In early July a took a look at a pen from a company that was somewhat new to me, Inventery, and I'm back to review another model they also sent me called the Mechanical Pen + Stand.
One of the main things that stood out to me about the Inventery product lineup was the overall sleek and minimal aesthetic they are going for. Everything they sell is highly coordinated, isn't overstated, but still makes a statement if that makes sense.
They are products you look at and think, "that looks cool", but isn't something that draws too much attention. I think the Onyx versions (which I requested) actually accentuate this since they tend to be more muted when paired with other parts of your carry. Sometimes blending in is the best way.
The Mechanical Pen is a retractable, clip-less model that is designed to be either a desk pen or to be carried with a pocket sleeve. This particular set came with an included pen stand which puts more of a stake in the ground for its purpose, but the ensemble is very nice.
In shape the pen is a long cylinder that goes to a sharp conical tip, and one side of the pen has a thin machined facet that runs the length of the barrel. The purpose of this is to act as a roll stop when you set it down on your desk, but I think it also adds some interest.
From a marking or logo standpoint the only things present are the Inventery encircled "I" emblem and the pen's serial number which is a nice touch.
I definitely wouldn't carry this pen in my pocket without a sleeve, especially one that covers the entire pen and knock mechanism. The pen takes the popular Schmidt P8126 rollerball refill which, if left opened on a pair of pants in your pocket would certainly bleed a nice inky stain.
The click mechanism probably looks familiar as it a Schmidt model used by many brands due to its accessibility, clean look, and good quality. I'd consider it to be a quiet mechanism, but there is some "sound" from it when you use it, but in no way an audible snapping click like you'd get from a Pilot G2. But, it is just loud enough to where in a meeting you might bug some folks if you fidgeted with it.
One thing about this mechanism is that it tends to deploy rather easily, hence my apprehension to toss the pen unsheathed into my pocket.
If I'll be honest, at this point I have some mixed feelings about this mechanism. From a pure utility standpoint it works great and most people won't be disappointed in it. There are several other pens that use it that I still love and enjoy. Where it breaks down for me a bit is just in the originality category. Not trying to be nitpicky, but it has been used before (kind of a lot), and doesn't stand out in a crowd any longer.
Understandably creating your own mechanism might be cost prohibitive, but in the machined pen world there is now almost an expectation that newer retractable pens on the market will likely create their own (particularly those with a higher price point), or find a way to use a mechanism that isn't as obviously recognizable.
All of Inventery's products are made from brass which puts them on the heftier side. The pen sits just around 2 oz which is pretty hefty, but not unruly. Some stainless or brass pens on the market creep up to the 3+ oz range which is just too heavy for me. This one feels good.
Since there are no breaks in the barrel, the pen has a uniform look which I like. To remove/exchange the refill you unscrew the knock mechanism which might not be extremely obvious to everyone, but this isn't an uncommon thing with other pens.
The stand that comes in this set is wonderfully made. Also machined from brass it is heavy, precise, and looks sharp on the desk. To prevent scratching, each stand has an insert made of plastic or delrin that allows the pen to rest without any metal on metal action. The pen fits snugly (perfectly really) and seats easily.
For additional security the stand also comes with a 3M adhesive tape already applied if you wanted to make it a more permanent fixture. I opted to keep mine unstuck as I feel the combined weight of the stand and pen made it "secure" enough for me.
Inventery makes really nice products in my opinion. They have appealing design, extremely high quality control, and they work well. Their price point starts a bit on the higher side (this set is $125 retail), but if you like the sleek style I would definitely consider them.
Thanks again to Inventery for sending the Mechanical Pen + Stand set for review.