Retro 51 Tornado "Jefferson" Vintage Metalsmith Series - Pen Review

The name of this pen is quite a mouthful, but boy is it worth it. 

The Jefferson edition of the Retro 51 Tornado is a pen that was on my wish list for a very long time, but for some reason I never picked up.  It was higher on my list than the Lincoln metalsmith edition, but I managed to pick one of those up first.  Weird. 

It was recently my birthday and when asked what people can get me (sounds so selfish, right?) I usually have about half a dozen pens that are in the "reasonably priced" range so no one has to break the bank to feed my addiction.  Most family members that end up getting me a pen have never spent more than $5 on a pen for themselves, so dropping $25 is a big step, you know what I'm saying?   The Jefferson was a gift from my in-laws which was really cool.

What is even more odd is that I didn't pick this pen up sooner due to the lower price point.  I've looked at this pen so many times, but never pulled the trigger on it.  Well, I'm glad I waited so it gave someone an opportunity for an easy gift idea!

This particular Retro 51 was bought from my friend Jay up at the Scottsdale Pen Store even though they can be found cheaper through Amazon, eBay, etc.   I don't always buy from Jay, but I really try to when he has in-stock what I want.  It's all about supporting the small business, and if you're local to the Phoenix area (or are in town), give Jay a visit and pick something up.  He is a really friendly guy, has a good selection, and is fun to chat pens with.  He even convinced Dan Bishop from Karas Kustoms to buy a Vintage Surf edition... he's good.

Along those lines (and I hope not to sound to soap box-ish), look up in your local area if there is a pen shop nearby.  If there is, try to visit them to see if they'd be a good fit for you and your pen/paper habits.  Buying from them helps support their family and livelihood. 

Enough chatting, let's talk pens.  Honestly, the Jefferson edition is awesome and I think Retro 51 and their designers did a fantastic job.  Other than the fact that it has a "vintage" pattern, I'm not really sure what it has to do with Jefferson... Nevertheless, they did great.  Can anyone explain the logic around the reference?

The barrel of the pen is finished in a really nice brushed nickel style and in between the various design lines there is a darkened, antique like finish.  This pen is pretty stunning.  Actually, three (yes three) different people at work wanted to buy a pen for their dad for Father's Day and asked my opinion.  Even though I didn't actually own this pen, this is the one that I referred them to and they couldn't be more happy with them.  All three of them want to buy one for themselves now because of how much their dads like them! 

The rollerball Tornados all take the phenomenal Schmidt cap-less roller that I talk about all the time.  Great lines, good ink flow (might be a little heavy for some), and never seems to have skipping issues.  If you are interested in a finer line with the refill, they make a 0.6mm instead of the 0.7mm (reviewed recently by Mr. Dowdy) which doesn't seem like much, but seems to make a big difference to users. 

I really can't get over the design of the pen.  It is really unique in the current pen market and is not over-the-top crazy to try and stand out.  It is subtle enough to draw your attention and bring you in for a closer look.  Once you're there you think, "I should buy one of these...".  At least that's what happened to me. 

Good work Retro 51.  Good work indeed. 

 

 

PHX-Pen by Big Idea Design (with Fisher Space Pen?) - Pen Review

The PHX-Pen hit the Kickstarter market back in March of 2012 and ended up a successful venture for Chadwick and Joe of Big Idea Design.  I did not back this pen during the Kickstarter campaign, but had seen it around from time to time and always found it to be a pretty intriguing piece. 

The design of this pen is about as minimalist as you can get: silver cylindrical barrel with no taper, similar designed cap with a tasteful chamfer at the top.  Some may find the simplicity boring, while others find it as beautifully plain; precise and efficient in looks and purpose.  

They provide two end caps to the pen: a threaded version and a smooth "original" version.  With the threaded version installed, you can post the cap to the end by screwing it on which should help you not lose it.  I personally enjoy the smooth version a bit better for aesthetics. 

The PHX-Pen comes standard with either the Pilot Hi Tec C or Uniball Signo DX refills which are both known for their precise and fine lines.  These refills are not necessarily my favorite which lead to some considerable hesitancy about making the purchase.  I eventually got over this and decided that my desire to try this pen overcame my lack of love for its refills.  I don't hate these refills, they just aren't my go-to.  Despite the fact that buying a pen that takes refills I know I don't really enjoy is crazy, but that's just how things work sometimes, right? 

The barrel of the pen is stainless steel and quite weighty coming in at just shy of 2 oz.  For a pen, this is pretty substantial in your hand.  I gave the pen a go with the Hi Tec C, and, in all honesty, I feel the weight of the pen to be distracting when using this fine of a tip.  It made it difficult for me to focus my letters neatly because my hand was trying to compensate for the weight of the barrel.  I wouldn't call it unpleasant with the Hi Tec C, but not overly ideal.   

This is where things get fun... 

I decided that even though they didn't have it listed on their site, I was going to try to make a different refill work.  So, with some polytubing (courtesy of my pals at Karas Kustoms), a new spring, and a Fisher Space Pen refill, we were in business. 

There is a spring in the end of the pen that pushes "up" on the refill that makes it more snug with the tip.  I removed this.  After a couple of cuts and checking it against the Fisher refill, I got the length right, installed the spring, and screwed the tip back on.  Success!

With the new Fisher ballpoint refill in there the weight of the pen did not seem to be as much of a distraction and I was able to write like normal.  If anything, with a ballpoint some added weight helps to push the ink onto the paper a bit easier.  With a bit of ingenuity, this pen can be converted to a more standard writing experience.  

Now, for convenience sake this pen doesn't rank overly high on the charts due to a few factors.  

There is no clip to secure it to anything which could be a concern.  Although there are other manufacturers like Kaweco that offer pens without a clip, theirs seem to be a bit easier to handle because they are small.  The PHX-Pen is a pretty long writing instrument, and while tossing it in your pocket is possible, its weight and length may be a bit awkward.  This may, for many, confine it to their desks for use which might be alright.

The minimalist cylindrical design also means that it rolls very easily.  If your desk or table is a bit off level, keep an eye on the pen because it could easily be on its way downhill to the floor. 

Even with some of the concerns, the PHX-Pen is pretty cool.  I'd put it in the "a nice piece to own" category as it is more like a possession than a practical, everyday tool.  It is really fun to write with for the experience of looking at it and using it, but it wouldn't be a pen to haul around with you as a daily carry in my opinion.  

Kudos though to the Big Idea Design guys for making such a simple (and striking) piece! 

 

 

Pen Trays from gopens.com

 I stumbled upon these awhile ago and thought I would share.  There is a website run by Gary & Myrna Lehrer called gopens.com where they carry all sorts of vintage pens and supplies.

As my "collection" is growing, I've been more conscious of storage solutions.  There are always the Block, Cube, and Groove that I offer as a beautiful desk display/storage stand (thank you to all who have ordered!), but for longer term, out of site storage, having a way to keep the pens separated and organized seems to be an important issue.  Gary and Myrna carry some very simple vinyl pen dividers that can be cut to fit in a shallow drawer, cigar box, or some other storage space.  

(Image courtesy of gopens.com)

Organized Pens.JPG

I'm sure many of us wish that was our collection above!  If you are running into the situation of needing a place to hold a lot of pens, a few of these dividers might go a long way in keeping things organized for you.