(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 check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
I love browsing my pen box and seeing what pen I'm in the mood for, but some pens are a mood unto themselves. The Benu Grand Scepter is one of those pens. The original Scepter is fancy enough, but slap the word Grand in front of it, and I feel like using it should have a dress code that includes a tiara. I'm game.
The Grand Scepter is the same size and shape as the Scepter--it's only the nib that differs, with the Grand sporting a larger #6 nib instead of the original's #5. It does indeed lend a better balance to the overall appearance, I think, but both are fantastic pens. If you like a bit of bling.
The Scepter pens are shaped acrylic, with swirling facets around the pen that end in twin flared, gem-shaped ends. It's an odd shape, and doesn't look terribly comfortable, but it is surprisingly nice to hold. The flared end balances the section nicely, and the wider part rests against the hand. The grip section, which is plain black, is quite narrow, adding to its somewhat odd silhouette, but it is also a comfortable fit for me. The slightly tapered end of the grip prevents slipping too far, and the step-up to the threads and body is far back enough that it doesn't interfere with the hold at all.
The cap screws on, and ends in a black cap band with the word "Benu" embossed on it. Its shape mirrors the facets of the body, and when closed, all of the facets line up--a feat which impresses me greatly, as I've seen far fancier pens fail to do this. Of course, with the flared ends, this pen does not post at all.
This is my third Benu pen, and so far all have had excellent nib performance. Just the right amount of ink flow, with smooth lines and the perfect amount of feedback. This Grand Scepter has a broad nib, and it lays down a smooth trail of ink like hot butter on glass. It will be perfect for shimmer inks, because why not add even more sparkle?
The glittery look of the Benu Scepter is created by suspending some seriously sparkly flakes in the acrylic itself, which creates a beautiful depth to the look. Some of the acrylics even glow in the dark, lending luminosity to an already bright effect.
These pens are wild and certainly won't appeal to everyone, but they're well-made and write beautifully. The fact that it makes me feel like a queen is an added bonus. I shall use it to write my royal decrees.
(BENU provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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