Posts filed under Nahvalur

Nahvalur Original Plus Matira Quartz 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.)

The Original Plus from Nahvalur is a fountain pen that offers a large ink reservoir since it uses a vacuum filler mechanism. Vacuum fillers seem to be one of the more rare type of ink filling mechanism used in fountain pens today, so it's always exciting to see other options pop up, especially when they're also fairly affordable compared to other options.

For me, my first vacuum filling fountain pen was a Pilot 823, but that's not an accessible place to start. TWSBI has long offered a more affordable vacuum filler with the giant Vac 700 and later the pocket-friendly Vac Mini. Until recently, vacuum fillers could be hard to come by. Luckily, that's changed over the past few years.

I reviewed a PenBBS vacuum filler back in 2022 that only cost around $60 at the time and also worked beautifully. It's definitely possible to make a sub-100 vacuum filler that works well, and Nahvalur has another great example of this in their Original Plus.

The Original Plus is a standard-sized pen (similar in length and diameter to the Lamy Safari or AL Star) that features an enormous ink reservoir and vacuum filling system. Plus, the barrel of the pen is transparent so you can see the ink and filling system in full view.

The colorway I chose is called Matira Quartz, named after the Matira Beach in Tahiti. Aside from the transparent barrel, the other material used by the grip, cap, and blind cap (or finial) all use a translucent white with reflective gold particles suspended in the acrylic. It's a beautiful material, and the rose gold trim goes nicely with it.

As far as build quality goes, this pen is on par with every other Nahvalur pen I've used in the past. It's well-made and feels like it will last me a lifetime if I take care of it properly. All of the tolerances are tight without being difficult to use, and all the various threads have a satisfying feel that leave me sure that they're tightened properly. No one likes loose or ambiguous threads!

The clip on the cap of the pen is substantial and has a lot of gripping power. Despite being so strong, it's still really easy to use. Clipping it onto something or removing it are easy tasks, but I don't have to worry about it coming loose on its own.

The nib on this pen is a #6 steel nib made by Nahvalur. The fine point on this unit was buttery smooth right out of the box. I'm really happy with how this pen writes from the factory. The nib has the same rose gold plate finish as the other trim parts on the pen, but be aware that it's just rose gold colored plating, not actual gold. In my book, that's a great trade-off because it affords a better price!

Writing with this pen has been such a pleasure. The nib and feed provide great ink flow, and the pen feels well-balanced in my hand. I prefer writing without the cap posted, but you can post the cap if you like. I haven't measured to be sure, but you can easily fill more than 1 ml of ink on the first pump of the vacuum system. With this much ink, the reservoir looks about 60% full. There are ways to fill vacuum filler pens all the way, but I don't need that much ink at one time and don't want to risk spilling is spraying ink. Even 60% full is a more ink than I can fit in a piston filler or cartridge-converter pen, so I'm happy with the easy route.

Nahvalur Original Plus Matira Quartz Fountain Pen Comparison

Keep in mind that you have to back the blind cap out a few turns to allow ink to flow properly when writing. When the blind cap is tightened down, the ink supply is shut off from the feed. This is great for transporting the pen, and you can even write a couple of sentences before running out of the ink that was already in the feeds Just remember to open the reservoir a bit and you'll have all the ink you can need!

The Nahvalur Original Plus is just $55 in most cases (there are a couple of models with more expensive material/trim options), which is a fantastic value. Nib size options can vary a bit depending on stock, but in general you can pick from F-B and 1.1mm stub.

There are several interesting colorways to choose from, and they all use the same great nib and large ink reservoir. The price and level of quality are fantastic, and I can easily recommend this pen to anyone interested in vacuum filling mechanisms. It's a great way to it out and compare it to piston and cartridge/converter systems. Good luck picking a color!

(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Nahvalur Original Plus Matira Quartz Fountain Pen Writing

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Nahvalur, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Nahvalur Original Plus Rainbow Wrasse Fountain Pen Review

It’s been a year and a half since my Nahvalur Original Plus review, and since that time, this pen has proven to be a solid option for those looking to move past their first cartridge/converter filling system into something more unique, like a vacuum filler. That’s the main selling point for the Original Plus, that is, until you see their latest iteration, the Original Plus Fountain Pen in Rainbow Wrasse.

If you are like me, you may not have know what a Wrasse is, or what it means. According to the internet, the Wrasse is a fish known for its wide variety of colors, and the Rainbow Wrasse is one of the more stunning of the bunch.

Narwhal took a few liberties in translating the look of this fish into a pen, but I am completely here for it. The clear translucent barrel is loaded with glitter, mimicking flickering fish scales in the light, and all of the hardware features rainbow anodization, including the nib. It’s a knockout in my book.

Without fully rehashing my original Original Plus review, I did want to share a few thoughts about the pen. For starters, it fits my hand perfectly. The shape is comfortable, and the weight is balanced. When I’m writing with it, I feel like I could go for hours, if needed. The ink reservoir would allow for that, too, with its 1.5 ml ink capacity - easily filled with the vacuum mechanism.

The nib on my Rainbow Wrasse is Fine, which is the finest Nahvalur currently makes. I’m still holding out hope for an Extra Fine one day, but I like the Fine for daily use, and would have no issue modifying it in the future due to the generous amount of tipping. The line is slightly wider than a similar Steel Jowo #6 nib, but not so much that it feels like a Medium.

It took all of my willpower to not ink this pen up with a Hot Pink ink, which is my usual choice for a pen like this. Instead, I chose the dark Purple of Octopus Fluids Write & Draw Violet Giraffe, which is a pigmented ink. I’ve had good experiences with this ink lineup, and should have no problem cleaning it out when the time comes.

The Nahvalur Original Plus Fountain Pen in Rainbow Wrasse is a Goldspot exclusive release, and at $65, is flying off the shelves. And if you miss out, any of the Original Plus models (most at $55,) would make a nice addition to your writing arsenal.

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

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Posted on June 17, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Nahvalur, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

IKKAKU by Nahvalur Gradient Urushi Fountain Pen Review

The story of Nahvalur as a brand has been an interesting journey, to say the least. As a stationery fan, it has been fun to see them begin with what many would consider an entry level fountain pen, continue to refine that same pen model over the years, and quickly escalate into new models, materials, and designs. Slow and steady has not been their mantra, and so far, it is working out.

The IKKAKU series, for example, is the pinnacle of their product range. Think Namiki, as it relates to Pilot - a sub-brand of the more well-known main lineup, where all bets are off as far as creativity and craftsmanship go. IKKAKU has already seen close to ten designs released, with the latest - the three pen Gradient Urushi Collection - launching earlier this month.

Each of the Cinnabar Red, Vermillion, and Scallion Green - the model I have been loaned for this review - go through a months-long creation process. Urushi lacquer art requires the repetition of coating, sanding, polishing, and drying dozens of times to end up with the finished product. I love the light, airy feel these pens and this process brings to my own writing experience.

I chose the Scallion Green model to review for two reasons: One, while each pen has a raden gradient sprinkled down the cap, it is most noticeable in this model, and two, the transition into the black grip section was the most visually appealing of the three models. Both Cinnabar Red and Vermillion have a much harsher transition, and on a pen defined by its gradient, I think it could be better represented into the section.

Speaking of gradients, the layering application of the urushi looks wonderful. As someone who owns a range of different urushi pens with different finish qualities, I appreciate this one as much as any. The Scallion Green color is darkest, and deepest, at the end of the barrel, and slowly gets lighter as it traverses down the barrel, ending with stray green brush strokes in black lacquer. The solid black then transitions into the aforementioned galaxy of raden, with the heaviest application near the top of the cap. All three pens follow this same pattern, with their respective colors.

The pen is fitted with a Fine 14K gold nib, manufactured in-house by Nahvalur. Combined with the feed, I have found the flow to be excellent, and would even call it a wet writer as it is currently set up. Obviously, there are specific ink and paper characteristics to consider, so your mileage may vary. The nib is soft, with a little bounce in it, so the lines are wide for a Fine nib, at least as compared to something like a firm steel Jowo Fine nib. The line width relates closely to the German manufacturers (Faber-Castell, Lamy, Pelikan,) more than anything else. The nib was smooth and properly aligned right out of the box, and I didn’t have to adjust it at all. I have enjoyed writing with this pen from the moment I inked it up.

While you will see rare instances of urushi lacquered pens with a piston-filling mechanism, that is an outlier, so Nahvalur uses the standard international cartridge/converter filling system. All of my urushi pens use a similar setup, and work well.

The final, and possibly most important, talking point of the IKKAKU Gradient Urushi pen is the price. At $699 for any of the three models, this is an expensive pen. That said, I believe it is priced fairly for the amount of time and the level of craftsmanship required to produce pens like these.

*Nakaya Piccolo, left. Nakaya Portable, right.*

*Pilot Custom 743, top. TWSBI ECO, bottom.*

If I were to break it down even further and focus on my personal value proposition for this pen, I’d want to see two changes to better justify adding this pen to my collection. First off, the grip section needs to be lacquered to match the barrel. This goes for the model I reviewed, but even more so, the other two models. Different brands handle this differently, and there is no wrong way, but it is something I would like at this price point. Secondly, I want a more substantial, and unique, clip design. I’m not a fan of this thin style of clip Nahvalur likes to use on many of their pens, and it stands out to me even more here. If IKKAKU is your premium offering, differentiate the clip somehow.

I like what Nahvalur is doing with their brand as a whole. A company who can make quality pens at every price point will always have my attention. I look forward to the continued experimentation of not only their standard pens, but with the IKKAKU lineup as well.

(Nahvalur loaned this product to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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