June 2020

Figboot on Pens reviews the Montegrappa “Harry Potter” series

See all of Davids reviews on his YouTube channel HERE

The Pen Addict – Esterbrook “The Journaler” Nib Review

“So to get us all on the same page here: A pen company I like is working with a nibmeister I like to create a modern version of a vintage nib style that will work perfectly my handwriting.

You had me at hello.

Before I get into the performance of this nib (Spoiler: It’s great.) I want to discuss the idea of this nib. Pen companies that go out into the community to work with other creators will always get my attention, and support. It’s a sign to me that these companies get it. I love to see it, and I will love seeing this continue, not only with Esterbrook, but with other brands who do the same…”

Read the full article HERE

Montegrappa ZERO Caramel – US Exclusive

This  Kenro-exclusive Montegrappa ZERO Montegrappite fountain pen features a striking Caramel finish, with streaks of white, tans and brown. No two are exactly alike. 

 This particular combination is exclusive to Kenro and their US retail partners. Montegrappite is a new material making its debut outside the Italian market on this popular silhouette. 

 With a #6 JoWo steel nib or 14k nib, ZERO Caramel fills via cartridge/converter. This finish is named after Chrysocolla, a copper stone which ranges in color from deep blues to light greens and is often found in association with Azurite and Malachite. 

 Perfect geometry and precision finishing signal a new chapter in the evolution of modern writing style. Heavy metal components and a muscular clip bring poise and dominance to charismatic Italian design. The writing instrument for the new decade features sapphire glass set in a miniature bezel. Choose ZERO in factory-standard settings, or discover the infinite possibilities of the ZERO Custom. 

 As its name suggests, ZERO Caramel Montegrappite differs from standard  models through the use of a proprietary artisanal resin. Boutique machinery and special production processes allow Montegrappite to be realised in exclusive batches, which can be manipulated into textures with a complexity, density and depth not achievable in standard industrial acrylics. The production of Montegrappite leads to a significant reduction in wastage, while shavings and offcuts can be recovered to create new colours and finishes.  

 Kenro has collaborated with Montegrappa to create a series of exclusive textures from this exciting new material. Barrel, grip section and cap have all been hand-turned from specially formulated rods. As a finishing touch, Horological accents inform the modern analogue style of the ZERO.The cap features sapphire glass set in a casing of brushed and polished Br8 bronze alloy 

 TECHNICAL SPECS:

• Material: resin 
• Trim: bronze 
• Nib: #6 size 14k gold or steel
• Filling System: converter, cartridge 
• Packaging: standard 
• Length: 143 mm 
• Diameter: 14.0 mm 
• Weight: 32.00 gr 

Retail is $495 with steel nib or $695 with 14k gold nib.

Available in EF, F, M, B & 1.1 stub

Full Details HERE

The Esterbrook Estie OS Sparkle

The Estie has been an integral part of the revival of the new Esterbrook brand.  It’s sleek and stately in the hand and a great writing instrument for everyday use and special occasions.  

 In the past two years, pen enthusiasts all over globe have added the Estie to their collections. And while these pens have been lauded in our three time-honored, classic colors and our seasonal offerings in Evergreen, Blueberry, Honeycomb and Lilac, even the Estie wants to truly break out and gussy up from time to time. 

 Introducing the Estie Sparkle.  

This gem of a pen has had a glitzy makeover and is our most ambitious Estie to date.  

 As Esterbrook is committed to collaborations with US makers, for this limited edition Estie, we partnered with Tim McKenzie of McKenzie Penworks in Charlotte, NC.  

Tim McKenzie of McKenzie Penworks in Charlotte, NC is a custom Alumilite blank maker who wanted to separate himself in the marketplace. How to make one’s product unique is a challenge to artisans throughout the industry, so Tim got innovative and added diamonds to his mix of Alumilite and pigments. 

Taking knowledge and advice from his mother, a GIA certified gemologist, and conducting his own research and experimentation, Tim figured out the precise size diamond particles needed to be to allow his pen material to be machined effectively without losing the intense sparkle of the precious gems.

Using reclaimed diamond particles from diamond cutters, McKenzie takes what would be wasted and instead, upcycles it and makes it into a material that shines and glimmers with light in each move of the resulting pen.

Now patent pending, McKenzie’s Diamondcast material has made a big impression and enchanted custom penmakers all over the globe.

Staying with Esterbrook’s tradition of utilizing as many American made materials as possible, we approached Tim to partner with us to make a new version of our oversized Estie, because let’s face it, if you’re going to have a pen made with diamond dust, it has to be supersized and we wanted to use his material in the most epic way we could.

The result is the Estie Sparkle. It comes in three shimmering gem-like shades, Garnet, Tanzanite and Montana Sapphire (which has the addition of silver to make it even more of a showstopper).

Features

• Comfortably balanced fountain pen in a complete range of points for the way you write
• Nib size/point size extra fine, fine, medium and broad. 1.1 Stub now available in Rhodium trim. – Specially manufactured in Germany by Jowo
• Blended and turned acrylic with a high polished finish
• Cushion cap closure provides a secondary seal to ensure a wet point
• Ink is filled by a cartridge of ink or a converter, which acts like a syringe to draw ink from a bottle
• Sleek palladium clip that provides a clean accent for the cap and slides easily to ones shirt pocket

Retail is $395 with EF, F, M, B & 1.1 stub

Journaler nib option available for $50 up-charge

Full Details HERE

Montegrappa Miya 450

For those of you that are fans of the PenBoyRoy fountain pen review channel, it is no secret that I am a huge lover of fountain pens. It’s also no secret that I can be very critical of fountain pens. Some have called my reviews “unforgiving”. Some would be one hundred percent correct. It’s for this reason that I feel my thoughts on the Montegrappa Miya 450 are relevant. Here goes.

It’s a celluloid pen. No big deal right? Wrong. It’s more than just a pen made of celluloid and therefore costs more. No. In my opinion, this pen surpasses any other pen in terms of aesthetic, due to the beauty of this material. Are there other pens on the market in the same price range? Yes. And those pens sure do share the pedigree of the Miya. But none are a Montegrappa. Normally, I’m not one to be
seduced by mere brand name, but this pen makes me care. It’s that good.

Top all that off with a 14 karat Jowo flex nib that writes like a sexy savage, I simply couldn’t be happier. This pen has become my favorite pen, be it an everyday pen, drawing pen, or grail pen. It’s a work of art, and I can easily spend hours on end staring at it like a weirdo in the eyes of my coworkers. They may not understand what I’m doing or why… but I know you do!

Stay Savage

Be well. Be safe.

Roy

Full Details HERE

Aurora Optima

The Optima has been an elite level fountain pen for over 30 years. The design has been the reinterpreted through many iconic pens, including the Africa, Nebulosa and Sole, and should be a staple in all better pen collections.

Optima hits all the marks when it comes to quality!

• Piston Filled
• Solid gold nib
• Many point sizes
• Ink window
• Made in Italy
• Vibrant turned acrylics

Everything we want from a grail pen and now is the time to own this pen. The price has been the same for several years, while competing pens are considerably more expensive. The price to value is tops in its class!

Aurora has recently added models like the Gialla, Violet and Orange to go along with the timeless marble blue, green and Sole Mio. Take advantage of these special pens and offer your clients a pen that passes the test of time. What are you waiting for?

Full Details HERE

Miya Ebonite

 High-caliber mechanics, classic form and dynamic handling combine in an exclusive small-batch edition from Italy’s style supremos. With qualities to set purist pulses racing, the Mia Ebonite shows once again why Montegrappa is where the rubber meets the road.  

 When it comes to true handcraft, nothing separates the practitioners from the pretenders better than a solid, small-batch release. Montegrappa’s recent catalog has included a string of low-denomination editions made for the curious connoisseur. For this latest excursion into nostalgist nirvana, its craftsmen have turned to premium German ebonite to infuse a classic silhouette with masculine grunt.

Like celluloid (an in-house staple) ebonite is steeped in vintage mystique. Invented by the Goodyear brothers in 1851, this vulcanised hard rubber compound featured extensively in early-century Elmo pens produced in Montegrappa’s Venetian factory. Advancements in technology may have created industrial efficiencies, but few modern solutions can mimic the honesty and intimacy of early-generation industrial materials.

Keen-eyed aficionados will recognize the three mottled ebonite colors from 2019’s WWI-era reissue safety pen, the Mia Carissima. Rich-grain Brick Red, Blackcurrant and Petroleum provide a choice of housings for Montegrappa’s patented 32-tooth click-wheel piston-fill mechanism. This North American exclusive comprises only fifty numbered examples of each, and writers can select from a line-up of 18K gold nibs in four grades with ebonite feeds.

Ebonite’s chemical composition causes sterling silver to tarnish, requiring trim materials to be substituted with high-grade stainless steel. Using Montegrappa’s much-loved Miya silhouette as a starting point, the Mia Ebonite features scaled-back hardware to reinforce its workmanlike honesty: adding grit to glamour. Besides its ultra-true writing performance, Montegrappa’s hallmark rolling-sphere brass clip is the most potent reminder of the Mia Ebonite’s privileged provenance.

What are you waiting for? Rediscover Italian handcraft with true rubber soul.

Available in 14k – EF, F, M & Broad nibs

Full Details HERE