Posts filed under Gravitas

Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen in Teal Splash Review

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

The Gravitas Pocket fountain pen is no stranger around here, but there's nothing like an injection of some fun colors to spice up something you've already seen. Teal Splash features a black pen with beautiful blobs of teal scattered over the body to make this pen really stand out.

If you're new to the Gravitas Pocket, here is the summary. It's a short pen that looks and feels similar to a Kaweco AL Sport, but with plenty of unique design choices that bring this pen close to the top of my pocket pen list. The cap unscrews and posts to the back of the pen to make it a more comfortable length for writing, and it takes short international cartridges due to the short body. You can fit some converters into this pen, but they have to be short — a standard converter won't fit.

Where this pen departs from the ordinary is obvious once you take a closer look. The cap features a flat edge that keeps the pen from rolling away, while the rest of the cap and body are round. The tips taper from a cylinder to a point in a really pleasing distance, and there's no branding outside of a tiny Gravtias logo debossed on the lower part of the cap.

Once you uncap the pen, you'll notice the grip section is much larger than the typical pocket pen. This makes for a really comfortable writing experience once you've posted the cap. The grip section also has micro grooves cut into it that provides a soft but tactile grip. The grip also flares out a bit at the end to provide a nice butt for your fingers to rest while writing. Overall, it's a really comfortable pen.

There's a nice feature on both sets of threads for this pen — both for the cap and the section. There's a small o-ring at the base of both of these threads that make for a snug and secure fit when the section or cap are tightened down. I don't know if this is technically necessary for the pen to function properly, but it definitely feels nice.

Something different for me on this model is the nib. This unit has a titanium flex nib that really fits my writing style. When writing with soft pressure, it puts down a line that is similar to any European fine nib. The line is crisp and the ink flows well. But, if you want to add some flourish, just apply a little pressure to the nib to make those tines spread and really distribute the ink. This flex nib isn't as dramatic as some I've used, but this one is so incredibly easy to use. I'm guessing part of this experience is due to the soft titanium material as well as the shape, but it sure is fun to use.

While flexing is easy, you have to be careful not to flex too hard or else the feed can't deliver enough ink and you'll end up with some railroading. This will vary a bit depending on what ink and paper you're using, but it's something to keep in mind. In my use, using soft and moderate pressure to flex the nib is no problem. It's only when I try to max out the tine spread that the railroading happens.

The nib is a #6 size that Gravitas produces in-house. There aren't any markings on it, and I really appreciate the dull finish of the titanium against the shiny black grip and speckled body.

Finally, the finish on the outside of the pen. I absolutely love this edition of the Pocket fountain pen. Teal Splash is a perfect name, and I really enjoy looking at the splatter patterns that adorn the pen. The regular pen is so sleek and unassuming, but this treatment kicks it up a notch to an eye-catching piece of art when it's on your desk.

The Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen in Teal Splash starts at €120, but the model featured here is €135 due to the titanium flex nib option. In my opinion, the €15 difference is totally worth it for this nib. Gravitas is definitely one of the brands I suggest you check out if you haven't already. If the pen featured here doesn't fit your fancy, there are so many other models and options to pick from, and they all feature top-notch quality and craftsmanship.

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

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Posted on August 9, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Gravitas, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen Review

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

Gravitas Pens, maker of custom machined writing instruments, have been around for over three years at this point. I'm surprised I've still only tried a couple of their pens so far, and I'm excited to see what they're coming up with.

I recently had the opportunity to try out one of their more classic designs — the Pocket Fountain Pen with a medium nib. This all-metal pocket pen is delightfully small while still being surprisingly big when the cap is posted. Similar to a Kaweco Sport in size and functionality, this variation has its own tricks and highlights.

The exterior parts of the pen are all made of aluminum that has been anodized black, though there are several other color options if matte black isn't your style. The aluminum is hefty but still lightweight. The grip section is made of PVD-coated stainless steel, which gives it more weight where it counts. The balance of the pen is near perfect due to this lower center of gravity. With the cap posted, it feels just like a full-size pen. And, to be sure it doesn't roll away when not in use, there's a flat edge on the cap. Bonus points: the Gravitas logo is on the opposite side of the flat edge so that the logo faces up when it's laying on your desk. Excellent little detail.

The cap secures to the pen with threads, and it only takes 1.5 turns to open or close it. The section also secures to the pen body with threads, but there are many more turns involved with removing or installing the section. The number of threads — 11.5 turns by my count — make me think that you can use this pen as an eyedropper (as long as you remember to use some silicone grease on the threads) if you want to increase the ink capacity. I haven't tried this yet, but the thought hasn't left my head since I first realized how secure the section attachment is. One day...

Otherwise, the options are few in terms of ink cartridges for this pen. Compact pocket pens trade off ink capacity in favor of size, and I'm all for it. Just know what you're getting into. International short cartridges fit this pen perfectly, and that still gives you plenty of ink options.

The Pocket fountain pen also features a #6 JoWo nib, which is a wonderfully large nib for such a compact pen. Oddly enough, the large size fits it really well — especially when the cap is posted. Looking at a Kaweco Sport nib after this makes the Kaweco body/nib pairing look comical. The large #6 nib is the perfect choice for this pen. In my case, it's a medium nib and writes beautifully out of the box.

The grip section has machined grooves that provide excellent grip and tactile feedback. It feels really secure in my hand and is easy to write with. The secure grip is also due to the lower center of gravity that the stainless steel provides. Again, once you post the cap, the balance is perfect and this pen is a joy to use.

It's really easy to think that this is just a copy-cat Kaweco Sport or AL Sport. Yes, it certainly borrows some ideas from the form of the Kaweco, but this is a completely different pen in my mind. For one, it feels more substantial in the hand due to the materials. That's not to say that Kaweco AL Sports don't use good materials — the Gravitas Pocket just feels like everything is just a little thicker. Once again, the stainless steel section also makes your brain think that it's high quality due to the small weight difference.

While the Kaweco has faceted edges all around the cap, the Gravitas Pocket only has one that's intended to keep the pen from rolling away. The top and bottom of the Gravitas also has a sharp cone shape that I personally love.

The last similarity is size — the Gravitas Pocket and Kaweco Sport are both pocket pens that look roughly the same size! But I was genuinely surprised when I set them side by side and noticed a difference. The Gravitas is actually a good bit smaller than the Kaweco when closed, but longer when open and posted. This is a wonderful design feature that makes the pen more portable while also being more comfortable when writing. Beautiful.

The Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen is currently €95. Depending on where you live and how the exchange rates work out, this is probably still an excellent deal. Kaweco AL Sports start at around $75 — not much less than the Gravitas. This is where I'm really torn. I love the design, feel, and usability of the Kaweco Sport line. They're incredible pens and easier to come by. Plus, with the price starting a little lower you can also throw in an extra nib or some ink before you hit the $100 mark. But the Gravitas Pocket is also an excellent pen. It reminds you of the Kaweco Sport design, but it feels completely unique in your hand. I fell in love with it almost instantaneously. That makes it a tough job to compare them side by side when you're trying to make a choice.

For me, it comes down to what you're looking for. Will this be your first pocket pen? Maybe start with the Kaweco Sport to try out the form factor with your writing style. Do you already love the Kaweco Sport style and know that pocket pens work well for you? Then absolutely pick up a Gravitas Pocket. It's familiar, but still unique and so good in its own rite.

The Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen comes in a variety of colors, materials, and finishes, and you also have the option of Fine Flex, EF, F, M, B, 1.1 Stub or 1.5 Stub.

Good luck deciding!

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

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Gravitas, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Gravitas Delrin 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. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

I'm continuously surprised and delighted by Gravitas Pens. I've rarely seen a pen creator dive into the job with such playful abandon. Ben Walsh is trying something new every few minutes and the results have been phenomenal.

The newest model to cross my desk is the Delrin. It's similar in design to the Sentry, but made of engineered plastic, with an Orange Cerakote-coated stainless steel grip section. The body is slightly tapered, and both finials come to an angled point. The cap screws on and it posts securely if you're the posting type.

The body of the pen feels smooth but it's lightly textured, so it's easy to grip. It's also extremely lightweight. Nearly all the weight of this pen is in the steel grip section. It feels perfectly balanced when writing, as the weight of the pen sits in your hand and the length helps keep it stabilized.

The grip section is gently ridged to keep your fingers from slipping, and the Cerakote has a rough texture to it. It's comfortable and gives great control when writing, but it does get ink in it, leaving some marks that are a little tricky to wash away. It doesn't bother me, but if you like your pens looking pristine, this one might not be for you.

My pen came with a medium nib that writes very well, with smooth writing and great ink flow. It's a #6 Jowo nib, with some scrollwork but no branding.

The pen comes with a converter, though it can also take standard cartridges, and it can be eyedroppered (though some additional silicone grease is recommended if you do this).

Like many Gravitas pens, this one is underpriced at 95 Euros. I appreciate and admire the affordability, even if it feels a little wrong.

Of all the Gravitas pens I've tried, I like this one a bit more than the metal ones, and only slightly less than the polycarbonate ones. It has a special quality to it that when I pick it up, it makes me want to write even when I don't feel like writing. Maybe it's all of Ben's wild creativity traveling through his creations to other creators. Whatever it is, I can't get enough of it.

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

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!