This is a guest post by Bryan Gushikawa.
Ohto is a company best known for its ceramic rollerball and gel pens, but they’ve also gotten into the midrange fountain pen market with pens such as the Rook and F-Spirit. These pens are based around a lightweight aluminum body with a lacquer coat and Iridium Point Germany (IPG) nibs. Although many cheap pens use IPG nibs and the quality can vary widely, the Ohto pens use the better nibs and so these are smooth writers. The pens are fitted for international standard cartridges, so you can try out many different inks. The nib width seems fixed at fine and the pen writes really well, since the lightweight body is very well balanced.
Smoothness: Even though it’s an IPG and very stiff, the nib is excellent and lays down a nice, solid line.
Grip and Balance: The grip is smooth plastic, and isn’t as long as some others, but it’s adequate. The balance is excellent with the cap posted and the entire pen feels light and easy to write with. The barrel is just right as far as thickness goes.
Ink Flow: Although feeds might need adjusting from the factory, I had no problems with this pen. No skips or blotches.
Build Quality: VERY pleasing! The cap snaps crisply and the lacquered finish is excellent, with no misfills or gaps. The threads on the feed and barrel are perfectly aligned and the pen has no problems related to manufacturing. Tines on the nib were perfect from the factory.
Capacity: Takes any standard international cart. Converters are available and I am sure that long international cartridges fit, too.
Clip: Strong metal with a ball at the bottom to hold fabric. VERY good design!
Post: Perfect post! Uses a friction fit, with the plastic shell inside the cap keeping scuff marks off of the barrel. The cap also snaps shut tightly on the front of the pen. No drying out happened.
Overall: This pen is an excellent value for the money in these days of plastic barrels. The class and style are perfect for the office and the usage of international carts means that you can go to JetPens and try many different types of inks! I recommend Kaweco inks as superior in this pen.
