

Not surprisingly, I will award 10/10. Though she is heavy, I could still use this pen on a daily basis. It is VERY comfortable. I'll just need an insurance plan, first .

 

 

Below, you can see the "Wing" and the writing from the journal on flight.

photo 3.JPG

 

Below is the name of the hero honored by this pen!

photo 4.JPG

 

Here is the melody of flight from my piece "The Da Vinci Trail" expertly placed about the cap.

photo 5.JPG

 

And here, pay attention to the curvature and lines drawn out by the pens body and converter. It may just be me, but I particularly like the dynamics of width. It adds character

photo.JPG

 

Cost, Value and Cost/Value

 

This beauty only cost me about $500, yet it is priceless due to the fact that it is MY pen, and it is the only one like it. I must say that I had VERY high expectations when receiving this pen, and they have still be far exceeded. In point, I should tell you directly that it obviously does not matter if the pen maker is a large company, or a small operation like Tim's. Having used a Montblanc on several occasions (executive series), I can safely say that there is no reason for a $3,600 cost, and works of art just as beautiful and just as well made (or better) are out there. I wouldn't trade MY pen for anything. Thanks for the many years of happy writing I will enjoy, Tim Self!

 

Cost: $460

 

Value: Much more than that.

 

Cost/Value ratio: Since this is a priceless possession of mine, the cost to value ratio isn't quite fair to say

 

Overall Rating: Due to the wealth of beauty in my new piece, the unique qualities it shares, and the general excellence in it's writing, I award 10/10 for this pen. Again, I wish I could award more so I'm sure you see my point!

 

Thanks for reading, and please, if I missed something, or you have questions, don't hesitate to ask! I have all good things to say!

 

Sincerely,

 

Kevin E. Phillips II

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is a beautiful pen alright, congrats. The only thing I say with many customs pens is that..The nib is so damn ugly and boring. I hate it that custom pen makers put so much effort into a nice barrel/body/cap and then they use such an ugly generic stainless steel nib on it. That is my biggest irk and that is the ONLY reason why I haven't bought a custom pen yet. To me, a beautiful pen must have a beautiful nib. But your pen is massively gorgeous I must say, except for the nib

[IAmTheMusic]

That is a beautiful pen alright, congrats. The only thing I say with many customs pens is that..The nib is so damn ugly and boring. I hate it that custom pen makers put so much effort into a nice barrel/body/cap and then they use such an ugly generic stainless steel nib on it. That is my biggest irk and that is the ONLY reason why I haven't bought a custom pen yet. To me, a beautiful pen must have a beautiful nib. But your pen is massively gorgeous I must say, except for the nib

Oh come now! Not EVERYthing can be cast with gold! Most of my other pens have gold nibs on them, but the body necessitated the coloring, and the pen's natural design/ink flow was best with a softer metal. I think Tim left it SS for the same reason I very much like it; that it makes the pen look sturdier-perhaps emboldens it a little in reflection of da Vinci and his enormous mental prowess, and I LOVE that. Plus, look at that body! Who would want to detract from the body work with a gold nib!?

 

Haha, I appreciate your input though! Would you mind telling me why you feel so strongly about gold or 'fancier' engraved nibs? Just curious.

 

Kevin

[IAmTheMusic]

Thats an exceptional FP. The nib could have been an italic or stub, then even the writing sample / written records / written musical notes would have matched the happiness of its possession.

Could you maybe share with me why these nibs would be better? I don't have much knowledge behind different kinds as well as I'd like...Perhaps I'll have to contact Tim for a few more nibs

[mrchan]

Oh come now! Not EVERYthing can be cast with gold! Most of my other pens have gold nibs on them, but the body necessitated the coloring, and the pen's natural design/ink flow was best with a softer metal. I think Tim left it SS for the same reason I very much like it; that it makes the pen look sturdier-perhaps emboldens it a little in reflection of da Vinci and his enormous mental prowess, and I LOVE that. Plus, look at that body! Who would want to detract from the body work with a gold nib!?

 

Haha, I appreciate your input though! Would you mind telling me why you feel so strongly about gold or 'fancier' engraved nibs? Just curious.

 

Kevin

Well I am not saying it has to be like a yellow or rose gold or something (I know that wouldn't fit in with the overall look of the pen), a pen so precious looking deserves to have perhaps a white gold nib or something at least to match its body other than a GENERIC bock nib. At least throw a little carving or something cool on the nib..

 

It's just that so much of work has gone into the body and everything to make it look so amazing and its like the main heart and soul of the FP which is the nib, is so ordinary and boring..For me that just takes away so much from the work of art gone into the other parts of the pen.

 

That's just how I feel of course

[Tim Self]

Well I am not saying it has to be like a yellow or rose gold or something (I know that wouldn't fit in with the overall look of the pen), a pen so precious looking deserves to have perhaps a white gold nib or something at least to match its body other than a GENERIC bock nib. At least throw a little carving or something cool on the nib..

 

It's just that so much of work has gone into the body and everything to make it look so amazing and its like the main heart and soul of the FP which is the nib, is so ordinary and boring..For me that just takes away so much from the work of art gone into the other parts of the pen.

 

That's just how I feel of course

Each and everyone of us have our opinions of what a beautiful pen should look like and what kind of nib should accompany such a pen. However, and this is just my opinion, how well that pen writes is just as if not more important than how it looks. Many have been astonished by how well a $15 pen from the local stationary supply store writes and just the reverse how badly their $1300 (insert any major manufacture) scratches and drags. Also staying within the pricing guidelines restricts what type of nib is included. One last point, I have yet to find a white gold nib fitting these components.

[IAmTheMusic]

I'll agree with both of you on this to some degree. To be perfectly honest, the nib on the pen writes better than my Parker AND my Xezo; both several hundred dollars in value. I wasn't sure at first if I would like the way it writes, but it's really quite wonderful! I'm intrigued by the idea of a carving on the nib, but worried that a mistake could happen or perhaps it would damage such a delicate (although SS) nib.

[mrchan]

Each and everyone of us have our opinions of what a beautiful pen should look like and what kind of nib should accompany such a pen. However, and this is just my opinion, how well that pen writes is just as if not more important than how it looks. Many have been astonished by how well a $15 pen from the local stationary supply store writes and just the reverse how badly their $1300 (insert any major manufacture) scratches and drags. Also staying within the pricing guidelines restricts what type of nib is included. One last point, I have yet to find a white gold nib fitting these components.

I wasn't really talking about how well the pen would write, most FPNers know that a steel nib writes the same as a gold nib mostly. Gold nibs aren't all that pricey tbh..The actual gold content is actually very low. Its like buying a really expensive Patek Philippe watch and putting the cheapest leather strap you can find on it. Sure it is functional, sure, the colour matches, but the quality detracts from what a true beauty it could actually have been.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

This pen is certainly not my cup of tea for with the music notes and all, but I must say that it's absolutely gorgeous! I'm glad to you were able to snag such a pen, IAmTheMusic - I imagine it must be so exciting to have such a custom pen made. Tim: great job. I was floored at how much it cost. I would have expected a significantly higher price tag.

 

Steve

Edited September 26, 2014 by TheRealScubaSteve