Lamy Vista Fountain Pen - F Nib

Oddly enough, I've owned this pen for about a year and a half and am surprised that it hasn't seen the light of day on the blog yet.  Actually, this particular Lamy Vista is what I would consider to be my first legitimate fountain pen.  I'm sure like many pen people that are looking to dabble in fountain pens, there is an apprehension or nervousness as it really is an entirely new world of pens.  Ink, nibs, cleaning...this is some scary stuff if you're used to just popping in a refill when you toss your old one in the trash. 

Against the backdrop of my new branding iron tests...

I had used a Pilot Varsity or Zebra V-301 before, but had not yet decided to take the plunge of buying a "real" fountain pen if you know what I mean.  While visiting Jay up at Scottsdale Pen (wish I could visit more as he's awesome) and perusing his Lamy selection, I made up my mind that it was time to to buy a fountain pen.  While looking through the Safaris and a few other "entry level" fountain pens, my eyes rested on the Vista and I decided that this was going to be the one.  

Traditionally, I had really liked more broad tipped pens, so opting for a fine nib as my first go was a bit of a stretch.  I'm so glad that I didn't decide to go with a broad as I've since tried them and it may have swayed my interest a bit in fountain pens; at least for a bit longer...

The F nib on the Vista (or Safari or Studio) still puts down a nice solid line.  I would probably range it in a 0.7mm gel or your average medium rollerball tip.  Not too wide, not too narrow for my writing style.  If you've used the Lamy nibs, they tend to be great writers and starters and it didn't take much once inked up for my Vista to start putting down nice smooth lines.  If it hadn't, I might have rethought my choice.  

This is a really interesting idea as people that love pens that end up trying their first fountain pen could be really put off if they went and dropped $30 and the thing didn't write.   On the Pen Addict podcast a few weeks ago, Ana from The Well Appointed Desk guest hosted and she and Brad discussed this very thing.  With the Vista I'm so glad that Lamy makes such a great product in their Safari line as it has worked like a charm since the beginning.  

I'm not really sure what made me buy the Vista instead of one of the brighter Lamy colors or even the more conservative black or blue models.  Maybe it was just the most interesting to me at the time in that price range so I went for it.  The demonstrator style of the Vista is really cool and I like that you can see the inner workings and ink through the barrel.  It actually looks pretty cool with the converter you can get for it because it has the red twist that adds some color and dimension through the clear barrel.

Painted/Stamped Logo

Indented LAMY logo from White Safari

In the regular Safari line, the "LAMY"  on the barrel is more pronounced and is actually indented into the barrel.  On the Vista they opted for just a metallic sticker or paint of some kind that isn't textured at all.  If I had a choice from Lamy, I would say that the indented logo is a bit more striking which they could have stamped with the silver letters also.  I'm sure in production it is just easier to stamp it instead of trying to line the letters up perfectly with the indent.

Posted or unposted, I don't really feel a major difference in my writing as the pen is so light, but I seem to opt for posted due to convenience.  I've read some other reviews that say posting the cap makes it a bit top heavy, but I'd imagine this is simply based on your preference or hand size.

I do really love this pen.  Not sure if it is a 10 out of 10, but it ranks up there pretty high.  Plastic barrel pens don't really push my buttons as well as metal ones and I'm interested in picking up an AL-Star at some point.  It might fit my fancy a little more and I've heard good things.  But, glad I made the purchase and I don't think you'd be disappointed if you did too. 

 

Grid Post-its - Sticky Note Pads

One thing I haven't really done a whole lot of on The Clicky Post is review office goods.  I don't know if I'll dig too much into this arena as I seem to be sort of stuck in my ways when it comes to paper and stuff, but from time to time I come across a product I like a lot that I'll probably post about.

Now, if you don't already know, there is a pretty fantastic blog called The Well-Appointed Desk that is an amazing resource for office products, pens, desk organization, and tons of other awesome stuff.  Ana does a stellar job and she really loves vintage staplers and other really neat items.  So, give her site a look if you haven't already.  She even has a cool little shop that I bought a stamp and vintage DYMO machine from (now no longer available).  Pretty cool. 

Awesome DYMO machine in action on Instagram...

Awesome DYMO machine in action on Instagram...

The product this post is about is one I came across awhile ago, but thought I'd give a shout out to it anyways.  I'm not a huge fan of Post-it notes as the paper quality is usually junk and they aren't that pleasant to write on unless you have a marker.  I came across a larger grid pattern Post-it that I'm willing to overlook writing experience for functionality (and awesomeness) as these things are pretty cool. 

Mike, these are just bigger Post-it notes with a grid on them.... I know.  Awesome.  

 I've really enjoyed using these for making lists or leaving a note on a coworker's desk (or a nerdy note to my sweet wife) and I like the fact that they are made from a white paper instead of purple, orange, or canary.  Just a normal grid type experience.

Honestly, the paper on these isn't offensive to use.  I'm not going to be writing my fondest dreams and ambitions on these (although you could I'd imagine), but the inks I tested on them worked out fine.   For everyday usability, love them.

These babies only run about $4 on the high end, so if you're in need of some sticky notes and hate the traditional ones, give these a go. 

 

The Pen Project - by Ian Schon

Ok, ok... I kind of have a thing for the Fisher Space Pen apparently because two weeks in a row I've posted about pens that take the Fisher refill...and I'm not even through the entire "Fisher Arsenal" yet that I've got ready in waiting for review. 

This particular pen is different as it isn't a product made by Fisher, but is a pen designed around the pressurized refill many of us love and enjoy. 

The Pen Project put together by Ian Schon, an engineer and tinkerer (jealous of his ability to make things as he does), was hosted on Kickstarter back in the summer of last year and turned out to be a successful venture.  My hope is that Ian has some new things up his sleeve for the future as this thing turned out great.  

In essence, The Pen Project is a small, minimalist pocket pen machined from aluminum that is simple whilst being incredibly intriguing.  The simplicity, size, and function of this little pen make for a great EDC (Every Day Carry) item that can easily fit into a pocket, bag, or pouch.  And since it takes the Fisher refill you know that it is going to be a durable writer in most any condition; even in space... 

I often tend to like minimalist type things which is probably why my products look the way they do.  Simplicity and symmetry aren't terrible things, right?  The design of The Pen Project is no exception and when I first saw it I knew I'd likely have one at some point.  I really enjoy the design of the pen, especially the three machined lines at the top.  They add just enough variation to keep things interesting in what could appear to be a plain cylinder.

When I said small, I mean it is quite small coming in at just around 4 inches capped.  A cool feature of this pen is that the cap threads onto the back to extend the length for writing comfort.  Not that this is a completely new idea, but it adds to the compact and functional nature of the piece.  Other pens on the market that do this similarly are the Kaweco Sport series that has been around for nearly 100 years almost.  Good show, Ian. 

Posted, the pen's length extends to 5.75 inches which is more than long enough for a comfortable writing experience. 

One thing to consider about this pen is that to change the refill you have to remove a set screw from the back.  No twisting the grip off to expose the opening in the barrel like most pens, so make sure you have a small flathead screwdriver handy if you're needing to make a swap.  Granted, you're not going to need to change the refill a ton as the Fishers seem to last awhile.  I really don't see this feature as a big inconvenience, but I actually think it's pretty awesome and adds a little to the experience.  If you lose your set screw, I'm sure Ian has spares he could sell you, or maybe they are pretty common to buy?  Well, just try not to lose it I suppose.

Since the pen is machined from aluminum, this means light(er) weight, but it still has a nice heft to it.  It feels like a quality piece.  Something I really like about metal pens are the sounds they make when you unscrew the cap or screw it back on; there is a chiming, metallic sound that is pleasing.  In a world of so many cheap plastic pens, a solid metal writing instrument is exactly what the doctor ordered; at least for me it is.  

I really love this pen.  If you are intrigued enough to want to purchase, you can find them on Ian's site.

If you haven't noticed, there seems to be a common theme on The Clicky Post of reviewing mostly metal pens and I hope that fits your (the reader's) style.  I'm sure this may evolve over time, but is what I really enjoy right now.  Hopefully I don't run out of metal pens to review any time soon!  I'm open to hearing suggestions for new metal pens that I may not have heard of... 

Thanks, Ian, for creating such a great product!

For another great review of the pen visit Mary's site, From the Pen Cup.   Her whit and humor are always a pleasure to read!