(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
Cleo Skribent is a German pen manufacturer that has been in business since the World War II era. While this is my first experience with the company, they're more well known and recognized in other parts of the world. The company focuses on making fine writing instruments of high quality and craftsmanship. If this particular pen on my desk is any indication, the Cleo Skribent brand is well-made and fairly priced.
The Colour line of pens is available in mechanical pencil, ballpoint, and fountain pen versions, but I have a special edition made exclusively for Papier Plume of the ballpoint Colour. The all copper version is a beautiful pen that looks and feels like a well-tuned machine. This version is also billed as the exclusive "antimicrobial" ballpoint pen, which is something afforded by the copper materials. I didn't know this before, but copper (and its alloys) is a natural antimicrobial material. Neat!
If you've ever owned a copper or brass pen (or jewelry, for that matter), you probably know what happens pretty quickly after it comes in contact with your skin: oxidation. Yep, and this pen is no different. You can expect a patina to start developing after a few days of use, though it might take a couple or four weeks to see a drastic transformation. The pace of oxidation also depends on the humidity levels, how often you touch the pen, and the level of acidity in the oils on your fingers. I like the look of a nice patina, but I also love the look of freshly polished copper. It's so bright and golden, but it fades so quickly. Luckily, this pen ships with a small polishing rag for removing the patina. You'll only get a couple of uses out of the rag before needing to replace it, but it does provide an immediate solution for keeping your pen nice and bright.
Now, onto the non-copper aspects of this pen. The pen has a unique shape that provides a nice writing surface on the grip. The top portion of the pen that houses the nock is a bit subdued and reminds me of a Parker Jotter ballpoint pen. It's professional, and doesn't scream, "I'm a custom machined pen." Even though the tip and grip section of the pen do have more of that machined look, it's still a polished, professional look.
The nock is solid, but it's gotten stuck a couple of times while I've been using it. Nothing major, but worth noting. This clip is strong, but also has plenty of give to make it easy to use. Clipping this to your shirt or pants pocket is no problem.
The pen uses a Cleo-branded Schmidt 9000 EasyFlow refill, which is a great choice on their part. The EasyFlow has a dark, smooth ink that makes writing a pleasure.
Writing with this pen is great because of the machined grip area that provides a nice slope and ridge for your fingers to rest against while writing. Even though the body of the pen is completely smooth, I haven't had any issues with the pen slipping out of my grip. Keep in mind that as the patina develops, it will provide a grip surface that offers more texture and grip.
The pen has a small amount of weight, but not nearly as much as I would expect from a solid copper pen. To compare, the Colour weighs in at 31g, a standard Kaweco AL Sport weighs 20g (with short international cartridge, and a Lamy AL Star weighs 23g (with Lamy converter). It's not a heavy pen, but it's on the moderate side. You will notice the weight of this pen after a couple of pages of writing, but it's manageable.
One more thing that is worth mentioning for this pen (and any pen made from copper or brass) is the smell. Copper has a distinct smell that intensifies as it oxidizes, and it's not for everyone. For me, it depends on the task and my mood. Sometimes the smell is attractive, while other time it really puts me off. It's not a huge deal, but something to note for any pen made from these materials.
Overall, the Cleo Skribent Colour Copper edition is a sleek, well-made pen that is comfortable in the hand and smooth on the page. Given the Schmidt EasyFlow refill, you also have many options as far as replacement refills (any standard Parker refill will do) if you run out or decide you don't like it. The Copper edition runs about $90, which is really fair compared to other all-metal pens.
(Papier Plume provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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