Pentel TRFS Tradio Mini Fountain Pen Review

When someone says Pentel Tradio this is the pen I think of. Black barrel, windowed cap, and most importantly, angled felt tip. It has been around for years and seems to be the traditional model. Pentel has found a way to dilute the Tradio line with several unrelated models, such as the Tradio Energel, Tradio Fountain Pen (some people refer to the original as a fountain pen too), and the disposable Pentel Pulaman, which uses the original Tradio tip. Is the Tradio name more about the barrel design than the tip design?

I'm confused, but we are not done yet. Say hello to the Pentel TRFS Tradio Mini Fountain Pen.

The Mini takes the traditional barrel design, shrinks it, makes it translucent, and adds a medium steel fountain pen nib. The size of the pen is nice, but I'm not a fan of the grip area. It almost has a convex feel to it. The nib is decent, although not as glassy smooth as the full size model, but it does take short international cartridges, which is a bonus.

All that said, I don't see a need for this pen. Mini fountain pens are a tough nut to crack and no one does it better than Kaweco. They are well made, come in many price points, and have wonderful (and swappable) nibs.

I'm interested to hear from you on this: Do you have a go to mini fountain pen?

My Fountain Pen Education: The Esterbrook LJ

As my knowledge and experience with fountain pens has grown I am finding that my tastes have grown broader. Where before I would only consider a handful of the newest, modern pens I am now looking more and more at vintage models to add to my growing arsenal. Enter Esterbrook.

According to the article on Wikipedia (because everything you read on the internet is true), Esterbrook was once the largest pen manufacturer in the US, producing up to 600,000 pens a day at its peak. How that is even possible in the mid 1900's I have no idea, but we are all benefitting from that prodigious production now. Esterbrook pens provide one of the best values in vintage fountain pens today.

Entry price is one of the main reasons I wanted an Esterbrook. There are many, many options available in the $20-$30 range, and fully restored models go for as little as $40. But honestly, the design of Esterbrook pens is what got me, regardless of price. From bright colors and swirls, to solid black, to Cracked Ice, their range of designs has nearly everyone covered.

I wanted to start with one of the basics, so my friend Thomas sent me one of his to whet my appetite: The Esterbrook LJ Double Jewel in blue. The pattern and color are classic Esterbrook - you will see these pretty regularly in fact. But it was so good looking I went for a similar style when I made my first Esterbrook purchase at the Atlanta Pen Show.

While the vintage look and style would be enough to sell most people I left the best part for last. The amount of nibs available to customize an Esterbrook with is AMAZING! I asked Thomas to try out a stub nib, so he sent along a #9284 to try out. When I bought my own, Brian Anderson swapped in a #9550, an extra fine nib that I have enjoyed. My friend Ana, an Esterbrook junkie herself, sent me the chart in her post "Buying a Vintage Esterbrook", and I also used Brian's reference chart at Esterbrook.net to narrow down my choices. That was much harder than it seems.

Manufacturers today aren't going to go to the lengths that Esterbrook did to make "The World's Most Personal Fountain Pen". Sure, some customization options are available but barely a fraction of what Esterbrook was able to accomplish. If you are looking for a vintage fountain pen to fit you perfectly you need look no further than Esterbrook.

Copic Multiliner SP 0.3 mm Cobalt Blue Review

I have long been a fan of the Copic Multiliner SP and while the color ink models have been around for a while, it was only when JetPens started stocking them that I got around to picking up more.

I didn't exactly get crazy with my first one, opting for the subdued Cobalt Blue as opposed to Orange (which I got years ago from Copic directly), Sky Blue, or Purple. I'm certain more colors will make it into my arsenal before too long because this pen is that good.

One of the things I like the most is the aluminum barrel design. It is one of the few (only?) drawing pens that has a metal barrel, and this one is beautifully done. It is very lightweight and has a smooth brushed finish that is cool to the touch. I feel like I am going to design the next Porsche every time I pick it up.

The performance of the tip is excellent as well. It is solid, durable, and lays down a great line as you would expect. The ink is archival and compatible for use with Copic's huge line of markers, meaning your inks won't smudge when colored over. The tip is also replaceable and the ink cartridge refillable.

For all the praise I heap on the Copic Multiliner there is one drawback: These suckers are expensive! At $9.20 they are not a thoughtless purchase like a new Uni-ball Jetstream might be. Artists and designers swear by them though, and I appreciate the great writing experience they provide so I am happy to have a couple of them in my rotation. Give one a shot if you are looking for a great drawing pen.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)