REVIEW: FABER-CASTELL GRIP 2011 FOUNTAIN PEN

I don't review enough pens in the 10-20$ price bracket. It's something I really want to change, because there are some real gems to be found in the entry-level range. Faber-Castell is one of the brands that often brings excellent bang for the buck in their lower-tiered offerings, and yet I don't spend enough time with their products.

I guess it's some kind of pen-snobbery once you start getting into more expensive pens. But really, that's just ignorant, and I know it. A while ago I got a couple of pens on loan from Appelboom, amongst which this new-ish Faber-Castell Grip 2011 fountain pen, but also a 1000$ Montblanc (the R. Kipling Writers Edition, should you want to know), and frankly the Faber-Castell more than held its' ground against pens many times the price.

The new Faber-Castell Grip 2011 fountain pen continues on their popular line of Grip 20XX stationery and school supplies. The Grip product range has been around for years and is quite extensive, so it's perhaps a bit of a surprise that it took them so long to add a fountain pen to the list. But hey, they did now, and the end result is more than decent, really. 

With their ergonomic triangular designs and easy-to-hold rubberized dots (hence the name 'Grip', obviously), the Grip products are marketed mainly towards a younger audience. The dots are the main design element that set the Grip products apart, including the new Grip 2011 fountain pen.

However, as I said, on most of the Grip 20XX products those rubberized dots serve the simple purpose of providing grip. On the fountain pen that added functionality is gone, unless you grip your pen all the way up on the barrel I guess. So the only reason they're there is to make the design stand out and create a uniform look across the entire product line. 

Other than the dots, the Grip 2011 fountain pen is a fairly standard-shaped pen. The cap is round and almost featureless. It has a concave finial on top, with Faber-Castell's jousting knights logo on it. Same as all other Grip products, the barrel has a triangular profile with nicely rounded edges. It's a fairly clean and minimal design really, and in this silver metallic colorway, it actually looks quite nice. Given that this product range is aimed at children mostly, it's still a surprisingly business-y-looking pen (although it's also available in some really bright colors, if "business-y" is not your thing!).

L to R: Pilot Metropolitan, TWSBI GO, Faber-Castell Loom, F-C Essentio, F-C Grip 2011, Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000

Some measurements then: the Grip 2011 is 13,9 cm (5.47") closed, and 13 cm (5.1") without the cap. It has a comfortable diameter, definitely not too thin. The triangular profile of the barrel continues underneath the cap, with a subtly shaped rubberized section. The section shape is quite interesting actually. It's not super-pronounced, so it doesn't force your grip and feel as restrictive like the notorious section of the Lamy Safari does. But at the same time, you definitely do feel that this is a shaped section. And if you don't have a 'traditional' triangular grip, it may very well still bother you. Aside from the section shape, the Grip is actually a really comfortable pen. The transition from section to barrel is seamless and the pen fits nicely in the hand. The 'dots' -even though you normally don't hold the pen on the barrel- do throw me off sometimes, they are definitely noticeable in the hand - a massage for the web of your hand, perhaps?

What Faber-Castell does absolutely great is make consistently high quality products, no matter the price range. The Grip 2011 is all-plastic, sure. But it's all constructed very precisely. The injection-molded plastic parts are thick and sturdy, and the cap snaps on reassuringly. It's a very light pen (15 gram total), but nothing rattles or feels poorly made, even the folded stainless steel clip feels surprisingly sturdy and has a nice firm spring-loaded action. Not at all bad for a 20$ pen!

Then there's the nib. Faber-Castell's steel nibs are usually the star of the show, but the Grip (and a few of their other lower-end pens) utilize a slightly different nib and feed. So is it still as good? The nib has an almost identical design, the only visual difference is its slightly smaller size (a bit smaller than the usual #5 size nib). It's not removable either by the way, not that there's a need to remove it though.

Performance-wise, this smaller nib is pretty much on the same level as FC's other nibs. It's smooth enough, though has perhaps a touch more feedback than the regular FC nibs. It writes consistently, as I've come to expect from them, and the ink flow is balanced but slightly on the wet side. Interestingly, from my (limited) testing of a couple of these nibs, I learned that this smaller nib writes a slightly narrower line compared to the regular #5-sized nibs. For this review, I tried a medium nib, but I'd say it's more of a medium-fine.

The Faber-Castell Grip 2011 retails for 20€, or 23$ from Appelboom (Even 10% less if you use my discount code 'friend' on their website!). The design is -ehrm- different, I'm pretty neutral about it - I don't love it, but don't hate it either. The nib though? Absolutely perfect, just an all-round great writer. It's also well-made, sturdy clip, good ergonomics (if you don't mind the triangular grip!)... what more can you expect really? It ticks all the right boxes for a 20 dollar pen. So if you ask me, the Grip can easily compete with the usual workhorse pens in this price range, like the Lamy Safari or Pilot Metropolitan!

This product was provided on loan by Appelboom, 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 contains affiliate links.

 

TOP 5 BEST BEGINNER FOUNTAIN PENS

As with any hobby, starting out with fountain pens can be a bit scary. Where to start? The wide variety of brands, materials, sizes, nibs,... can be difficult to choose from. Even pricing and price differences can be confusing. It's perfectly possible to find a very decent pen in the 15-50$ price range, but you need to know where to look.

In this buying guide I'll show you around five of the best fountain pens to start off with. These are some of my personal favourites in the 15-50$ range. They should give you a head start into the fountain pen world, without breaking the bank.

Something mportant to keep in mind though: These are five pens that are generally quite well-regarded, but your mileage may vary. Personal taste and preference plays a huge role in finding the perfect pen, so you might have to experiment with a few different styles, sizes, materials before you find out what you're looking for.
At the bottom of the page, you can find a few size comparisons. More in-depth reviews can be found through the links underneath each section.

You can purchase all the pens discussed above from any of my sponsors. As an added bonus, some will give you a small discount when you use the provided discount code at checkout!

KAWECO SPORT

PRICE: 17.5 EUR / 25 USD

PURCHASE: Appelboom | Scrittura Elegante | Fontoplumo | La Couronne Du Comte | Penworld

Kaweco's 'sport' pens are recogniseably by their distinct pocket design with the large cap. This small plastic pen (more expensive metal versions are also available) is meant to be used with the cap posted on the back to transform it into a full-sized pen that is comfortable to use. If you're looking for a valid EDC choice, you should look no further and go with one of these! They come in a wide variety of colors and finishes (Each finish has it's own name: Classic, Ice and Skyline), and you can choose from a bunch of nib sizes (extra fine to double broad).

Read my review of the Kaweco Sport fountain pen HERE

LAMY SAFARI

PRICE: 18.5 EUR / 29.6 USD

PURCHASE: Penworld | La Couronne Du Comte | Appelboom | Fontoplumo

Lamy is one of the most widely recognised brands in the world, and part of their succes is based on the iconic Lamy Safari fountain pen. The Safari is a sturdy plastic fountain pen with a unique, modern design, and comes in a bunch of bright colors (shown above is the transparent 'Vista'). The grip section has a triangular shape, which helps you to hold the pen at the correct angle. Nibs can easily be replaced and are sold separately, so you don't have to buy a completely new pen if you want to change the nib size. 

Read my review of the Lamy Safari fountain pen HERE

PILOT METROPOLITAN

PRICE: 19 EUR / 15 USD

PURCHASE: La Couronne Du Comte | Penworld

Moving on to the Pilot Metropolitan. Possibly the best value for money of all the pens listed here! For just 15 dollars you get a stylish metal pen with a japanese quality nib. The benefit of Japanese pen brands is that they make really fine and precise nibs. If you like to write small, you might want to check out the fine nibs on the Pilot Metropolitan. 

Read my review of the Pilot Metropolitain fountain pen HERE

FABER-CASTELL LOOM

PRICE: from 29 EUR / 40 USD

PURCHASE: Fontoplumo | Penworld | La Couronne Du Comte | Appelboom

We're moving up the ladder with the Faber-Castell Loom. If you are willing to spend a little more, the Loom will provide you with a modern and cool design and a sturdy metal body. The nibs are the biggest selling point for me. Every pen in this top 5 writes good, but Faber-Castell knows how to deliver just that little bit more! Not only do the steel nibs look good, they write super smooth, and can easily compete with pens many times its price! 

Read my review of the Faber-Castell Loom fountain pen HERE

TWSBI ECO

PRICE: 35 EUR / 29 USD
PURCHASE: Scrittura Elegante | Fontoplumo |  La Couronne Du Comte | Appelboom

Last but not least, a pen from the Taiwanese company TWSBI. As one of the younger pen manufacturers around, they gained worldwide popularity for their affordable piston-filled fountain pens. What that means is that you can fill this pen directly from a bottle of ink with the plunger system inside (You can't use it with traditional ink cartridges like the previous pens, which is something to keep in mind). They use transparent materials which allow you to look at the piston mechanism inside the pen, and you can keep track of how much ink is left.

Read my review of the TWSBI ECO fountain pen HERE

Lamy 2000 as a reference on the far right.

Note: This post does not contain any affilate links.

FABER-CASTELL LOOM FOUNTAIN PEN REVIEW

I already knew that Faber-Castell could make a pretty decent pen. Especially their steel nibs are amongst the best in the business. But before today, the Faber-Castell pens I looked at were usually in the 100-150 Euro range. Only very recently I decided to take a look at some of their more affordable offerings, and I'll say in advance that I was pleasantly surprised! It's quite simple really: what if I told you you can get that same quality nib from the 100 dollar pen in a pen less than half that price, that would be pretty great right?

Enter the Faber-Castell Loom, a budget pen -relatively speaking- that could easily play along in a much higher price class!

Of course what you would expect is a high-quality nib in a really crappy body, they have to save costs somewhere. But even that isn't entirely right.

Notice that I say 'entirely', obviously it's not as rock-solid or luxurious as the Emotion or Ondoro, but it's still a solid pen. The barrel and grip section are entirely metal (in this case the barrel has a shiny chrome finish, and the section has a matte finish (and a slight texture because of the five raised rings). Other color options are entirely matte). That part of the pen is solid, and has a healty amount of weight to it. The cap on the other hand, is entirely made out of plastic, including the clip. It's obviously a whole lot lighter, and the clip doesn't feel as solid as a metal one would. But as I said you have to cut costs at some point, and in this case the cap was the victim. 

All in all that's still speaking in relative terms though. The cap feels solid, it's just noticeably lighter than the rest of the pen. For durability, I would've preferred a metal clip and cap, but when you post the cap it actually helps balancing the pen because it's relatively light. The clip is attached internally and spring-loaded. But it's still plastic so I can only guess what it'll do in terms of durability. So far it feels like it can take a hit, but I wouldn't overdo it.

Faber-Castell follows a very distinct design. Their pens are modern, but with very pronounced shapes and contrasts. In this case, the loom consists of a straight cillindrical body, and a barrel-like bulbuous cap. Their pens are aimed slightly towards a younger, 'hip' audience I think, which makes sense because they also have their Graf von Faber-Castell pens for the more mature audience that wants a classy pen.

The jousting knights logo on the finial and the trademark dimple at the bottom of the barrel of the pen.

The Loom comes in a variety of finishes, most of them with a matte finish across the entire pen. I chose this Chrome and black colorway because it's a bit more stylish and classy. Be warned though: it is a fingerprint magnet top to bottom!

The Loom measures in at 13cm closed (5.1In) and 12cm open (4.7In), which is definitely on the shorter side. It still fits in the hand quite comfortably, but if you have larger hands it might prove a little short. In that case, the cap can be posted quite securely, and you won't be bothered much by the change in balance because the plastic cap is so light (7 grams, compared to 25 grams of the body, 32g total). 

In line with other Faber-Castell pens, it might not be very long, but it is quite wide. At about 1cm at the narrowest part (the section), the Loom is a more beefy pen.

But what we're really here for is the nib. A steel #5 sized nib with the familiar dotted imprint and again the jousting knights logo. I went for a broad this time around (The Ondoro I reviewed a while back also had a B nib), and once again Faber-Castell proves that they are good at making nibs.

One of the aspects that I personally really like about the writing experience is a good, wet flow. I often tune my pens by carving out the channels in the feed so that the flow gets wetter, but apparently FC already does that for you! Upon inspecting the feed when I was cleaning it, I noticed that the channels are much wider than on other pens, and they also add some channels across at the tip, which increases the flow even more. Together with the very well-tuned nib, this makes for a smooth, consistent writing experience. I think FC's broad nibs run a little wider than the steel nibs from most other manufacturers, but that could also be a side-effect of the rather generous flow. 

The rather special feed, with wider channels and a hatched pattern to increase the ink flow

The Loom might not be the most beautiful pen design you've ever seen, but the nib should be enough to win you over! Here in Europe, the Loom retails for around 30-33 EUR, which is cheaper than a TWSBI Eco. For that price I don't think you should need much persuading. The retail price in the US is a bit higher, at 40-45 USD, which is still quite good value for money, but it might be worth checking out some overseas shops to maybe get a better deal (And of course the 10% discounts that the sposnors of this blog provide could help with that!)

Note: La Couronne Du Comte is a sponsor of this blog. I received a discount on the purchase of this product.  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.

RECAP: INSIGHTS X STATIONERY SHOW 2016

Just like any other industry, stationery and pen brands do their best to announce new products every year. But before the general audience gets to see the novelties, they are introduced to the vendors and stores during so called 'stationery shows'. Basically a huge pen show, but closed for the general public, without direct sales (meaning you can't buy new products directly at the show), and with more than just pens (stationery in the widest sense of the word).

I was lucky to be invited -along with a couple other bloggers- to a blogger meeting at the Nuremberg Insights X stationery show last weekend. It's only the second edition of this particular show, but it already features around 260 brands spread over multiple halls with a combined size of three football fields! Needless to say it was quite an overwhelming experience, but a great one! I met a bunch of interesting brands, both known and unknown (to me), and the people behind those brands of course.

Before the picture overload, I just want to thank the organisation team behind the Insights X expo. I'd also like to thank all the brands that I had the pleasure of talking to, it's impossible to list them all here, but i'd encourage you to visit the exhibitor list on the Insights X website, and check them out for yourself. Last but not least, it was the perfect opportunity to meet some other (pen) bloggers: GourmetPens, SBREBrown, AllThingsStationery and Bleistift!

As I said earlier, it's stationery in the widest sense imaginable, from kids' backpacks to greeting cards and everything in between. The show was split up into six categories: luxury writing, desk acccessories, paper, bags, artist supplies and stationery. Of course I personally spent most time browsing the various pen brand exhibitors, more than enough to explore there. We also visited a couple non-pen brands too of course.

Along with the visit, we were also overloaded with a bunch of goodies and samples of new products. Part of those products were relevant to this blog, and thus will be reviewed at some point. But of course there were also some less interesting products (I'm talking about kids' crafts products, coloring pencils, small toys,...). We didn't really know what to do with these, and it would've been a waste to throw it away, so we decided to donate to the children's department of the mental hospital where my mother works. 

But enough talking, I'll leave the rest of this post speak for itself with the pictures I took during the show. It's impossible to pack everything in one post, but here's a selection of what I found most interesting...

KAWECO

Not pictured here are the two novelty colors of the ACsport pens: Orange and green! They did look fantastic in real life though, I assume you'll see them pop up online and in stores in the near future...

'Make your own Kaweco Sport pen', at the Kaweco stand of course!

FABER-CASTELL

The Faber-Castell Booth, filled to the brim with new exciting product, I'm especially interested in the new affordable luxury pens, all with the same high-quality steel nibs we're used to from them!

UNI-BALL

Uni-Ball and their ever so popular jetstream pens, available in a bunch of styles and prices.

STABILO

By far the most colorful and playful booth at the show, courtesy of Stabilo

Some interesting new products from Stabilo: Pastell highlighters, woodcased pencils with a slip-on touchscreen pencil cap, and a new learning fountain pen for kids with an adjustable nib.

Also from Stabilo, these colorful neon jumbo triangular woodcased pencils!

CLEO SKRIBENT

Some lesser-known brands were present as well, such as Cleo Skribent with their beautiful luxury fountain pens in exotic materials like ebonite and wood.

ONLINE

Some really impressive luxury Online pens, with a more premium design and finish than the school pens they are most known for. 

STAEDTLER

The usual Staedtler Premium product line. Nothing new so far, but I was informed about an upcoming lower-priced premium pen coming in 2017!

...the droolworthy, but also really expensive princeps collection from Staedtler

LABAN

Laban pens were a first for me, hadn't seen their pens in person before and was thoroughly impressed with the wide variety of styles and materials they produce! The vintage ebonite pens lower left were my personal favourite.

ZIPIT

Brands like these made up about 60 percent of the show, zipit was one of the most interesting ones, with their pencil cases made from one long zipper. 

KUM

KUM with their Masterpiece sharpeners, about as fancy as a handheld sharpener will get...

LEUCHTTURM 1917

A wall of Leuchtturm notebooks.

ZEBRA

The Zebra stand brought a mechanical pencil with unbreakable leads! You could actualy rip the paper and the lead wouldn't budge, very impressive.

VICTORIA'S JOURNALS

HINDUSTAN PENCIL CO. 

The Hindustan pencil company (known for their Natarah pencils) introduced their new subbrand: Sivo. This new brand provides high-quality pencils and school supplies for children. 

SCRIKSS

A novelty for me personally: Scrikss pens from Turkey. They brought some pretty classy designs with them, something worth keeping an eye out for...

PLATINUM

From the other side of the world: Platinum. We were honoured to be able to sit along the table with the Vice President of the brand: Mr. Takeuchi.  The new Nova Orange Platinum Plaisir was present at their booth, but we were more distracted by that handsome Izumo Urokomon in the lower right corner!

(This post does not contain affilate links.)