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Gravitas - Vac 2.0 Aluminium | Black

Another Great Gravitas Pen

I ordered this pen even though I’ve had some issues with two of my six Monster pens—which amounts to a failure rate of nearly 30%. One of my Monsters (black aluminum) suddenly started leaking after three months of regular use (with Artisan Pastellier Rose Cyclamen ink; it still leaks in small amounts, even though I haven’t used that ink in it for months and am now using the fountain pen with GvFC Viper Green; otherwise, the pen works reliably). Unfortunately, two service requests regarding this issue went unanswered.

The other one (TiSinX titanium) is now, unfortunately, completely unusable, as every time I fill it, large amounts of ink immediately ooze out in thick drops from the same spot (though this could be due to using Diamone Desert Rose—I didn’t initially know that such inks might cause problems). I may contact Pen Venture at a later date regarding the purchase of a replacement ink reservoir (if possible with Ultem).

I haven’t had any problems so far with the Ultem Monsters or the Gravitas Exclusive Rainbow Skittle Monster.

The Vac 2.0, which is what this review was actually supposed to be about, is another great pen. Unfortunately, the Diamine Lady Grey ink I bought along with it seems much too dry for this pen, so I screwed in the gold nib from my Gravitas x Kyuseido Kakari, and now it writes like a dream; ironically, the original nib now writes just as beautifully in my Ultemate Vac - so I guess I have to review the new steel nib separately.

The Kraken filling mechanism works extremely well again and feels almost a bit more powerful in this pen than it does in the Monster; and the new ink window is a joy as well.

It's extremely well balanced and although I very much enjoy the girthier (and heavier) monster, fast note taking is kind of more comfortable with this pen—although, purely for aesthetic reasons, I actually like the flat ends of the Monster a little better.

However, there’s a minor flaw (which definitely isn’t due to the new gold nib, since it also occurred with the original nib) that happens when the ink reservoir is full and you screw the Kraken mechanism shut. Sometimes a large drop falls onto the paper then, but I suspect this can be prevented by simply not letting the reservoir get completely full.

That aside, the pen is a pure delight.

The broad nib I orderd it with is pure delight as well. It's nicely soft and writes very consistently with my (fairly standard, I guess) 50° writing angle. The line width is very consistent, which is a nice experience, given that many broad nibs these days have stub-like characteristics. Interestingly, this nib has this kind of character when using it in reverse for very, very small margin notes—something I haven't come across before with round-ground nibs. I kind of like it.

All in all another great and beautifully designed pen - but only time will tell if it's prone to the same problems as some of the Monsters.

The ordering process and shipment was smooth and seamless as always with pen venture and I received my ordering within just a few days. Emy added a kind handwritten note, a Monster maintenance tool and vial of silicon oil.

That creates a kind of personal shopping experience—which is something, also given that the store appears to be expanding quite rapidly.

Fifty4T - Titan Ultem

IanM

Fifty 4T Titan Ultem - First Impressions

Emy has just sent me the 50/40 Titan Ultem. It’s a very well balanced pen made from a variety of rugged materials. This pen will outlast me, safe to say. The first and continuing impression the pen gives is its superb machining. The fit and finish is of the highest order comparable to artisanal products made in limited numbers by engineer-designers: like musical instruments, pocket knives, tobacco pipes and wristwatches. There is no feature or detail in this pen that distracts from my pleasure in using it. I respond to the common critiques of the 50/40 in the following way: (1) There is no clip. This is true. That this is a shortcoming is not true. I don’t need a clip. My writing surface is flat so it doesn’t roll off and the pen never leaves the studio so I don’t put it in my shirt pocket. (2) The Ultem material is the color of urine. I don’t see it that way. It’s transparent canary and provides a lively contrast to the titanium. If you prefer, the clear and smoked options are also available.(3) The nib should be gold. I disagree. This steel nib is comparable to premium Swedish surgical steel. There’s nuance and flexibility in its response. And the discrete etched logo is the only product marking on the entire pen (with the exception of the pen number out of a series of 250 at the bottom of the cap). (4) It’s too expense. That is an opinion not an argument. I had no problem paying the €640.

Gravitas - Pocket Titanium Grade 5

Geoff Goldsmith

Beautiful pocket pen.

I’m really happy with this pen. The machining on the body is really nice and the tactility of the grip is amazing. It also looks lovely.
If I had any criticism it would be that the cap doesn’t post as securely as some pocket pens but once you get used to it is perfectly useable and doesn’t affect my enjoyment of the pen.

Gravitas - Monster Aluminium | Black

Complete pile of shite

Bought a Gravitas Monster. Kept in pen sleeve in padded case. Used carefully. Treated carefully. Filled twice. Noticed ink all over my hand. No obvious problem. When home I emptied the pen and notice a thin crack in the barrel at the "turning knob" end, just before the aluminium. Now unusable. Ink seeping out. Complete waste of money. Complete crap. Either desire flaw, or poor materials or both. Watch out. Will never buy another Gravitas POS, nor from this retailer again.

Gravitas - Monster Grade 5 Titanium & Ultem | Stone Washed

Mikko

Quality engineering

I skipped the original aluminum Monster mainly due to fear of slipperiness. I've had issues with other aluminum pens and I seem to recall multiple reviewers mentioning such with the aluminum Monster. I heard no such complaints for the stone washed titanium one so I eventually went for it. I'm glad I did!

The large broad nib is silky smooth, the matte finish comfortably grippy, the vacuum filling system well made and the ink capacity very impressive. The body is nice and thick and feels suitably hefty. I also like the look of the matte finish. Matte doesn't seem to be quite as common in fountain pens as all kinds of shiny finishes (which can obviously be great too!) so it's nice whenever it's an option.

I'm not used to pens without any kind of roll stop but at least on my shall we say busy desk the Monster is quite safe from falling. I'm not sure if the Ultem in this one is supposed to be sturdier than the acrylic in some other versions or not but better be safe in any case.

Shipping was quick and secure and included a traditional handwritten letter from Emy. Thank you!

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Another Great Gravitas Pen