REVIEW: VENVSTAS MAGNA C/C FOUNTAIN PEN

After too long of an unplanned hiatus (sorry!), we're back with a pen review you probably didn't see coming in a million years! Indeed my first encounter with the Venvstas Magna wasn't a flawless one, considering I had quite a few qualms with the original design. For me, those issues distracted from the impressive and unique looks of the Magna and ultimately made it a less enjoyable pen to use.

But Venvstas didn't leave it at that! Instead, they showed a very strong comeback with their latest version of the Magna: the Venvstas Magna CC. Here's the TL;DR, Venvstas improved on all the pet peeves I had with the original Magna fountain pen, and I really like the end result this time!

The original Venvstas Magna -a piston-filled pen- managed to impress me with its brutalist, minimal design made entirely from matte brushed linear carbon fiber, with matte stainless steel accents. I did, however, have some issues with the construction: an open barrel allowing the piston plunger to be depressed accidentally, and a barrel closure that didn't actually hold the barrel closed very well.

The new CC version takes over the design of the original down to the absolute smallest detail, with no visual cues to distinguish between the two versions. At least not on the outside...

The barrel closure is now much more robust

Remove the barrel, and you'll find that Venvstas exchanged the closure mechanism on the barrel for a clutch similar to the one used in the cap (which is much more robust), making the overall construction more secure and rattle-free. Especially when opening and closing the cap, the barrel is held on tight so it stays nicely in place. The updated closure also keeps the barrel and section aligned perfectly, which was another pet peeve I had with the piston-filled version. 

But the main difference, as indicated in the name, is the switch from piston-filler to a simpler cartridge/converter system. Where the exposed piston plunger left opportunity for an inky mess with an accidental press (Ha! That rhymes!), the converter in the new version is now fully enclosed by a fixed black cylindrical finial that protrudes from the barrel. The cap can still post just like before, as the overall shape of the barrel did not change at all. The Magna CC uses a standard international converter, and so you can also switch between regular ink cartridges if you like. 

Yeah sure, on paper the switch to a standard cartridge-converter system may sound like a step backward, but believe me when I say that for this pen it makes perfect sense. The only thing you lose is ink capacity, going from the generous 2mL to whatever a standard cartridge or converter can hold (which is roughly 0.8 mL), but that's a trade-off I'll gladly make in return for peace of mind. And let's be honest, c/c pens are actually quite convenient to use unless you really write a lot!

L to R: Pelikan M805, Ensso Piuma, Leonardo Furore, Venvstas Magna CC, Lamy Dialog 3, Lamy 2000, Lamy Safari

The Magna CC takes on all dimensions from the piston-filled version: 15.5 cm (6.1") long capped, 14.6 cm (5.74") uncapped, and a comfortable diameter of 12 mm (0.47") across the entire length of the pen. One thing that did change: the Magna CC put on some weight (from 24g to 30g). 

The increase in weight makes for a pen that feels a bit more substantial and solid in the hand, more in line with what you'd expect to feel from a pen this size. The weight of the Magna is nicely balanced around the core of the pen, as most of the internals inside the section are stainless steel. The added heft, combined with the more robust barrel-section joint and lack of rattling, add to the solid feeling of the Magna CC. I also found that the overall fit and finish has become a bit more precise.

I like how the very minimal logo engraving is slightly hidden underneath the 'semi-hooded' part of the nib!

The Venvstas Magna comes equipped with a titanium nib as standard (a gold nib upgrade is also available). While the medium nib from before was a splendid writer, I wanted to try something finer this time. The fine nib came properly set up out of the box and runs true to size, if not slightly on the wider side. Ink flow is generous though not excessive. The F has a noticeable amount of pencil-like feedback, something the medium didn't have -though of course, that makes sense on a finer nib. 

Some ink on the hooded part of the nib is not uncommon due to the design of the cap mechanism. 

This particular nib feels quite firm for a titanium one, although that's not uncommon. There always seems to be a rather wide variation in springiness among titanium nibs. 

Made-in-house nib? Well this is certainly not a standard-issue Bock feed!

As far as I know, Venvstas claimed their nibs are made in-house (in any case, the feed is not a standard Bock type). If so, they sure do know how to make a good nib, my writing experience with the Magna has been excellent in both instances.

If you recall the bottom line on my original review of the Venvstas Magna, I was hopeful. The Magna fell prey to what can best be described as a bit too much 'over-designing', choosing form over function. But there were clear opportunities for improvement to bring the Magna up to the standard I'd expect from a pen in this price range. I also promised that I'd change my opinion if they came through on an improved design... and they did! Needless to say, I'm beyond impressed that they carried out the improvements and changes I had in mind (and executed them flawlessly!), making the Venvstas Magna CC a pen I can 100% fully stand behind. 

The Venvstas Magna CC comes in at  239€/ 230$ without VAT (from our site sponsor Appelboom), conveniently also 10€ cheaper than the piston version. Between the two models, my choice for the Magna CC is clear. But if you're really willing to make some sacrifices in terms of usability and function to get the most 'purist' design object out of the Magna (the way the designer intended it), I suppose the piston-filled version would be the option for you.

Note: This product was sent by Venvstas, 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.