honestly, their kickstarter is a hot mess.....interesting product, but it feels like they are disingenuously utilizing direct marketing through kickstarter, instead of being a showcase for interesting innovation. It's another 200$ pen, way overpriced for basically a milled steel nib, and aluminum case. Just waiting for china to knockoff their own designs, and start mass producing them cheaply (just like they did with all the glass dip pens 8 years ago)
@@Mr371312 These pens looks about as long as a golf pencil. I probably couldn't use them for more than a word or two, in which case just reach for a ballpoint.
@@gorillaau you clearly don’t understand the purpose of a dip pen or fine fountain pen. It’s not for economy of writing genius especially with dip pens, glass or not.
i imported one of these a couple months ago and was kind of disappointed in it. the pen body is too short. the nib itself is very cool-looking, but very sharp/scratchy, and that was the bigger 0.8 nib that i have. i made myself a new body out of resin and use it like a glass dip pen.
Well Sir, I am a dip pen user from way back and relatively new to fountain pens. Now I did have a fountain pen way back in grade school in the 60's for a calligraphy class but I fond it clogging all the time and opted for the dip pens for ease of use and variety of strokes. I do not believe this pen is not for me, I do appreciate that you did all of the "leg work" and saved so many of us the hassle of trying this pen out and for those who are excited by it good for you! The only thing I found interesting was the puddle palette!
If I wanted to use a stiff dip nib that holds a lot of ink, I would just use an Esterbrook Dipless. Much cheaper, many more options of sizes and types of nib. This is really just a steel version of a glass nib: stiff and unyielding. I guess if you just want a fine nib with no line variation this would work, but see no real value in this for writers. Thanks for the review.
I'd like to own a toy like this, but not for that price. It's only a glorified dip pen after all, basically a fancy stainless steel version of a glass dip pen. Weird that they made the nib holder so short, it would have been so easy to offer different sizes.
A Confederacy of Dunces is my favorite book of all time. I got it with the first three words, lol! I'm also from New Orleans so the book is even funnier to me since I know the EXACT businesses he was referencing even though he gave them different names 🤣🤣🤣
I have a glass dip pen ($20) that I regularly use for ink swatching and testing ink samples. But beyond that, I really don't see a practical use for it where I would want to spend $200+ on a dip pen. Others may disagree, but I see a very limited market for this pen. I appreciate your review though.
The flaw is that the grip area needs to be hollowed out so that it partly covers the ink wells. This would allow you to hold it lower without getting ink on the fingers.
I'm not going to thumb this down, it is a great review, but I have to say, the design is so simple, that a brass screw might do just as well. The price is outrageous and reminds me of a story I heard about a guy buying a horse blanket, where he didn't want a cheap priced blanket, but wanted one worthy of his horse's grandeur, so the dealer upped the price of one of the cheap blankets and the rich man then gladly bought it. Most of the time, the question is, do I want something for the pleasure of the status of having it, or the pleasure of wonderfulness in using it, but in this case I have to wonder if the person making it is just taking advantage of people who are caught up in the fountain pen frenzy developing recently?
@@melody3741 Fair enough, but, before you defend the price, maybe you would like to watch some videos on how to thread metal rods and how to make screws and channels in metal. It takes a couple of minutes, and that's it. It's quite easy to do, and to make and cheaply too. You might just change your mind about what these people's motives really are.
@@gristlevonraben I mean, everything is easy if you have the correct equipment. Most people don't have the tools to make this at home. This is why a market place of products exist.
@@allenwilliamson4096 you are really tempting me to go buy a brass screw, grind a point down, sand it and see if it works. But then you and I will cause this company to lose a lot of money. You really want that kind of karma?
Since it's a dip nib, why not design it to fit in a standard pen staff and drop the price a bit? That nib looks pretty complicated to machine, so I understand it being a bit expensive, but if you include a barrel, why not make it comfortable?
Confederacy of Dunces!! I love that book. My wife an I tend to throw out "oh, my valve!" at least a couple of times a week for various, non-valve related reasons. :-D
Again, what a wonderful review David. Fascinating project, with wonderful ideas. I do so hope that longer pens are offered, and if so, I’m in! I hope the innovators responsible listen carefully to your balanced comments. Thank you for a very enjoyable interlude in my day 😊👍
I like the idea but the nib is just too long. I would get ink all over my fingers and I actually try to avoid that when writting letters. I like to send a very neat page with no smudges. I do like the modern *look* of the pen, especially the spiral. Would love to see that in red. They clearly know top-notch engineering so hopefully the kickstarter gets them the money they need to modify their design, find a way to get the nib to retract into a section after being dipped so that you can keep your fingers ink free. It'd also be nice to increase the lenght even if they don't post. Their ink "cuddle" is brilliant.
These pens are the equivalent of mechanical watches. They are cool and show off artisan craftsmanship but just as a cheap digital watch from a petrol station can beat the Patek Philippe in terms of accuracy, a Bic Biro is a much more practical solution to writing on paper.
It's crazy, almost like humans buy things they like and don't care just about efficiency. If someone likes these pens, the next best option would be to buy a few thousands dolalrs in startup equipment and make it yourself or spend a fortune for a custom job anyways...That's why costs are governed by supply...AND demand... Thanks for your comment, the top comment kinda miffs me. Sure, I get where the top comment comes from, a lot of kickstarters are disingenuous ripoffs. But just let people do what they wanna do with the money they earned. He acts like the fountain pen fad is the first time humans have ever experienced such dynamics. Sure, I don't want to encourage predatory capitalism... However, I'd rather let it all happen laissez-faire and have people learn watch their own backs. Rather than tell them what they should buy because I know best, clearly, which isn't sounding much like capitalism at that point... (And that is the stance that the top-commenter's bias seems to imply, that these people shouldn't be allowed to market their product at their desired price. )
@@GRAYgauss Obviously people should buy what they want. The market place will decide. However, it is apparent that this device is just another show-off item that doesn't even perform as well as the perceived inferior product. It says, I have lots of money but also I have ink on my hands. These two things seem to be opposed to each other. Who even writes any more anyway?
@@dr_ned_flanders Yeah, in the end I agree and was taking up a stance and making it black/white merely to villainize him. Also, agreed, nice way of putting it, what 1%er could stand inky fingers.. Yeah, no kidding, the last time I wrote, my hand was so weak with a pen that it scared me. I've started drawing more to compensate and keep that sort of dexterity.
Thanks, David. Very interesting concept and designs, but it un-checks a lot of the boxes for me personally. The short barrel wouldn't bother me too much for short writing sessions, but my grip would, unquestionably, migrate onto the inky nib. Were the nib grooves sharp to the touch? Very cool "color puddle"! At some point, I would undoubtedly drop the thing on my bare foot nib first. Haven't done that yet with any of my other pens, but this thing looks like it's eager for that assignment!
I’m going to make a guess, but perhaps the one page claim is made for ink designed for glass pens? Japan has quite a few of them, many supposedly unusable in fountain pens. Maybe that might make a difference.
All of these things seem exceptionally well-made, but exceptionally poorly designed. Why they're doing it through Kickstarter when they're an established company, I also don't know. These are plainly made to show off the company's machining techniques and little else - all they end up serving to do is show how bad the company is at product design. The only good part of the whole thing is the 'colour puddle' palette inkwell thing, but that costs about £20 for a tiny piece of metal with some countersunk divots in it.
Despite its literal shortcomings, I really dig this pen. I have small hands and can write with an un-posted Kaweco Sport, so I'd probably be alright, except that price is a bit much.
To fix the engraving and make it more visible, use fingernail polish on the ring and then wipe the polish off with a sheet of paper. You get a cloisonne effect with the indentations of the laser engraving filled in. Alternatively, use two different colors of nail polish to distinguish the nib sizes.
I'd rather not waste my time searching out demarcations. This, to my mind, is a reinvention of an otherwise tried & tested concept - I'll adhere to my vintage dip pens - but I wish you well in (your) endeavour. We cannot all like everything that is presented to the market.
Each to their own. I (also) have very large hands, & there's no way that these pens, save for the 'Twin', would be practical; working from David's (comparitive) measurements in the review, that barrel wouldn't even reach the web space between my thumb & forefinger. You mention at the end of your comment that you employ Pilot Parallel barrels - I own those, too, & they're a far more straightforward design, ergo, selling the product short (literally). No doubt there will be interest in this pen, but not for me. It's limitations far outweigh the practical applications. Enjoy your day.
I was really interested in these until I saw just how short they are. I can't tell if the Twin even posts very securely. Too bad too, I really like the way the Spiral and Mirage look but I like big pens and these stubby little sticks just won't work for me. Then, I was surprised at how sharply it wrote. You can really hear it across the paper. Design wise, I think they are on to some really interesting ideas but the execution is just flat right now.
Same here, no not everybody has a mini lathe and knows how to cut spirals with it like I do. But; I could fashion one of those knibbs in about half an hour with a few cents worth of stainless bar stock and some polishing compounds. They're out of their freaking Minds for $220. FOH. Now I'm not saying just because I could fashion a nib for a couple of cents means that the Pen is only worth that; absolutely not. I understand paying for a person's skill, and their time, Etc. But you have to assume that a company like this one is fashioning these pens with pre-programmed machines and doing it on a massive scale thereby reducing their actual time and skill in producing it. Even if I were to produce one of these by hand ; and we all know that handmade artisan quality products cost a lot more; I still wouldn't charge anywhere close to what they're asking for this. Shameful. With that kind of price they won't be in business very long.
The length seams like it would very much be a problem for me, i wish there was a workaround for that, even on my lamy i grip so close to the nib i end up with ink on my hands
I agree with Jackie about this campaign. It makes no sense to me. I'd be afraid to put any money into it. I have some extremely expensive fountain pens, so I don't mind paying for something I like, but I can't see where these pens are worth the money. The length alone is a deal breaker. If I have to post a pen that isn't a very short pocket pen, then I look elsewhere. I hate having to post a pen just because the manufacturer didn't make it quite long enough. I think that was a silly mistake. And while I love dip pens, and use them often, the only things these have going on that separates them from regular dip pens is that they're made of aluminum, and they're too heavy, and they look pretty cool. But they're too heavy. Fountain pens write better when they have some weight to them, especially if the weight is down near the nib. Dip pens work better when they large enough to hold easily, but they need to be light. Maybe it's just personal taste, but as cool as these pens look, I wouldn't want them to actually use, even if they weren't so short, and the price is simply way, way out of line.
I have been wanting one of these ever since Inky Rocks did a short review last winter. At the time you could only get one in Japan. You did a very good review and showed the options, and that is a big help. As always another great job sir, Thank You.
Definitely too short. I'd probably get the one that posts and never unpost it. But the line quality looks really good. Definitely a cool looking nib. I'd love to see Peter Draws do a drawing with it.
Very interesting. Obviously, not for do-it-yourself-ers, because of the hygroscopic coating. It is enough of a novelty that I would love to own one, fine nib (0.5) in stainless, but not $250+ worth.
man wouldnt it be cool if the pen had something like an ink reservior which could feed ink into the nib and allow a user to actually fill a whole A4 page? /s
I know this channel is probably more focused on writing, but do you have any idea whether to use a dip pen or fountain pen for drawing? I have been using a fountain pen, and dip pens seem really cool, but I’m not sure if they are good for my application.
I personally love dip pens, but they have limitations. A fountain pen can put down different line weights, because it can flex, where dip pens are almost always entirely rigid, and put down a steady line that cannot get thicker and thinner. I like the ease of use and cleaning of a dip pen, and find them fun to use for quick drawings and such. I think fountain pens have more usability in art, but dip pens are also great if you dont care as much about line weight, like i do
Where I live dip pen sets are usually marketed as "Zeichenfederset" which translates "drawing nib set". The main advantages dip pens have over fountain pens are: Ease of cleaning - which greatly facilitats changing ink colours on the fly. Using multiple colours with fountain pens is pretty unfeasible unless you use multiple fountain pens. With dip pen some clean water and a rag are all you need to change ink in a matter of seconds. There's a much broader range of nib shapes and properties available. Fountain pens are designed with writing in mind and you don't that much line variation while writing, which why is most fountain pen makers don't bother offering specialty nibs. Besides: in order to ensure ink flow, part of the nibs needs to sit snugly on the fountain pen's ink feed, which restricts how flexible a fountain pen nib can be. 'Flexible' fountain pen nibs (don't try to flex a fountain pen nib that isn't designed to flex, it will bend and you'll have to replace it or worse, replace the entire nib unit!), are nowhere near as flexible as flexible dip pen nibs. The nibs also need to work with the ink flow that is provided by the ink feed, which also puts restrictions on the nibs that work with any given fountain pen design. The makers of dip pen nibs don't face those restrictions and offering a wide range of specialty nibs is their main selling point. Another aspect of dip pen nibs is that they're comparatively cheap What I think is the main reason some artists favour dip pens is the fact that dip pens can handle pigment based inks that would destroy fountain pens. Pigment based inks give much more saturated colours than the dye based inks fountain pens are restricted to. The main disadvantage of dip pens is: You constantly have to dip your pen. Depending on how you work you might find that highly annoying. Whether or not the advantages outweigh the hassle of constant re-dipping is something you need to decide for yourself.
You could use the Drillog script on the barrel of the Twin to remind you how you have oriented the nibs. Right side up - thin (0.5mm). Upside down - thick (0.8mm).
Small question about the Twin. model. You say that if you only use one nib, it's hard to tell on which side it is. But there's a white logo on the grip, so if you decide that you place the nib above that logo, you always know on which side it is, right?
A very cool looking nib. Combine short body and price and it's a no go for me for a dip pen. If they ever figure out how to make it with a converter or ink piston pen I would probably own one. Great review as always.
Thanks for this comprehensive look at the Drillog. I've been so curious about these. It's a shame that they didn't make the bodies a bit longer. And at that price, I can get a fairly nice fountain pen. The part of this package I'd really like is the Color Puddle--what a neat little device. Although I suppose clanking a glass dip pen nib against that metal, which could easily happen if your hand slipped, would not be good for the glass nib.
I'm not into dip pens... I don't know why youtube recommended your video... But I did not regret the ~20 min I spent listening to someone show off there hobby. Nice video!
How TF did I end up on this video? I was watching random videos and papa RUclips was like "Pens?" Needless to say, I watched the whole thing and I don't think I will be getting one of these. Not that I ever thought I would, nor did I even know they existed. But this thorough review solidified the decision.
Pen barrel too short, that's no good for me because as a left handed writer, I tend to hold a pen further up the barrel, to compensate for pushing a pen. This makes them a non-starter. Excellent review, thanks, David.
Great review! This dip pen looks like a better alternative to glass, however now that you highlighted the length being too short, I will have to pass. Good thing I watched this before jumping on the Kickstarter!
I'm not sure about that. Certainly not for my uses. A good glass pen just can't be beat for testing ink. And I can get a LOT of good glass pens for the price of one of these.
If they had a sliding piece that would drop down over the nib. and a detent locking it into place. so you could hold it closer to the tip would make this a lot nicer. And it's over priced in my opinion.
I said the exact same thing about knives, then I bought a $15 Ganzo FH11. A few years later, there's a case filled with about $15k worth of knives sitting at my feet.
I have only seen like 2 of your vids, I'm not even a big pen person. But I'd like to help with your presentation. Put your notes above or below the camera. The up and down eye movement is less noticeable. 😁👌👍🙋♂️
Sorry if this comes across as blunt, but my recap: 1) Too short. Can't post. 2) Fingers tend to slip into the ink runnels. 3) Scratchy. 4) Very expensive. 5) Writing performance isn't even half what the company claims in the real world. 6) Covered with labels... but not very legible ones. You could (have a friend) machine a longer nib holder but then you're giving up a lot of the specific design appeal of the package. I really don't see a reason for this gimmick. It seems to perform like a typical glass dip pen (even operates on the same principal) but at a very premium price, and with fewer comforts.
Oh, one thing. Fountain pen inks do not work very well with a dip pen. They're too thin, and no pen is going to hold an entire A4 page worth of ink. Actual calligraphy inks are a good deal thinker, and are designed to work with dip pens. Because of this, you will get a lot more words using a calligraphy ink than you will using a standard fountain pen ink.
I appreciate a nice Pen but it's still just a Pen. This thing is really cool- I'd maybe spend 20 dollars on it just because it's neat but otherwise I'll take my Crystal Bics and felt Sharpies- cheap, reliable , practical and last forever if you take care of them- since they're so cheap though it doesn't matter if you forget. I do kinda wish we still lived in the Days when a nice Pen was a status symbol.
Welp... Having already gotten excited enough to get burnt on the Glass Dip Pen craze a few years ago... I just wanted to see... AND thank YOU for showing it. It's another over-priced waste... If one can't be bothered to dip the nibs, then get a fountain. If you want precisely ZERO line variation, then just get a ball point or roller-ball... You can even get a finer line out of them (down to 0.3mm)... I'm 90% using the dip nibs for art. It's 100% or more about LINE VARIATION CONTROL, and when I'm down to lithography nibs and a 0.001mm line (fine enough to draw a smiley on a grain of rice BY HAND) for cross-hatching that boggles a viewer's mind with a magnifying instrument, I'm well past the pretentious nature of a dip nib for people who can't stand dip pens... BUT you (again) gave a fair and balanced review of the performance. Obviously, I'll save my money, and for that, I am truly grateful... even as late to the rodeo as I am (haha)... ;o)
RIDICULOUS Kickstarter prices . This project will die on its arse. Now the practicality . An OPEN bottle of ink,you need to clean the nib off with tissues . Running water would be best to stop cross ink contamination . Also you have to carry so many different bottles of ink whereas with fountain pens you can carry six EASILY . NO THIS is is someone looking to make others give them a living . IT WILL NOT TAKE OFF.
Hey! I know you probably wont see this. I just wanted to let you know I love your enthusiasm and it has made be come back in to the pen world again. Thank you sir.
$220 for a pen. Y'all fountain pen Fanatics are crazy. I only clicked on the video because I thought the pen tip looked cool in the thumbnail. I have a mini lathe, and could fashion one of these nibs in an hour with a few cents worth of barstock and some polishing compounds. They're out of their freaking Minds for $220. FOH
I'll just say that you forgot the word "fleshy" to describe the head the green hunting cap was squeezing. Also, what do I have to do to get you to send me the SUS model?
My compliments to the designers of these pens, in that they have provided some unique offerings for the dip pen user. From this thorough review, and one other that I read, this pen needs to return to the drawing board for needed improvements. Sometimes you don't know how a product will perform or be received until you get it out there for people to use. Hopefully, the creators will take the various improvement suggestions seriously. The price for these pens seems excessive, as the Kakimori metal nib seems to do a better job at a much lower cost, even though you have to buy the holder separately. Thanks for the review!
just from the looks of it, thinking of how to hold it, it's bad nib too large, body too short, its really bad imho kinda sad, i really liked the nib design too also liked how the 0.5 writes
Actually a great idea and design, except for the length of the nib. It's so long that, like you said, you have to hold the pen way down the barrel which seems like it would feel weird. I wonder if it would be more practical if the nib with the channels wasn't QUITE so long...
honestly, their kickstarter is a hot mess.....interesting product, but it feels like they are disingenuously utilizing direct marketing through kickstarter, instead of being a showcase for interesting innovation. It's another 200$ pen, way overpriced for basically a milled steel nib, and aluminum case. Just waiting for china to knockoff their own designs, and start mass producing them cheaply (just like they did with all the glass dip pens 8 years ago)
😂
Its already chinese-sized.
@@Mr371312 These pens looks about as long as a golf pencil. I probably couldn't use them for more than a word or two, in which case just reach for a ballpoint.
So a typical Kickstarter?
@@gorillaau you clearly don’t understand the purpose of a dip pen or fine fountain pen. It’s not for economy of writing genius especially with dip pens, glass or not.
i imported one of these a couple months ago and was kind of disappointed in it. the pen body is too short. the nib itself is very cool-looking, but very sharp/scratchy, and that was the bigger 0.8 nib that i have. i made myself a new body out of resin and use it like a glass dip pen.
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
Well Sir, I am a dip pen user from way back and relatively new to fountain pens. Now I did have a fountain pen way back in grade school in the 60's for a calligraphy class but I fond it clogging all the time and opted for the dip pens for ease of use and variety of strokes. I do not believe this pen is not for me, I do appreciate that you did all of the "leg work" and saved so many of us the hassle of trying this pen out and for those who are excited by it good for you! The only thing I found interesting was the puddle palette!
Yeah me too i was very uninterested until the puddle pallette came in to scene.
If I wanted to use a stiff dip nib that holds a lot of ink, I would just use an Esterbrook Dipless. Much cheaper, many more options of sizes and types of nib. This is really just a steel version of a glass nib: stiff and unyielding. I guess if you just want a fine nib with no line variation this would work, but see no real value in this for writers. Thanks for the review.
You do not think it’s not for you?
So yu DO think it IS something for you? Hehe, sorry, can’t help it
I'd like to own a toy like this, but not for that price. It's only a glorified dip pen after all, basically a fancy stainless steel version of a glass dip pen.
Weird that they made the nib holder so short, it would have been so easy to offer different sizes.
They could have designed them to fit into standard pen staffs too, and just sold the tips.
A Confederacy of Dunces is my favorite book of all time. I got it with the first three words, lol! I'm also from New Orleans so the book is even funnier to me since I know the EXACT businesses he was referencing even though he gave them different names 🤣🤣🤣
I have a glass dip pen ($20) that I regularly use for ink swatching and testing ink samples. But beyond that, I really don't see a practical use for it where I would want to spend $200+ on a dip pen. Others may disagree, but I see a very limited market for this pen. I appreciate your review though.
I really like the idea of this, but the price is way to high.
Too high!
Seeing you try to hold the pen made me squirm. They did almost everything right.
I'll tell you what else will make you squirm: paying £150 for one of these pens.
The flaw is that the grip area needs to be hollowed out so that it partly covers the ink wells. This would allow you to hold it lower without getting ink on the fingers.
@@largol33t1 That would make half of the nib useless. They should have just made the pen longer and added knurling to the grip area.
The opening lines to A Confederacy of Dunces. One of my favorites too!
I'm not going to thumb this down, it is a great review, but I have to say, the design is so simple, that a brass screw might do just as well. The price is outrageous and reminds me of a story I heard about a guy buying a horse blanket, where he didn't want a cheap priced blanket, but wanted one worthy of his horse's grandeur, so the dealer upped the price of one of the cheap blankets and the rich man then gladly bought it. Most of the time, the question is, do I want something for the pleasure of the status of having it, or the pleasure of wonderfulness in using it, but in this case I have to wonder if the person making it is just taking advantage of people who are caught up in the fountain pen frenzy developing recently?
Fwiw this is different than a brass screw. The channels slow down the ink flow so it doesn't all spill out immediately.
@@melody3741 Fair enough, but, before you defend the price, maybe you would like to watch some videos on how to thread metal rods and how to make screws and channels in metal. It takes a couple of minutes, and that's it. It's quite easy to do, and to make and cheaply too. You might just change your mind about what these people's motives really are.
@@gristlevonraben I mean, everything is easy if you have the correct equipment. Most people don't have the tools to make this at home. This is why a market place of products exist.
@@allenwilliamson4096 you are really tempting me to go buy a brass screw, grind a point down, sand it and see if it works. But then you and I will cause this company to lose a lot of money. You really want that kind of karma?
@@gristlevonraben I wanna see you try. I doubt many people see this so I think it'll be relatively harmless
Since it's a dip nib, why not design it to fit in a standard pen staff and drop the price a bit? That nib looks pretty complicated to machine, so I understand it being a bit expensive, but if you include a barrel, why not make it comfortable?
It's likely a cast piece, minor machining, tumbled and chromed. A cent part. The barrels are way more costly.
Confederacy of Dunces!! I love that book. My wife an I tend to throw out "oh, my valve!" at least a couple of times a week for various, non-valve related reasons. :-D
Again, what a wonderful review David. Fascinating project, with wonderful ideas. I do so hope that longer pens are offered, and if so, I’m in! I hope the innovators responsible listen carefully to your balanced comments. Thank you for a very enjoyable interlude in my day 😊👍
I like the idea but the nib is just too long. I would get ink all over my fingers and I actually try to avoid that when writting letters. I like to send a very neat page with no smudges. I do like the modern *look* of the pen, especially the spiral. Would love to see that in red. They clearly know top-notch engineering so hopefully the kickstarter gets them the money they need to modify their design, find a way to get the nib to retract into a section after being dipped so that you can keep your fingers ink free. It'd also be nice to increase the lenght even if they don't post. Their ink "cuddle" is brilliant.
These pens are the equivalent of mechanical watches. They are cool and show off artisan craftsmanship but just as a cheap digital watch from a petrol station can beat the Patek Philippe in terms of accuracy, a Bic Biro is a much more practical solution to writing on paper.
It's crazy, almost like humans buy things they like and don't care just about efficiency. If someone likes these pens, the next best option would be to buy a few thousands dolalrs in startup equipment and make it yourself or spend a fortune for a custom job anyways...That's why costs are governed by supply...AND demand... Thanks for your comment, the top comment kinda miffs me. Sure, I get where the top comment comes from, a lot of kickstarters are disingenuous ripoffs. But just let people do what they wanna do with the money they earned. He acts like the fountain pen fad is the first time humans have ever experienced such dynamics. Sure, I don't want to encourage predatory capitalism... However, I'd rather let it all happen laissez-faire and have people learn watch their own backs. Rather than tell them what they should buy because I know best, clearly, which isn't sounding much like capitalism at that point... (And that is the stance that the top-commenter's bias seems to imply, that these people shouldn't be allowed to market their product at their desired price. )
@@GRAYgauss Obviously people should buy what they want. The market place will decide. However, it is apparent that this device is just another show-off item that doesn't even perform as well as the perceived inferior product. It says, I have lots of money but also I have ink on my hands. These two things seem to be opposed to each other. Who even writes any more anyway?
@@dr_ned_flanders Yeah, in the end I agree and was taking up a stance and making it black/white merely to villainize him. Also, agreed, nice way of putting it, what 1%er could stand inky fingers.. Yeah, no kidding, the last time I wrote, my hand was so weak with a pen that it scared me. I've started drawing more to compensate and keep that sort of dexterity.
Thanks, David.
Very interesting concept and designs, but it un-checks a lot of the boxes for me personally. The short barrel wouldn't bother me too much for short writing sessions, but my grip would, unquestionably, migrate onto the inky nib. Were the nib grooves sharp to the touch?
Very cool "color puddle"!
At some point, I would undoubtedly drop the thing on my bare foot nib first. Haven't done that yet with any of my other pens, but this thing looks like it's eager for that assignment!
The grooves aren't sharp at all...
@@FigbootonPens - Super! Thanks for the reply.
I’m going to make a guess, but perhaps the one page claim is made for ink designed for glass pens? Japan has quite a few of them, many supposedly unusable in fountain pens. Maybe that might make a difference.
All of these things seem exceptionally well-made, but exceptionally poorly designed. Why they're doing it through Kickstarter when they're an established company, I also don't know. These are plainly made to show off the company's machining techniques and little else - all they end up serving to do is show how bad the company is at product design. The only good part of the whole thing is the 'colour puddle' palette inkwell thing, but that costs about £20 for a tiny piece of metal with some countersunk divots in it.
" when the Drillog Dip Pen is SUS."
*_A M O G U S_*
Despite its literal shortcomings, I really dig this pen. I have small hands and can write with an un-posted Kaweco Sport, so I'd probably be alright, except that price is a bit much.
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
To fix the engraving and make it more visible, use fingernail polish on the ring and then wipe the polish off with a sheet of paper. You get a cloisonne effect with the indentations of the laser engraving filled in. Alternatively, use two different colors of nail polish to distinguish the nib sizes.
That seems like an awful lot of effort for what is, essentially the manufacturer's design flaw 🤨
@@andrewtongue7084 Well, you could ship everything back. Or, if you otherwise like the thing, you can make the effort.
I'd rather not waste my time searching out demarcations. This, to my mind, is a reinvention of an otherwise tried & tested concept - I'll adhere to my vintage dip pens - but I wish you well in (your) endeavour. We cannot all like everything that is presented to the market.
@@andrewtongue7084 It is indeed a tried and true reinvention. I use it on my parallel pens.
Each to their own. I (also) have very large hands, & there's no way that these pens, save for the 'Twin', would be practical; working from David's (comparitive) measurements in the review, that barrel wouldn't even reach the web space between my thumb & forefinger. You mention at the end of your comment that you employ Pilot Parallel barrels - I own those, too, & they're a far more straightforward design, ergo, selling the product short (literally). No doubt there will be interest in this pen, but not for me. It's limitations far outweigh the practical applications. Enjoy your day.
15:04 that's a ridiculous claim by the company!
Out of all the models the one which I actually like the most is the........Schon dsgn Ultem 😜😂
I was really interested in these until I saw just how short they are. I can't tell if the Twin even posts very securely. Too bad too, I really like the way the Spiral and Mirage look but I like big pens and these stubby little sticks just won't work for me. Then, I was surprised at how sharply it wrote. You can really hear it across the paper.
Design wise, I think they are on to some really interesting ideas but the execution is just flat right now.
On the Twin Spirals the logo inside the groove provides a way to know which side is the single nib under. Not ideal, but should work.
Yes. I noticed that too, Alex...
This thing is cool as hell and the puddle is AWESOME… but as soon as I saw the price I noped out.
Same here, no not everybody has a mini lathe and knows how to cut spirals with it like I do. But; I could fashion one of those knibbs in about half an hour with a few cents worth of stainless bar stock and some polishing compounds. They're out of their freaking Minds for $220. FOH. Now I'm not saying just because I could fashion a nib for a couple of cents means that the Pen is only worth that; absolutely not. I understand paying for a person's skill, and their time, Etc. But you have to assume that a company like this one is fashioning these pens with pre-programmed machines and doing it on a massive scale thereby reducing their actual time and skill in producing it. Even if I were to produce one of these by hand ; and we all know that handmade artisan quality products cost a lot more; I still wouldn't charge anywhere close to what they're asking for this. Shameful. With that kind of price they won't be in business very long.
The length seams like it would very much be a problem for me, i wish there was a workaround for that, even on my lamy i grip so close to the nib i end up with ink on my hands
I agree with Jackie about this campaign. It makes no sense to me. I'd be afraid to put any money into it.
I have some extremely expensive fountain pens, so I don't mind paying for something I like, but I can't see where these pens are worth the money. The length alone is a deal breaker. If I have to post a pen that isn't a very short pocket pen, then I look elsewhere. I hate having to post a pen just because the manufacturer didn't make it quite long enough. I think that was a silly mistake.
And while I love dip pens, and use them often, the only things these have going on that separates them from regular dip pens is that they're made of aluminum, and they're too heavy, and they look pretty cool. But they're too heavy. Fountain pens write better when they have some weight to them, especially if the weight is down near the nib.
Dip pens work better when they large enough to hold easily, but they need to be light.
Maybe it's just personal taste, but as cool as these pens look, I wouldn't want them to actually use, even if they weren't so short, and the price is simply way, way out of line.
Couldn’t agree more…
They really should lengthen the pens, that's a deal breaker.
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
Lengthen them or make the cap postable.
That, and the price.
Truth be told, why can't we just purchase it Instead of supporting a kick starter
The spiral made me think of a twizzler candy :)
Cool looks, but a missed opportunity, I feel.
Looks like a bit of a gimmick manufacturer stumbled upon while messing about with the tools they already had and some scrap metal.
I have been wanting one of these ever since Inky Rocks did a short review last winter. At the time you could only get one in Japan. You did a very good review and showed the options, and that is a big help. As always another great job sir, Thank You.
Definitely too short. I'd probably get the one that posts and never unpost it. But the line quality looks really good. Definitely a cool looking nib. I'd love to see Peter Draws do a drawing with it.
Very interesting. Obviously, not for do-it-yourself-ers, because of the hygroscopic coating. It is enough of a novelty that I would love to own one, fine nib (0.5) in stainless, but not $250+ worth.
When the pen sus 😳
Thanks for the review! Looks like a really neat pen
I would pay 20 bucks for that pen no way thats better than a safari. You can get a gold nib for 200.
I was digging that until I saw how short they are.
Just get a Pilot Metropolitan and call it a day. You welcome.
man wouldnt it be cool if the pen had something like an ink reservior which could feed ink into the nib and allow a user to actually fill a whole A4 page?
/s
Really appreciate the detailed review, including testing inks for ability to fill a sheet of paper. 👍
I know this channel is probably more focused on writing, but do you have any idea whether to use a dip pen or fountain pen for drawing? I have been using a fountain pen, and dip pens seem really cool, but I’m not sure if they are good for my application.
I personally love dip pens, but they have limitations. A fountain pen can put down different line weights, because it can flex, where dip pens are almost always entirely rigid, and put down a steady line that cannot get thicker and thinner. I like the ease of use and cleaning of a dip pen, and find them fun to use for quick drawings and such. I think fountain pens have more usability in art, but dip pens are also great if you dont care as much about line weight, like i do
Where I live dip pen sets are usually marketed as "Zeichenfederset" which translates "drawing nib set". The main advantages dip pens have over fountain pens are:
Ease of cleaning - which greatly facilitats changing ink colours on the fly. Using multiple colours with fountain pens is pretty unfeasible unless you use multiple fountain pens. With dip pen some clean water and a rag are all you need to change ink in a matter of seconds.
There's a much broader range of nib shapes and properties available. Fountain pens are designed with writing in mind and you don't that much line variation while writing, which why is most fountain pen makers don't bother offering specialty nibs. Besides: in order to ensure ink flow, part of the nibs needs to sit snugly on the fountain pen's ink feed, which restricts how flexible a fountain pen nib can be. 'Flexible' fountain pen nibs (don't try to flex a fountain pen nib that isn't designed to flex, it will bend and you'll have to replace it or worse, replace the entire nib unit!), are nowhere near as flexible as flexible dip pen nibs. The nibs also need to work with the ink flow that is provided by the ink feed, which also puts restrictions on the nibs that work with any given fountain pen design. The makers of dip pen nibs don't face those restrictions and offering a wide range of specialty nibs is their main selling point.
Another aspect of dip pen nibs is that they're comparatively cheap
What I think is the main reason some artists favour dip pens is the fact that dip pens can handle pigment based inks that would destroy fountain pens. Pigment based inks give much more saturated colours than the dye based inks fountain pens are restricted to.
The main disadvantage of dip pens is: You constantly have to dip your pen. Depending on how you work you might find that highly annoying. Whether or not the advantages outweigh the hassle of constant re-dipping is something you need to decide for yourself.
You could use the Drillog script on the barrel of the Twin to remind you how you have oriented the nibs. Right side up - thin (0.5mm). Upside down - thick (0.8mm).
Small question about the Twin. model. You say that if you only use one nib, it's hard to tell on which side it is. But there's a white logo on the grip, so if you decide that you place the nib above that logo, you always know on which side it is, right?
The logo is in the middle of the grip, and the text is rather small to quickly determine orientation.
You have to hold the pen to an exceptionally high position to write? What a stupid design.
Classical sus? SUS!?!?! This ink pen kinda sus ngl fr no cap.
A very cool looking nib. Combine short body and price and it's a no go for me for a dip pen. If they ever figure out how to make it with a converter or ink piston pen I would probably own one. Great review as always.
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
Thanks for this comprehensive look at the Drillog. I've been so curious about these. It's a shame that they didn't make the bodies a bit longer. And at that price, I can get a fairly nice fountain pen. The part of this package I'd really like is the Color Puddle--what a neat little device. Although I suppose clanking a glass dip pen nib against that metal, which could easily happen if your hand slipped, would not be good for the glass nib.
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
It's not good for the glass tip and that is mentioned in the KS.
I'm not into dip pens... I don't know why youtube recommended your video... But I did not regret the ~20 min I spent listening to someone show off there hobby. Nice video!
How TF did I end up on this video? I was watching random videos and papa RUclips was like "Pens?"
Needless to say, I watched the whole thing and I don't think I will be getting one of these. Not that I ever thought I would, nor did I even know they existed. But this thorough review solidified the decision.
Well...thanks for watching, at least. :-). This review was a bit different for the channel...most reviews are of fountain pens and ink.
7:00 *_"The Sus"_*
Pen barrel too short, that's no good for me because as a left handed writer, I tend to hold a pen further up the barrel, to compensate for pushing a pen. This makes them a non-starter. Excellent review, thanks, David.
Nice review! This is tempting except for the price and the ergonomics of the pen.
SUS???
The Ink Puddle blew my mind! Price is a bit steep, sadly.
I'm sure the Chinese will quickly copy these pens and sell at a much lower price. As to whether they will be as good is another question.
@@greyfriar9008 no,maybe they can’t, almost of Chinese don’t use pan which made in china
Great review! This dip pen looks like a better alternative to glass, however now that you highlighted the length being too short, I will have to pass. Good thing I watched this before jumping on the Kickstarter!
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
I'm not sure about that. Certainly not for my uses. A good glass pen just can't be beat for testing ink. And I can get a LOT of good glass pens for the price of one of these.
I would get the twin myself
Looks like a fancy burr bit, I’m quite sure I could fashion one easily with minimal funds invested in the endeavor, cheers!
$220 is a bit too expensive for me.
It would have been nice to compare the writing sample to a regular glass dip pen. It’s a shame they aren’t postable.
If they had a sliding piece that would drop down over the nib. and a detent locking it into place. so you could hold it closer to the tip would make this a lot nicer. And it's over priced in my opinion.
Now the steel pen kinda sus
I just want the ink well lol 😂
seeing the prices i dont think im going to ever collect pens, but stumbling upon your channel has convinced me that i need at least one fancy pen
I said the exact same thing about knives, then I bought a $15 Ganzo FH11. A few years later, there's a case filled with about $15k worth of knives sitting at my feet.
I have only seen like 2 of your vids, I'm not even a big pen person.
But I'd like to help with your presentation. Put your notes above or below the camera. The up and down eye movement is less noticeable. 😁👌👍🙋♂️
Sorry if this comes across as blunt, but my recap:
1) Too short. Can't post.
2) Fingers tend to slip into the ink runnels.
3) Scratchy.
4) Very expensive.
5) Writing performance isn't even half what the company claims in the real world.
6) Covered with labels... but not very legible ones.
You could (have a friend) machine a longer nib holder but then you're giving up a lot of the specific design appeal of the package.
I really don't see a reason for this gimmick. It seems to perform like a typical glass dip pen (even operates on the same principal) but at a very premium price, and with fewer comforts.
The twin spiral, sus and mirage models of the pen barrel can post the cap and you get a normal length pen. It can hold two nibs at same time too.
3:01 ඞ
Oh, one thing. Fountain pen inks do not work very well with a dip pen. They're too thin, and no pen is going to hold an entire A4 page worth of ink. Actual calligraphy inks are a good deal thinker, and are designed to work with dip pens. Because of this, you will get a lot more words using a calligraphy ink than you will using a standard fountain pen ink.
yes but the company didn’t say “calligraphy ink”, from what i can tell their claim is that any ink should be able to fill the page
I see how they got their name, the really do look like metal cutting machine bits.
i have no idea how i got here, but i enjoyed the thorough review and really appreciate the craft.
I appreciate a nice Pen but it's still just a Pen. This thing is really cool- I'd maybe spend 20 dollars on it just because it's neat but otherwise I'll take my Crystal Bics and felt Sharpies- cheap, reliable , practical and last forever if you take care of them- since they're so cheap though it doesn't matter if you forget.
I do kinda wish we still lived in the Days when a nice Pen was a status symbol.
Thats a lot of money for something that will get lost in a couch.
Welp... Having already gotten excited enough to get burnt on the Glass Dip Pen craze a few years ago... I just wanted to see... AND thank YOU for showing it. It's another over-priced waste...
If one can't be bothered to dip the nibs, then get a fountain. If you want precisely ZERO line variation, then just get a ball point or roller-ball... You can even get a finer line out of them (down to 0.3mm)...
I'm 90% using the dip nibs for art. It's 100% or more about LINE VARIATION CONTROL, and when I'm down to lithography nibs and a 0.001mm line (fine enough to draw a smiley on a grain of rice BY HAND) for cross-hatching that boggles a viewer's mind with a magnifying instrument, I'm well past the pretentious nature of a dip nib for people who can't stand dip pens...
BUT you (again) gave a fair and balanced review of the performance. Obviously, I'll save my money, and for that, I am truly grateful... even as late to the rodeo as I am (haha)... ;o)
RIDICULOUS Kickstarter prices . This project will die on its arse. Now the practicality . An OPEN bottle of ink,you need to clean the nib off with tissues . Running water would be best to stop cross ink contamination . Also you have to carry so many different bottles of ink whereas with fountain pens you can carry six EASILY . NO THIS is is someone looking to make others give them a living . IT WILL NOT TAKE OFF.
I wish they would have made them all postable. Thanks for the review!
Hey! I know you probably wont see this. I just wanted to let you know I love your enthusiasm and it has made be come back in to the pen world again. Thank you sir.
Thanks for watching!
$220 for a pen. Y'all fountain pen Fanatics are crazy. I only clicked on the video because I thought the pen tip looked cool in the thumbnail. I have a mini lathe, and could fashion one of these nibs in an hour with a few cents worth of barstock and some polishing compounds. They're out of their freaking Minds for $220. FOH
classical material sus
The pens are cool and all, but as you said, THEY ARE TOO SHORT xd. Advise not to buy, go for some fountain pen or other dip pens because TOO EXX
Great review of a more eclectic writing instrument. Very interesting.
Far too many adds for one video though.
If you're talking RUclips ads, creators don't really get much control over that any more. The algorithm decides.
I was interested for all 19 minutes, until you said the most basic pen costs $220. I think for that amount I’d rather get a nice FP.
I'll just say that you forgot the word "fleshy" to describe the head the green hunting cap was squeezing. Also, what do I have to do to get you to send me the SUS model?
...who else ended up here bc the algorithm started smoking something funny?
Metal CANNOT be hydrophilic . It is ONLY the number of channels ,NOT the composition of the metal.
My compliments to the designers of these pens, in that they have provided some unique offerings for the dip pen user. From this thorough review, and one other that I read, this pen needs to return to the drawing board for needed improvements. Sometimes you don't know how a product will perform or be received until you get it out there for people to use. Hopefully, the creators will take the various improvement suggestions seriously. The price for these pens seems excessive, as the Kakimori metal nib seems to do a better job at a much lower cost, even though you have to buy the holder separately. Thanks for the review!
12:12
Frankly, I see no difference between those 3 colors you're showing there. They're all the same "orang-y" for me...
IMO .8 is too thick and .5 is too thin/thoo sharp. .6 or .7 would've been better.they should offer the full range.
If I remember right, the majority of Asian people have smaller hands compared to Americans. That's likely why the sizes are so small.
That puddle palette is pretty neat.
Might be designed for dainty Japanese ladies' hands rather than strapping burly American hands. I do like the twin, tho...
Very cute and ingenious, but I'm not sure how this has any practical advantage over a regular dip nib pen, other than holding more ink.
This pen is too small for average American hands.
Good review, not so impressive product that falls short of its claims.... in my opinion.
just from the looks of it, thinking of how to hold it, it's bad
nib too large, body too short, its really bad imho
kinda sad, i really liked the nib design too
also liked how the 0.5 writes
I absolutely want to back this KS. My wallet is wholly against it. 🤣
I’m sorry that I have to say this, but. “We have the S.U.S.” I am greatly sorry. But real nice pen!
Dude put the script behind the camera.. It's really cringe watching you read the script on your left.
Make the Mirage a little longer or postable AND a fountain pen and I'd consider one. Dip pen, no thanks.
Too funny…A confederacy of Dunces…..my all time favorite book!!
Actually a great idea and design, except for the length of the nib. It's so long that, like you said, you have to hold the pen way down the barrel which seems like it would feel weird. I wonder if it would be more practical if the nib with the channels wasn't QUITE so long...
I will guess 'Where The Red Fern Grows', just because hunting cap. But I have no idea.