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I really appreciate the mention that the paper clip does not come with. 😂😂 nice touch! I have had mine for a few years too. They are sturdy and very convertible. Nice review. I like your cheeky humor.

It's 😮 Senor Santiago!

Enjoying your content - like the laid back presentation

I bought this fountain pen to test it… I returned it as quickly as possible… It looks good, but the quality is poor and the performance is low… A toy for children or a theater prop…

Cheers Ive been thinking of the B6 version of these and still can’t decide if i can justify another cover hahaha

I think Moonman based the M1000 on Montblanc’s L’Aubrac special edition.

Never heard of Onoto until now in your video. They seem very nice...

I enjoy listening to the story behind each pen, thank you. Now will go watch part 2.

Grand find, some day I will have a silver Yard O Led = grail.

Please ignore the haters. Your style is just that, your style. I enjoyed the entire 26 minutes and 55 seconds.

Appreciate the honest review. I love thunder and lighting.

there’s a youtube channel called “Lissom Scent” she uses only that pen, looks so nice!

Thank you for this review, this is one pen that is calling my name. As I get older, I find that small pens make my hand cramp.

I have plunged! The vegan one is made of 'cactus leather'. I hope they take the thorns out first. 🤔

This review is spot on with my experience with the Loom. I appreciate that its not just another traditional design and the nib is a pleasure. HOWEVER THE SECTION IS A DEALBREAKER. I simply cannot hold onto the section. Its too slippery despite the ridges. Holding chrome is less slippery IMO. I feel I am constantly adjusting/fighting the pen which soon becomes unnecessarily laborious. Every so often I give it another shot but come to the same conclusion and put it away. I also find that Faber-Castell sections are often compromised in other ways. The section should given priority after all that’s the user’s primary interface. Tangentially I have an even more difficulty holding the sections of the Diplomat Aero and the Lamy Studio Palladium. Beautiful pens but good looks only get you so far. Your mileage may vary.

A tad too glitzy for me, I have to say.

I had to swear off browsing around on AliExpress,having quenched my curiosity on Chinese pens. I am glad I found my beloved HERO 565, "new-model" pens though.(I have 7 of them.) They just fit my writing style and hand so well. HAL:"I'm sorry,Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that." 🤓

Useful review. I still can't quite convince myself that I'd put it to best use, though. I seem to get by quite nicely without journal binders.

Thanks for the review - been eying one up

Oh,Bill! You're holding such a magnificent pen today. The Black Rosetta is always exciting to see! Thank you,little buddy. Writing "on the go",stashing stationary supplies in carry bags etc. sounds so romantic and adventurous to me. Truth is that a Field Notes and shirt-pocket pen(like Pilot G-2 or Retro 51 rollerball) is all I really tend to carry. I'm at a very sedentary/boring stage of life and can only admire those who actually need leather-covered notebooks for travel or commuting. I do have a dark blue(looks black) Travelers passport-size but only use it for truly mundane notes and lists; never carry it anywhere. I just love their cool-factor. I will use Tomoe River paper for very special occasions/letters to loved ones;but,most of the time I use pen+Gear A5-size notebooks from Walmart. They contain 30 sheets each; cost $1 apiece. I use 2-3 of them a month for taking notes on books I'm reading or subjects I'm researching online. Cheap but work well for my purposes. I actually prefer that paper to the coated Rhodia or Claire Fontaine stuff. Thanks for the review,Dan!

Notebooks already come equipped with covers, and are fully functional on their own. Yet, we are encouraged to buy additional covers for notebooks that already have them. Some might argue that these systems are necessary for carrying multiple notebooks together. However, we already have bags designed for that very purpose. Essentially, we are being sold a "notebook system" to cover notebooks that are already covered and then carry these "systems" in bags that are specifically made for transporting everything we need-from notebooks to pens, laptops, and any accessories of any size. This creates an unnecessary and costly layer on top of an existing solution, allowing us to achieve the same outcome we previously managed without the so-called notebook system. What will be next? "Pen systems" to put pens inside a pen-shaped shell, so the pens can be used as pens? The consumerism of such marketing tactics seems to know no bounds!

What number nib?

Thank you for this detailed review. By the way, I do believe that now (as of this writing Aug. 2024) Gravitas makes their own nibs, they do not use Jinhao nor Jowo nibs any longer. Subscribed.

Ahoy! Figboot first brought this pen to my attention a couple years ago; he mentioned how much he likes the nib. So,I managed to find one for sale( a Medium nib) in the shiny gunmetal and black cap. My section is not matte/frosted but shiny. I was surprised to see "CHINA" stamped under the clip up at the top end. It's a little hard to see but it's there! Not sure if they all have this feature. Regardless of where it's made,I find it is an excellent pen that I enjoy using. Actually,it's one of my favorite pens. PS:I would prefer it in a Broad nib.

Mysterious

Mine doesn't get much use anymore. The ruberized cap turned sticky. It was the second one I've owned. The first one cracked at the section and the second one was a replacement that was sent in compensation. They let me keep the first one so I ended up putting the nib in a cheap Chinese pen. I cant complain about the nib, it's a smooth consistent writer.

Correct: they relocated to Armenia. I like Benus too, and the nibs are great. I bought one from Derek at the autumn pen show last year (Four-leaf clover).

Senor Santiago 😅 Why is your alias Senor Santiago???

Thanks for the review. That's an interesting looking pen and ink combo! The only BENU pen I own is a Minima Black Skulls. I did put a BENU <B> pen unit into my Visconti Mythos. It fits perfectly. Thank you for showing the Euphoria and the Talisman together. After seeing them in your hand,I believe I would prefer the Talisman for its smaller size. I had planned to get a Euphoria but your video has changed my mind.

Absolutely loving the thin-pen trials! Pen makers seem to think thin must also mean short - why isn't there is a long, skinny pen that has the perfect balance and weight?!?!

Thanks for a well-balanced review. My preference is very much slim-to-medium pens and I'd say the majority of reviewers gravitate towards medium-to-girthy offerings, so it's always a treat to see a review of a slim pen. The Neo Slim has been on my radar for a while, but I haven't been blown away by the colour options, though I do consider the Stainless Steel version every so often. The other thing that holds me back from many Faber-Castell pens is that section/collar. I do grip my pens quite close to the nib, but I'm just not sure I want to be that close to the nib. All of which suggests to me that this is a pen I would want to check out in real life before committing.

Not true! I watch all your videos! 😇 This pen would be far too thin for me too. I couldn't write much more than a shopping list with it. Writing a full letter would not be possible without lots of pauses. 'Toothpicks'! 😅 I think I have seen it mentioned that in Germany using cartridges is far commoner than in many other countries, so maybe it's not surprising that a German pen manufacturer wouldn't normally include a converter. But then, maybe German pen users end up buying cartridges BECAUSE the manufacturers there don't include converters. Chicken and egg. My thinnest pen is a Sheaffer Prelude, though my old Parker 45 is a close second as far as I can tell. The section on the Parker tapers more acutely than on the Sheaffer. I can't help thinking a broad nib on a pencil-thin pen is counter-intuitive. 🤔

You're correct. The step down is the killer for me. The pen sharing URL is very useful though. Thank you.

Thank you for the review of a VERY cool pen! I love the verdigris color;so much nicer than the Smoke or Amber color of the 823. I would gladly trade my 823 pens for 743 models. I need to learn how to sell/swap/trade pens. The <F> Pilot nibs are too fine for my writing style/taste. The Pilot <M> is fine enough. A Pilot <B> would suit me much better. Maybe I will learn to love the <F> Pilot nib someday (doubtful). Would love to try a Pilot 14kt #15 Signature nib. After years in the fountain pen realm I have come to enjoy cartridge/converter pen filling system so much more tham piston, vacuum,etc. Once again,Bill really steals the show! What a ham.

God, way too much f--king around, lost patience and left.

There is only one solution.. Nib swap with a Jowo.

That nib looks exactly like a BOCK.

The name “TianDao”: “Tian” (天) stands for “heaven” “Dao” (刀) stands for “saber/sword/knife” This gives rise to the “heavenly sword” or “sword of heaven”. Here I have to vehemently disagree with your interpretation, in which you translate "TianDao" as "Way to Heaven". "Dao" in your interpretation would be "道" for "way" or "road" in Chinese. In complete contrast to this Dao "刀", which (as described above) stands for "saber/sword/knife". Let's put it this way: Both interpretations would be quite plausible, but given the nib with the 2 crossed sabers (Shuāng dāo / 双刀 = double sword/butterfly sword), only the "sword of heaven" actually makes sense. If you had wanted to say "Way to Heaven" with it, you would definitely have used the form "Tian Tao", as in "Tao te Ching" (Teaching of Taoism = The Teaching of the Way) or as in "Tao of Jeet Kun Do" (Bruce Lee's book about the Way of Jeet Kun Do) The Chinese "Dao" (道) for "way" is hardly used in everyday language these days, at most in some dialects such as Cantonese. That's how I presented it in my video (only in German) - and documented it. Best regards

Ive got the exact model. It's a massive steel no. 8 medium steel nib. As you say the ink converter is something quite special, quite large. "Dadao" is a Chinese word associated with a short two handed chopping sword associated with law enforcement, used by Poloice and the Chinese guard. The pen is not heavy and fits in the hand very well. The issue is the quality control as I had to fix the nib, but got it working fine. It's a very nice rounded shape, a fat pen, and writes smoothly (after sorting out the nib cartridge). Not sure about the metal on plastic nib and threads will wear down in time. However for under £10 it's amazing value. Not a pen for a beginner due to QC issues but I use it every day and works very well. Thanks for your video! 👍

Beautiful

I got this very pen (or pens) a few months ago - one in M (Skyline Blue) and one in B (Black). There is not much in it but I prefer the M. I always use Waterman Blue ink in all my pens - I think that is a wonderful ink. Being a fountain pen collector of some 35 years, I must say The Diplomat Excellence A2 is one of the very best. And very under rated too compared to the well known brands. The Skyline Blue I got from a well known website for something like £170 but the one in Black, I bought from Ebay for half that price. So, that is a clue where you might find a good deal. The Skyline Blue is especially attractive.

If this pen is made from good quality plastic material it will sell like hot cake. It's a good design fountain pen.

Just ordered one.

I have several Aurora fountain pens. Ipsilons, Ipsilon Deluxes, Styles and a Talentum. I also have rollerballs and one ballpoint. They are among my favorites for form and function.

Don’t know what any of it is about but that’s a ukulele on the clip !

The converter isn’t friction fit, it’s threaded. That’s more secure. I really like this pen, especially for the price. The nib I’d very smooth, wet, and firm. The section is comfortable to grip, enough narrower than the 9019’s to be a more comfortable fit. The pen has a good, balanced feel, with a good heft. I haven’t had any issues with drying out: the cap liner seals in the nib in. I always flush new pens with water, then pen flush solution, then water. I found that, as with their 9019s, Jinhao tests it with blue ink.

This is one of the few 'grail' pens for me. Unlike Germanic designs, Onoto offers a wonderful array of choices, and the Rosetta stone has fascinated me since I was a child (at about the same time as Doctor Who first graced our screens.) Time to sell off a few trinkets. Thanks for a fine review.

I just got mine a couple of days ago. I really like that nib. I have the X159 and rwo 9019s but no heartbeat nib. This nib much better than my other #8s. I don't care about the red star. The Hongdian 100 had a red star at first. Mine has a white star. I think there were complaints. I have the Hongdian Qin Dynasty too. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist party. All of these pens were made to celebrate events relating to that. I really don't care. To me, they're just great designs. I looked up historical events in 1935 China. There was a 6,000 mile march of the Communists from South Eastern to North Western China. I believe that is what this pen specifically commemorates.

Hongdian does a pretty good job of giving us information on a pen design and inspiration. Too bad Jinhao didn't give us the details. I've read some comments about it, but even there; there is discrepancy. Anyway, great review.

That's a classy looking pen! Thanks for the review. Yet another one added to the "keep an eye out" list. 🫤