Posts filed under Pen Reviews

CW&T Pen Type-C Review

One of my favorite product review categories is products I’ve used for years and have never reviewed. Many times, I’m simply too busy enjoying the product to spill a few hundred words on it. But I clearly love a product if it has lasted that long in my writing rotation, so I may as well share my thoughts now, right?

The CW&T Pen Type-C is one of those pens that is perfect for me, but is not for everyone. One look at its design will tell you that. This is a thin pen - so thin that it can be used as a bookmark - with just enough space on the short sides of the rectangular shape to make it work for my traditional tripod grip. I’d almost say it is comfortable to hold, although it wouldn’t be my longform writing implement of choice.

When I’ve discussed this pen in the past on the podcast or in my newsletter, I always bring up the fact that this design reminds me of those old wire-flip ballpoint pens. You know, the kind found in baskets on the counter in the unskippable gift shop at the end of the museum. Or like this one I recently found on eBay:

Comparing the Pen Type-C to a swag pen is unfair, given the over-engineering CW&T puts into every product they make. That’s why this pen is always handy, and frequently in use. In fact, I emptied out its current refill while copying a few lyrics for this post in my Field Notes.

That’s where this pen sits most of the time, clipped inside the front cover. It is so thin I can throw it in my pocket, bag, or backpack, and not have to worry about any additional bulk added by a more traditional cylindrical pen or pencil. On top of that, it uses a great refill in the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto, and in a unique way.

Most pens of this stature use a D1 type refill, but CW&T, as they do, went a different direction. Their Pen Type-A was purpose built for the traditional Pilot Hi-Tec-C refill, and the Pen Type-B followed suit. How could they keep the feel of this great refill, and make a slim pen like the Pen Type-C? They popped the end off the Coleto refill.

This refill is designed to fit Pilot’s popular multi pen lineup, and each refill has a plastic attachment designed to be used as the knock when inserted into a Coleto barrel. Pull off that knock and -BOOM- perfect refill length and diameter for the Pen Type-C.

“But Brad, isn’t this too fidgety for a pen?” Yes! I refer you back to my original comment that this is not a pen for everyone. It can be uncomfortable to hold. You can stab yourself if you aren’t paying attention when “uncapping” the pen. The refill is extra fine. The refill is also exposed. It’s protected by the wire so it won’t ink places it shouldn’t be inking, but, oddly enough, it never dries out. That is not something I can explain. Not once I have ever snapped this pen into use and had it not write. It’s uncanny.

Uncanny is a good descriptor for this pen. Who in their right mind would make this? CW&T, that’s who. And not just this titanium version I have been using since launch. They have expanded their barrel materials, color range, and finish type greatly, and are always experimenting, so different models do move in and out of stock frequently.

At $60 for the base version, I have gotten my money’s worth out of it. Depending on the factors listed above, the price can go up to $80 for special finishes, and higher for limited collaborations.

Given how much I use mine, I need to buy a few extra refills because I am currently out. Or, I could just open up the new Neon Green Cerakote Pen Type-C I added during their recent 55 66 88 Kickstarter campaign, which, in typical CW&T fashion, went absolutely sideways on them, but completed successfully. Sometimes I don’t know how they do it, but I’m glad they do.

(This product was purchased by me as part of the original CW&T Pen Type-C Kickstarter campaign in 2019.)

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Posted on July 1, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under CW&T, 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.

Kaweco Sport Piston Fountain Pen Review

Like many Kaweco fans, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the launch of the Kaweco Sport Piston Fountain Pen since they first announced it was in the works a year or two ago. Would it be a modern interpretation of one of their classic designs, or would it be a fully vintage inspired release?

Why not both?

In my head, I fully expected a plastic barrel piston-filler, sort of an upgraded, built out, Kaweco Sport, without a clip. What we got was a throwback exterior design with the Black barrel and Gold clip, but using Aluminum for construction, a more modern material. It’s a perfect combination of old and new, and a bit unexpected if I’m being honest.

As obvious as this is to state, the design is less important for this pen than the piston mechanism. It’s the reason it is being made, and it has to work well. In a smaller pen like this, that is always a question. Can the mechanism fit while retaining the desired barrel size? Does it operate smoothly? Does it allow for enough ink capacity as compared to a cartridge? Is the pen easy to clean? So far, the Sport Piston answers “Yes,” across the board.

*The clip is easily removable if so desired.*

To access the mechanism, Kaweco uses a blind cap that must be removed from the end of the barrel. Under the cap you will find the twist knob that activates the piston to draw up ink, or to expel water repeatedly when cleaning. The twist is a decent size - not too small to use comfortably - and the piston moves smoothly inside the barrel.

My first draw from the ink bottle filled the ink chamber to around 75% capacity. That’s in the normal range. I could get closer to 100% if I drew up the ink, kept the nib submerged and expelled the ink, and drew up the ink again. That clears some of the air you get on the initial fill. YMMV.

You can check the ink capacity using the built in ink window, which I think is important for piston-filling pens. According to the product specs, the ink chamber can hold 1.2 ml of ink, while a short international ink cartridge holds 0.7 ml. That’s a decent increase for a pocket pen, with the caveat that a bottle of ink is required to refill it.

I ordered my Sport Piston with a Steel Extra Fine nib, and it is perfect for my handwriting. The ink flow from piston fillers is always something to watch, and this one is metered perfectly. I have yet to have any consistency issues in my lines, and I’ve been using this pen regularly for weeks, filled with Kaweco Royal Blue ink.

While my experiences with the Kaweco Sport Piston have been good so far, there are a few things to consider before purchasing:

— Price: This is an easy one to list first, because at $160 ($170 with a bottle of ink,) it is not a mindless purchase. Is it “worth it?” It is to me, but I’m a Kaweco fan, and was looking forward to this release for a while. Could they have lowered the cost if they used plastic/acrylic? Not by much I don’t think. I’m assuming much of the cost is on the inside of the pen, not the outside.

— Blind cap: There are two things to consider. One, people worry about losing the cap. Valid concern. Two, the blind cap can twist off inside of the pen cap when posted if you twist the pen cap itself when removing it from the back of the pen. It takes almost one and a half rotations to completely unthread the blind cap from the back of the pen, so it would take effort to cause this, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. I’ve had no issues so far, and don’t see this becoming a problem down the line.

— Grip: Out of these three considerations, this is the one I have to think about the most. When my fingers are dry, the satin finish of the aluminum barrel is slick. I need a little moisture to lock in my fingers for a more solid grip, and better writing experience. This is prone to happening with metal barrel pens, especially ones with a smooth grip like the Sport Piston.

For their first piston mechanism release in decades, I think Kaweco did a great job. It’s a throwback design to when this filling system was part of their regular lineup, while bringing modern updates to the pen with the choice of barrel material. Hopefully this is a platform they continue building on because I see many different ways Kaweco can take the Sport Piston in the future.

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

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