Levenger contacted me recently with an opportunity to review one of their products. I had a list of pens and options to choose from, but knowing myself like I do there was only one pen that was going to head my way: The Levenger L-Tech Stealth Fountain Pen.
This stunner of a pen has been on my radar for a while. The all black design and faceted barrel are reminiscent of classic Rotring designs of the past. That is no surprise, as Levenger has long been a fan of Rotring products, including selling Levenger branded Rotring 600 pens and pencils in the 1990's. The L-Tech is Levenger's own design though, and they have done a fantastic job with it.
I chose to go with a steel Broad nib in my L-Tech (you can also choose Fine and Medium) for something different and it performed well. I did experience a few hard starts at the beginning of sentences but once it started flowing it never skipped or stopped. I plan on trying more lubricated inks going forward instead of Rohrer & Klingner Salix, which, while beautiful, is a bit on the dry side.
When you have a fully brass barrel as found on the L-Tech weight becomes a primary concern. This pen has some heft to it but is well balanced and easy to write with. Posting the cap throws the balance off, but I don't believe this pen is made to be written with the cap posted anyway. It becomes far too long.
On looks alone, the L-Tech, and especially the Stealth model, stands up with any of the classic engineering-style fountain pens, such as the Lamy 2000 and the Pilot Vanishing Point. The black matte finish is well done, and is set off by a glossy black clip and accents on the cap and section. The knurling on the grip is spot-on as well. Not too rough, not too fine. Just right.
One undocumented feature of the L-Tech that I stumbled on accidentally is that the nib is easily swappable with TWSBI 580 nibs. I was cleaning a few pens one night and when reassembling them I unknowingly put my 1.1 TWSBI stub back in the Levenger. It was a perfect fit and a real eye opener since I have several nibs I can now swap in and out of the L-Tech when the mood hits me.
At only $80, price may be the Levenger L-Tech's best feature. For a pen with this type of style, quality, and name, it is a great value. This is a workhorse pen, perfect for daily use or as a gift. If you choose to buy one please do me a favor: Don't get it engraved. It is too beautiful to ruin like that.
Thank you to Levenger for providing me with this pen for review.
For another look at the L-Tech Stealth and some great Rotring comparison shots be sure to check out Mike Dudek's review at The Clicky Post.
