Faber-Castell Design Ambition Op-Art Flamingo Limited Edition Fountain Pen: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Faber-Castell Design Ambition Op-Art Flamingo Limited Edition Fountain Pen (what a mouthful!) is a small, light pen with a stainless steel nib, a metal cap, and a resin body.

It comes packaged in a classy Faber-Castell box with a sliding drawer that extends to reveal the pen. One blue cartridge is included, but there’s no converter, so if you prefer a converter, you’ll have to purchase one separately.

The metal snap-on cap has a spring-loaded clip, and it posts easily on the bottom metal section beneath the barrel. Because the pen itself is so light (11 grams), posting the cap (16 grams) throws off the balance considerably, so I don’t recommend it.

The pen design is modern but is not exactly comfortable. Although there is a metal section above the nib, I wouldn’t call it a grip because it is so small in length (about 8.5 mm) and the step down between the barrel and the metal section is significant (and sharp). Because of this, I have to hold the pen much further back than I normally do. Plus, the barrel’s diameter is small (11.1mm), so I don’t find this design conducive to lengthy writing sessions.

The barrel is made from resin engraved with a beautiful guilloche design.

It’s very light and almost feels more like cardboard than resin. The diminutive size of this pen could be a pro or a con depending on how heavy/large you like your pens. Capped, the pen is 5.5 inches; uncapped it is 4.8 inches; and posted it is 6.8 inches.

The nib is a stainless steel fine, and, like most Faber-Castell nibs I’ve used, it writes smoothly. It is decorated with engraved dots and the Faber-Castell logo.

I have another Faber-Castell Ambition, so I borrowed its converter and inked this one with Kyo-Iro 05 Keage Sakura which matches the pink color of the pen well. The pen writes beautifully. I’ve tested it on several different papers and I’ve encountered no hard starts or skipping.

Although I love the sophisticated look and the nib quality on the Faber-Castell Ambition, I’m not so certain of its longevity. I discovered that the resin is easily marred. As I said, I own another Faber-Castell Ambition which I purchased in France. I always carry my pens in a pen case and try to be very careful with them. I’m not sure what happened—if the pen rolled off my desk at work or I accidentally banged it against something—but the barrel got damaged (see photo). I wish Faber-Castell coated the exterior of the resin with clear acrylic to protect the surface.

You can purchase the Faber-Castell Ambition in flamingo from JetPens for $100. Be sure to buy a converter ($5.00) if you don’t want to use cartridges.

Pros

• The Faber-Castell Ambition Op-Art Flamingo is a classy looking pen with distinctive metal accents. The color reminds me of cherry blossoms—it’s not garish like the plastic flamingoes people put in their yards.
• If you prefer small, light pens then you will probably like this model.
• The stainless steel nib on the Ambition writes beautifully and without any problems, such as scratchiness, hard starts, or skipping.

Cons

• This is an expensive pen considering that it’s made of rather delicate resin and has a steel nib.
• No converter is included with the pen. At this price point, I think Faber-Castell should provide a couple of cartridges and a converter.
• I find this model to be uncomfortable, especially for long writing sessions. The lack of a decent-sized grip section forces you to hold the pen by the barrel and the barrel is quite thin in diameter.
• The resin is easily damaged. I would not recommend putting this pen in a purse or bag unless it’s protected by a pen case.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Faber-Castell TK-Fine Vario L Drafting Pencil Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Over the past year, I haven’t been using many mechanical pencils. For me, I’m enjoying woodcase pencils much more at the moment, but I’m always happy to try something new to see how it stacks up against the rest. In the case of the Faber-Castell TK-Fine Vario L mechanical pencil, it sports some features that you’ll find on other mechanical pencils, but not with the same combination.

On the outside, the TK-Fine Vario L (we’re going to call it the Vario from now on) looks like most other drafting pencils. It’s a bit long, has a metal grip, plastic body, and long lead pipe at the end. It doesn’t look like a premium Rotring pencil, but it also doesn’t cost as much as one either. The dark green plastic and gold type does add a bit of class to an otherwise unassuming pencil, and the shiny grip section definitely catches my eye every time I glance in its direction. The clip is nice and strong and can be removed. One thing to consider about this pencil is that the 4mm lead guard pipe does not retract into the tip of the pencil, so beware of your pockets and bags. These pipes are really good at poking holes in fabric.

One thing that I think would improve the overall look of the pencil is a simple eraser cap at the top of the pencil. To me, it looks like it’s missing a cap of some sort, but it certainly does not come with one from the factory. I’m guessing Faber Castell assumed those caps are only a nuisance when you need to use the eraser, but I disagree. I’d prefer a cap in almost every case. To advance the lead, simply click the top of the pencil (which happens to be the eraser).

On the tip of the Vario between the cone and the grip is a lead type indicator. Most drafting pencils have a small barrel that allows you to select the type of lead you have inside the pencil, but they’re normally located at the top of the pencil close to the click mechanism and eraser. In this case, the indicator is right under the grip. The type ranges from 2B to 4H (2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, and 4H), but I find myself accidentally moving the indicator while writing if my fingers happen to slip down from the grip a tad. It’s not a huge issue, but certainly an annoyance that could easily be resolved with a better design decision.

The grip section is hit and miss for me. I love how it looks, but I’m not a big fan of how it feels when writing. The flange as the base of the grip looks cool and also adds some helpful weight at the low center of gravity to improve the level of control you have while writing, but it’s really slippery. The grooves along the upper part of the grip don’t add much in terms of grip. If you use a "normal" grip on your pencils, your mileage will vary. For me, my fingers start slipping almost immediately under normal, non-sweaty conditions. You’ll likely already know exactly what you think about this type of grip based on past experience. I had a pretty good idea that I wouldn’t enjoy the grip very much due to the slick metal and narrow grip, and I was right. But, you might also be on the other side of the fence and really enjoy this grip. It’s definitely not a "one size fits all" situation.

Like most pencils in this price range, the Vario boasts a special feature: the ability to vary a lead clutch from "soft" to "hard." All this really does is allow you to control how tightly the lead is clutched when in use. "Soft" means that the lead will automatically retract under pressure, protecting it from breakage. "Hard" means that the lead will not retract under pressure, which gives you more control but also means it’s more likely to snap the lead. According to the diagrams on the box, "soft" is for writing and "hard" is for drafting. This can be useful in some circumstances, and I’ve found the two settings to do exactly what they promise.

At the end of the day, writing with the Vario isn’t a great experience for me. I’m not a drafter by any means, and I have noticed that using this pencil for drawing and sketching is more comfortable depending on what angle I hold the lead. It’s also great for using with a straight-edge for drawing lines due to the long pipe. The long pipe also makes it easy to see what you’re doing.

Despite my own reservations due to personal taste and usage, this is a great pencil. At the $20 mark, the Faber-Castell Vario does have a fair bit of competition, but I think it offers enough unique attributes to hold its own. If this grip doesn’t scare you away, then it’s a great pencil to try out. It’s available in 0.35mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, and 1.0mm lead sizes, but the only color is dark green.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Faber-Castell Loom Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

Faber-Castell has been in the fine writing instrument business since 1761--an incredible legacy. Many of their pens are very high-end, elegant, and unique--but even their more affordable pens show the design and craftsmanship you'd expect from a company that clearly knows what it's doing. I would consider the Faber-Castell Loom to be slightly above entry-level on the pen enthusiast scale. At $40, it's an expensive jumping-in point. But if your first impression of fountain pens is the Loom, there's a good chance you'll soon be referring to yourself as a pen addict.

This model is the plum color in piano finish. There are a lot of other fun colors to choose from. It took me a little sleuthing to figure out that piano finish are the shiny chrome bodies, and metallic are the matte bodies. It's glossy and looks quite fancy on the desk or when writing, but it collects dust and fingerprints very easily. The body is made from aluminum, so it's also quite heavy, while the plastic cap is very light compared to the rest of the pen. The body is a straight tube that tapers to the grip section, which has a matte texture and five raised ridges meant to aid in grip. As much as I think it looks snazzy, this grip section doesn't work well for me. It's a very wide pen and the tapering is a bit too severe--so my fingers just keep slipping down to the nib. I have to focus on maintaining my grip, and it makes my handwriting look terrible. This may not be a problem for someone with larger hands--but a larger hand may find that the pen feels a bit short to them. The proportions are just a bit unusual. Posting the pen solves this, but there is a risk of scratching that glossy finish.

The pen takes a standard international cartridge or converter, and comes with a short cartridge and a dummy cartridge meant to hold the short cartridge in place. It does not come with a converter, which is a shame.

The cap is wider than the body, tapered at each end. The clip is sturdy and spring-loaded, and my favorite clip ever. It's flexible but sturdy, and feels reliable. It's attached at the finial, which is stamped with the Faber-Castell insignia, the jousting knights. The name and logo are also stamped into the plastic of the cap. The stamping isn't terribly clear--I had to squint a bit to see what it was, but it's a complex image to shrink down to the size of a pen cap. It's a snap cap, and the snap is very aggressive. It takes more force to remove than it feels like it should. It's nice to know it's so secure, but I hope it relaxes a bit over time.

The nib, of course, is where this pen reels you in. It's smooth and perfectly tuned, so it's not too wet, but not at all dry. It has no breather hole, but is dimpled all over. It also attempts to squeeze the jousting knights logo into an even smaller space, with limited success--but it still looks fancy. The EF is definitely a western EF--comparable to a Kaweco, but close to a Japanese M. It's a pleasure to write with. There is just enough feedback to give you control of the pen, but it feels butter smooth. I can see why it's said that Faber-Castell has the best steel nibs on the market.

Overall, it's an excellent pen. That wide, tapering grip makes it not work for me, unfortunately. I wish it did, because I can tell I'm missing out on something special. It's definitely a good buy for its cost, and I think it would make an excellent gift--it's in that perfect price range to be something fancy without being extravagant.

I think I'll be trying out more Faber-Castell pens in the near future, looking for one that fits my hand well, and that nib is going to haunt me until I succeed.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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