Posts filed under Caran d'Ache

Caran d'Ache Ecridor Retro Ballpoint Pen Review

I had a thing for quality pens and paper growing up. I wanted to write something special with something special. For me, that involved finding the most unique pens and pencils, which was essentially anything my friends didn’t have.

As I got older, my thoughts were the same, but I also became more aware of the world around me, and that meant seeing what others were writing with. From that time period - which pre-dates this blog by a good ten years - two pens became seared into my brain: The Montblanc Rollerball, and the Caran d’Ache Ecridor.

Why these two pens? Because you can spot either of them from a mile away. Montblanc has its snowcap finial, and Caran d’Ache has its classic silver hex barrel. I was always drawn to the Caran d’Ache for its style. The Montblanc seemed boring (ballpoints and rollerballs that is, fountain pens are an exception), and they were everywhere.

It was only recently that I got my first taste of the Ecridor, and it lived up to everything younger me expected of it. First off, the barrel is perfect. Perfect size, perfect weight, perfect balance, perfect feel. The rhodium plating makes it shine, and the guilloche-style barrel design is the icing on a classic cake. Even the knock and clip are recognizable as Caran d’Ache standards.

What is often the kicker for more expensive rollerball and ballpoint pens is the refill. Fortunately, the Caran d’Ache Goliath refill is one of the best I have ever used. My Ecridor shipped with a black medium refill, and I don’t recall having a smoother, cleaner refill in any other ballpoint pen I have tried. Plus, I can write much finer than expected. I didn’t anticipate that at all. I’ll normally switch into a fine blue ballpoint refill as quickly as possible, but no rush with this one.

Adding a classic to your writing arsenal seems like a no-brainer, but this one comes at a price. At $120 it will take some thought to pull the trigger, and some commitment to using it. If that price is out of the ballpark, take a look at the 849 Metal-X series for a similar pen at one-fifth of the cost.

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

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Posted on March 13, 2017 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Caran d'Ache, Ballpoint, Pen Reviews.

Caran d'Ache Swiss Wood Pencil Review

There is a tipping point in this hobby when you realize you have hit the point of no return. Where that point is is different for everyone. For some, it is spending $20 on a pen. For others, $200. For me, with wooden pencils, it is when I spent over $5 for a wood pencil. And I liked it.

The pencil in question is the Swiss Wood Pencil from Caran d’Ache, the venerable Swiss maker of high end stationery and related accessories. I’m a fan of the brand, and have had good experiences with the few pens I have tried.

Caran d’Ache spares no expense in their product offerings - the Matterhorn Sharpening Machine is a great example - and this includes the Swiss Wood pencil. When the product description states “made from FSC-certified Grovelier beech wood from the Jura mountains of northwestern Switzerland” you know it is going to hit you right in the pocketbook. The question is “Is it worth it?”

Short answer: Absolutely.

The exterior design of the pencil is stunning. The beech wood is as dark as you will see in a pencil that isn’t dyed, and the natural color shows through the lightly applied clear coat. I’m a fan of eraserless wooden pencils, especially those with dipped ends like this. The red paint marked with the Swiss flag is a wonderful touch.

In use, I don’t think I’ve found a pencil in the HB range with point retention as good as this. Along with graphite darkness, that is the most important factor I look for in a wood pencil. My lines are sharp and smooth, and I don’t dull out the tip and have to sharpen nearly as often as I do with other pencils.

The final, and possibly the most talked about, feature of the Swiss Wood pencil is its scent. Most pencils are made from a variety of cedar wood and give off that classic pencil smell, like a pile of fresh pencil shavings. The beech wood of this pencil, however, gives off a unique scent that is honestly hard to pin down. The description calls it nutmeg, but I, and others, have caught whiffs of chocolate, cola, and even soy sauce. Regardless, I like it, and you can even pick up the scent when you are near the pencil, or catch a trace on your fingers after you are done writing.

Great products come in all price ranges. You can find amazing pencils that will give you everything you need for a dollar or less. What makes the Caran d’Ache Swiss Wood stand out from the pack is its superior quality, design, performance, and uniqueness. Is that worth five times what you would normally pay for a pencil? The number of times I reach for this pencil over other models tells me that it is.

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

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Posted on November 7, 2016 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Caran d'Ache, Pencil Reviews.

Caran d'Ache 849 Totally Swiss Paper Cutout Ballpoint Pen Review

I had high expectations when I reviewed my first Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint. This is a classic pen by a well respected company, and it wrote like I was using a piece of glass on sandpaper. I was hugely disappointed to say the least.

The chorus in the comments section of that post was unanimous: I had a dud refill. I accepted that, and put on my list to grab another refill when I got the chance. The barrel was far too nice to let it go that easily. And then I do what I do sometimes: I forgot to order the refill.

My memory was jarred when I saw the new Totally Swiss Collection on Goldspot and I asked if they would loan me one to test out. I just had to see the stunning Paper Cutout model in person and, or course, test out the refill.

When the box arrived and I saw the packaging for this pen I was immediately impressed. I’m not a packaging guy normally, but the Han Solo in Carbonite tin case is well done. It is held closed by magnets, giving it a streamlined look that opens easily and snaps shut. The black velvet lining keeps it protected in transit, with a few words on the Goliath refill found inside the case.

The hexagonal barrel of the 849 is a Caran d’Ache calling card. When you see that shape along with the angular clip, you know immediately it is a Caran d’Ache. It is comfortable to hold, and the aluminum barrel material keeps it lightweight for any length writing session.

And the refill? This one is excellent thankfully. This is the experience I was missing out on the first time. The acclaimed Goliath ink cartridge is said to deliver 600 A4 pages worth of writing, and it should, because replacement refills cost almost $10.

That is the one hangup with Caran d’Ache. They make luxury pens and pencils, and they are priced accordingly. $40 isn’t necessarily outrageous for a pen, but coming from a great writing pen like the Uni-ball Jetstream at $3, it is a jump. You can pick up an 849 in other colors and styles in the mid-$20’s, which may better fit your budget.

I’ve been finding uses for ballpoints more and more recently and enjoy the experience they offer when I need them. The Caran d’Ache 849 is right up there with any of the premium ballpoint pens I have used.

(Goldspot loaned this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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