Gravitas pens - shipping and CS

[Doug C]

I'll see if I can post a review in the next few days. 

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, manolo said:

I would be interesting in knowing your opinions on these Gravitas pens, I can't find any reviews here in FPN.

I have three Gravitas pens; two entry models and one limited edition. Each has a Bock nib. They are quality pens at a very reasonable price. The Entry pen is metal and virtually bulletproof. The Entry is the one pen I carry with me without a concerns that the clumsy oaf that I am will damage it no matter what I do.

[Doug C]

4 hours ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I have three Gravitas pens; two entry models and one limited edition. Each has a Bock nib. They are quality pens at a very reasonable price. The Entry pen is metal and virtually bulletproof. The Entry is the one pen I carry with me without a concerns that the clumsy oaf that I am will damage it no matter what I do.

I have 2 flagship models: one with the Celtic knot and one in white cerakote. 

I also just got a micarta. 

 

Plus one.  Great pens..

[Geert Jan]

Just received the pocket pen with the titanium 'Ultra Flex' and polymer feed (nice detail: Gravitas logo on the feed). As mentioned earlier in the thread: shipping may take some time (about a month here), but well worth the wait.

Flawless machining, beautiful pen. I like the nib, but will need a little more time to form a better opinion. For now: definitely flexier and softer than regular steel 'flex' nibs (FPR, Stipula), but no match for OMAS en Scribo (gold) flex nibs.

[HobbitLife]

I have been trying to reach Ben for multiple weeks now about an issue I have with the pocket Ultem pen I purchased (the o-ring on the section threads keeps getting caught and chewed up in the cap threads). I have messaged via website and both his Instagram accounts multiple times…radio silence. I don’t complain about the slow shipping, but when I am having an active problem with a relatively new pen and cannot get any help from him after weeks of trying, that is not great. I assume he stands behind his products (and they are excellent), but it feels like his time is currently all focused on design, production, and marketing to future customers to the neglect of his existing ones. I’ve never been literally unable to reach a maker or seller of a pen I purchased before. 

[Karmachanic]

Return it in a package marked Repair, along with an explanatory note.

[nop_bkk]

I finally received my pens today. The rundown on the timeline is (based on An Post tracking information):

 

2 Dec 2022 - ordered

30 Dec - received shipping notice from Gravitas Pens

18 Jan 2023 - An Post receives the package (Ben Walsh basically sat on the package for three weeks before bothering to take the package to the post office)

20 Jan - package is sent to sorting office

23 Jan - package departs Ireland and routed through Heathrow

29 Jan - package arrives in Bangkok and processed through the Thailand Post system

30 Jan - Thailand Post delivers the package

 

I admit the pens are expertly designed and manufactured. I have yet to ink test the pens, but even if they write flawlessly, would they be worth the aggravation and being relegated to useless customer by Ben Walsh (or perhaps a necessary evil to fund his design exercises)? My answer would be a resounding no. Never again. Just not worth the aggravation.

 

[dudleian]

I was lurking on this thread because I ordered a super flex nib early December and  by early January I had no dispatch confirmation. I emailed the shop and (coincidentally or not) the nib was in the post a few days later and arrived shortly afterwards. It was a nice nib.

 

I totally believe the people who say Ben is a stand up guy, and I will definitely order from Gravitas again because they have some unique designs at very reasonable prices.

 

But I will expect to be patient.

 

I can understand that might not work for everyone.

[HobbitLife]

Update: I tried the email address posted earlier in this thread and Ben got back to me within the day. It turns out the contact form on his website isn’t working, and his IG account is hacked. I suggested he update his website with his contact email since I was only able to find it via this thread, and he has now done so. Moral of the story - assume the best rather than the worst. Seems like he could use some systems help and I’d imagine the business is right in the tough stage between a simple one man gig and being big enough for a larger team. He also charges less than he probably could. I’m sure the systems will come along eventually.

[Calabria]

The problems continue. Ordered my pen Nov 17, 2023. As of Jan 13, 2024, and dozens of IG messages later, all I have is a tracking number for a parcel that has not yet been entered in the mail system. Not getting a refund either. 
 

I will continue to contact Ben and will also try and track him down at the LA pen show. Just wish I had read this thread before ordering!

[txomsy]

I would be wary before blaming anyone. I have had letters and parcel sent from EU to UE and from UE to EU getting lost in the nether. Sometimes they get lost on one end or the other, sometimes the tracking stops or never gets beyond the first stage --but you end up getting the item eventually (other times the item never arrives...).

 

What I mean: before blaming anyone it would be better to make sure who is actually to blame.

 

[ParramattaPaul]

4 hours ago, Calabria said:

The problems continue. Ordered my pen Nov 17, 2023. As of Jan 13, 2024, and dozens of IG messages later, all I have is a tracking number for a parcel that has not yet been entered in the mail system. Not getting a refund either. 
 

I will continue to contact Ben and will also try and track him down at the LA pen show. Just wish I had read this thread before ordering!

I have purchased several Gravitas pens.  Ben is honest and reliable.  I suspect any problem you may be having is with An Post assuming your purchase was sent through them.

[Calabria]

On 1/13/2024 at 1:39 PM, ParramattaPaul said:

I have purchased several Gravitas pens.  Ben is honest and reliable.  I suspect any problem you may be having is with An Post assuming your purchase was sent through them.

Just to update, the pen did arrive on 1/22/24 after having been in transit since 11/30/23. I live in SoCal. A lot of frustration could have been avoided if Ben had simply replied, “it’s being sent by AN Post which takes 2 months to the US.”

 

The pen, an Ultem Vac, is light, expertly machined, well sized.

[ParramattaPaul]

14 hours ago, Calabria said:

Just to update, the pen did arrive on 1/22/24 after having been in transit since 11/30/23. I live in SoCal. A lot of frustration could have been avoided if Ben had simply replied, “it’s being sent by AN Post which takes 2 months to the US.”

 

The pen, an Ultem Vac, is light, expertly machined, well sized.

Gravitas is a one-man business.  I suspect that Ben may not give emails the priority they should have.

[miig]

I have one of his pens, and had an issue with a replacement nib I bought, the tines are misaligned. It was only a cheap stainless nib, so no big problem. The pen with the TI flex nib was flawless.

I wrote to Ben, and he responded within a day or two, suggesting I try and correct the misalignment myself, and offered a replacement if that didn't succeed.

 

Sorry to hear others are less lucky, my experience with Gravitas customer care was totally good.

[HobbitLife]

@miig How did you contact him? I’ve been messaging about a couple major flaws with my Ultemate Vac for weeks and only have radio silence…

[miig]

On 1/31/2024 at 8:17 PM, HobbitLife said:

@miig How did you contact him? I’ve been messaging about a couple major flaws with my Ultemate Vac for weeks and only have radio silence…

I just sent him an e-Mail.

[mx-fan]

I've 3 Gravitas pens and love them all. I ordered an ultem Ultemate Vac one on 31 Dec. 2023 but see, at Ben's website, no pen ready for me, none in the mail for me. In my Gravitas account, I only see that my last order (the 31 Dec. one) is pending. I used his webpage contact form not long ago to inquire about my order but never heard from Ben. [Someone wrote here early last year (as I recall) that his website contact form is broken. Maybe it still is-- I don't know.]

 

I read all the postings here in this thread. Someone mentioned the LA Pen Show. Is that show the same as the California Pen Show? Since one of these starts on 16 Feb., I suppose Ben's preparing to be there.

 

Waiting quite some time for a shiny, new, innovative fountain pen (as the Ultemate Vac is) puts one's patience to the test even for very patient sorts as I am. [I'll write to him using the Gmail address someone kindly gave here.]

[HobbitLife]

I’ve been a supporter of Gravitas and willing to deal with slow communication regarding shipping, but I am about at my limit now. I bought an Ultemate Vac over the summer and received it after a predictably long time and truly loved it. However, I soon found that the cap cross threads nearly every other time I try to cap the pen. Then, the titanium band on the center of the pen simply fell off (came unglued) during cleaning.
 

I have reached out via the website multiple times, over Instagram (both accounts) and over 3 different emails that I have seen him use before. Absolutely no response. It has been over a month. I have never experienced radio silence from any makers or sellers when their product has obvious mechanical failure like this. It’s pretty inexcusable. Slow responses regarding shipping are one thing, but to be unreachable regarding legitimate issues with your products is pretty inexcusable. Is there anything else I can do??

[Mark from Yorkshire]

@HobbitLife post it back and request a refund/ replacement ASAP and at Their expense including shipping. That and a negative review on trust pilot etc