REVIEW: ENSSO ITALIA TITANIUM FOUNTAIN PEN

If anything, minimalist brand Ensso has proven over the years that they're not afraid to switch things up and try unique designs! In the continuously expanding lineup of Ensso products, no two pens look even remotely the same. For their latest pen, Ensso leaves behind the ultra-minimal aesthetic of their first full-sized fountain pen (the Ensso Piuma, reviewed HERE, still one of my absolute favorite metal pens!), instead looking back at the roots of Italian design! 

All metal pens, and yet the product portfolio of Ensso is remarkably diverse!

The Ensso Italia (limited edition) is - apart from the pretty self-explanatory name - an unmistakable re-interpretation of the classic Italian pens we know and love... Except, made entirely out of titanium! 

The Italia has a subtly tapered cigar profile with pronounced pointy finials. Come to think of it, this is actually pretty much the all-metal equivalent to one of the most popular Italian pens of the moment: the Leonardo Momento Zero (review HERE).

The effect of elaborate decorative trim rings is recreated on the Italia with machined grooves, as well as a Greek-key 'cap band' design (which also returns on the section). Especially the Greek key decoration immediately reminds me of the Omas pens of yore (especially, of course, the Omas T2!).

The combination of two very unique and different styles - traditional Italian design elements vs. clutter-free minimalism - makes for a very cool contrast that's absolutely unlike any other pen on the market. It may sound like it would clash, but instead I find the end result to be quite harmonious and elegant.

Original threads on the left, new block threads on the right

The Italia was initially released as a Kickstarter, available in three finishes (black anodized aluminium, brass, and titanium), but was short-lived due to issues with the threads on the titanium version: galling. That's when metal-on-metal contact causes the two parts to bind (titanium is typically quite susceptible to this, made worse by the high-pitch threads on the original Italia). While those fine, traditional threads (also placed slightly higher on the section, again reminiscent of vintage Italian pens!) matched nicely with the design, they now changed them to thicker block threads similar to the ones on the Ensso Piuma. This solved the problem of the cap getting stuck (though they do still catch ever-so-slightly). 

The simple but elegant curved clip remains unchanged from version one. Unfortunately, that also means one issue from the original Italia also returns here: the hole through which the clip is attached isn't completely airtight (despite the machining tolerance actually being quite good!), so I did encounter a few occasions where the nib started to dry out after a few days. If you're a tinkerer like me, some glue (or hot glue) can be used to effectively seal off the opening around the clip. 

Update!: Ensso informed me that the Limited Edition run of the Italia Titanium will feature an inner cap to prevent drying out! I'll update the review with my findings once I have access to this updated cap design!

L to R: Namisu Nova, Karas Ink, Ensso Piuma, Ensso Italia (old), Ensso Italia Ti (new), Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Ensso Italia strikes a good middle ground in terms of size. It's not overly large (14 cm/ 5.5") capped, but it still retains a comfortable full size when uncapped (12.5 cm/ 4.94"). The section has a fairly wide diameter near the threads (1.27cm/ 0.5") with a straight taper towards the nib, before ending in another greek-key engraving in the front. 

Metal pens typically aren't designed to post very well, but the Italia is the exception here. The cap can post securely and even makes for a comfortably-sized pen, but it's at your own risk because it will scuff the living hell out of the barrel. Obviously, posting will also add to the heft of the Italia, because the solid titanium construction makes for a very respectable 45 grams (total). 

Moving the threads a bit further back has cleared up some extra section real-estate for improved comfort. The transition from section to barrel is fairly gradual, so it doesn't really bother my grip either. Construction quality and machining, an area where I feel Ensso consistently keeps a high standard, is again quite excellent here. Machining is very crisp though, so you do feel the edges on the Greek-key engravings, for example. 

As I've talked about stock Bock nibs more than any sane person should, I won't go into too much detail here. Basically, nib performance with stock Bock nibs is a roll of the dice, although I do feel like Bock's nib quality is more consistent compared to a few years ago (?). Though nothing out of the ordinary, I've found the medium steel nib on my particular pen to be quite a smooth and consistent writer. As mentioned earlier, the nib does have a slight tendency to dry out if it sits unused for too long.

With the Italia, Ensso absolutely took the path less traveled in terms of design, but the resulting crossover between vintage and modern looks worked out great. The design of the Italia is not only beautiful, it's also quite a comfortable everyday writer. The practical improvements to the threads are a welcome change, though I do hope that they'll also manage to find a fix for the drying out issue. 

As it stands, the Italia is being released as a limited run of 200 pens (titanium only), and pricing is very reasonable, with a retail price of 129$ on the Ensso website (Ensso is a sponsor of our website, don't forget to use the discount code 'pencilcaseblog20%' for 20% off!). You will have to act fast if you want in on one, as they're already almost sold out. Although, I do hope they'll make the Italia part of their regular lineup after all!

Note: Ensso is a sponsor of The Pencilcase Blog. This product was provided by Ensso, 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.

RE-REVIEW: KUNISAWA FIND NOTEBOOKS

As a reviewer, I wholeheartedly believe in second chances. I may or may not have already talked about this in the past, but I really appreciate when brands put in the effort to improve their product. Frankly, I may even find it more promising and reassuring than having a brand create an inoffensive - though middle-of-the-road - product, and then calling it a day. If you fail once, but stand back up and show dedication to improving - that's a win in my book! 

And that's exactly how we end up at Kunisawa today. If you remember my first encounter (review HERE) with this young Japanese stationery brand, their immaculate, business-chic design language created very high expectations... only to ultimately be let down by the terribly inconsistent paper quality. So sad.

BUT! Kunisawa took the communities' criticism by heart and promised something better! A few months later, the first indication of their 'something better' arrived on my doorstep, in the form of a new paper prototype: a simple, thin 'cahier'-style notebook with a design that had nothing to do with the Kunisawa products I tested earlier, but the most important part was, of course, the new paper inside. I tested the prototype (didn't review it, as it was not a product intended for retail), and relayed my findings back to Kunisawa. 

Onto present day, and I'm looking at a stack of the updated 'Find' notebooks Kunisawa recently sent me. 'Find', of course being the unifying Moniker of every product sold under the Kunisawa brand. How I understand it, Kunisawa is part of a larger company Kawachiya Printing & Stationery, and represents the more business-styled side of the product catalog.

The contrast between Kunisawa and Pont Neuf couldn't possibly be any bigger!

I fell in love with Kunisawa's distinct, clean and sober styling back in early 2019, and I'm glad it hasn't changed yet. You'll still find an overall quite muted and darker color palette among the offerings, with tasteful copper accents. In a way that only Japanese stationery can pull off, Kunisawa products are very simple in design and functionality, yet they always exude pure quality. In contrast to the Kunisawa products, the Kawachiya brand also houses a second brand: Pont Neuf. And if I say contrast, these two brands literally couldn't be any further apart. I'll be discussing Pont Neuf separately in a future post, as the products definitely cater to an entirely different audience, to say the very least!

All-black everything

Back to the Kunisawa products at hand. As I said, design changes on the outside are very subtle, but there are a few small details here and there: There's now an all-black colorway with black gilded edges and accents - very cool and extra sleek! A larger, ring-bound 'Find Executive' notebook (more or less B5-sized, 80 sheets) was added to the lineup, the sticky notes (also 80 sheets) are now square-shaped and feature a very interesting recycled paper (more on that later). Oh, and the A5 Find 'Hard' note (a traditional A5 with a semi-hard cover, 96 sheets) now comes packaged in a box for some odd reason.

But enough about the outside, because I was of course dying to find out if they managed to change the inside of their notebooks: the paper! I conducted some randomized tests throughout the different notebooks, and these are my findings...

The paper is exceptionally smooth. It's MUCH smoother than the old watermarked 'Foolscap' paper, much smoother than Rhodia's vellum stock, much smoother than even most Life paper, yet the latter certainly comes closest. The smoothness makes it feels like a strongly coated paper, yet for some strange reason, it doesn't feel too coated or slick when you write on it, retaining just the right amount of texture - it's very strange and difficult to explain. In any case, I like writing on it, and it doesn't even seem to be too bothered by oils from your hand (Even though that's something smoother paper types often struggle with!).

Shading and sheen are strong, even when compared to the reigning champion, Tomoe River. It's very difficult to get the paper to show any bleedthrough, despite throwing ink swatches and very wet and wide nibs at it. Even show through (or ghosting) is very well-contained.

Yes, that's perfect sheen and shading, on a sticky note!

So, what about those sticky notes then? I obviously went 'oh no!' when I saw the recycled paper inside. However, to my biggest surprise, even this paper performed excellently in my writing test! No bleedthrough, no feathering, even the shading, and sheen can perfectly live up to the performance of the rest of the Kunisawa lineup! I don't know what sorcery they used for this, but clearly, it works very well!

The paper is downright excellent, and most of all, it's excellent all across the board. Every product, from the new Executive ring notebook, down to even the recycled paper sticky notes, showcased excellent paper, the kind of paper I'd expect when I crack open a notebook from Japanese manufacture.

I'm very happy to see Kunisawa make a strong return. I was already hooked on their design style, and the paper quality on the inside can now match the luxurious looks on the outside! Whereas the mixed results with the old paper made it hard to draw a general conclusion last time, it's now much easier to come up with a bottom line: these notebooks are very, very good. 

Considering the more 'premium' style of the Kunisiwa brand, I'd say their pricing isn't that excessive (the Find sticky memo, Find Executive Ring note, and Find Note Hard notebook are priced at 6€/ 7$, 12€/ 14.5$, and 24€/ 29$, respectively), though they certainly land on the pricier side once you account for the costs of importing from Japan. With the quality I'm seeing today, that easily earns Kunisawa a recommendation from my end!

Note: The products shown here were provided by Kunisawa, 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.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: PARKER IM MONOCHROMATIC GIVEAWAY

That's a wrap on the Parker IM Monochromatic (review HERE) writing set giveaway! Thanks again to Parker, for providing the pens in this giveaway! Now the question remains: who will take home a full set of Parker IM Monochromatic pens (fountain pen, ballpoint, and rollerball) in the sleek all-black colorway? Find out below...

The winner, as chosen by the Random number generator: 

Michael Henry

(@detailedsd)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks again for all the support, and thanks for entering the giveaway! Didn't win this time, or missed out on the giveaway? Don't worry, there will of course be more giveaways in the future! Always stay up-to-date on current giveaways and new blog posts by following The Pencilcase Blog on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, FACEBOOK or subscribe to the NEWSLETTER!

REVIEW: TIBALDI BONONIA FOUNTAIN PEN

In my first post of 2021 - 2020's year roundup of my favorite products - I highlighted Tibaldi as one of my favorite discoveries that entered the playing field. The pens I've tried from them so far (The Perfecta I reviewed HERE, and the N.60 I reviewed HERE) have demonstrated their ability to create modern, fresh designs that still hold a strong tie with their vintage predecessors.

When I first saw product shots for their latest pen, the Tibaldi Bononia, I was very excited to get my hands on one. Although not so much for their characterful vintage reimagination, but instead for the fantastic material they put front and center with this release. My thanks go out to Tibaldi for sending this pen my way to check out!

Left the Leonardo Furore, right the Tibaldi Bononia

The Bononia is, once again, based on a pen from one of Tibaldi's previous lifetimes, and resemblance with the original Bononia from the '90s is indeed striking. While the Bononia (which is Latin for Bologna) follows a vintage design language - especially with the triple decorative cap bands - it doesn't quite have the same distinct, and old-school looks that set the Perfecta or N.60 apart. The streamlined torpedo shape of the Bononia isn't too uncommon to see from other brands (notably, its closest competitor, the Leonardo Furore!), but that doesn't make it any less of a good-looking pen of course. With fairly little decoration, the trim on the cap edge and the tie-shaped clip are the only elements that take your eye away from the main focus of this pen: the material!

Tibaldi chose two 'spaghetti resin' colorways that I hadn't seen before, and they're just absolutely stunning. This Martini Olive green is probably my absolute favorite of the spaghetti resins I've seen so far, even topping the - also stunning - Hawaii resins. The material is dark and subtle for the most part, with slices of bright, pearlescent green and white and some almost brown-ish hues. I'd even dare to say that the stark contrast, especially with the black acrylic layers in between the strips of green, actually comes very close to Arco celluloid. 

On the other hand, the red Seashell Mist (the name really doesn't match the material IMHO) is vibrant and bright, with an almost candy-like appearance! There's also a simple black resin version - which does align well with Tibaldi's business-chic style - but I wouldn't say it's the color I'd choose here (and that's coming from someone who does tend to more subtle color palettes!). 

The Tibaldi branding is engraved in a large, modern font above the cap bands. The engravings don't really stand out or distract from the overall clean looks of the pen.

The tie-shaped clip that we already saw on the N.60, makes a return on the Bononia. While I quite enjoy the design of the clip, functionality isn't its strong suit - as was the case on the N.60. It just sits too close against the cap to actually slide something underneath, instead, the tip of the clip will just catch on whatever fabric you'll try to attach it to (unless, perhaps, the fabric is very thin). If they made the clip a bit less low-profile, that would probably make a world of difference in terms of usability.

L to R: Edison Collier, Montblanc 149, Leonardo Furore, Tibaldi Bononia, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

Just like the Tibaldi N.60, the Bononia has all the elements to make a comfortable writer. It's a large pen on the outside. With its 14.6 cm/ 5.75" (capped), it sticks out above the Leonardo Furore and Montblanc 149 by just a few mm. While comfortable in size for my hand, the uncapped Bononia is surprisingly not quite as large as the closed dimensions might suggest, at a fairly average 12.9 cm/ 5.06". 

The design of the Bononia allows for a section that transitions almost seamlessly into the barrel, with only the threads in the way of your grip. The edge of the threads is slightly noticeable, but the threads themselves are shallow and disappear in your grip. The section itself is short but has a comfortable shape and diameter. It tapers down subtly from a generous 12.3 mm to 11.5 mm, before flaring out slightly. The Bononia is a fairly lightweight pen, just 24g in total, due to the all-acrylic construction. The metal threads of the section don't add any perceptible weight but do shift the balance slightly towards the front. The cap posts fairly well and transforms it into a large but not particularly unwieldy pen.

Build quality has been excellent on all Tibaldi pens I've tried so far, and the Bononia is no different. The entire pen feels solid and robust, fit and finish are top-notch, the cap lip is nicely rounded off, threads are smooth, etc. In this price range, there are competitors that come with more intriguing filling systems, but frankly, I have very little against the practicality of a simple cartridge/converter-filled pen like this. 

The first two Tibaldi's I tried, were both quite capable writers, so that set the bar rather high. This time, I went for the BB nib (steel) on the Bononia, since that's a size you don't often come across as a stock offering. While the ebonite feed is once again a perfectly capable piece of the puzzle, the nib itself unfortunately didn't blow me away. The tines needed some realignment, as it wrote rather scratchy out of the box. Alignment issues aside, I was most disappointed by the line width, which isn't noticeably wider than any regular western broad nib. 

I continue to appreciate what Tibaldi is doing, faithfully reincarnating pens from their rich company history. Even though the Bononia is perhaps a bit less distinctive or recognizable (compared to the Tibaldis I previously tested) it easily manages to captivate with two stunning material options, and an overall sleek and comfortable design with a vintage flair. Tibaldi has proven by now that they know how to present a very well made and smart-looking pen, which makes it all the more unfortunate that the nib on this particular pen didn't manage to live up to the expectation. 

At 195€ (at our site sponsor Casa Della Stilografica), the Bononia hovers around the same price as the Tibaldi Perfecta and N.60, and comparable offerings from other Italian brands like Leonardo or Maiora.

Note: This product was provided by Tibaldi, 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.

REVIEW: GALEN LEATHER ZIPPERED 10 SLOTS PEN CASE & A5 NOTEBOOK HOLDER

I first got in touch with the Turkish brand Galen leather back in 2016 as I reviewed their A5 notebook cover (reviewed HERE). In the years that followed, Galen went from being more or less the 'new kid on the block' in 2016, to one of the most well-known leather goods brands of our community, today. You'd be hard-pressed to NOT have heard of them by now. Their excellent social media activity certainly must have a play in that success, but most of all they really have a knack for bringing unique products to the market, and at reasonable prices. 

The Galen Leather product I was most interested in trying out, is a product that certainly fits the bill as being very unique, and yet it hasn't popped up on social media and in reviews at all it seems. Perhaps it's being overshadowed by the success of Galen's own Writers Medic Bags, or Zip Portfolios, two products that are very hip and trendy on the 'Gram (for good reason, they look stunning!). But let's change that, and shine some light on the Galen Zippered 10-pen case and A5 notebook holder... Not the kind of product name that rolls of the tongue, so let's call it the '10-pen+notebook case' from now on. 

Before we dive in, my thanks go out to Yunus and the Galen team, for sending over this product for review.

So, where to start: the Galen 10-pen+notebook case is a folio-style zippered case that serves a dual purpose (despite being categorized as a normal 'pen case' on the Galen website): on the left you'll find pen loops (single, wide elastics, like on all Galen pen cases) with room for ten pens. On the right, there's room for an A5-sized notebook. The two sides are separated by a thin but very soft microfiber divider, so the pens are well-protected.

My interest was piqued for an - admittedly - very specific use case, but one that I think suits this product perfectly. Maybe it's the social distancing that makes me long for pen shows and meets more than ever, but those are the occasions I dream of, where I'd see myself packing a pen case+notebook combo like this. It's a compact - well, relatively compact - all-in-one solution if you want to bring some pens to show while also carrying something to write, swab inks, and test new pens in. 

The Galen 10-pen+notebook case is marketed as being suitable for an A5 notebook, but the Galen website doesn't mention exactly what type of A5 notebook. A full-fledged, hardcover notebook (like a Leuchtturm) is too much for this case, putting an uncomfortable amount of pressure on the zipper to get it closed. In my testing, I stuck with a thinner cahier, Galen's own 128-page Everyday Tomoe River notebook. But you can also attach notepads (the 300-page Everyday Tomoe River pad or an A5 Rhodia pad fits fine). While that's really the thickest notebook/pad I'd recommend to still leave enough room for your pens, even a much thicker 400-page Tomoe River notebook (like Galen's leather-bound notebook) will still fit (though rather snugly).

The fact that it needs to make room for the footprint of an A5 notebook, also means the 10-pen/notebook case gladly accommodates quite large pens. This is noteworthy since I find that a lot of other Galen pen cases tend to be a bit more compact. I certainly think it's a welcome side-effect, as I personally tend to collect and use larger pens.

When I say this case comfortably fits ten large pens, I mean ten LARGE pens. I didn't go above and beyond to gather the ten absolute biggest pens in my collection, but I did end up with a good variety of pens, that felt like a realistic and comfortable mix for everyday use. The Montblanc 149, or Leonardo Momento Zero Grande, were some of the largest pens I could comfortably fit in here. With little room to spare, even the extremely long (17cm) Pilot Parallel Pen can fit. Though the risk with pens longer than, say 15cm/ 5.9", is that they could end up touching against the metal zipper.

Galen 10-pen+notebook case (bottom) and 10-pen zippered case (top)

As I said, the 10-pen+notebook case is relatively small (7.3" x 9.2"/ 18.5 x 23.5 cm), considering how much it can hold, but the form factor obviously isn't as compact as Galen's 10-pen zippered case, which holds five pens on each side. The 10-pen+notebook is the same size as a typical A5 notebook folio, and of course, it is essentially just that. It's not excessively thick, but the zipper does have some slack to accommodate for thicker notebooks and larger pens, so it can bulge out if necessary.

Build quality and construction are very good, although there are some quirks (some of which have already been improved upon since I received these samples) The 'crazy horse' leather (for the moment only offered in brown or green) is supple and smooth, and the out-of-box patina gives off a rustic look and feel (which only gets better over time). The entire inside of the case is lined with a soft microfiber fabric. Finishing and stitching are excellent for the most part, but there are a few areas where the stitching on the inside of the case is a bit wobbly. Though that's not unexpected on a handmade leather product after all, and it isn't so obvious as to be a dealbreaker for me. Especially for the price you pay, Galen manages to set a pretty high bar.

Note how the zipper is attached differently between the 10-pen zippered case (left) and the 10-pen+notebook case (right)

One unusual quirk I found is this: the spine of the 10-pen+notebook case is finished differently than some of the other Galen products I received for review. Pictured above is the 10-pen zippered case (the grey one on the left) which has the zipper neatly tucked away into the lining of the case, while on the 10-pen+notebook case, the zipper isn't fully hidden inside the spine (the metal stopper at the end remains visible). You can even see that the zipper barely extends past the corners, making it a bit less eager to lay flat. While the weight of the pens and a notebook will force the case to open flat in most instances, this is still a minor oversight, as their other products clearly show that they DO have better methods to produce zippered cases.

Another detail that I noticed, is that each of the zippered pen cases Galen sent me, uses a slightly different type of elastic. They've explained on their Instagram page that they changed to elastic bands produced in-house (?), and my shipment of review samples happened to coincide with this switch. The elastic used inside the 10-pen+notebook case is the one they ended up switching to, and it is the right choice in my opinion. It's supple and very soft to the touch, so it won't damage or scuff your pens. Despite being a single row of elastics, these wider bands do a great job keeping most pens securely in place.

The heavy-duty YKK zipper gives the 10-pen+notebook a rugged EDC look, and is very smooth in use. 

The way the 10-pen+notebook is laid out means your notebook obviously won't be able to lay open flat due to the pens underneath. If you write on the backside of the page, you're basically using your pens as a writing surface - Not ideal in terms of ergonomics, but this is a portable solution after all, so some compromise is to be expected. Update: one thing I didn't think about, is how this layout would work for left-handed writers, it might be a bit tricky?

As I said, I think one of Galen's strengths is coming up with clever and innovative leather products, and the 10-pen+notebook case is a perfect example of that. No sane person NEEDS to carry 10 pens at work, during a business meeting, or on vacation. Yet, I have no doubt that there are specific use cases and target demographics for a product like this. If you ever found that regular notebook covers can't hold enough pens, or that carrying a pen case and a notebook is inconvenient, this is it!

The Galen Zippered 10-pen case and A5 notebook holder retails for 73€ /89$, a rather fair price if you ask me (you do have to provide your own notebook, though!). It's difficult to really give a buyer's recommendation for the 10-pen+notebook case, simply because there isn't anything like this on the market to compare it to, and it fills a gap you might not even know existed... But let's be honest, it's these unusual and quirky products that often end up being the most fun!

This product was sent to me by Galen Leather, 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.

REVIEW: PARKER IM FOUNTAIN PEN + GIVEAWAY!

 

In the 1900's, Parker used to be one of the brands to beat, with amazing pens - coveted to this day - like the Vacumatic, Duofold, and the Iconic Parker 51 (the latter actually making its return soon!). But the market has changed since then, and nowadays, Parker is no longer in the prominent position they once had. Especially among pen enthusiasts and collectors, their modern pens receive fairly little attention - understandable, as Parker has been focused on the low-to-mid tiers (like the quintessential, Parker Jotter), and especially recently directed their focus at a business-y 'young professionals'-type of audience. The really iconic models from back in the day are mostly gone nowadays, with the exception of the Duofold (which I reviewed HERE), although it seems to remain more in the background.

That's not a knock on Parker's business model, it just shows that they cater to a different, wider audience, not just the more avid enthusiasts like me and you. In fact, it's Parker's status as 'that one pen brand everyone knows' that makes their entry- and mid-level pens quite interesting to review. After all, pens like the Jotter and Parker IM are so prevalent, chances are that these have been, or will be, the gateway pen into the hobby for a lot of beginning pen enthusiasts! 

So let's take a look at the Parker IM, then. These pens were sent to me for review by Parker themselves. This model has been a fixture within Parker’s collection, with surprisingly little changes throughout the 10+ years of its existence. The IM today, still looks and feels very familiar to the IM I used to write with in high school back in 2009 or '10. 

The design of the IM represents a fairly simple and straight shape, with subtle tapers towards the chunky, unadorned finials that end in a flat top. 

The ballpoint mimics that design for the most part, down to the 'center band' that breaks up the transition from the straight barrel towards the strongly tapered, glossy plastic section. Parker went through a complete rebranding a few years ago, and that brought along a few minor changes to the design, such as the two thin lines in the center band, but mostly saw the introduction of new colorways and finishes. 

The standard version of the IM comes with a plastic section now

The most prominent change to the IM is the separation of the collection in two distinct tiers: the standard versions, and the 'premium' versions. While the IM that I had in high school (I lost it, unfortunately) had a brushed metal section (thus making it a fully metal pen), the standard IM now comes with a plastic section with plastic threads. Credit where credit is due: the plastic section shows no injection moulding marks, and is nicely polished. But the threads look like they could be a weak point in the design, and show some wear from threading into the metal barrel threads after a while. If you want a metal section, you have to bump up to one of the Premium finishes. The Premium IM looks quite different from the regular versions, finished with a geometric pattern engraved on the cap and barrel, it has a bit more, ehm, 'pizzazz'... but also comes at a rather substantial uptick in price. I'd keep my recommendation with the more subdued finishes of the standard versions.

In general, the IM is a very business-appropriate pen. The design is sober and unobtrusive, and the different colorways (with the exception of the more elaborate Premium finishes) are mostly subtle and dark tones that would work well in any professional environment. In that regard, Parker caters perfectly to its target audience, but perhaps they're not exciting enough for real pen-addicts? Talking about finishes, the pens that were sent to me are part of the latest 'Achromatic' collection. In their effort to modernize the brand, these black and grey matte finishes with sleek black PVD trims, fit right in. The black-on-black Achromatic is my personal favorite, for a very modern and unassuming look. 

L to R: TWSBI Eco, Faber-Castell Loom, Pilot Metropolitan, Parker IM ballpoint, Parker IM fountain pen/rollerball, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, Lamy Studio

From the size comparison shots, it shows that the IM is not a particularly large pen - at least the fountain pen and capped rollerball aren't. With a capped length of just 13.7 cm/ 5.39", and 11.8cm / 4.65" uncapped (the rollerball is a few mm longer when uncapped, measuring 12cm/ 4.73"). The section isn't too long and allows your grip to move forward towards the nib, which makes it a bit less obvious that the pen is really quite short. In this instance, posting the cap is actually a very valid way to create a more full-sized pen (although it may scratch the matte finish of the barrel in the long run). Posting transforms the IM into a 15.4cm/6.06" long pen, which is comfortable and not too long, and the balance remains very centered in the hand. The section is on the thinner side, tapering down to just 9mm/ 0.36" towards the front. It does transition quite nicely into the barrel, with a minimal step that's not at all bothersome in my grip. 

The ballpoint is a slightly different story, as it isn't particularly small at 13.6cm/ 5.36" closed, and 13.8cm/ 5.49" open, the barrel has a comfortable diameter a little over 11mm/ 0.44", though it tapers down rapidly if you hold it closer towards the front. 

The fountain pen and rollerball weigh 26 and 31 grams, respectively. The ballpoint is the lightest, weighing in at 23 grams total. That's not too heavy for mostly metal pens. But considering their smaller footprint, it's enough to make the IM feel solid and durable. Fit and finish are excellent on all pens. Two minor remarks I found: specifically on the all-black version, the matte black coating on the cap and barrel does tend to wear near the edges, showing the brass base material underneath. And the ballpoint has a slight rattle inside the mechanism when it's deployed, but it isn't too audible while writing.

The IM (fountain pen and rollerball) have a snap-cap. I've always liked how the cap of my old IM closed, and I'm happy to see that it still has that nicely damped and smooth action when you put the cap on, with a muffled but reassuring *clack* at the end. The cap sits on tight and secure, and there's no play or wobble to it.

The fountain pen uses Parker's proprietary refills, and requires a pretty expensive converter (not included) if you want to use bottled ink.

On the writing end, the capped rollerball (far left), and ballpoint (far right), are pretty much what-you-see-is-what-you-get. Parker obviously knows how to make a decent refill, and so both write quite well. The rollerball lays down a consistent, crisp, dark black line on good quality paper (rollerball refills have a tendency to feather on cheaper copy paper). The blue, 1.0mm ballpoint refill is also fairly standard-issue, with a line that's not as dark as I'd maybe like, but it's at least fairly consistent and writes without blobs or stutters. For the ballpoint, I'd be tempted to swap it out for a Parker-style gel ink refill, such as Parker's own gel refill - as I prefer gel ink over ballpoint.

The most interesting here is of course the fountain pen, so let's take a little more time to talk about that. First of all, the nib on the IM has seen quite a drastic change in shape and styling, coming from the narrow, almost tubular nib designs that Parker used to use on their lower-end offerings (The 2009 example on Parkerpens.net - a fantastic reference for old Parker models - shows what the old nib used to look like). This current version of the IM has a more normal, flared-out nib shape, and the three arrow-shaped lines engraved on the nib face offer a modern look that matches the rest of the IM's clean and simple design.

The nib - while larger than the old-style nib - is noticeably small (not uncommon for pens in this price range) but does perform exactly the way it should. The steel, black-coated nibs are nails and don't provide much character. Line widths run true to western sizes, but unfortunately, the IM only comes with F or M nib options. The nibs offer just a little feedback and are smoother than I expected (Black coatings usually add some 'texture' and create a bit more feedback). Ink flow is nicely balanced and keeps up without fault. More importantly, I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer reliability of this pen. The nib doesn't seem to dry out at all, even after a couple weeks of not being in use - I’m pleasantly surprised. 

The Parker IM is a no-nonsense pen, in a way that I'd perhaps come to expect from Parker. The design is inoffensive, business-appropriate, and - if I'm being critical - almost a bit unremarkable, if it weren't for the Achromatic color scheme that adds a modern and sleek look. I really don't have anything to complain about these pens though. They do what they're supposed to do, which is perhaps the most important aspect of a pen in this low-to-mid-tier price range! 

The Parker IM ballpoint, rollerball, and fountain pen retail for 28€/34$, 37€/45$ and 50€/61$ respectively (at our site sponsor Penworld, use discount code 'pencilcase' for 10% off your order!). While that's substantially more than I remember paying for my original IM fountain pen back in 2010, I think it's not an outrageous price, although it shouldn't be any higher (the Premium IM is an additional 30$, which is simply too much to justify for a metal section and different finish). It may be difficult for the Parker IM to stand out from the crowd in a price range where there's a lot of serious competition from pens like the Faber-Castell Loom, Lamy Lx, or even something like the more affordable TWSBI Eco, but that doesn't make the IM any less of a valid option to look into.

Now, for the GIVEAWAY...

Enter the Rafflecopter Widget below for your chance to win a full set of Parker IM Achromatic pens in black: one fountain pen (medium nib) + one rollerball + one ballpoint (total value 140$!). The prize in this giveaway is generously provided by Parker. Participating is simple: all you have to do for a chance to win, is enter in the Rafflecopter widget below and complete one or more tasks, easy peasy! The more tasks you complete, the more chances to win! This giveaway will run for one week, starting today.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

RULES: Open worldwide! Giveaway ends 17/1/2021. The winner will be chosen at random, and announced in a separate post. The winner will be contacted directly via email, if he/she fails to reply within one week, a new winner will be picked. Only entries with a valid email address are eligible to win. Invalid entries are denied. Giveaway open worldwide, but please note that shipping times will depend strongly on the destination, due to COVID restrictions.

This product was sent to me by Parker 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 affilate links.