A Visconti Homo Sapiens, Disassembled: Lessons from a Repair

PRELUDE

A decade later, when one of my long-serving Homo Sapiens fell slightly behind humans in evolution.

Few pens inspire the kind of quiet admiration that the Visconti Homo Sapiens does. The familiar warmth of its basaltic lava body, the hook-safe capping mechanism, and its distinct presence in the hand; these have long made it one of the most characterful writing instruments in my modest collection.

       

    I wrote about my experiences with the Bronze Maxi and the Florentine Hills LE almost a decade ago, when they were relatively new and full of promise. A decade on, time has added not just patina, but also perspective, particularly on the realities of maintenance.

And, as it turns out, even the Homo Sapiens is not entirely immune to the occasional evolutionary setback.

THE BLACK SWAN EVENT

Activated by my cleaning ritual

Every few months, I try to keep my personal flagship fountain pens within a five-pen rotation. Two of them travel in a Brown Bear two-pen pouch. One is reserved for captions, fitted with a stub or equivalent grind: for example, a Pelikan m205 Duo Highlighter, an m200 with an italic nib, or a Schon Monoc with a reverse broad grind. The other is typically a snap-cap pen for quick note-taking: the Sheaffer Legacy 2026 at the moment (though it could just as easily be my Lamy 2000 or Pilot VP Fermo).

           The other three are for pure writing joy, at least as far as nibs are concerned. They reside in a Visconti Dreamtouch three-pen case. These three are not necessarily brand flagships. The only pen that remains permanently inked in this trio is a Conid Kingsize Demonstrator with a titanium fine nib, the Ti nib is a 2025 purchase from Conid. With its factory 14k fine nib (bought seven years ago), it never quite held the same place in my main three-pen rotation for more than a month; but that is a subject for another post.

Coming back to my cleaning ritual: I wanted to bring one of my Homo Sapiens back into the three-pen rotation. I leaned towards the Florentine Hills LE. It needed a bit of cleaning, especially around the blackened sterling silver trims, and I also wanted to unscrew the nib unit and apply some silicone grease to the inner barrel.

              When I tried to unscrew the nib unit, it felt unusually tight. This isn’t entirely new to me with resin sections and nib housings. In fact, it’s a recurring complaint I have with some pens that use resin sections; the housings can become incredibly difficult to unscrew, sometimes to the point where the nib and feed start moving instead of the housing itself. I’ve experienced this with my Conid Minimalistica as well as the Regular model with a resin section - even when silicone grease has been applied to the housing threads. Interestingly, this never seems to occur with metal-section pens, of which I own a few. It could be due to a combination of factors: ink residue accumulating between the housing and section, along with the subtle micro-shrinking of resin over time. Fountain pens do not seem to be entirely immune to the effects of age.

Over time, I’ve developed a home remedy that works reasonably well. I usually start by placing the pen in an ultrasonic cleaner with filtered water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. In fact, I would recommend that anyone with a $100+ pen consider investing in an ultrasonic cleaner. The one pictured below cost me less than $35 and works quite well for small objects, including jewellery, eyeglasses, and, of course, pens - because nothing promises better weekend relaxation quite like deep-cleaning your fountain pens.

Once it’s cleaned with a 3-minute cycle, I would try to unscrew the housing again. If that doesn’t work, I heat water to about 70°C and leave the section in the warm water for 5-7 minutes. The idea behind it: the expansion rates of the housing and the section differ slightly, which should help loosen the housing, at least in theory. I have found this second technique particularly useful for removing stubborn, sealed sections on older Omas pens, Conid Minimalistica as well as for lubricating piston seals and realigning heat-set nibs.

             Coming back to the Florentine Hills, I had just cleaned the pen and began unscrewing the nib housing, which usually comes out quite easily with my Lava edition. This time, however, something felt off. To my considerable and rather unpleasant surprise, the entire section unscrewed instead. This was particularly concerning, as it is the very part that the hook-safe cap mechanism grips onto. It took me a moment to process what had just happened and a seemingly longer moment to accept it.

It took a Reddit post, along with removing the nib from my Homo Sapiens Lava edition, to confirm that the section had indeed come off and that my beloved pen now required servicing. 

Interestingly, the housing from the Homo Sapiens Lava Bronze edition came out almost effortlessly, with virtually no stress on the nib unit. I couldn’t help but wonder why there was such a difference. It appeared that the inner sleeve in the Lava version is metal, which might explain the disparity.

I also noticed that the yellowish-purplish material dangling from the inside of the green outer sleeve of the section was quite flaky. This appeared to be the adhesive that originally bonded it to the transparent inner section. It’s worth noting that the adhesive seems to be applied only to the upper portion of the green outer sleeve, the section with the larger diameter, allowing it to attach to the transparent inner section rather than the nib housing.

A BIT OF STUBBORN OPTIMISM

My passion for repairs and restorations

As part of my hobby, I’m fairly confident when it comes to opening up electronic devices and handling minor repairs myself. With fountain pens, however, excluding nibs (I’ve sacrificed enough of those to earn some experience), I tend to be more cautious about tinkering with components that could void the warranty.

So, I reached out to Visconti, and they are still getting back to me “shortly”. To be fair, their customer service has been quite good to me in the past, whether it was changing nibs (that’s a story for another day) on my Opera Master or replacing the cap on a travelling inkwell, among other things.

Given my day job around AI monetization, I’m also aware of the pitfalls of replacing customer service with autonomous agents - rules are rules, and escalation is often needed to reach a human. So when Visconti Italy replies in perfectly polished English but without any real resolution, I can’t help but wonder if I’m corresponding with an AI email assistant. Efficient, yes. Helpful - a question mark for what we call edge cases. It's also becoming ingrained in our daily lives -  I realise that even as I write this blog post, the app is suggesting grammar and language corrections.

                  I also contacted the person heading Visconti distribution here. He didn’t seem particularly optimistic, given the age of the pen, but did promise to check with the Italy office and get back to me. In any case, out-of-warranty service costs from Visconti would likely exceed the cost of an ultrasonic cleaner, glue, and other paraphernalia combined. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. That said, I would strongly advise caution, if you’re new to fountain pens, don’t begin your repair journey with your Homo Sapiens or your Pelikans. Start somewhere less significant, emotionally and financially.

               While researching how to fix the section myself, I realised that regular glue wouldn’t work, the gap between the green outer sleeve and transparent inner section would remain, and ink leakage would be inevitable. I do have a box of O-rings, but they proved ineffective for this purpose during testing. Eventually, I concluded that an epoxy-based adhesive would be the best fit. I had no idea what an epoxy glue is, until this point. The most commonly available option is Araldite, though mixing it can feel like a chore. This led me back to my Reddit post, where user u/officedowntime shared their experience of reattaching a metal grip section on an Opera using B7000 adhesive - a clear, epoxy-based glue often used for jewellery as well. That comment turned out to be the star of the thread.

And a sincere thank you to u/officedowntime - proof that sometimes, the best repair manuals are hidden in Reddit/FPN comments.

FINAL PROCESS

Back to the current age

So, here is the process I followed. I also cleaned and serviced my Homo Sapiens Lava a bit more thoroughly.

1. Clean the section and other parts using a few drops of dishwashing liquid in an ultrasonic cleaner. Or, if you prefer the longer route, you can stand patiently by your washbasin with running water until you’re convinced the parts are absolutely spotless.
2. Remove any remaining traces of the old yellowish adhesive from the outside of the inner transparent section, as well as from the inside of the green outer sleeve.
3. Clean off the patina on the silver trims using an earbud with a drop of a silver polishing solution such as Klear Shine. Similarly, use a bronze/brass/copper cleaner (like Happi Planet) for the Homo Sapiens Lava edition, and then wipe everything with a damp cloth.
4. Apply a small amount of Nivea Cold Cream to remove the white spots from the HS Lava pen - because apparently, HS Lava appreciates the bit of skincare.
5. Allow all parts to dry thoroughly - this may take several hours.
6. Set aside the nib, feed, and housing for at least 24 hours, keeping them safely stored in a box.
7. Once the plastic section is completely dry, apply a tiny amount of silicone grease to the outer threads (which screw into the barrel) and lightly inside the barrel threads, using a toothpick. Spread evenly with your fingers if needed.
8. Tighten the inner transparent section into the barrel until you feel the first point of resistance.
9. Now for the important part: apply a very small amount of B7000 glue to the upper, visible portion of the inner transparent section using a toothpick. Keep the application narrower than you think necessary - the glue thickens quickly, and you will almost certainly need less than you expect.
10. Repeat the process for the green outer sleeve, using around two small drops of B7000 glue and spreading it evenly.
11. As the glue thickens within seconds, press the green outer sleeve firmly onto the section for about 2 minutes (follow the instructions on the tube). Remove any excess glue that seeps out near the section ring.
12. Leave the assembled section undisturbed for 24 - 30 hours to allow proper bonding.
13. After 24 hours, apply a small amount of silicone grease to the nib housing threads. If needed, you may also add a bit of grease to the piston end using a toothpick (reaching slightly into the barrel) before reinstalling the housing. Screw the nib unit back in until you reach the first point of resistance. That’s it.
14. Use a 20 - 30× loupe to check for misaligned tines and adjust gently with your fingernail if required. You may refer to notes by Richard Binder (link in references), if absolutely necessary. Minor misalignment can happen with tight sections - especially resin ones. I had to make a small adjustment to the Florentine Hills nib; the housing is still a snug fit.

Tada! the pen is ready to write. I enthusiastically tested both pens with Aurora Blue ink (my go-to test ink), and I’m happy to report that both are filling and writing beautifully again.

Thank you for spending your time on this blog - especially if, like me, you read these things out of sheer love for the hobby. It’s always satisfying to share something that might help someone else avoid (or at least survive) a similar “oops” moment.

You can find my other pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

OTHER REFERENCES

• Reddit - Visconti HS Lava Leaking Section
• Reddit - My Post
• My Silver Cleaner
• My Bronze Cleaner
• Link to Richard Binder's notes on Nib Smoothing

A quick preview of Kyuseido Kakari with double-stack reverse tousen grind

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I finally got my hands on the almost famous Kyuseido Kakari. I chose the double stack nib, because I was enamoured by the idea of regular writing, and partly because I was fascinated by the psychology behind paying a bomb for a metallic brush. Jokes aside, with time & practice, I hope to use the broader side for calligraphy. My 3 year old wanted his airplane to be in the frame, even though it's not even 3 weeks old and you can already see the condition of the Beluga scale model. So here's the picture.

The Kakari is a handsome pen, vaguely reminding me of my Conid Kingsize demonstrator with titanium ends, although it has a completely different nib. The filling system with the hook-like structure, seems more mechanical and less sophisticated than a Conid, but I found its functionality to be quite the opposite. The cleaning process is somehwat superior to that of a Conid - two flushes and it's completely clean. Plus, it eliminates the need of a ink-breaker. Here is the exquisite work of art with the double stack nib. CY is quite an artist.

The reverse side of the nib, which is almost a BB-3B grind is incredibly smooth, with a generous ink flow enhances the experience. I am confident that the ebonite feed is well engineered to keep up with it.

My issue is with the regular writing side. It's a Japanese fine, but way too sharp for my taste. I prefer writing with nibs that offer some control. This one grips the paper fibres and leaves marks on it, even with a light touch. I had a word with Kyuseido team, they are happy to adjust and smoothen the nib. I understand CY is a one-man team handling the nib-work but I do still expect better QC than Visconti.

 

Last but not least, this is a lovely pen with its own pros and cons. In my not so humble opinion, it's quite different to a Conid! Paul's lovely review does more justice to the Kakari.

SOME WRITING

A utilitarian review of a few pen cases

PRELUDE

A search loop for the perfect ONE and then the more perfect OTHER

With great fountain pens comes an even greater responsibility of carrying them around in this mortal world, where inadvertent scratches, dents, and corrosion become inevitable. Thus begins my search for sheaths and containers to protect these fine instruments, which have earned a reputation for being mightier than the sword; at least for the past 175 years. I digress; I wonder why the keyboard was never celebrated in the same way when it emerged around the same time as the original quote.

BACKGROUND AND OPINIONATED TRUTHS

Experiments, measures and opinion 

I like to use a few fountain pens during my travels for note-taking and journaling. While I could use the original boxes for my limited collection, they tend to take up unnecessary space in my cupboard. Some of these cases are beautifully made, while others are more ordinary. That's where a storage pen case comes in handy. One advantage is that you can see multiple pens together to help with selection, or perhaps just to avoid making a choice. For example, I often tell my Opus 88 Jazz to just lie there, which has been my unfortunate treatment of that pen ever since I got it.

                    In my case, the search has usually been for a value-for-money options. It’s rare to find a case that costs as much as a pen, but this highlights the absence of worthy alternatives. Another aspect is that in India, leather goods are available at a fraction of the cost compared to the West, although there is less general understanding of the premium quality of higher-grade leather materials. By a stroke of luck, a couple of us met Michael, a leather importer based in California, who sources leather from India, China, and Thailand. He supplies leather to some well-known premium brands, with the final products ranging from premium car seat covers to women’s bags. He explained what typically gets exported versus what is consumed domestically in these countries. Michael also described the leather qualities and grades he looks for when evaluating a shipment from the tanneries. By the way, you can check out some interesting expositions on leather grades and types here, and here’s a brief write-up on leather quality if you’re short on time or patience:

1. Full Grain: The highest quality. A cut of leather consisting of the outer layer of hide, left unsanded and unbuffed to retain its natural imperfections. It has a strong and durable surface.
2. Top Grain: The top layer is sanded to remove imperfections, which reduces some of the strength and water-repellent qualities of full grain leather. It is commonly used in handbags, wallets, and shoes.
3. Corrected: A broader term often referred to as genuine leather. It can be any layer of hide that has been treated to create a uniform surface. Commonly used in belts, wallets, bags, gloves, and shoes.
4. Split Grain: A layer cut from the lower levels of top grain leather. It is not as dense, tight, or durable as full grain or top grain leather.
5. Reconstituted & Recycled: Leather scraps are bonded together using polyurethane or latex. 

Here are a list of leather finishes:

1. Aniline: Dyes allow natural surface of leather to show through. 
2. Semi-Aniline: Similar to aniline but with added pigments.
3. Faux: Also known as PU, Vegan or Vinyl leather. Is made of polyurethane and made to mimic real leather.
4. There are many more types (12+), but they may not be relevant to our search for pen cases and sleeves.

Leather tanning is the process of treating hides to clean them of dirt, blood, and hair. This process alters the protein structure of the hide to make the leather durable and less susceptible to decomposition. 

1. Vegetable tanning: This method uses natural materials or tannins derived from plants and bark, which are astringents. It’s an ancient, environmentally friendly process.
2. Chromium tanning: Chromium sulfate is used for a faster and cheaper tanning process, offering more color options than vegetable tanning. The hair and flesh are removed before the tanning process.

Leather hides are graded as 1, 2, 3, or non-tannable, depending on the imperfections in the hide. The top-of-the-line branded pen cases are made from full grain cowhide leather with an aniline or semi-aniline finish.

The case proliferation in my situation is rather proportional to the larger pen dimensions rather than the number of pens in my relatively limited collection. I found it increasingly inconvenient to carry flagship pens like the Wahl-Eversharp Decoband, Pilot Custom Urushi in the Pelikan TG32 three-pen case. While the Decoband fits inside Visconti Dreamtouch comfortably, the Custom Urushi does not. These pens could be a part of an everyday carry unlike a Namiki Emperor, unless you of course dare to carry it. In this situation, the Cross Leather Pen Box came to my rescue, but its dimensions pose a problem for my laptop bag if I want to carry two or three more standard pens.

        Given the rapid progress in design, manufacturing and evolving human desires, here are my standard set of guidelines, refined over the years, while looking for pen cases (YMMV):

OBSERVATIONS & EXPERIENCE

In Context

Here are the pen cases I have acquired over the years:

Single pen cases

1. The Black Canvas Pen Capsule: Soft case. I got the English Violet variant which is made of top-grain chrome-tanned leather. The inside of the pouch is soft and velvety.
2. Endless Companion Pen Pouch: Hard case. The company uses the term genuine leather which may indicate corrected leather. However, it seems well-made for standard pen sizes (such as a Lamy 2000, and it can stretch to fit a regular Montblanc 146) and has a matte buffed finish. The pen itself rests in a felt-like soft compartment, and the case is fastened by two buttons. They ensured that there is a felt-flap covering the exposed parts of a pen where it's buttoned.
3. Cross Men's Leather Single Pen Box-Black: Hard case. Again corrected leather, but with ample space inside to house a Custom Urushi or WE Decoband. The flap is fastened with a magnetic closure, which is a nice touch. I have noticed some leather coming out off the edge of the flap from the newer of the two boxes, but this is what it is.
4. Custom pen case for Namiki Emperor sized pen: Soft case. This was custom-made by fellow fountain pen collector Dr. Ashish Wakhlu for my Namiki Emperor pen. It’s good enough to protect the pen from minor scratches. From the texture, it seems like top grain or full grain leather with an aniline finish. It has some protection at the back.

No	Cases	Type	Weight(g)	L X W (cm)	# of Pens	Available Width/Pen(cm)	Used Since	Purchased From	Made by	Buy Price (2024 US$)
1	TBC Leather Pen Capsule	Open	15	16.5x3.8	1	3	2023	theblackcanvas.in	The Black Canvas	$6
2	Endless Companion Pen Pouch	Button,Double Flap	45	16x4.9	1	3	2024	in.madebyendless.com	Endless India	$13
3	Cross Leather Single Pen Box	Magnetic Closure	46	15.8x4	1	3.3	2019	Amazon	Cross/Torero	$7
4	Custom Namiki Emperor Case	Flap with loop	20	16.5x3.6	1	3.3	2019	ashish.wakhlu@gmail.com	Dr. Ashish Wakhlu	$8

Multi pen cases

1. Arista Leatherette Case for 6 pens: Hard case. I have two of Arista pen cases that I got from Amazon, primarily for storage. They’re lined with felt and have a partial over-layer to protect the finials from brushing against the zipper. It’s somewhat partial towards the pens in the first and last slots. Made of polyurethane, it closely mimics Saffiano leather and has a nice touch with bumpers at the base.
   
   
   
2. The Black Canvas Jotbox: Soft case. A nice box for keeping pencils, parallels, and rulers reminiscent of the good old school days. It’s made of top-grain leather, and is pretty well made.
3. Aegean Leather Case for Namiki Emperor/Pilot Custom Urushi: Hard case with pen tray. This is the most expensive case I own and it’s excellently made from Italian buttero leather. Full-grain, vegetable-tanned, aniline finish - this case checks all the boxes. I bought it to carry the Custom Urushi in my bag, may be sometimes the Emperor too.
4. Pelikan Leather 3 Pen Case: Hard case with soft flap. Top notch full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather with aniline finish, but for medium sized pens. It’s good enough for a Pelikan M800/1000 or a MB 149. 
5. Visconti Dreamtouch Case for 3/6 Pens: Hard case with zippered flap. Felt inner lining. This is my favorite case and checking all boxes for full-grain, vegetable-tanned, aniline finish leather. The one with 6 pens hasn’t seen much motion, but it’s absolutely defies ageing, even after 10 years. I occasionally use a standard neutral shoe cream to polish them.
6. Brown Bear Classic Pen Case for 2 Pens: Hard case with magnetic closure. By the looks of it, the case seems to be full-grain with an aniline finish. Its pretty sturdy and well made, with a single soft divider. The dimensions are good enough to hold a Pelikan M8XX sized pen. Their men’s wallets made of nappa leather hold well too.
7. Essart Pen Case for 10 Pens: Hard Case with magnetic button for the flap. The lid  has a transparent portion to get a quick account of pens inside. The frame is wooden and sturdy, with each pen slot lined with felt. It’s pretty & perfect for storage. 

No	Cases	Type	Weight(g)	L X W (cm)	# of Pens	Available Width/Pen(cm)	Used Since	Purchased From	Made by	Buy Price (2024 US$)
1	Arista Leatherette	Zipper,Single Flap	200+	15.5x14.2	6	2.2	2023	Amazon	Arista	$18
2	The Black Canvas Jotbox	Zipper	54	18.5x5.5	6-8	N/a	2024	theblackcanvas.in	The Black Canvas	$12
3	Aegean Leather for Namiki Emperor	Pen Tray, Single Flap	113	16x5	2	2.4	2024	Etsy	Aegean Leather Co (Turkey)	$200
4	Pelikan Leather 3 Pen Case (TG32)	Single Flap, Adjustable Dividers	36	10.5x5.1	3	1.6	2014	Martiniauctions	Pelikan	$47
5a	Visconti Dreamtouch (6)	Zipper,Single Flap	123	15x14	6	2	2015	Martiniauctions	Visconti	$100
5b	Visconti Dreamtouch (3)	Zipper,Single Flap	68	15x7.5	3	2.4	2019	Fontoplumo	Visconti	$72
6	Brown Bear Classic (2)	Single Flap, Adjustable Dividers	49	13x3.7	2	1.8	2024	Amazon	Brown Bear	$18
7	Essart Pen Case (Wood/PU)	Lid, Magnetic Buttons	400	24.5x19	10	2	2021	Amazon	Essart	$12

Methodology

The pictures below depict the way in which I have measured the inner length and available versus total width of these pen cases. 

MY TOP PICKS

If I had to pick one

It would be the Visconti Dreamtouch Pen case.

Thank you for going through the review. 

You can find other pen and paraphernalia reviews here. 

  

REFERENCES

1. Leather grade and types

Review of the SCRIBO Feel Melograno : My search for an Omas-worthy nib

PRELUDE

Compensating for missing out on an Omas Extra Flessible nib

I managed to snag an Omas Arte Italiana Vision fountain pen back in 2015 when Omas was still around. The Art Vision in green/emerald with a medium nib is absolutely adorable and perfectly showcases the design flair Omas was known for. Just take a look at the ruthenium-plated ‘O’ on the finial! However, the extra-flessible has nib always intrigued me, especially when Omas launched the Ogiva Alba & Cocktail series with that option. But my courage couldn’t match my budget or rather the lack of it. So in mid-2020, I went for a Scribo with a Feel the Flex nib to address this emotional gap. A chat with ever-gracious Frank from Fontoplumo assured me that Scribo indeed had the Omas equipment as the other reviews suggested, so the nibs would be similar, if not identical. Somehow, the newly resurrected Omas pens don't quite capture the finesse that the classic Omas pens had in abundance.

PRESENTATION (3/6)

A cardboard box and a canvas wrap

The packaging is pretty basic and seems to be a combination of eco-friendliness and cost-friendliness. The cardboard box didn’t survive my move, it looked like it lost a fight crumpled under a paper weight. So, no photos or fond memories of the box. I mean, if you're charging over $500, wouldn't it make sense to spend 1/20th of that on a box that doesn't self-destruct? Anyway, rant over, I did manage to keep the off-grey canvas wrap, so at least there's that!

As you can see, the wrap can carry two pens and a polishing cloth. Alas! they forgot to include the polishing cloth.

DESIGN (4/6)

Somewhat Greek-y Functionalism sans a Greek-key

I had the chance to chat with Luca from Scribo, who I later found out is the founder of the company. This conversation happened because the metal parts of my pen decided to oxidise themselves within a month. Rust spots popped up all over the cap band and parts of the clip, like the pen had gone on a deep-sea dive. I was shocked to see such quality issues with the plating so soon. Even my Platinum #3776 took a good 3-4 years to show off how thin its gold plating was, but for the price and the gold nib, I could live with it. 

 A penalty of -2 for all the trouble, but the excellent customer service from Luca within COVID-19 restrictions adds +1. Luca and his team handled all the issues with incoming customs when the product was mistakenly declared as merchandise by the postal department here. He was gracious enough to send a free sample bottle of Rosso Melograno ink along with the pen. I love the colour more than Rosso Chianti which would be the one to go with the pen.

Melograno in Italian translates to pomegranate tree. One of the reasons I chose this variant is that I did not have any fountain pens in those hues, unless you consider a Platinum 3776 in burgundy to be one. Especially with the subtle play of maroon, pink, and white streaks in a cracked ice pattern, the pen becomes quite attractive. The pen feels substantial in the hand, thanks to its hourglass design and gentle tapering at the finial ends. It is slightly larger compared to an Omas Vision/Paragon, which initially felt a bit odd. 

      The legendary dodecagonal structure is aesthetically pleasing and prevents the pen from rolling off surfaces. Compared to Omas, I feel the Scribo Feel leans more towards functionalism rather than aesthetics. Unlike the Omas, there is no Greek-key design on the cap band, and I feel the design has been somewhat rushed for the sake of modernism, with quick parallel lines.

The uncapping is quick and takes about 1.25 turns for the cap to come off - perfect for those impatient moments. A nice touch is the continuation of the dodecagonal structure into the section. 

The section itself is long and comfortable to hold, ending with a rhodium-plated ring for that extra bit of bling. More on that later. Somehow, I probably expected a classic Omas-like Greek key design here too, but I guess they decided to leave ancient history in the past.

Now, coming back to the cap, it feels substantial with its spring-loaded convex clip that curves into a concave arc towards the end. The clip is one of the best functional parts I've used, much like the GvFC clips. The cap band is adorned with parallel lines and proudly displays SCRIBO, which stands for Scrittura Bolognese or "Bolognese writing," alongside their slogan, "Feel the Writing”. And yes, it does feel very comfortable while writing, like a handshake from an old friend.

        The finial, or cap medallion, is inscribed with a feather quill and features some parallel lines running along it. The cap gently tapers towards this end. Nothing too remarkable here.

FILLING & CLEANING SYSTEMS (6/6)

A convenient piston filler

The piston mechanism is very well made and seems functionally superior to the Omas Vision I have, in terms of suction and smoothness of operation. However, Pelikans are probably the best of the lot.

The piston fills up smoothly with 1.3-1.4ml of ink. The mechanism includes a brass/metal sleeve, adding some extra heft to the Feel. No complaints here—it works like a charm. My only gripe, shared by a few others, is the lack of an ink window. With the flexible nib and wet ebonite feed, this pen runs out of ink faster than others with similar ink capacity.

NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (5/6)

The Extra-Flessiblity 

The Scribo Feel series boasts an array of around 10-12 different nib variations, now including both 18k stock and 14k flexible nibs. While I haven’t had the pleasure of using an 18k nib yet, I imagine it’s as soft and luxurious as an Omas. The 14k ones are meant to cater to our extra-flessible desires.

      Love it! Except for the inscription. The 14k feel the FLEX, Fine nib. It’s  simultaneously one of the most beautiful nib in terms of writing and unappealing in terms of design. While it may have the writing charm of Omas nibs of yore, the embossing of slogan, company and gold content of the nib residing within an elongated hexagon doesn’t market the nib well. But I do not think the Omas extra-flessible nibs had much to offer either.

Speaking of shape, the nib bears a striking resemblance to the Omas Art Vision.

Once you turn the nib, the first thing you'll notice is the feed, and then the tip. The tip appears to have a sort of an elongated bulb. The feed has the exact same structure as an Omas. It’s a heat set black ebonite feed and supports the wet ink flow very well. In theory, ebonite attracts water as it is hydrophilic as opposed to hydrophobic plastics which repel water, thereby wetting more efficiently under the nib. 

PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING

The Newtonian Laws

The overall capped length measures approximately 15 cm. The section offers one of the most comfortable grips in my collection, with a diameter ranging from approximately 1.1 to 1.2 cm.

Below are pictures along with a Sailor Pro Gear Fujiyama Realo for a comparative reference. It was in rotation and sitting pretty, so I thought of taking a few pictures with that. Normally, I would post a standard Sailor Pro Gear, while writing. 

Here go the dimensions.

• Uncapped Length ~ 13.5 cm
• Total Length ~ 15 cm

• Exposed Nib Leverage ~ 2.5 cm

The weight of the pen is comforting even without the cap.

• Overall Weight ~ 37.6 g (inked, without cap ~20.5g)

ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6)

Functionality vs Price

I paid the full MRP for this pen. While it's finely engineered, I find it lacking in overall aesthetics compared to the venerable Omas pens of yore. Given the premium price, I would expect a more pleasing design on the cap band, thicker plating to prevent oxidation within 2-3 years, a more attractive cap medallion, and some attention to the inscription on the nib. Additionally, there are some micro spots of oxidation appearing on the trims, which are visible in the photos.

WRITING & FINAL COMMENTS (4.7/6)

Pleasure to write with, aesthetics need to scale up

The writing experience with this nib is among the softest I've encountered, responsive to pressure and writing style. Even without intentionally flexing the nib, its natural tendency to vary strokes is impressive.

   This nib writes wet without any issues of drying out or railroading. The slight feedback it provides is more about control than a flaw. With moderate pressure, the nib flexes, opening its tines and increasing ink flow. I handle it with care.

On Endless Regalia 80 GSM paper, using Iroshizuku Yama Budo ink, lines take approximately 45-55 seconds to dry. While I'm not particularly inclined towards flex writing, the nib does offer pleasing line variation.

I've been using this pen on and off since 2020, and it has become an essential part of my rotation. One crucial aspect is the approximately 3cm long, polygonally contoured section, which provides an incredibly comfortable writing experience. I find the section threads non-intrusive while writing. I appreciate Scribo's differentiation from Omas, as highlighted in Dries' excellent review. However, I can't help but feel that the aesthetics have declined from Omas' standards. I would prefer the pen to have metal sections that are better finished and don't oxidize every couple of years. Now, over to Luca and team to make those improvements.

Thank you for going through the review. 

You can find other pen and paraphernalia reviews here. 

  

REFERENCES

The Pencilcase Blog

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