Posts filed under Wancher

Wancher PuChiCo Mini Fountain Pen

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

Ridiculous or ridiculously fun? Both? Sure, the Wancher PuChiCo Mini Fountain Pen is more novelty than practical, but as a lover of pocket pens, I had to try it anyway. Besides, almost none of my pocket pens can fit in my girl-pants pockets--but this one can!

At only 6.5cm capped, this is the tiniest pen I've ever used. And it's not super easy to use, even with my small hands. It certainly wouldn't be comfortable to use for long writing sessions, but for jotting a quick note, I definitely see a purpose for it.

There are plenty of times when I'm minimally traveling or limiting the amount of stuff that I'm hauling, but I still want a fountain pen with me. Sometimes I just don't feel complete without one, yaknow? If I'm going on a beach walk and don't want to be burdened with a big bag, but there's a definite danger of poetry happening, this is the perfect wee pen to bring along.

What surprised me the most about this pen wasn't how tiny it was, it was how well-made it was, despite being so tiny. I guess I didn't expect it to be a real pen. After all, it's a pen for ants! But it actually feels very well constructed. The resin is machined smooth, the threads are sturdy, the clip works, and the nib writes surprisingly well.

Because this wee tank is eyedropper-filled, it holds a decent amount of ink. It holds .5 ml, which is the same as a standard fountain pen converter. That's going to write for a while. I carried this pen in my purse for several weeks and the ink chamber never leaked.

I ordered this as something cute, probably just to be used as decor, and for that sweet hit of dopamine I get when I see something cute and tiny. I did not expect to get a decent pen, so it's safe to say my expectations were well exceeded. At $33, it was way too much to spend on a silly novelty, but it's more than fair for the handy writer that arrived. I'll be taking this pen on my next beach adventure trip in exactly 26 days (not that I'm counting.)

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

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Posted on July 25, 2024 by Sarah Read and filed under Wancher, Fountain Pens.

Wancher Primo 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 an exciting time when there are new stationery companies appearing so often, and especially when they have really interesting designs and ideas. I've heard about Wancher several times, but I've never had the opportunity to try one out until now. When the Primo came across my desk, I was stoked to ink it up and see how it performed.

When you browse Wancher's website, it's really difficult not to get sucked into all the different categories they have to offer. The Urushi and Maki-e look absolutely amazing, but they have several more modern designs that also fit more budgets. The Primo is one of more budget-friendly pens that Wancher offer, but that doesn't mean it's cheap or lacking in quality. At a retail price of $250, it will definitely be outside many budget comfort zones, but this is also a really interesting price zone in the market. When you're willing to let go of $200+, your options open up quite a bit, and it can be really difficult to make choices.

The Primo is a modern and sleek design that looks similar to a cigar tube with an intricate pattern of crackly metal on the body and cap. It's made of a combination of titanium and aluminum, so even though it's a fairly large pen, it's actually pretty light in the hand. I was a little surprised when I first picked it up when I realized it wasn't as heavy as it looked. If this pen was made of steel, it would be a chunker that might put a hole in your pocket.

Not everyone prefers a large pen, but there are plenty of people that enjoy a larger pen diameter and/or length. For me, the length is just right, and the diameter is on the max side for my writing comfort. Despite being long, it balances perfectly in my hand. The majority of the weight in the pen body is concentrated on the nib/grip end, so that contributes to the comfort and balance. If the back end of the pen was heavy, it would create an awkward writing feel.

The cap doesn't post on the back of the pen, and that's probably for the best since the pen is long enough already. The cap has the same weight and feel as the pen body, but doesn't have a clip. Since it tends to roll around on my desk, I just hold it in my other hand while writing. It has a nice warm feel and fits my palm perfectly, so I rather enjoy holding it. That being said, it does roll incredibly easy, and I wish it had some kind of roll stopper built in.

In fact, the whole pen tends to roll since it's perfectly round. Without a clip or roll stop, it tends to roll quickly. Let's just say I know which of my desks and tables aren't quite level after using this pen for a few weeks.

The main aesthetic focus of this pen is the unique finish on the body and cap. To me, it looks like metal that's boiled and cracked in an unpredictable and beautiful way. According to Wancher, they use a color treatment during the anodizing process to create a thin oxide film on the titanium surface. This bonds to the titanium and creates some really interesting effects in different light. Wancher say they also use a blast-polish finishing technique to make certain parts of the pattern matte and others shiny. I don't understand the alchemy behind it, but the finished product is gorgeous. It's unlike anything else I've seen so far, and I can't help but keep looking at it. Even better, it morphs and changes with different light and angles. It really something unique and special.

The Frosty Silver version I have is just one of the four options. You can pick from Amethyst Purple, Russet Brown, and Midnight Blue as well. In my opinion, the purple and blue are fantastic.

So, the pen looks and feels great, but how does it write? Well, this was a pleasant surprise for me. The fine nib on this unit is exceptionally smooth and consistent. The ink flow is plentiful without being too wet, and the nib flexes just enough to remain comfortable at any writing speed or pressure. It really is a treat to use. According to Wancher, this is a JoWo stainless steel nib, but I have to wonder if they've tuned each nib prior to shipping out. It's really good.

The pen comes in a nice gift box that includes a converter, a couple of cartridges, some documentation, and a custom pen sleeve. Keep that pen sleeve handy because it's great for storing the pen on the desk and ensuring it doesn't roll away! The unboxing presentation is nice, and I think I'll be able to repurpose the balsa wood box for something else, which is a nice change from the plastic boxes that other manufacturers use that really serve no purpose after the unboxing is over.

Obviously, $250 (or $225 when they're on sale) is a lot of money and opens up your options to a lot of high-quality pens. I have pens in my collection that cost the same amount of money, and some of them even came with gold nibs. Still, I think the price is more than fair due to the level of craftsmanship, fit and finish, and the excellent nib tuning that comes out of the box with this pen. Ultimately, this will come down to a personal preference for what you find aesthetically pleasing. If this pen fits your interests, I can whole-heartedly recommend it. I really look forward to trying other offerings from Wancher in the future.

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

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Posted on February 23, 2022 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Wancher, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Wancher Bakelite Seven Treasures Fountain Pen Review

I’ve been able to spend a couple of weeks with the Wancher Bakelite Seven Treasures Fountain Pen, and I am confident in saying this: This is a good pen. It looks good, feels good, writes well, and is fairly priced.

That’s the TL:DR version of this review. Why not end it right there? Because there is a whole lot more to discuss with this pen than whether it is good or not. And that conversation may help you determine if it is good for you.

Let’s start with this: What is Bakelite? That’s a great question! Reading the Bakelite Wikipedia page (which made me want a whiskey) told me that it is a synthetic plastic, developed in the early 1900’s. Over the past 100+ years, it has been used for a wide-range of products - from jewelry, to radio knobs, to equipment coatings. The raw material can be molded into almost anything, including pen barrels.

The Bakelite formula changed and improved with the times, but as other synthetic materials were created, it was pushed aside due to its added cost of manufacturing. Wancher chose to bring Bakelite back with the Seven Treasures fountain pen, and I’m glad they did.

The feel of this pen reminds me of a combination of two materials: G10 and Micarta. Both of these are fibrous materials, manufactured in sheets and pressed together to build the structure of the finished product. G10 is rock hard, and Micarta is sturdy, but softer and more porous. This Bakelite lands right in the middle of those materials to me. It is firm, but has a warmth to it, and if you look closely, you can see the underlying material fibers.

I bring all of this up because at first glance and feel, the Seven Treasures Bakelite doesn’t seem to be a pen that would absorb ink if dipped into an ink bottle. It seems like any other polished acrylic that you could wipe the ink right off of. That’s not the case, and Wancher has designed the pen taking this into consideration.

The grip section is removable from the barrel, but not in the way you would traditionally think. It’s a sleeve, designed to be removed so the pen doesn’t get stained when filling. You wouldn’t know that by looking through the campaign page though - it’s not pictured, even once. It’s not in the shape and size diagram either, despite having its own fixed measurement. The filling system is shown in the video without the sleeve, dipping into an ink bottle. That’s about it other than it laying on the table in a few shots.

Why is that? Backers should know what they are getting upfront. I don’t think it is a technical issue, but if Bakelite stains, and you’ve designed a way around that, it should be shown in the campaign. By no means is this a dealbreaker, and in fact I think it is a smart idea that other companies could pick up on. I just find it odd it is never mentioned.

Aside from Bakelite, Wancher added another unique aspect to this pen. Shippoyaki is a traditional Japanese art style, and is featured prominently on the pen cap. Each piece is handcrafted by Master Okagaki Yukie, who has over 60 years experience in this form of artwork. And I have to say, all four pieces available are stunning, and really make the pen.

My pen features the Sangria artwork, which represents the Sun. It’s a wonderful match to the red barrel and gold trim of this pen. You can also choose from three other styles of Shippoyaki - Moonlight, Cosmos, and Verdant - all of which add a spark to the overall pen design.

For Kickstarter projects, I generally go with the stock steel nib and feed options, which is what this pen uses, but you can upgrade to Wancher’s own 18k gold nib, and even add an ebonite feed. The steel nibs are Jowo, and this medium works perfectly out of the box. The pen ships in a large balsa wood box, and includes a beautiful silk pen sleeve.

*Wancher Seven Treasures vs. Lamy Vista*

The big question left is will I back this pen. The answer is no, but not for any of the reasons I listed above. It’s because this is a big pen - too big for my daily use. I love the Bakelite idea, as well as the Shippoyaki artwork, but the size and style of the pen don’t fit my usage needs right now. If the Wancher Bakelite Seven Treasures Fountain Pen checks all of your boxes, I think you will enjoy it, and I think you are getting it at a great price, so back it confidently.

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

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