REVIEW: STILFORM KOSMOS INK FOUNTAIN PEN

Stilform is a relatively new German design brand that creates original and innovative pens, while maintaining an ultra-minimal aesthetic. They create pens that are right up my alley (I'm a sucker for good design), but for some reason they have completely flown under my radar in the past couple years. Recently, I got the opportunity to try out the new Kosmos Ink fountain pen that is currently on Kickstarter (The Kickstarter campaign is now closed!). Having had a prototype in my hands for the past couple weeks, I must say I'm impressed! 

While writing this review, I was wondering how I could best describe the Kosmos Ink to give you an idea of what this pen is all about, and all of a sudden it struck me! Basically, Stilform created a pen similar to the Montblanc M, but one that actually does manage to combine form and function properly! If you read my review of the Montblanc M (Link), you'll know that I was not all that enthusiastic about the design. The flat side was pointless, the section was too short and the step from section to barrel annoyed me. 

The Kosmos Ink looks futuristic, sort of like a monolithic object that came from outer space (the name Kosmos starts to make sense!). It's a simple, straight cylindrical design with nicely rounded cap and barrel finials. Cap and barrel meet into a cleanly chamfered edge. The inside of the cap lip is chamfered slightly as well, to ensure that the cap and barrel meet nicely when closed. 

Nicely chamfered edges give some visual separation between cap and barrel

The Kosmos features flat sides too, just like the Montblanc M. However, on the Kosmos you can find one on either side, and they extend all the way from cap to barrel. In practice, this means that the Kosmos Ink won't have that nasty habit of rolling around, a feature that is particularly useful because the pen is designed to be clip-less (although a clipped version might become available as a stretch goal). The design is kept clean and simple. Apart from the word 'KOSMOS' engraved on one of the barrel's flat sides (the marking will be on the flat side of the cap in the final production model), you won't find any other engravings. 

The main feature of the Kosmos Ink is the magnetic cap. It's not the type of closing mechanism you come across every day (The Montblanc M or some of the lower-end Visconti pens come to mind, but not much else). It's interesting because it's different, and the capping action is fun and playful.

It's a tricky mechanism to get right though, because those two flat sides have to align when closed. Luckily, Stilform worked some magnet magic and it works a treat! The cap closes with a reassuring, rather loud snap, and it requires a good amount of force to pull it off. Rather than yanking the cap straight off, you have to twist the cap about a quarter turn, which aligns the poles of the magnets in cap and section, pushing the cap off. Putting the cap back on is simple, as the magnets automatically align so that the flat sides always line up (and in practice they DO actually lign up fairly accurately!).

 

L to R: Kaweco Brass Sport, Stulform Kosmos, Ensso Piuma, Stilform Kosmos Ink, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

In terms of dimensions, the Kosmos Ink is a rather large pen, but doesn't necessarily feel like that in the hand. It measures 14.2 cm (5.6") closed, and 13.8 cm (5.44") uncapped, the cap does not post. The diameter of the cap and barrel is a constant 1.3 cm (0.51"), and the section is a bit narrower at an average of 1 cm (0.39"). The aluminium version feels balanced in the hand, thanks in part due to the low weight of just 24g total. There's also a titanium version available which has a bit more heft (37g).

What about comfort? Again comparing the Kosmos ink to the Montblanc M (not really a fair comparison, however more expensive doesn't always mean better!), the Ink has a much better section IMHO. It's fairly long and tapers down a bit. The diameter is slightly narrower than what I'm used to, especially near the nib, but it's quite a comfortable fit in the hand. There is a step down from the barrel, but the chamfered edge makes the transition a bit less harsh, and the section is large enough so there is plenty of space to comfortably hold it. 

 

The Kosmos Ink comes with a rather interesting choice of nib: the Bock 076. This size sits in between #5 and #6 in terms of size (#5.5?), and is the same as the nibs on the TWSBI 580. I think the slightly larger #6 nib would've looked good too on a pen of this posture, but the 076 doesn't feel out of place here. 

In terms of performance, I tend to prefer Bock's larger nibs. This 076 works quite well though, the fine nib is a smooth writer with a balanced flow. It starts right up when it hits the page, even though I did notice an occasional skip with fast writing (when writing a signature for example). 

As of July 3th, the Kickstarter campaign ended with a total funding surpassing 250.000$! You can pre-order the Kosmos Ink through Indiegogo, and afterwards buy them directly via the Stilform website.

My final say? I'm really quite impressed with the prototype they sent me. I think they nailed the aesthetic, and implemented the magnetic closure perfectly. Compared to the much more expensive Montblanc M (which was a bit of a letdown), the Kosmos Ink fares a lot better. With Kickstarter/pre-order pricing starting at 65€ / 69$ (with a titanium option available at a premium) the Kosmos Ink is definitely worth a look, but you'll have to hurry because the funding ends in just a couple days!

This product was sent to me by Stilform, so I could write this review. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own! This post does not contain affiliate links.