Montegrappa Tarvisium with Dolce Nib Fountain Pen Review

(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!.)

I recently got the opportunity to do some work for Kenro Industries, for which I was compensated with a Montegrappa Tarvisium. Released around September of this year, the Tarvisium is offered in 3 colorways - Paris in Bloom, Paradise Falls, and Carson. Like some of the other Montegrappa models, the Tarvisium sports a Jowo 6 nib, which is available in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, and 1.1 stub. In addition, you can upgrade the Tarvisium with the new Dolce nib, which is what I will be writing about today.

Montegrappa Tarvisium, Carson (named for the son of Tim Crowe of Turnt Pen Company who helped make the material.)

The Tarvisium is an update of the Venetia model which has more pointed ends. I prefer the Tarvisium’s flat top with the Montegrappa logo on the silver toned finial. The bottom of the barrel has a very subtle point compared to the Venetia. The grip is very comfortable with a flare at the base of the section, so your fingers don’t slide into the nib. I hold my pens very close to the nib, but there is plenty of room to hold the pen higher up. If I held the pen higher, I could feel the metal threads, which didn’t feel uncomfortable to me, and if I held it higher still, the taper has a smooth ridge, instead of a sharp step, where the cap meets the barrel.

Montegrappa logo on the Tarvisium’s finial.

The step down on the barrel is very smooth and is not a big step down either.

Holding the pen close to the nib.

Gripping it on the threads, which was not uncomfortable.

While unusable for me, folks who like to hold their pens further back will still find the pen very comfortable to use.

Here is the Tarvisium (middle) next to the Fortuna (left) and the Mia (right), not to be confused with the Miya or the Mia Carissima.

The Tarvisium doesn’t post very securely and it’s also a bit too long/unwieldy, but it’s posted here for comparison.

Similarly sized pens (L to R): Leonardo Momento Zero, Platinum 3776, Esterbrook Estie, Montegrappa Tarvisium, Pilot Custom 823, Sailor Realo, Pelikan M805.

The new Dolce nib option is available on any Montegrappa that uses the steel Jowo nib in silver trim, such as the Elmo 01, 02, Brenta, Tarvisium, etc. The Dolce nib grind is done by well-respected nib grinder, Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studio, who also makes the popular Journaler grind for Esterbrook, another Kenro brand. Per Ryan Sirignano from Kenro, they wanted to replicate the Journaler nib while making it a little bit different for Montegrappa, so the Dolce is ground from a Medium nib into a slightly finer cursive italic grind than the Journaler nib.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I have a very steep writing angle (70+ degrees), so I am always a bit nervous about getting a pre-ground nib that wasn’t done specifically for me. I was pleasantly surprised because it wrote great out of the box. It wasn’t scratchy at all, nor did I have any of the problems with the nib catching in the usual spots (going counter-clockwise on the upper right portion of the stroke). I also made some not-pictured scribbles at less insane angles and can confirm that it writes great at those angles too. The line variation isn’t as noticeable partly because it is a finer CI, but also because I started off with Montegrappa Violet, which is moderately wet ink. After switching to a slightly drier ink, Robert Oster Cosmic Swirl, the line variation was more obvious.

Writing sample on 68 gsm Tomoe River. The top was written with Montegrappa Violet, the bottom with Robert Oster Cosmic Swirl.

More line variation with Cosmic Swirl (bottom) than with the Violet ink.

Cursive writing with the Tarvisium inked with Violet.

Typewriter printing while inked with Cosmic Swirl.

Retailing at $337, the Montegrappa Tarvisium is priced in between the Elmo (starting at $250,) and the Venetia ($495) models. It is not an inexpensive pen, but it’s also a Montegrappa, so that’s not really a surprise, right? The upgrade to the Dolce nib is an additional $60, which is surprisingly reasonable, considering Gena’s Journaler and Cursive Italic grinds are $50 (as of this writing). The fact that this nib grind is available on several of the models, and at such a good price, really makes this a great option for upgrading your next Montegrappa.

(Disclaimer: The pen was my payment for work I did for Kenro Industries. I was not paid to write this review. The Bossman decided I might as well write a review of it since I already had the pen and nib. Other products mentioned/pictured in this review are my own, as are my opinions.)

Pilot Iro-Utsushi Dip Pen Review

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

I've tried several different types of dip pens over the years, but none of them have really stuck with me. They're either too fiddly or messy, or they feel so different from a fountain pen that I prefer to just ink up a fountain over rather than use the dip pen. I was intrigued when I saw that Pilot offers an entry-level dip pen that uses a familiar nib, so I had to try it out.

The Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pen is a relatively low cost dip pen that features one of Pilot's stainless steel nibs — the same nib you'll find on a Pilot Metropolitan, for example. My hopes weren't very high, because I assumed that even if the nib felt just like a Metropolitan or other Pilot pen, it would be too much hassle to use given the limited ink supply. The other dip pens I've used in the past have some sort of primitive system to store little pockets of ink in the nib, but this Pilot looks like an ordinary nib that you'll find attached to a feed and ink reservoir system. Well, I'm delighted to say that my assumptions were wrong.

Even though the nib on the Iro-Utsushi is the same nib you'll find on many of Pilot's entry-level fountain pens, it does a surprisingly good job of holding a good amount of ink. I've used dip pens in the past, and I'm used to much less ink supply and needing to dip much more frequently. Dipping the nib past the breather hole provides enough ink to write a couple sentences. If you dip a little further and submerge most of the nib shoulders into the ink, you can get a couple more sentences out of it. I was genuinely surprised that I could write for as long as I was able with each dip.

Another problem I've always had with dip pens is that the ink flow varies drastically with a fresh dip versus when the ink is almost gone. After dipping the pen, the ink just gushes and almost makes a mess, and the flow continues to decrease until the ink is gone. This isn't a problem with the Iro-Utsushi. The ink flow is consistent even after dipping the nib, and it remains consistent right up until it runs out of ink. You can start to see the ink flowing a little lighter, and that means there's only enough ink left for a couple of characters. Again, this surprised me in such a good way.

Regardless of the type of dip pen you're using, there's one constant: they are ridiculously easy to clean. The Iro-Utsushi is no exception. Run the inky nib under some water and wipe it dry. That's it! Within a few seconds, you're ready to try out another ink. This is a fantastic method for trying out several inks without committing to filling up a pen and the eventual cleaning that entails.

The fine nib on this unit is smooth flowing and makes a crisp line that is comparable to my other Pilot steel fine nibs. The barrel is made of thin plastic, and the only non-plastic part of the pen is the nib, which is wedged into the front of the pen with friction. It's actually fairly difficult to remove the nib, so I have no concerns about the nib accidentally falling off into a bottle of ink. Being so lightweight, it's also incredibly easy to control the movement of the pen, though I did find myself wishing it was just a bit thicker to provide a more comfortable grip.

There isn't a cap provided with the pen, except for a small section of silicone tubing that is on the nib while it's in the box. I've kept the little piece to use on the pen when not in use. It's not much, but it does offer some protection for the nib when it's stored away with other objects. I'd like to design a simple cap that I can 3D print — something that both protects the nib and also provides a flat edge to keep the pen from rolling around when it's on a flat surface. For now, the little section of tubing is at least protecting the nib!

The Pilot Iro-Utsushi dip pen is just $8 at Vanness. Compared to other dip pens, this is very competitive, and I'd argue that it's also the best first-time experience you can have with dip pens. Glass pens feel too different and it's not really fair to compare them with traditional metal nibs. Other dip pens that use metal nibs aren't really the same as fountain nibs either. They're either catering to calligraphy use or for artists — which means they don't work particularly well for general writing, nor do they offer a good comparison to the fountain pen nibs you're likely already accustomed to. For me, this is the best dip pen experience I've tried so far.

I know there are plenty of others that I haven't had an opportunity to try, but it's hard to beat the Iro-Utsushi on price. I picked the clear body, but it's also available in a light blue or gray (both translucent) plastic, or a light or dark wood nib holder (the wood versions are $20). You also have your pick of fine or medium nib. Regardless of barrel and nib choice, I highly recommend checking these out if you're even remotely interested in dip pens! The ability to quickly try out inks without the mess of cleaning out a pen is incredibly convenient.

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

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Benu Talisman Dream Bean Fountain Pen Review

What’s the most important feature of a fountain pen? Design, nib, filling system, weight, balance … all of those things are important. But the most important feature, I’d argue, is happiness. Yes, all of those features combined contribute to the overall feel of any writing instrument, but does it make you happy when you pick it up and use it?

The Benu Talisman Dream Bean makes me happy. Downright giddy, in fact. And I can’t explain why.

Maybe it’s the Dream Bean itself? After all, these giant seeds are notorious for their ability to “induce lucid dreams that enable communication with the spirit world,” and some of their dust is infused into the barrel material.

That probably explains a lot of it.

The Talisman is one of my favorite Benu Fountain Pen shapes. My preference lies in the more traditional lines of the exterior barrel, which this pen has. It also has different notches and facets shaped into the barrel, giving it a unique look when the light hits different areas. I also like the tactile feel of these divots, not just on the barrel, but in the cap as I hold it in my hand when writing.

Brown and Black are the primary colors of the Dream Bean material, which is further infused with fine sparkles of Green, Gold, and Red. The glitter doesn’t take over the barrel, which is a feature of some other Benu models, so this more subtle one - subtle for Benu that is - may be more up your alley. It’s kind of perfect for the season, too, with full-on Christmas Pudding vibes.

What has turned up the happiness on this pen is how much I am enjoying the nib. It is a stock Fine Steel Schmidt nib, which is normally great out of the box, but something about this one sings. It suits my handwriting well, giving it the edge of a fineliner, which are some of my favorite pens to write with. I can go pages and pages with ease when my letters look as good as this.

I chose Teranishi Guitar Antique Black to ink this pen with, and I nailed it. The Black and Brown tones of the ink pair perfectly with the Black and Brown tones of the pen. Who knew? I knew, and now I’m thinking I need to add my own shimmer to this ink to go full Dream Bean on the page.

I wish I could explain in more detail why I am getting along with this pen so well, but it boils down to what I said up top: it makes me happy.

The Benu Talisman Dream Bean Fountain Pen is $162, along with 11 other stunning Talisman models. If you enjoy fun pens as much as I do, then everything Benu does should be on your radar. Happiness achieved!

(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!