Sheaffer Icon Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

It's been quite some time since I've had a Sheaffer pen on my desk. As far as I can remember, the only other Sheaffer pen I've ever used was a calligraphy pen that I picked up at Staples when I was in middle school. It was a horrible pen, and I quickly gave up on it. Since then, I've rarely even thought about Sheaffer as a brand.

Sheaffer still exist, and they're (thankfully) doing more than those poor-quality calligraphy pen sets these days. The fountain pen I've enjoyed using lately is the Sheaffer Icon with a fine nib. When opening this pen, I really had zero expectations. I knew it wasn't fair to compare it to a pen I had used so many years ago that was obviously in a different price/quality bracket, but I was honestly intrigued to know what else the brand had to offer. With the Icon, I've been delightfully impressed.

The body and cap of the pen are made of metal and coated with a matte PVD material that feels great. The grip section is made of plastic, but also feels great in the hand. The top of the grip section features a red band with the Sheaffer name in bold, black print. The contrast of black and red is striking, and I'm sure it won't be everyone's cup of tea. I like it, as it reminds me of Star Wars or Thinkpads.

The real star of this pen is the nib. The hooded nib is tucked into the grip section perfectly and certainly makes you think of the predecessors from decades ago when this nib design was more popular.

The tiny nib is a real star. My unit is incredibly smooth and easy to use. It didn't require any tuning out of the box, and I've been incredibly happy with how it writes. The fine tip is smooth and consistent, the ink flow is great, the steel nib is firm and dependable. With such a small nib and feed assembly, you also don't need to dip the pen very far into the ink bottle to draw up ink.

The Icon includes two black ink cartridges as well as a cartridge converter. I'm really happy that they included the converter since they use a proprietary fitting — especially given the price of the pen! It's incredibly frustrating to buy a cool new pen only to discover that it takes a unique converter that you don't have — meaning you have to place another order and wait for it to arrive before you can use the pen with the inks you choose instead of the boring black that they include in the box.

There's really a lot to like about this pen. The aesthetic won't be universally liked by everyone, but it certainly fits a certain bill that will appeal to many. The writing experience is fantastic, it feels great in the hand, and it looks great on the desk. But does that mean it's an easy recommendation? Not so fast.

When reading over the marketing materials for this pen, I'm a little disappointed by the target audience for this pen. (I'm not sure why they mention millennials specifically because generational affiliation is irrelevant.)

New Icon Collection targets Sheaffer® enthusiasts, first-time fountain pen users and millennials seeking a meaningful first pen.

But more importantly, the bit about a meaningful first pen means I have to compare this pen to other pens that I associate with "first-time pens" — like the Lamy Safari, TWSBI ECO, Pilot Metropolitan, Platinum Preppy, and Kaweco Sport. The obvious problem here is the giant price gap between those excellent pens and the Icon. At the $75 price point, it finds itself in an incredibly awkward price bracket. There are so many compelling products at a cheaper price that you'd have a hard time choosing just one. Alternatively, if you spend a few more dollars, you can pick from more premium pens that pack a lot more value than the Icon when you compare the quality/features/price ratios.

Ultimately, the price is the most damning thing about this pen as a product in a vast sea of competitive and compelling offerings. For the price, they'll only attract hardcore Sheaffer fans and people who may not know any better. For this pen to be truly compelling, it needs to be closer to $40.

It's a shame that Sheaffer priced this pen so high! If you ignore the retail price of the pen, it's really quite enjoyable as a fantastic pen. That being said, it's currently sold out at Goldspot, so my opinion is obviously just one very insignificant detail in this equation. If you're interested, check out the Sheaffer Icon over at Goldspot!

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

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Platinum Desk Fountain Pen Review

I love the concept of desk pens. Not in the literal Platinum Desk Fountain Pen way, but rather, in the “these are the pens that live on my desk permanently” kind of way.

Desk pens in that latter category usually have specific jobs to do. They may not be in heavy rotation, but they are ready and available at a moments notice to jump into action. Pens that fall into this category are fineliners (like the Kuretake Zig Mangaka,) micro tip ballpoints (like the Jetstream Edge,) wide rollerballs (like the Retro 51,) and highlighters (like the Pentel Fitline.) Pencils are in this category as well, both wooden and mechanical.

Yes, I have 20-30 pens and pencils within arms reach at my desk at all times. Probably more, but who is counting!

While those are my desk pens, the Platinum Desk Pen gets the MF Doom-esque caps treatment of its name. What exactly is a Desk Pen?

As you might imagine, it is a pen originally designed to be used at a desk. Normally in a stand or holder, next to an ink bottle for easy dipping, writing, and then dipping again. Fountain pens weren’t always the portable writing wonders that we now have.

The long, skinny barrels are a holdover from quills, I’m assuming, giving desk pens their unique look. The length helps when reaching across the desk to grab one for use, and provides a good feel and balance when scratching out dozens of signatures on the day’s proclamations. Huzzah!

Modern desk pens, while still available with matching pen stands, are often designed to use ink cartridges or converters. And, I see them used more frequently in artists hands, not by the lords and ladies of the manor. There is something brush-like about the pen handle that works for a wide range of motions.

Despite its more vintage look, the Platinum Desk Pen is firmly in the modern pen camp. It even sports Platinum’s popular Slip and Seal cap design to keep the nib from drying out for a long period of time without use. Platinum says up to a year, and while I can’t verify that with this pen, I can report it has sat for weeks between uses and fired right up on uncapping.

That’s even more impressive since I choose to use Platinum Carbon Ink cartridges with this pen, and I suggest you do too. This pigmented, water-resistant ink is perfect for artists, but great for the rest of us, too. The lines are pitch-black, and almost glossy on drying, giving a unique look on the page. You can buy it by the bottle as well, if you choose to use a converter.

Why do I like the Platinum Desk Pen so much? Platinum’s steel nibs are great, the barrel is lightweight and comfortable, and the overall design makes me feel cool. That’s right, I like how I feel when I use it. That should matter, and it does to me.

At $11.50 from JetPens, it won’t break the bank by any stretch. It is available with a Red barrel, along with the Black one I use. You can add on the Platinum Desk Pen Stand for $20 if you want to go full powdered wig mode, but you will lose the modern amenity that is the Slip and Seal cap. I’d stick with the standard cap, and add in a 4-pack of Platinum Carbon Black ink cartridges, putting you at $15 all-in.

I enjoy using the Desk Pen as a desk pen. It makes for a great note-taking, doodle-sketching, low-maintenance workhorse. I can’t recommend it highly enough it you want to try something different in your writing arsenal.

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

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Waldmann Tango Imagination Fountain Pen - A Stunning Writer

(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!.)

Not gonna lie, I was super excited to receive the Waldmann Tango Imagination for review from Luxury Brands of America (LBA), who is the North America distributor for Waldmann Pens (as well other brands like Platinum, Colorverse and Gioia Pens). I have been drooling over them since seeing LBA’s posts last year as well as seeing them first hand at the SF Pen Show.

Waldmann has been making writing instruments for over 100 years; they started in 1918 in Pforzheim, Germany, making gold and silver mechanical pencils. Many of their current offerings are created in 925 Sterling Silver and the Waldmann Tango Imagination is an example of this. Despite its long history, Waldmann isn’t well-known in the pen community. I suspect part of this is due to them not having much of an online social media presence until LBA started distributing them a couple years ago. Also, their pens have traditionally been more reserved in appearance … until this year, when they launched new models which boasted new colors, textures and styles.

The new Waldmann Tango Imagination line was announced over the summer of 2021 and became available later that fall. The Tango Imagination shows off a PVD-lacquered multi-layered new guilloche pattern on its cap and barrel and comes in Aquamarine (which is the subject of this review) as well as Lilac, Burgundy, Black and White.

The presentation of the pen is lovely - nice black, leatherette clamshell box which houses the pen, a pack of standard international cartridges in Waldmann Blue, warranty card and a nice little note reminding you that this is a screw cap pen.

But never mind that, when you open the box, you see the absolutely stunning pen. Still pictures just can’t capture how beautiful the engraved cap and barrel are. Alternating lines of turquoise and silver combined with the subtle pattern produce a look that is simultaneously elegant, flashy and classy. The color reminds me a bit of the Statue of Liberty and also of a little jewelry store in New York that’s famous for their little blue boxes. Look carefully on the cap and you will see “925” and the Waldmann logo etched on the cap. Engraved on the cap band are “Waldmann” and “Made in Germany” engraved and the logo adorns the top of the clip. Even the included converter is engraved with the brand and logo.

Pictures don’t do this pen justice.

”925” to let you know it’s sterling silver.

I like branded converters, especially when it’s etched.

Comparison with other pens (L to R): Lamy 2000, TWSBI 580 ALR, Leonardo Momento Zero, Pilot Vanishing Point, Pelikan M600, Pilot 823, Waldmann Tango Imagination, Pelikan M800, Platinum 3776, Sailor Pro Gear, TWSBI Eco.

The Tango Imagination is an average length pen - about : 5.4”/137mm capped and 4.1”/104 mm uncapped. Uncapped, it is similar to many pens on the market, including the Lamy 2000, Pelikan M600, Platinum 3776. Weight-wise, it is a bit heavier than most acrylic pens. Since the Tango was inked up, I removed the converters for all of the pens that had them, so the measurements would be more on-par. Keep in mind that some pens have more metal in their converters than others (Leonardo for example), and would be heavier than regular standard international converters that have more plastic. The Tango is similar in weight to pens that have metal pistons like the M80x and 823. I don’t post my pens but I think this pen would feel really back-heavy if it was posted because a lot of the weight is in the cap.

Where the Tango differs the most from other pens is the grip. For starters, it is a metal grip section. I do like that the bottom of the grip near the nib is flared, so fingers don’t slide off the grip. But since the grip itself is smooth metal and not textured at all, folks with slippery fingers may not like the grip. It is also a fairly skinny grip for a pen of this weight. In fact, I was surprised at how skinny the grip is and how tough it was to find pens of similar girth. The Franklin-Christoph 28 is the most similar pen to the Tango that I have (that isn’t a Waldmann).

Comparison of grip sections (L to R): Pilot Stargazer/Stella, Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Platinum Preppy, Kaweco AL Sport, Waldmann Tango Imagination, Franklin-Christoph 28, Sailor Pro Gear Slim, Sailor Pro Gear.

Like the regular Tango model, the Imagination is offered as a ballpoint, rollerball, or fountain pen with either a steel or 18kt gold nib, in EF-B sizes. Their nibs are made by Jowo but are custom-tuned to Waldmann’s specifications. As such, you can expect a solid writing experience from them. I inked this one up with Bungubox Tears of Alice and it wrote smoothly right out of the box, and has done so for the past 6 weeks that it’s been inked up. The Tango nib units are also easily swappable with any Jowo 5 nib unit. In the US, MSRP is $400 for the steel nib with a street price of $320 and $525 MSRP/$420 for the 18kt gold nib option.

Likes:

• Beautiful, well-crafted pen that’s available in a variety of colors and nib offerings in both steel and gold
• Reliable, well-tuned nib that writes well out of the box
• Flare at the end of the grip sections keeps fingers from sliding down
• 10 year warranty from Waldmann

Something to consider:

• Weight of the pen may turn off some users, especially if they like to post their pens
• Slim grip section feels a touch too slim for a pen of this weight
• Metal grip section might be too slippery for some
• Price is a bit on the higher side, especially for the steel option

If Tango’s weight and grip sections don’t bother you (I had no problems with either the grip nor the weight), I highly recommend picking this up. The difficult part will be figuring out which color to get.

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

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!