Picasso 915

[drathbun]

I just got my Picasso 915 in the mail today. I've done an unboxing and first impressions video which I will be editing over the next day or two.

 

My first impressions are that it is a beautiful looking pen. It is heavier than I thought and it took a little bit of work to get it writing smoothly and relatively wet. I love the presentation box. I ordered it with the box because I liked how it looked in photos I've seen on the web. So far, (couple hours), it doesn't feel like it will replace my Kaigelu's as everyday writers. I might futz with the nib a little more to see if I can get it to flow better. There is definite feedback against Rhodia paper but not much more than either my Kaigelu or my Visconti. When it is unposted, it sits in my hand very comfortably and I like the section and textured grip along with the $6 gold/silver steel nib that has a dove with an olive branch in its beak. The red acrylic body has some nice depth and chatoyance but it is nowhere near as deep and chatoyant as the Kaigelus.

 

I've inked it up with Iroshizuku Yama-Budo which matches the red acrylic body nicely. So, I will write with it for a few days and get a better feel for how it performs in longer writing sessions.

 

Thanks to Helen for suggesting this beautiful pen!

 

[mke]

> unboxing and first impressions video

 

How about using it for some time and THEN make a thoughtful! video?

Or better - write a good essay with some good photos after you know this pen.

 

These "first use" videos of wanna-be influencers are just annoying, to be honest. There are more and more recently.

 

An essay, I can quickly screen if it is something which I want to read in details - not possible with videos.

 

Additionally, these videos are often unnecessarily blown up.

 

Example: someone is showing how he weighs a pen, unbelievable - if one tells me how many grams it weighs, that is enough.

 

A video is good if you show a procedure, a way how to do something - but unboxing? That is boring as if I would look for 10 minutes into the window of a turning washing machine.

Edited April 4, 2019 by mke

[drathbun]

  On 4/4/2019 at 6:58 AM, mke said:

> unboxing and first impressions video

 

How about using it for some time and THEN make a thoughtful! video?

Or better - write a good essay with some good photos after you know this pen.

 

These "first use" videos of wanna-be influencers are just annoying, to be honest. There are more and more recently.

 

An essay, I can quickly screen if it is something which I want to read in details - not possible with videos.

 

Additionally, these videos are often unnecessarily blown up.

 

Example: someone is showing how he weighs a pen, unbelievable - if one tells me how many grams it weighs, that is enough.

 

A video is good if you show a procedure, a way how to do something - but unboxing? That is boring as if I would look for 10 minutes into the window of a turning washing machine.

 

Well, I was excited to open it and try out the pen, so I did a video. For the actual unboxing, I make the video go a 500x speed. I wanted to see how the pen felt, looked and, more importantly, wrote right out of the box. This one took a little adjustment but is writing fine, even if a little drier than I like. I will do a more detailed written review after I've used it for about a month. I wrote with it for about an hour this evening as my video was compiling and even with this short a time, I can tell it won't replace my Kaigelu 316 as my daily writer.

 

I do have a procedure in the video where I use a Goulet - purchased syringe to fill the converter and then just dip the nib. I've switched to this method completely and I get a lot less ink on my fingers now.

 

Anyway, I enjoyed doing the video. I'm not trying to be anything close to an influencer - just sharing my pleasurable hobby.

[JollyCynic]

You've taken some stunning photos of the pen! But judging from the watermark, you probably know they're pretty good.

 

I look forward to the unboxing video.

[richardandtracy]

Your photos of the pen are amazing. I have nearly got to the point of buying one of these on several occasions. Think it's more likely now.

 

As for videos. Hmm. I often view FPN while at lunch at work, so any sound is always off, and the same at home so I don't annoy the rest of my family. The net result is spoken information is always lost. Have you ever seen the hilarious results of YouTube subtitles? I rarely have any idea what's being talked about with those subtitles. It's less fun, but a lot less confusing, to have the subtitles off.

 

My general thoughts on video reviews are these (don't think I've heard any of yours, Drathbun, so please take them as they are meant, as general comments rather than specific to you).

 

I really get more information from a good written review than I do even from a brilliant video review. It's also quicker for me to read a review than watch a good video review, a minute is enough to read a good written review. The same information takes 5 to 10 minutes to get over with a good video review. I suspect a written review takes no longer to create than the original filming and then editing for a video review. Furthermore, a written review tends to be more incisive and to the point. How often do less good video reviews ramble on & on with not great photography, slightly out of focus (where the auto focus can't lock on the pen & chooses the paper instead) and - for those few times when I can listen - the speaker thinks they have no accent, and for me it's so thick as to be almost unintelligible? Not everyone is blessed with a radio announcer's voice and some are very hard to listen to.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Helen350]

Don't you just love the Picasso 915. I thought it would make a nice edition to your collection. I am particularly fond of that unique nib.

 

[drathbun]

I thought I'd do an update after writing with this pen for a few weeks. I like the way the pen feels in my hand unposted and the grip section is nicely comfortable with a slight texture in the plastic. The nib has had some hard starts more often than not and doesn't feel that smooth. Because it felt like the feed wasn't keeping up, I thought lack of flow might be affecting the smoothness of the nib as well. So I took a shim to the tines and spread them apart very gently. Then I did about a minute of smoothing with 12000 micromesh.

 

That did it! The pen is now very wet, never hard starts and stays wet over a couple of days in the cap. The nib is ultra smooth and is now up there with my Kaigelu 316 Charcoal and my Visconti Van Gogh as the smoothest pens I own.