Pen Review: Conklin Duragraph

I've previously only reviewed one Conklin pen - the Mark Twain Crescent Filler - and came away from that review impressed with both the looks and the build quality. While I felt that the sale pricing on that pen was reasonable, especially given the unique design, I wasn't sure that the feature set on the pen (steel nib, so-so trim) justified the standard MSRP of $175. I did enjoy Conklin's steel stub nib option, however, and spent some time looking for that same writing experience in a less pricey package. 

Honestly, I probably could have gone without this engraved cap finial on the Duragraph, especially since the pen already has "Conklin" engraved on the cap band. But at the $50 price point, you can't always expect absolute elegance.  

I found it, and, more, in the Duragraph. Out of all the modern Conklin designs, the Duragraph is my favorite. Like the Crescent Filler, it features vintage-inspired style (think 1920's "flat-tops" from Parker and Sheaffer), some unique acrylics that you don't typically see on a pen priced this low, and a good nib. The filling system is cartridge/converter, which isn't really a surprise given the pen's $50 price point. 

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The stainless steel stub nib on the Duragraph is the same nib that was on the Crescent Filler that I tested. It writes well, with no significant skips or hard starts. Like many lower-cost steel stubs, this one doesn't have much tipping material, so some might find it a bit crisp or sharp. The nib writes wet enough that I can still describe it as a smooth writer, it's just that this pen won't be considered a gusher like some gold stubs. That's perfectly fine for me, since this is a nib that I can normally use at work on cheaper paper, especially if I choose the right ink.  

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This nib provides good line variation. Without much tipping material, the nib will give you a very narrow cross-stroke. 

The Duragraph is a moderately sized pen, and I can easily use it unposted. The hourglass-shaped acrylic section provides a comfortable grip. While the pen does technically post, this makes the pen comically long, like a nightstick. Maybe if you have huge hands this would work, but not for me. 

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Yes. 

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Ummm, No. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

If you like the vintage-inspired designs, Conklin should be a brand on your radar in the $40-75 price bracket. Conklin still has a bit of a bad rap in some circles of the pen community, due to the fact that the quality was "spotty" at best when the brand was first relaunched several years ago. It's now owned and distributed by Yafa, and I understand that respected Italian pen company Stipula manufactures the pens for Conklin, or at least many of the components. The quality and consistency are both much better today.  

A close-up shot of the "Cracked Ice" acrylic, which is gorgeous. The Duragraph comes in at least six other variations, including Amber, Forest Green, Ice Blue, Orange Nights (which appears "inspired" by the Delta Dolcevita, R.I.P.), Purple Nights, and an apparently unnamed red and black model. 

While the Conklin Duragraph is widely available from most major pen retailers, I purchased this one from our sponsor Pen Chalet, which currently has the Duragraph available for $52 (and sub-$50 with a coupon code). In my opinion, this represents very good value. As I observed with the Crescent Filler, if you're a fan of vintage pen design, but don't want to mess with expensive restoration and/or the finicky nature of vintage filling systems, modern Conklins represent a good compromise without significant financial investment.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pen featured in this review from Pen Chalet with my own funds. I did receive a discount on the purchase. This post contains affiliate links. 

Pen Review: Lamy Aion

Lamy's recently released "Aion" fountain pen is the first pen I've reviewed in a long time that I consider a major disappointment for me. Not because it's necessarily a "bad pen" - it's more that it doesn't live up to the premium price tag and the extreme amount of hype surrounding it. 

Let's start with the hype. When Lamy first announced this pen and the initial pictures hit the pen blogs, people disliked the design and were very skeptical that this large, chunky metal pen could (1) be light enough to comfortably use as the sort of daily workhorse for which Lamy is known; and (2) be competitive at the $90 price point. Once the pen arrived in stores, however, some changed their tune. The Aion has received glowing reviews, and I read that someone referred to this pen as a "Lamy 2000 killer." My reaction: "Are you kidding me?" 

Three Lamy Pens (from left): the Aion, the Lamy 2000, and the Studio.  Links are to prior reviews I did of the other two pens. 

The Aion's design, in my opinion, falls more in the "big and clumsy" bucket alongside the Lamy Dialog 3. Unlike the Dialog 3, however, the Aion isn't heavy. It's more that the pen is just unwieldy, posted or unposted. If it were just a hair shorter and a touch slimmer, it might be perfect, but I can't get this pen to feel comfortable in my hand.

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On a pen, size and weight are purely matters of personal preference. People also have their own design preferences. The major annoyance I have with this pen, however, relates to build quality: the cap spins freely and rattles when the pen is closed. To me, this is a design flaw that makes the Aion feel like a much cheaper, lower-quality pen. The Studio shows that Lamy knows how to make a metal pen with tight tolerances, where the cap snaps closed securely, so I'm not quite sure what's going on here. But I do know that if I'm going to be asked to pay $70-plus for a pen, any sort of rattling or loose fit is unacceptable, especially coming from an established company like Lamy with a long history in manufacturing that presumably knows how to do it right. Three different Aions that I've handled have had the cap-rattle issue. If this is a design choice by Lamy, I consider it a bad one that prevents me from enjoying the Aion as a premium pen.  

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Note the rounded look on the Aion's stainless steel nib, which many have compared to the nibs on Montblanc's "M" series and "Starwalker" pens.

I agree that the slightly tweaked stainless steel nib looks great and writes well. The clip on the Aion also looks very nice (strange upside-down typography notwithstanding). Overall, however, the fit and finish on this pen are underwhelming, and leaves me with the impression that Lamy went looking for a pen that would be extremely inexpensive to manufacture, but could be sold as an intentionally "minimalist" product at a premium price. I'm all for clean lines, form-follows-function, Bauhaus-style design, but the whole package on the Aion is lackluster.  

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Lamy set the MSRP on the Aion at $90. Most retailers have it listed at $71, which is the same as the same as the steel-nibbed Studio. In my opinion, the Lamy Studio is a much better pen - it's not even a close call. The Studio is better balanced for comfort, the fit and finish are higher-quality, and you have the option to upgrade to a gold nib. The Aion does sport a matte grip section, which some may prefer over the Studio's polished chrome. 

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To summarize: I'm not a huge fan of the Aion, but its brutally minimal aesthetic appeals to a lot of people out there. Personally, I think the pen looks unfinished and doesn't feel as high quality as other Lamy pens, especially at this price point. The nib on the Aion, however, is an excellent writer, so there shouldn't be any concerns that you won't get a functioning pen out of the purchase. If you like the Aion, it's widely available from Lamy retailers, including our sponsor Pen Chalet, priced at $71 (and less with applicable discount codes). 

Further Reading

Other people have a different opinion on the Aion, and I acknowledge that I'm being a bit contrarian here. To read some other takes, check out this review over at the Pen Addict, Ed's thoughts at EdJelley.com, and Pete's review over at PeteDenison.net. 

Disclaimer: I received this pen from Pen Chalet free of charge for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.  

Leather Goods from Baron Fig: The Guardian and The Sheath

Baron Fig has recently supplemented their accessories lineup to include a whole slew of new colors. While I’ve written much about Baron Fig’s pens, notebooks, and paper, I’ve never reviewed any of their leather products. Here, I’ll take a quick look at two that I recently received.

“Guardian” Confidant Cover

The Guardian is a high-quality leather cover for Baron Fig’s flagship product, the Confidant notebook. Available in two sizes, “Flagship” and “Plus”, the cover adds some protection to the Confidant’s cloth cover, which will come in handy if, like me, you tend to use your notebooks over a longer period of time and need the covers to hold up. If you’re a planner person, and you’ve chosen to go with the Baron Fig Confidant Planner for 2018, I’d definitely recommend investing in a leather cover to ensure that your planner survives the full 12 months. A smaller Guardian is also available for the pocket-sized Vanguard softcover notebook, which seems as though it could double as a wallet.

Pictured here is a Baron Fig Confidant (Dot Grid) in the "Plus" size. (Squire and Sheath for scale.) 

I appreciate that the Guardian doesn’t add much bulk to your notebook. Initially, the cover is a tight fit, and for the first week or so the front cover of the notebook may not lay completely flat when the notebook is closed. Eventually, the leather stretches out a bit, and it’s no longer an issue. The Confidant still lays flat when the notebook is open.

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There is no branding on the front of the Guardian cover. The only Baron Fig branding is an imprint on the back inside flap, which makes for a very clean design.

“Sheath” Pen Sleeve

One of the more practical accessories that Baron Fig offers is the “Sheath” pen sleeve, tailor-made to fit the Squire. I advise against carrying liquid ink rollerball pens in your pocket or loose in a bag - if the tip of the pen accidentally makes contact with fabric, it can ruin your clothes. A close-fitting leather pen sleeve not only protects the pen, but protects you from your pen! (Or from yourself, whichever it may be.)

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I do wish Baron Fig had omitted the “sword” motif from the front of the Sheath, and left the Guardian as a more minimal leather sleeve. While I can live with it, and I understand that their brand is based on adding a bit of whimsy to the otherwise staid stationery industry, I can’t help but feel that the imprint cheapens the look of the product a bit.

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The Sheath features the Squire's "sword" logo on one side, and a Baron Fig imprint on the other. 

The Sheath is a straightforward product. You slide the Squire (here, the Brass "Key" edition) into one end of the leather sleeve/pouch. It's a tight fit, so no worries about the pen sliding out. 

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Overall, I’m impressed with the build quality of Baron Fig’s leather goods, all of which are made in the USA. My favorite aspect, however, is the range of available color choices. Rather than your ordinary brown, black, and natural leather options, Baron Fig decided to go with something completely different, offering both the Guardian and the Sheath in Fig Wine (a burgundy-ish red), Charcoal (pictured here on the Sheath), Blue Slate (self-explanatory), Yellowgold (pictured here on the Guardian), Rose Quartz (the recently released pink option), and Light Brown (the conservative “tan” option). I know, for someone who talks so much about “work appropriate” products that won’t turn heads at the office, who would’ve thought that I would opt for the bright yellow leather notebook cover?

You can order the Guardian Confidant cover and the Sheath pen sleeve directly from Baron Fig, via their website. The Guardian starts at $79 for the standard A5-ish “Flagship” version, and $109 for the larger “Plus” version. The Guardian Vanguard is $45. The Sheath pen sleeve costs $24. While these prices aren’t cheap, they’re well within the range of reasonableness for leather goods of this quality.

Disclaimer: Baron Fig sent me the Guardian Confidant cover for review purposes, free of charge. I purchased the Squire Pen Sheath with my own funds, for my own use.

Ink Review: Kyoto TAG Kyo-Iro 02 (Ohara's Morning Snow)

During my visit to Vanness Pens in December, Lisa and Mike were kind enough to send me home with samples of essentially the full line of Kyoto TAG inks, save for a couple that were out of stock. If you're unfamiliar with these inks, they're yet another line of specialty Japanese inks developed for specific stores. These inks are made by the TAG stationery store in Kyoto, Japan using traditional Japanese dyeing techniques and named after locations in and around Kyoto.  

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Swabs of the Kyo-no-oto inks from Kyoto TAG

The Kyoto TAG inks are divided into two groups: Kyo-iro and Kyo-no-oto inks. So far, I've had the opportunity to use three of these inks extensively: Kyo-no-oto 01 Nureba-iro (a very interesting black ink with undertones of blue and green, as well as some sheen); Kyo-no-oto 02 Imayou-iro (a bright pink ink that's surprisingly usable as an everyday writer); and Kyo-iro 02 Morning Snow of Ohara (a deep blue black/blue-gray). So far, the latter is my favorite of the bunch. 

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Morning Snow of Ohara (Kyo-iro 02) which can alternately appear blue-black, blue-gray, or even purplish, depending on the light. 

Kyo-iro 02 / Morning Snow is a softer dark blue that probably falls into the "blue-black" category, though the tone changes depending on the lighting. It's a highly usable, work-friendly ink that shades nicely. Standard blue-black inks can be a bit on the boring side, so it's always fun to find one that has some character.  

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All of the Kyoto TAG inks that I've used have been super well-behaved, and I've had no issues using Morning Snow on cheaper copy paper at work, even in a stub nib. This is pretty remarkable to me because I've found the Kyoto TAG inks to be on the wetter side, with above-average ink flow. Morning Snow of Ohara stands a chance of becoming a go-to blue ink for work, since it's interesting, yet at the same time not distracting. Another thing I'll note is how easy these inks are to clean out of pens - I had no trouble quickly flushing the Nureba-iro or the Morning Snow, and even the Imayou-iro cleaned up easily, which is notable for a pink ink. I'd characterize these inks as "safe" to use in most pens (with the proviso that any pink or red carries the possibility of staining). 

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

For the past month or so I've had this ink loaded into my Montblanc 146 Ultra Black, and I'm on my second fill. I switch inks constantly, and rarely refill a pen with the same ink twice in a row unless I'm at the office or on the road without a new option, so that tells you something about how good this ink is. It's on the list for a full-bottle purchase at the upcoming Baltimore Pen Show. 

You can purchase the full line of Kyoto TAG inks from Vanness Pens. The inks come in 40ml bottles - slightly smaller than the standard 50ml - and are priced at $28 per bottle. Since they're made in small batches and imported from Japan, they're on the pricier side, but there are much more expensive inks out there, and if you're a fan or collector of the Japanese boutique inks you don't want to miss this particular line. 

Disclaimer: Site sponsor Vanness Pens provided me with a sample of the ink featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. The pictures of the ink bottle and label are courtesy of Vanness Pens, since I don't have a full bottle of this ink at home. 

Initial Impressions: Wing Sung 618 and Wing Sung 698 Piston Fillers

If you’ve been following the links in my Deals and Drops posts over the past few months, you might suspect that I've been dabbling in the world of ultra low-cost Chinese pens. You notice I don’t use the word “cheap”, because I don’t necessarily agree with all that term implies, namely low quality. Indeed, the first two pens that I’ve tried recently - two piston filling demonstrators from Wing Sung - are a far cry from the fragile, basically disposable pens that I became familiar with from my early days in this hobby.

Previous Experience

My prior experience with inexpensive Chinese pens was primarily with Jinhao, and as we all know I’m not the biggest fan. I’ve owned some Jinhao pens that were serviceable writers; however, at the same time, I’ve received Jinhao pens with severe flaws in the finish, and the Monteverde Monza / Jinhao 992 has barrel-cracking issues in addition to quality control problems with the nibs. I did purchase a Kaigelu Duofold clone from now-defunct isellpens.com that was an ok writer, but the pen was also extremely heavy due to the brass barrel. Based on my experience so far, the Wing Sung pens are a cut above their competitors: they are relatively well-built, functional pens that I can actually see myself using, provided they hold up over the long term. 

Design and Build

For my initial foray back into the Chinese pen market, I opted to try two Wing Sung demonstrators, the Wing Sung 618 and the Wing Sung 698. Both of these pens are attractive. Wing Sung did a good job of polishing the acrylic for this price point, and the clips feel secure. It remains to be seen how the pens will hold up over the long term (i.e., more than a month), but when you’re operating at this price point durability is one of those things you may have to sacrifice (or just assume that it’s reflected in the lower price).  

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I like that the Wing Sung pens (on the right) sport the clean lines and modern aesthetics of the TWSBI 580 and TWSBI Eco (two pens on the left), but in a slimmer, more streamlined package.

The 618 posts quite well; the 698 doesn't post at all.

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The 618 is approximately the same size and shape as the vintage Parker 51, though the addition of the piston filler, threaded cap, and chrome cap band do change the look of the pen by modernizing it quite a bit. I would compare the 698 to a slimmer mash-up of the TWSBI 580 and the TWSBI Eco. I could use both Wing Sung pens very comfortably, though I wish the 698 posted.

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While both pens have "Wing Sung" engraved on the barrel, for some reason the 698 has "Lucky" written on the clip. 

A note on design. Chinese pen companies have been known for their “liberal” approach to intellectual property rights. With the possible exception of the “Arrow Clip” (which I believe is the subject of an ongoing dispute between Parker and Hero, Wing Sung's affiliated company, dating back to the 1940s), these two pens feature more original design elements than I’m accustomed to seeing, placing 618 pens more into the “homage” or “fantasy pen” category. The 698, to my knowledge, is distinct enough from anything else on the market to stand on its own.

Filling System and Writing Experience

This is where these pens almost lost me. While Wing Sung markets these pens as “piston fillers,” the filling system is a touch janky, for lack of a better term. This filling system is more accurately described, in my opinion, as a hybrid syringe filler / piston filler, since in order to get a “full fill” - and a full fill on these pens holds a lot of ink - you need to hold the blind cap steady and pull the piston out a bit as you turn, or else the blind cap will screw down and stop the piston before the pen is full of ink. It takes a few tries to master, and is tricky enough that I wouldn’t recommend this as a first fountain pen, despite the low price.

UPDATE: Based on reader recommendations, I tried again with the piston on these pens. As it turns out, Wing Sung uses a "locking piston" system, where in order to engage the piston you have to first pull out on the blind cap, after which the pen works like any regular piston filler, with no "syringe" action. Once you fill the pen, you push down on the blind cap to lock it back in place. It's slightly more complex than a typical piston filler, but it does work fairly well. I still wouldn't recommend this pen for beginners, since the instructions from Wing Sung don't offer clear instructions on how to fill the pen (unless you read Chinese). Also, the locking blind cap is held in place by small plastic "teeth," and I'm interested in seeing how those hold up over time. 

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I love vintage-style hooded sections, and other than the Aurora DuoCart and the Lamy 2000, not many pen companies use them today. 

At the end of the day, it took me two or three attempts to get a full fill, and wow, these pens hold a lot of ink. I’ve been writing with the 618 almost non-stop for the past couple of weeks, and it’s still ¼ full. If I’m only refilling these pens once or twice a month, I can live with the temperamental piston.

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The nibs are unremarkable, and I’d characterize both as “Western fine”. The nib on my 618 is fairly toothy, and I’ll probably take some micromesh to it to smooth it out. The nib on the 698 writes extremely well unmodified, and looks and feels similar to the nib on a Pilot Kakuno.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Right now, I’m categorizing this article as my “initial impressions” as opposed to a full review, because I still have some durability concerns about how long these pens will last and I want to revisit them at some point in the future. Given the low price point, I expect that some users will experience cracking in the acrylic, and that others will have problems with the “pistons,” but that’s to be expected with less expensive pens. Even TWSBI took a while to get the QC right at a much higher price point.

That said, my initial impressions are favorable. I’ve enjoyed using these unique pens, both of which have decent nibs that wrote immediately out of the box without any adjustment, which unfortunately is more than you can say for many pens that cost 2-3 times as much. Again, I would not recommend these as anyone’s first piston filling fountain pen - stick with the TWSBI Eco - but if you’re looking to vary your collection with some inexpensive transparent demonstrators, give these a try.  

I purchased these pens from Amazon, where prices will vary. (See a link here for the 618 and a link here for the 698.) Though there are other ways to source these pens, I prefer to rely on Amazon when I can because (1) Prime shipping is generally faster, and (2) I like Amazon’s buyer protection services. The 698 is only available as a clear demonstrator, with chrome or gold plated trim, but the 618 comes in a wide range of colors, and I have a transparent dark blue with silver trim version on its way to me, via the slow boat, apparently. Look for more pics and an updated opinion in the future! 

Disclaimer: I purchased these pens with my own money, for my own use. This post does contain affiliate links.