Posts filed under Pen Reviews

TWSBI GO 1.1mm Stub Nib 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.)

The TWSBI GO isn't that new any more, but I've only just recently picked on up to play with. It always spoke to me as a great candidate for being an ink testing pen due to the simple filling system. After using this one for a while, there's definitely a lot more to like about this fun pen, and it will be more than just a testing pen.

I went with the fully transparent model with a 1.1mm stub nib as my intro to the GO. This is also my first time trying a TWSBI 1.1mm stub nib. Lots of firsts going into this pen experience!

There are plenty of TWSBIs in my collection already, so I knew what to expect in terms of the nib and build of the pen. With this being their lowest-cost entry point, I'm actually more impressed than I thought I'd be. For less than $20 USD, you get a lot of pen. I'm embarrassed that I waited so long to check out the GO and see what the fuss was about!

For the uninitiated, the GO is a plastic-barrel pen that features a spring-powered piston filling system. The large spring under the transparent body also adds a fun visual for the pen as well as being functional. It uses the standard TWSBI nib, but without the convenient threaded nib/feed module that you'll find on the more expensive models. You can still swap out the nib without much trouble, but it's not as quick and easy as with other TWSBIs.

This is the only TWSBI I've used that has a friction-fit cap instead of a screw-on cap. I still make the mistake of trying to unscrew it! The cap works really well. Capping and uncapping the pen is really stable and makes a satisfying click. You can post the cap on the back of the pen, but this makes the pen too long for my preference. The uncapped pen is the perfect length for me when writing.

The grip section is a really nice shape. It has a nice taper down to the nib, and then there are three flattened edges that add a nice aesthetic to the grip but also a good spot for your fingers to hold steady.

To cut down on costs, there's no clip on this pen. It does have a small nub on the cap to keep the pen from rolling on your desk, but you can't clip this pen to anything. For the price, I'm not complaining. I'd rather have the cool spring filling system over a clip for this price.

Like every other TWSBI nib I've used, this is a great nib that worked great out of the box. It's my first time using the 1.1mm stub nib, and I've been really happy with it. The flow is smooth and the nib lays down a nice layer of ink with ease. I've tried several inks with it already, but I'm currently still loving the Laughing Kookaburra Wing with this pen/nib combo now.

The TWSBI GO is a fun pen, and I wish I'd tried one out sooner. The design is so much fun, and the large spring in the body catches everyone's attention. People can't help but pick up this pen, and that's exactly what I like to see with a pen that's marketed toward newcomers to the hobby. It's crazy what you get with this pen for less than $20 USD. Cool transparent body? Got it. Included converter that doesn't need cartridges? Even better — this pen has a built in piston filling system that can hold lots of ink. Good nib? Yup. I don't think there are any other options under $20 for getting a good 1.1mm stub nib. All considered, this pen is a phenomenal value that is perfect for newcomers who are interested in non-cartridge fountain pens and stub nibs. But, it's so much fun that it's great for those of us that already have too many pens!

The playful and unique design makes this a great pen for your collection that can also be a workhorse. It also makes for a great gift for those fountain-pen-curious folks in your life!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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!

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under TWSBI, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Fisher Space Pen Cerakote Ballpoint Pen Review

The Fisher Space Pen is one of the few writing instruments that crosses over into the mainstream from deep inside the stationery world. It’s a special pen, for reasons which I will cover below, and maybe an even more important tool for what it offers, and how it operates.

The core of the Space Pen experience is the pressurized ballpoint refill it uses. It writes like a traditional ballpoint, with the pressurization allowing it to write at any angle. Write normally at your desk, write on the clipboard on the wall, write on the ceiling for reasons I’m still unsure of. Write anywhere, at any angle, and the line will keep up. That is not something more traditional pens or fountain pens can handle.

Do you need that ability on a daily basis? Of course not. But that is how the Fisher Space Pen has become the great crossover pen that it is. Given the way the pressurized refill pushes the ink, it writes on wet and dirty surfaces as well. Chefs can use it in the kitchen, hikers can use it on the trail, writers can use it on notebooks in their laps. The opportunities are endless because you know when you uncap this pen, it is going to write.

Is it the purest writing experience ever. No. That’s the main criticism of this pen. It’s a ballpoint that writes like a ballpoint, although I do find it very usable due to the solid lines on the page, and the lack of mess from the tip. It meets my expectations for quality, but a Uni-ball Jetstream it is not.

The other feature of the Fisher Space Pen is the classic bullet barrel design. It is small and pocketable, and can take a beating. I’ve seen some amazingly worn barrels that only look better with age, and never compromise its functionality. The cap stays on via an o-ring in the middle of the barrel, and posts securely on the back for a full-sized writing instrument.

I’ve owned a couple of different classic bullet models over the years, but I recently picked up this Cerakote Elite Navy Blue model because I’m a fan of this barrel finish, and wanted to see how it compared to the traditional Brass barrel. Cerakote is designed to take a beating, and it held up on my recent trip to California, from the beaches, to the mountains, attached to a Field Notes notebook. It worked perfectly every time I needed it, and stayed securely clipped to my pocket notebook when I didn’t.

While the refill shape is considered Parker-style, it’s shorter than a true compatible refill. That means you can’t swap a different refill into the Space Pen body, but the Space Pen refill ships with an extender to use with other pen barrels. I like writing with the refill, but I do swap into the Fine Blue refill from the Medium Black refill that it ships with. Admittedly, they are expensive to replace, but much better for me.

The standard bullet Fisher Space Pen starts around $29, with the Cerakote model I’m using here priced at $39. There are dozens of designs, colors, and finishes to choose from, and various prices in between. It’s makes for a perfect gift for someone else, or a special treat for yourself.

Does everybody need a Fisher Space Pen? No. I wouldn’t use it for long form writing, for example. But it does what it is designed for perfectly, and if you have a fitting use case, you won’t find a better option.

(Goldspot provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Fisher Space Pen, Pen Reviews.

Kaweco Perkeo Infrared Fountain Pen Review

The Kaweco Perkeo is one of the best starter fountain pens on the market. At $18, it provides a great bang for the buck, and adds fun colors that break the traditional fountain pen mold. That combination of price, functionality, and style is right on the mark, so why would you add $11 to that total and spend $29 on what is ostensibly the same pen?

Have you seen the Kaweco Perkeo Infrared? Throwswalletatcomputerscreen

Kaweco excels at making stationery fun, and the Infrared, at least for me, is funner than most. I’d like to think that if I were given a day in the Kaweco laboratory that this is exactly what I would come up with.

From an aesthetic perspective, it is completely off the charts. The red, almost hot pink, translucent faceted plastic barrel and cap are stunning, with subtle silver lettering on the cap, and a small finial on top. The clear feed underneath the silver plated nib is the final piece of this awesomeness pie, allowing you to see the ink in action.

The only nib options for the limited edition Infrared are Fine and Medium, so of course I chose the narrower of the two. The nib and ink flow have been great, at least on my second go around.

What happened the first time? I discovered that shimmer ink and smaller, #5-sized nibs and feeds, are a questionable combination.

As a somewhat regular user of shimmer ink, I do consider what pens I use them in. When I ordered this pen from Vanness Pens, I added in a bottle of their amazing Robert Oster Shake & Shimmer Free Spirit Ink, which I thought would be a perfect compliment to the Infrared. I was right, except it didn’t flow well. I’m so used to never having any shimmer ink issues that I didn’t even consider the smaller nib and feed area for the ink to flow through, but it was a definite roadblock, and a lesson learned.

The shimmer ink cleaned out flawlessly, and I re-inked it with the equally as bright Robert Oster Blue Lagoon. That’s more like it. The ink flowed through the feed and out the nib perfectly, and the Fine nib was firm and controllable.

*There is a ridge inside the barrel that lines up on the last turn to “lock” into place with the notch above the section threads.*

The Perkeo barrel itself is lightweight, and comfortable to hold. Like many starter pens, the grip section is molded in such a way to promote a traditional grip, so that could be a problem for some. The cap snaps on and off firmly, so there are no threads to unscrew. The barrel does have threads, and a unique “lock” section to keep it from twisting apart easily. Sounds like a great every day carry setup to me.

That’s what I think of the Kaweco Perkeo as a whole. It’s a great starter pen, while offering enough quality and performance for experienced users to add to their regular rotation.

As I mentioned above, at $29 it is $11 more than the standard Perkeo for no difference other than the unique limited colorway. And neither model ships with a standard international converter, only short Kaweco cartridges. That’s a large price jump that’s absolutely not worth it if you aren’t in love with the color like I am. And honestly, it surprised me that Kaweco priced it as such. That clearly didn’t stop me, and I’ll definitely be getting my money’s worth from it.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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