Posts filed under Waldmann

Waldmann Xetra Vienna - Waiting for the Birthday Pen

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

When this article comes out, it will be my birthday, yay! Another successful trip around the sun! And heading into the SF Pen Show, I knew exactly what birthday pen I was going to get. You see, when I found out that the President of Waldmann (Stefan Schnirch) would be coming to the SF Pen Show this year AND bringing their master engraver Stefanie Ottile, I knew that another Waldmann would be in my future. I also thought it would be a good idea to ink up one of my favorite Waldmanns to show Mr. Schnirch that I really do use their pens!

I inked up my Waldmann Xetra Vienna in White/Silver a bit before the SF Show and I am still loving it as much as I did when I got it in the summer of 2020 (ah, pandemic pen purchases, anyone else?). I won’t go into the specs of the Xetra Vienna since the Bossman did a great write up earlier this year. He reviewed the 18kt gold Fine nib, so I will talk a little about the Fine steel nib in mine. Waldmann’s nibs are made by Jowo but are custom-tuned to their specifications, so they don’t feel like a stock Jowo nib. It’s difficult to explain but it feels smoother and ever so slightly softer, though I wouldn’t call it remotely bouncy or flexy. The ink flow is consistent and the writing experience was solid. I’ve inked it up several times over the past few years and it never disappoints.

*Inked up with Kobe #80 Rokko Alpine Primrose, this Waldmann Xetra Vienna is always a delight to write with.*

*Just look at the detail on the engraving!*

I could have picked this pen in other color combinations, including Black and a White with Rose Gold trim (Blue, Pink and Green are now options too). Normally, I would be all over the rose gold but I picked this one because it reminded me of my wedding dress. Here are some gratuitous photos of my Xetra Vienna with pictures of my wedding dress, tiara and wedding cake.

Knowing that Waldmann’s master engraver would be working on Xetra Viennas, the hard part was picking the color. Blue would be the obvious answer since that’s one of my favorite colors but the pink was a really nice color too! And good timing with the Barbie movie! But since my birthday falls in September and the birthstone is sapphire (which is blue), I went for the blue.

I can’t begin to explain what all the pieces are or how they are used, but in short, there is a wooden clamp piece (a jig, I believe) which holds the piece/barrel to be engraved. That jig is then mounted onto a large engraving ball, which allows Stefanie to turn the piece as she does the engraving. The barrels are color-enameled over a metal tube, so she is removing the enamel as part of the engraving, revealing the metal beneath it.

*Stefanie is engraving a bridge onto the barrel. It was amazing to watch her control of the chisel and hammer.*

*This is the completed bridge before she works on the rest of the barrel.*

Aside from the engraving skill, Stefanie was also able to tune out all of the noise and distractions of a busy pen show, including people shoving cameras in her workspace (this is me taking a picture of Bryce from LBA taking a video.)

Stefanie usually engraves about 8-9 pens per day when she is working, but at the show, she cranked out a few more than that, all while making unique designs with the Vienna motif around them.

*Here’s another shot of Stefanie engraving the Vienna motif on a pink barrel.*

Since we don’t have video on the blog, here is a reel of Stefanie doing the engraving and this is actually my pen barrel!

As all of the pen barrels have traveled back to Germany to be lacquered, finished and assembled, I won’t have the pen in time for my birthday. But that’s just fine because this white Xetra Vienna is a great stand-in until that one arrives. Happy Birthday to me and to all the September babies out there! Best wishes to all to stay safe and stay inky!

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Posted on September 8, 2023 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Waldmann, Fountain Pens.

Parings Party: Waldmann Titan Fountain Pen, Wearingeul 7 Colored Ocean

The tactile feel of the Waldmann Titan Fountain Pen is something to behold.

I didn’t know what to expect when requesting this pen from Luxury Brands to review, and that is exactly why I choose it. The Titan is not a pen I would have picked out blindly for myself, but after using it for the past month, I’ve come away impressed.

If you aren’t familiar with Waldmann, we have reviewed a couple of this German manufacturers pens previously, with very positive results. Given that, it should come as no surprise that I feel similarly about the Titan. What does surprise me is that Waldmann decided to make this pen in the first place.

I shouldn’t be surprised, as they are a metal pen manufacturer at their core, but the Titan is a visual outlier compared to the rest of their lineup. And, like the rest of their lineup, they nailed the execution.

Back to my first comment: I can’t get the feel of the Titan out of my head, or my hands. Metal barrel pens ride a fine line between showing off materials and manufacturing, and making a blunt force object far too heavy to write with comfortably.

Titanium is lighter than many other metals used in pen manufacturing, but the manufacturer still has control over the final weight. How thick are the barrel walls, for example? Too thick, and you throw off the balance. Too thin, and you compromise the structure. Waldmann landed on a nice balance and weight with the Titan, allowing for long writing sessions without fatigue, while making a sturdy pen that is built to last.

The sandblasted finish is an added bonus. I like a bit of texture on metal pens, especially in the grip area, and they did a great job with the overall feel. It is a tip-to-tail finish, too, as this pen is all titanium outside the nib, nib housing and feed, and converter.

The only question I have is the use of Bock’s #5 steel nib, instead of the larger #6 model. This is a full-sized pen, and could handle a #6 easily. Luckily, Bock’s #5 is sized like a 5-1/2, so visually it works fine. I simply have to ask the question of why not the bigger nib?

My review unit sports an Extra Fine (hooray Bock nib markings!) and writes perfectly for me. My usage has run the gamut from planning, journaling, scratching notes, and, inked with the brilliant Wearingeul 7 Colored Ocean, has worked flawlessly every time I uncapped the pen thanks to the internal plastic liner that seals it upon closure.

How did I decide on 7 Colored Ocean for this pen? Well, what color ink would you have chosen? Literally anything would have matched the titanium barrel, so when you can choose everything, how do you choose anything? I ended up going with this Blue Steel vibe, despite running bright green, hot pink, orange, and purple shades through my mind before settling on this one.

I think I made the perfect choice. 7 Colored Ocean isn’t breaking new ground on bright blues with darker shading and a hint of red sheen, but dang if it isn’t perfect for this pen. I lean towards this color a lot with my finer nibs, and the results usually pay off. This could be an all day, every day writing combination.

The Waldmann Titan is a limited edition of 200 worldwide, and is currently priced at $385 at site sponsor Pen Chalet. It’s expensive, but every part of this pen feels worth it to me. It’s hard to imagine a better built pen that what Waldmann has done here. Add in a $22 bottle of Wearingeul 7 Colored Ocean, and you too may end up with a pairing party of your own.

(Luxury Brands USA loaned the Waldmann Titan to The Pen Addict for review purposes. The Wearingeul Ink was purchased from Vanness Pens at a discount.)

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Posted on July 10, 2023 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Waldmann, Wearingul, Fountain Pens, Ink Reviews, Pen Reviews.

Pairings Party: Waldmann Xetra Vienna, Amarillo Stationery Azul Frida

I did my first pairings party a few weeks back with the Onoto Scholar and Ferris Wheel Press Central Park Greens, and this week I’m back with another matchy-matchy combination that I’m loving in the Waldmann Xetra Vienna and Amarillo Stationery Azul Frida.

Beginning with the Waldmann, the Xetra Vienna puts the brand’s craftsmanship on full display. I knew this pen was a stunner with its polished blue lacquer and platinum plated parts, but I had no idea the cap pattern was hand-engraved. Not only does it look amazing, but it makes each pen in this series unique.

The Xetra Vienna is a standard length fountain pen, but with a narrow diameter. This shape leads to a requisitely narrow grip section, and #5-sized nib. My review model features an 18k Fine gold nib, but there is a stainless steel option as well.

This narrow barrel fits right into my preferences for writing. While I am comfortable using many pen shapes and sizes, I do prefer the narrow side of the ledger, so keep that in mind when I tell you how much I enjoy writing with this pen. Those who prefer bigger, wider pens may want to wait and see about the next Waldmann I will be reviewing.

I’ve had the Xetra Vienna in my writing rotation for a few weeks now, and it has been great. The added weight of the metal barrel balances out the narrowness, making for a comfortable writer. I mixed in a longer copy writing session for my long-running “The Bone Weaver’s Orchard” project, and the feel of the pen removed itself completely from the occasion. It morphed into my hand, the ink flow never stopped, and I had nothing to think about other than the text I was reading, and writing.

It was a great experience.

Adding to the writing experience was the perfect match of Pennonia Azul Frida, made for Amarillo Stationery. Inspired by Casa Azul, the long-time home of artist Frida Kahlo, this is a classic, bright blue that will feel right at home in any pen, especially one as perfect as the Xetra Vienna.

I’ve used a couple of Pennonia Inks, and the consistent performance of Azul Frida matches my experience with the rest. Great flow, excellent color saturation, and good dry time - all universally loved ink properties. As a bonus, what looks like a basic blue has hints of purple underneath, as seen in some of the ink swatches on different paper types - Yamamoto Bank Paper, for example.

I always want a classic blue on hand, and one with and added story and added character, like Azul Frida, is right up my alley.

*Top to bottom: Sailor King of Pen Sky, Platinum 3776 Chartres Blue, Waldmann Xetra Vienna, Lamy 2000 Stainless Steel.*

My first experience with Waldmann was last year, when Kimberly let me test out one of hers. In general, the designs of this 100 year-old German brand aren’t a perfect style match for myself, but my goodness was the writing experience nice. That alone put them on my radar, especially as they continue to release interesting models.

The Xetra Vienna runs $319 with a steel nib, and $439 with an 18k gold nib, as seen in this review. The price feels right for the level of quality and craftsmanship. And Waldmann has well over a dozen different styles to choose from, ranging from $200 on up. While I don’t have one in my collection today, it won’t me long before one makes the cut and I add it to list.

(Luxury Brands of America loaned the Waldmann to The Pen Addict. Amarillo Stationery provided the ink at no charge.)

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