Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen in Teal Splash Review

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

The Gravitas Pocket fountain pen is no stranger around here, but there's nothing like an injection of some fun colors to spice up something you've already seen. Teal Splash features a black pen with beautiful blobs of teal scattered over the body to make this pen really stand out.

If you're new to the Gravitas Pocket, here is the summary. It's a short pen that looks and feels similar to a Kaweco AL Sport, but with plenty of unique design choices that bring this pen close to the top of my pocket pen list. The cap unscrews and posts to the back of the pen to make it a more comfortable length for writing, and it takes short international cartridges due to the short body. You can fit some converters into this pen, but they have to be short — a standard converter won't fit.

Where this pen departs from the ordinary is obvious once you take a closer look. The cap features a flat edge that keeps the pen from rolling away, while the rest of the cap and body are round. The tips taper from a cylinder to a point in a really pleasing distance, and there's no branding outside of a tiny Gravtias logo debossed on the lower part of the cap.

Once you uncap the pen, you'll notice the grip section is much larger than the typical pocket pen. This makes for a really comfortable writing experience once you've posted the cap. The grip section also has micro grooves cut into it that provides a soft but tactile grip. The grip also flares out a bit at the end to provide a nice butt for your fingers to rest while writing. Overall, it's a really comfortable pen.

There's a nice feature on both sets of threads for this pen — both for the cap and the section. There's a small o-ring at the base of both of these threads that make for a snug and secure fit when the section or cap are tightened down. I don't know if this is technically necessary for the pen to function properly, but it definitely feels nice.

Something different for me on this model is the nib. This unit has a titanium flex nib that really fits my writing style. When writing with soft pressure, it puts down a line that is similar to any European fine nib. The line is crisp and the ink flows well. But, if you want to add some flourish, just apply a little pressure to the nib to make those tines spread and really distribute the ink. This flex nib isn't as dramatic as some I've used, but this one is so incredibly easy to use. I'm guessing part of this experience is due to the soft titanium material as well as the shape, but it sure is fun to use.

While flexing is easy, you have to be careful not to flex too hard or else the feed can't deliver enough ink and you'll end up with some railroading. This will vary a bit depending on what ink and paper you're using, but it's something to keep in mind. In my use, using soft and moderate pressure to flex the nib is no problem. It's only when I try to max out the tine spread that the railroading happens.

The nib is a #6 size that Gravitas produces in-house. There aren't any markings on it, and I really appreciate the dull finish of the titanium against the shiny black grip and speckled body.

Finally, the finish on the outside of the pen. I absolutely love this edition of the Pocket fountain pen. Teal Splash is a perfect name, and I really enjoy looking at the splatter patterns that adorn the pen. The regular pen is so sleek and unassuming, but this treatment kicks it up a notch to an eye-catching piece of art when it's on your desk.

The Gravitas Pocket Fountain Pen in Teal Splash starts at €120, but the model featured here is €135 due to the titanium flex nib option. In my opinion, the €15 difference is totally worth it for this nib. Gravitas is definitely one of the brands I suggest you check out if you haven't already. If the pen featured here doesn't fit your fancy, there are so many other models and options to pick from, and they all feature top-notch quality and craftsmanship.

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

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Pairings Party: Andhand Method Fountain Pen, Van Dieman’s Mandarin Duck Wing

You know a party is a success when you are pleasantly surprised throughout the event. That has been the case with the Andhand Method Fountain Pen, inked with Van Dieman’s Mandarin Duck Wing, over these past several weeks.

Andhand reached out to me earlier this year, offering up the Method for me to check out. I received the Brass model, with a #5 Medium Steel Schmidt nib, and I have to say that they made a metal barrel pen that fits my needs perfectly.

The key for me with brass pens is overall weight. They can’t be too heavy for me to write with comfortably for medium and long writing sessions. In conjunction with overall weight, the balance of that weight has to be managed correctly with the design of the pen. Many metal pen designs don’t consider the effect back-weighting has on the writing experience. The Method pen nails the balance - unposted, of course - making for a proper writing experience.

How did they accomplish this? This is a smaller barrel, closer to my favorite ystudio Brassing Fountain Pen than some of the bigger, bolder brass pens on the market. Big, heavy, brass pens certainly have their place, and their fans. My preferences lie in the smaller and lighter builds, and Andhand did a great job with that here.

Aside from being happy with the weight, balance, and overall feel of the Method, the cap design impressed me. The cut out facets add a nice visual touch to the design, but what I enjoyed even more was the snap cap. That’s right, no metal threads on the barrel to dig in to your fingers! The section is long enough to grip comfortably, with a slight taper down from the barrel seam to the nib.

Aside from Brass, the Method Fountain Pen comes in a ystudio-esque Black + Brass - both for £110 - and a Stainless Steel model for £130. The Stainless model checks in a few grams lighter, too: 48g vs 52g for the Brass.

Given the all-Brass design and color of my Method, I had the run of the rainbow for my ink choice, so why did I choose a more muted shade in Van Dieman’s Mandarin Duck Wing? Because I like to test ink colors outside of my normal usage zone.

Written on the Mitsubishi Bank Paper Notebook from The Paper Mind.

Reddish-browns rank far down my list of color choices, but I have been more than happy with Mandarin Duck Wing. Impressed, even. For starters, the color is a little more brown than red, which I prefer, and the performance is outstanding. Flow has been perfect, no matter if I have been using the pen several times throughout the day, or a week between uses. That is a compliment to the cap design of the metal barrel pen, too, sealing the nib off well from the elements.

It shows off a bit of shading on most pages I’ve tested it on (Midori, Mitsubishi Bank, PLOTTER,) and has a medium dry time. There is no sheen present, and the ink is not waterproof. It bears repeating just how consistent the flow is. I will definitely be trying this ink in finer nibs to see if the performance is similar.

If you like metal pens that are properly sized and weighted, then you should check out the Method Fountain Pen from Andhand. I like the Brass one that they sent me well enough to consider ordering the Stainless Steel model, which is a favorite material of mine. And which Mandarin Duck part should you ink it up with? I went with the brownish-red Wing, but feel free to check out the classic blue Mandarin Duck Breast, or the bright green/teal of Mandarin Duck Nape. All bottles are $14.95 for 30 ml. Any combination of the above would make a great Pairings Party.

(Andhand provided this pen at no charge, and Vanness Pens provided this ink at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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