It Wasn't Likely That I'd Ever Be Able To Get A Mb Hemingway. So, I Got One Better.

[rpsyed]

I'll do a full review after I've had more time to use it but I wanted to share some of Shawn Newton's most recent work. Some of the pictures were taken by me, others by Shawn. Shawn's photos are being used with his permission.

http://i.imgur.com/iwZMEoY.jpg

A while back I had the idea of having Shawn make me a pen like the Hemingway except with solid 14k trim. Shawn was totally up for it and when he and his jeweler started making nibs, he asked if I wanted one. It was a risk - I was the first customer to buy one of these nibs so I had no idea how it would write. I trusted that Shawn would make sure I got nice writing pen. I wasn't disappointed.

http://i.imgur.com/YkkJSi3.jpg

All the metal (the nib, and all the trim) are all solid 14k gold.

Writing sample

http://i.imgur.com/kFL1jCV.jpg

This is the coolest part: It writes just like a vintage flex nib. It even has the responsiveness of vintage flex and the tines close quickly after letting up on the pressure. Shawn Newton has an amazing thing to offer with these handmade nibs. The ink used in the writing sample is Iroshizuku Ku-jaku. I have a Romillo Essential #9 with a semi-flexible Fine nib coming in a few weeks - I'm really excited to get to compare the two handmade nibs to one another.

http://i.imgur.com/rKQgZKV.jpg

Here's a good look at the feed, which Shawn cut by hand out of ebonite.

http://i.imgur.com/jYuCmf8.jpg

Handmade Newton nib compared to a Bock nib on an Eboya Kyouka, medium-size.

Comparison with other pens

http://i.imgur.com/RZuiRej.jpg

From top: Romillo Eo #9, Edison Pearl with Karanuri urushi, Shawn Newton custom, Eboya Kyouka - medium-size.

http://i.imgur.com/tDIDOfq.jpg

It's a true piston-filler. Shawn makes the piston-filling mechanisms in-house. Here you can see the blind cap unscrewed.

Edited October 30, 2015 by rpsyed

[Notgatherox]

Now, the million dollar question is: how much?

 

How much did this little beauty cost?

 

Enjoy the lovely pen

 

 

 

~Epic

[rpsyed]

Now, the million dollar question is: how much?

 

How much did this little beauty cost?

 

Enjoy the lovely pen

 

 

 

~Epic

A little over $1,500 but much of that was because of the solid gold trim, Had I foregone the trim, it would have been like half that amount.

[GClef]

Writing sample

 

http://i.imgur.com/kFL1jCV.jpg

 

This is the coolest part: It writes just like a vintage flex nib. It even has the responsiveness of vintage flex and the tines close quickly after letting up on the pressure. Shawn Newton has an amazing thing to offer with these handmade nibs. The used in the writing sample is Iroshizuku Ku-jaku. I have a Romillo Essential #9 with a semi-flexible Fine nib coming in a few weeks - I really excited to get to compare the two handmade nibs to one another.

 

"Vintage" flex in a new handmade nib...WOW! just about says it all.

[rpsyed]

 

"Vintage" flex in a new handmade nib...WOW! just about says it all.

I know, right?! That nib is sooo much fun to play with.

[Horseknitter]

Be Still, My Heart!!!

Gorgeous!

[Chrissy]

A little over $1,500 but much of that was because of the solid gold trim, Had I foregone the trim, it would have been like half that amount.

 

Isn't that less expensive than a Mb Hemingway that only has GP trim?

[jmccarty3]

A beautiful pen. Hope you enjoy it for many years. And congratulations to Shawn for such a fine job.

[GClef]

So, wait a sec...this nib was handmade to be flexible, right?

Not a modified nib, like a Binderized flex.

I've had a Binderized added flex on a Pelikan nib and it was fun, but it didn't have that "vintage" feel.

I wonder how backed up Shawn will get once the orders start pouring in--if they haven't already!

[rpsyed]

Be Still, My Heart!!!

Gorgeous!

Thank you!

 

 

Isn't that less expensive than a Mb Hemingway that only has GP trim?

Haha, yeah. Crazily enough. Heminway's are currently selling over well over $2,000, sometimes close to $3,000. I think when the Hemingway came out, however, it was less than $1,000 brand new.

 

A beautiful pen. Hope you enjoy it for many years. And congratulations to Shawn for such a fine job.

Thank you! Agreed! Shawn's work keeps getting better and better.

 

So, wait a sec...this nib was handmade to be flexible, right?

Not a modified nib, like a Binderized flex.

I've had a Binderized added flex on a Pelikan nib and it was fun, but it didn't have that "vintage" feel.

I wonder how backed up Shawn will get once the orders start pouring in--if they haven't already!

Well, yes and no. The nib wasn't made to flexible, exactly. Shawn and his jeweler just made a nib - this is only the second nib they've ever made. The first was like test nib, the nib on my pen was the first made for a customer. When Shawn made the feed and set the nib in the section, he realized it was really flexy. So it wasn't modified to flex, it was just made and happened to be flexible. Though from looking at the shape and length of the tines, it does seem logical that it would be somewhat flexible.

[zaddick]

Congratulations on as lovely pen. The nib looks fantastic and I look forward to a longer term review. I am curious if the feed will be able to keep up with the nib.

 

Enjoy your new treasure!

[Keyless Works]

Wow very nice. I didn't know they were producing their own nibs. $350 for a custom in house nib is not bad at all.

[J85909266]

This is a really, really cool pen. Thank you so much for sharing, and congrats on owning something so impressive and unique, despite being inspired by the Hemingway.

[rpsyed]

Congratulations on as lovely pen. The nib looks fantastic and I look forward to a longer term review. I am curious if the feed will be able to keep up with the nib.

 

Enjoy your new treasure!

Thank you! The feed does a pretty good job of providing flow, though it does railroad if you keep flexing a lot continuously for a long time. Priming the feed before flexing heavily helps a lot. I'm really impressed with the quality of the feed considering this is the first time Shawn has made one. I've tried holding the pen upside down and lightly shaking it and moving it up and down to simulate it being carried it in a bag, nib down. Not a single drop of ink leaked.

 

Thank you!!

 

Wow very nice. I didn't know they were producing their own nibs. $350 for a custom in house nib is not bad at all.

 

Not bad at all! The nib is huge too. Considerably bigger than a JoWo #8, though not quite the size of a Romillo #9 nib. It's only the second nib they've made so it remains to be seen if they can reliably make a flexy nib. If they can, it would be an amazing nib option that Shawn could offer.

 

This is a really, really cool pen. Thank you so much for sharing, and congrats on owning something so impressive and unique, despite being inspired by the Hemingway.

You're welcome! Thank you so much!

[flipper_gv]

Like I said on the reddit thread, amazing looking pen.

[Mardi13]

Shawn is a very dangerous guy to know. ;-)

 

Can't wait to see it!

[GClef]

So, Shawn and his jeweler MADE a nib that happens to be flexible...

All I hear is...CHA-CHING!!

[DRWWE]

That turned out beautifully. Congratulations!

[Keyless Works]

I am in the process of ordering a pen with one of Shawn's custom nibs. It's going to be a much simpler pen than your beautiful Hemingway inspired pen and it will have a smaller nib. The price of the custom handmade nib was just too good to ignore.

[rpsyed]

Like I said on the reddit thread, amazing looking pen.

Thank you!!

 

Shawn is a very dangerous guy to know. ;-)

 

Can't wait to see it!

That he is ... a couple (expensive) decisions have already resulted from the initial thought of "I wonder if Shawn can ... "

 

I loved getting to see your beautiful Sheaffer's! Looking forward to the next meeting.

 

So, Shawn and his jeweler MADE a nib that happens to be flexible...

All I hear is...CHA-CHING!!

Seriously! This nib is by no means a wet noodle - it takes some pressure to flex it - but man, it's flexes quite a bit. But the most impressive thing to me is how quickly the tines close. It's very reminiscent of vintage flex, in that way.

 

That turned out beautifully. Congratulations!

 

Thank you!!

I am in the process of ordering a pen with one of Shawn's custom nibs. It's going to be a much simpler pen than your beautiful Hemingway inspired pen and it will have a smaller nib. The price of the custom handmade nib was just too good to ignore.

Ooh, sweet! I can't wait to see it! Honestly, this Hemingway-inspired pen is an anomaly in my collection. I'm usually drawn to clipless pens with minimal or zero trim. That MB 13X clip is so attractive to me. The next pen I get from Shawn will definitely be simpler too, I'm sure.

Edited November 2, 2015 by rpsyed