Hey James, I wanted to leave you a comment because I think you make fantastic videos and reviews, from your own warm persona, to the detail in which you go into. As an architect I work with a lot of pens, and just recently I got back into fountain pens as my design studio students bought me an engraved Lamy AL as a wonderful gift. Although I work with computers as well, including with Wacom Cintiqs - I love going back to pen and paper in an ever growing digital era. You remind everyone of what should not be left behind, i.e., 'the pen on paper', and all its magic. Thank you James and please keep up your wonderful channel, my students will be visiting it as well without a doubt.
I'm somewhat obsessed with pocket pens, since I got myself a Platinum Pocket Pen from the 1960s. Among my "grail pens" are the Gravitas Pocket Pen and now the Quark. Ben Walsh does amazing work. In answer to your question about cursive upper-case Q. All my capital letters are usually just how I print them, no special cursive strokes, to me a lot of the cursive capital letters don't make sense. My Q though goes through two forms, just a print Q, an O with the stroke, or if I feel like it, I just keep the pen on the paper, loop a little around the O again and then create the stroke from the 9 o'clock position through the 4 or 5 o'clock.
Ben Walsh strikes again! As someone who has permanently "misplaced" a Kaweco AL Sport and a Pilot Prera, I would be worried about losing the Quark. I've been on the Gravitas site a few times, but haven't convinced myself to purchase yet. Ben does some impressive engraving and anodizing. Thank, James!
When I learned cursive (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth🦕) I was taught to make a capital Q similar to yours, resembling a large 2. I still do it that way, I try not to mix block printing with my cursive. Writing in cursive with a fountain pen is something I really enjoy. 🤗
Most fountain pen users won’t think the turns to uncap is nitpicking. You’re counting the full rotations, but in use we rarely turn in full rotations. I guess for me it must be 1/4 rotation, because I had a benu vodka on the rocks that felt like 20 wrenching movements to get the cap off. I paid close to $200 to get that pen, but when I lost it, I felt more guilt than sorrow. I almost felt relieved in a way. God forgive me.
I actually bough the E95S based on a RUclips video presentation and review. After receiving it, and writing with it, I bough the other color for my wife (champaign /maroon). Both are med nibs and smooth as butter! Love the 14k gold nib and its inlaid look! Just my two cents...
Welp I’m in the same boat. I already have established some everyday writers (eco has been with me through thick and thin) and was thinking about picking up the e95s… not sure if I would always be bringing it with me (I bring a b3 aviator everywhere) but there’s something about it that just draws me towards it.
I can relate to the seasonal EDC change - it’s been near 90 degrees and 100% humidity here in PA. My go-to pen has been the (budget-friendly) Ohto Tasche, but this Quark looks like a much more premium experience. Thanks for another great and thorough review!
Upper case Q's and G's bug me, as I was taught in school. I currently make a Q by first drawing an O, clockwise, starting at the bottom. As I get back around to the bottom, I make a small loop up which ends in the Q's tail out the right hand side. My upper case E's always look like spinal failures. If I were to write to a chiropractor I would try to avoid them. I wouldn't want to give the poor fellow nightmares. Other than that, my handwriting continues to improve. I'm happy. Hope all is well with you. Your videos always add to the day.
As a lover of pocket pens, I’ve collected pens even shorter than Quark, not with a #6 nib though.. I’d love to have this, subject to its availability in India !
Another very informative video, James. Thanks. I have a Gravitas Entry in copper and like it very well. However, I doubt I'll buy one of these, however. I have a couple of pocket pens and don't really feel any need for another, especially since one is a Pilot Elite. Hard to top that. What impressed me the most in your video, though, was your quote. Didn't know you are also a Steven Wright fan. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were driving your car at the speed of light and you flashed your high beams?
@@JG3Reviews Not to sound self-congratulatory, but his stuff seems to me to be for thinking people, too. Plus, it is not "blue." He doesn't have to rely on vulgarity. To the contrary, his appearance and demeanor are the opposite of most "comics" nowadays. You know there are collections of his "greatest hits" on numerous internet sites. They are fun to visit. Keep up your good work.
Incidentally, for pocket pens with #6 nibs (which i do collect), my shortest capped is the PenBBS 471, at about 85mm, with the SchonDSGN Pocket 6 at 90mm, and the ēnsso Piuma Pocket at 92mm, so the Quark is the smallest so far! The Kaweco Supra seems a giant at 100mm! 😆
I love my Quark! I got the turquoise color with a fine nib. It’s light, feels great in my hand, and writes like a dream. It’s my EDC. I like the lanyard/carrier combo with the cartridge storage- very cool.
I already own a Schondsgn pocket six in copper and I love it! And how many pocket pens do you need? But I am looking at the quark in stonewashed zirconium. It looks so good I'll probably end up buying one...
The section shape is pretty close to that of the vintage Wahl-Eversharp Skyline, which is always a good thing ergonomically, and the section grooves remind me of Sheaffer's pens from the 1950s.
Hey, I see that I'm quite late here, but can I just ask you one silly question? Does this titanium pen make a clear-ringing cowbell sound when you softly hit the cap with the barrel? I know it's awkward asking this, but I've seen a video of this pen (a zirconium one) making that sound, and i just got mesmerized 😅
In that line, I have an ēnsso XS Minimalist Pocket pen in sanded titanium which is the same size as my Liliput. It has a pull-off cap which is handier for quick notes. Something to check out if you like pocket pens. I’m going to go look at the Quark.
That's a lovely pen, but I doubt I'll ever own one, primarily because of the price. I am a budget collector, and I don't know if I'll ever convince myself to spend more than $50 or $60 for a pen (let alone convince my wife to go along with it).
I like the Gravitas pen. But this Quark is special. I like that it will take a Jowo #6 nib, but the website says only the supplied Gravitas nib should be used. I like the Jowo flex EF nib but is not offered here. Why cannot I switch nibs?
I'll see what I can find out. Maybe it's a warranty thing, like Pilot warranties saying you can only use Pilot inks? Not sure, but it says JOWO nib units are compatible.
The reason is, my nibs sit around 2 mm dither into the housing, you can absolutely switch to any other nib you just need to use the housing I supply with it.
Sure. The shape of the two is pretty much the same shape, which I think is a good design. The Quark's is lighter than the Pocket's, so the difference is in weight. My Pocket is the brass version, making for a significant weight difference.
I know you're using a dry ink, but that broad looks to me more like a F or MF. I bought the Ultem pocket dropper with a broad nib that was an absolute gusher, more like a double-broad, and ended up swapping for a medium to match the nibs on my ever-expanding list of Gravitas pens. Looking forward to getting a Quark, thanks for the review!
I noticed that during the writing test it was drier. I think that’s partly because I had the cap off quite a while, and it just seemed to write a narrower line on Rhodia. I just compared it to a Schmidt M I had handy and the B was definitely broader on Ayush paper. It compares well to my Kaweco B.
To answer that question about cursive Q I write mine like an upside down cursive O, or maybe you could describe it as a 2 with all ends touching the bottom line of a ruled paper. (its how we're thought it school)
I work retailers, family run and owned if at all possible. Not to take a massive shit on amazon but… I don’t think they care about the pens like a pen retailer would. They just care about profit margins and nothing more.
This is just a scam -ordered and paid for a pen and shipping Gravitas is now denying my order and the payment confirmed by my bank. Are you a just a shill for them?
do you really take this much time to write a couple of words down? you must have hated exams!! by the time its over you would still be in your first page...shaking around your pen thinking what to write next!! 😅 im kidding, as you say over there in the states.
I used to write so quickly I got cramps. I was in school when notes were still handwritten in class and typed up on a desktop in the evenings. We all work hard to get to the point we can relax, and most forget to. lol
I’ve told you this before, but I’ll say it again - I need to stop watching your videos. You cost me way too much money. My quark will be here Monday according to dhl.
I'm intrigued by these pens, and by Gravitas's use of the broad arrow, or pheon, symbol. In Great Britain its use is intended to denote items of government property - most typically military equipment - and its unauthorized use in Britain is still an offence, I believe. You can read more about the use of the symbol here: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_arrow#:~:text=A%20broad%20arrow%2C%20of%20which,government%20to%20mark%20government%20property.
Nah, they most certainly will not do anything about it as I’ve cleared this before with them. People have reported me too, my family used this symbol long before the ministry of defence and they wouldn’t waste time or resources challenging that.
@@benwalsh9257 I'm sure that it's one of those obsolete pieces of legislation - if ever it was - probably repealed a hundred years ago or so. 😁 In any event, given that you're based in Dublin, I'm not sure how UK law would apply. Ever considered making the Torque in titanium? I could really want one!😉
@@michaelmable336 Yea, coming after a Eu member legally when your now not part of the Eu will make it much harder and costly for them. I have and will be, I just need to do a slight design change to make sure it’s a not sharp enough to slice you.
@@benwalsh9257 That sounds really exciting. I'll have to put my bank account on alert! Know what you mean about slicy - I've a couple of Chinese Ti pens that needed a little time with some 2400 grit paper before they were safe to handle!
Hey James, I wanted to leave you a comment because I think you make fantastic videos and reviews, from your own warm persona, to the detail in which you go into. As an architect I work with a lot of pens, and just recently I got back into fountain pens as my design studio students bought me an engraved Lamy AL as a wonderful gift. Although I work with computers as well, including with Wacom Cintiqs - I love going back to pen and paper in an ever growing digital era. You remind everyone of what should not be left behind, i.e., 'the pen on paper', and all its magic. Thank you James and please keep up your wonderful channel, my students will be visiting it as well without a doubt.
That’s so funny. I’m also amused with my BB nib in my liliput.
I really like Gravitas pens & my pocket pens are EDC's. This Quark looks very nice. Thanks for the review!
I'm somewhat obsessed with pocket pens, since I got myself a Platinum Pocket Pen from the 1960s. Among my "grail pens" are the Gravitas Pocket Pen and now the Quark. Ben Walsh does amazing work.
In answer to your question about cursive upper-case Q. All my capital letters are usually just how I print them, no special cursive strokes, to me a lot of the cursive capital letters don't make sense. My Q though goes through two forms, just a print Q, an O with the stroke, or if I feel like it, I just keep the pen on the paper, loop a little around the O again and then create the stroke from the 9 o'clock position through the 4 or 5 o'clock.
Ben Walsh strikes again! As someone who has permanently "misplaced" a Kaweco AL Sport and a Pilot Prera, I would be worried
about losing the Quark. I've been on the Gravitas site a few times, but haven't convinced myself to purchase yet. Ben does some
impressive engraving and anodizing. Thank, James!
When I learned cursive (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth🦕) I was taught to make a capital Q similar to yours, resembling a large 2. I still do it that way, I try not to mix block printing with my cursive. Writing in cursive with a fountain pen is something I really enjoy. 🤗
Most fountain pen users won’t think the turns to uncap is nitpicking. You’re counting the full rotations, but in use we rarely turn in full rotations. I guess for me it must be 1/4 rotation, because I had a benu vodka on the rocks that felt like 20 wrenching movements to get the cap off. I paid close to $200 to get that pen, but when I lost it, I felt more guilt than sorrow. I almost felt relieved in a way. God forgive me.
Wow, you have exposed me to a pocket pen that is making me drool !
Never have had a pocket pen. The only pocket pen I would buy is the E95S. You do a great job, thank you.
I actually bough the E95S based on a RUclips video presentation and review. After receiving it, and writing with it, I bough the other color for my wife (champaign /maroon). Both are med nibs and smooth as butter! Love the 14k gold nib and its inlaid look! Just my two cents...
@@joem.383 the maroon is the one I want, I just haven’t pulled the trigger.
Welp I’m in the same boat. I already have established some everyday writers (eco has been with me through thick and thin) and was thinking about picking up the e95s… not sure if I would always be bringing it with me (I bring a b3 aviator everywhere) but there’s something about it that just draws me towards it.
I really want a Quark - more even than any other Gravitas pens. It's a real revolution!
Wow! That's an amazing design.
I can relate to the seasonal EDC change - it’s been near 90 degrees and 100% humidity here in PA. My go-to pen has been the (budget-friendly) Ohto Tasche, but this Quark looks like a much more premium experience. Thanks for another great and thorough review!
We used to live in upstate NY, so I know all about those 100% summers!
Upper case Q's and G's bug me, as I was taught in school. I currently make a Q by first drawing an O, clockwise, starting at the bottom. As I get back around to the bottom, I make a small loop up which ends in the Q's tail out the right hand side.
My upper case E's always look like spinal failures. If I were to write to a chiropractor I would try to avoid them. I wouldn't want to give the poor fellow nightmares.
Other than that, my handwriting continues to improve. I'm happy.
Hope all is well with you. Your videos always add to the day.
As a lover of pocket pens, I’ve collected pens even shorter than Quark, not with a #6 nib though..
I’d love to have this, subject to its availability in India !
Another very informative video, James. Thanks. I have a Gravitas Entry in copper and like it very well. However, I doubt I'll buy one of these, however. I have a couple of pocket pens and don't really feel any need for another, especially since one is a Pilot Elite. Hard to top that. What impressed me the most in your video, though, was your quote. Didn't know you are also a Steven Wright fan. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you were driving your car at the speed of light and you flashed your high beams?
Ha! Another good Wright joke. Yes, I'm definitely a fan his dry humor.
@@JG3Reviews Not to sound self-congratulatory, but his stuff seems to me to be for thinking people, too. Plus, it is not "blue." He doesn't have to rely on vulgarity. To the contrary, his appearance and demeanor are the opposite of most "comics" nowadays. You know there are collections of his "greatest hits" on numerous internet sites. They are fun to visit. Keep up your good work.
Incidentally, for pocket pens with #6 nibs (which i do collect), my shortest capped is the PenBBS 471, at about 85mm, with the SchonDSGN Pocket 6 at 90mm, and the ēnsso Piuma Pocket at 92mm, so the Quark is the smallest so far! The Kaweco Supra seems a giant at 100mm! 😆
There might be a smaller one made in India, I can’t remember the name. Possible it’s eyedropper only as they made it to short to fit a cartridge
I love my Quark! I got the turquoise color with a fine nib. It’s light, feels great in my hand, and writes like a dream. It’s my EDC. I like the lanyard/carrier combo with the cartridge storage- very cool.
I already own a Schondsgn pocket six in copper and I love it! And how many pocket pens do you need?
But I am looking at the quark in stonewashed zirconium. It looks so good I'll probably end up buying one...
The section shape is pretty close to that of the vintage Wahl-Eversharp Skyline, which is always a good thing ergonomically, and the section grooves remind me of Sheaffer's pens from the 1950s.
Can the Quark be made into an eyedropper type pen? Thank you again for for the PenBBS 495. I have filled it up and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Another great job, James.
Thanks!
Thanks for this! I’m heavily considering getting one. I wonder if a Kaweco Liliput clip will fit on the Quark. Have you tried?
I haven’t, no.
Very nice
Cool pen tray, btw!
Hey, I see that I'm quite late here, but can I just ask you one silly question?
Does this titanium pen make a clear-ringing cowbell sound when you softly hit the cap with the barrel?
I know it's awkward asking this, but I've seen a video of this pen (a zirconium one) making that sound, and i just got mesmerized 😅
Not awkward at all. My brass Gravitas Pocket makes a great ringing sound. This one is the aluminum version, so no real ring to it.
Thanks! Good to know that the brass one rings too!
In that line, I have an ēnsso XS Minimalist Pocket pen in sanded titanium which is the same size as my Liliput. It has a pull-off cap which is handier for quick notes. Something to check out if you like pocket pens. I’m going to go look at the Quark.
That's a lovely pen, but I doubt I'll ever own one, primarily because of the price. I am a budget collector, and I don't know if I'll ever convince myself to spend more than $50 or $60 for a pen (let alone convince my wife to go along with it).
I like the Gravitas pen. But this Quark is special. I like that it will take a Jowo #6 nib, but the website says only the supplied Gravitas nib should be used. I like the Jowo flex EF nib but is not offered here. Why cannot I switch nibs?
I'll see what I can find out. Maybe it's a warranty thing, like Pilot warranties saying you can only use Pilot inks? Not sure, but it says JOWO nib units are compatible.
@@JG3Reviews The gravitas site says to only use Gravitas nibs on the Quark which is why I didn't buy it.
The reason is, my nibs sit around 2 mm dither into the housing, you can absolutely switch to any other nib you just need to use the housing I supply with it.
@@benwalsh9257 Thanks for answering that, Ben!
I have the gravitas pocket pen, good nib writes good but it is too heavy...The Quark is intersting for me....
please can you say something to the grip section of the gravitas pocket pen vs. the gravitas quark?
Sure. The shape of the two is pretty much the same shape, which I think is a good design. The Quark's is lighter than the Pocket's, so the difference is in weight. My Pocket is the brass version, making for a significant weight difference.
Hi!
Is there a clip that fits the gravitas model quark pocket pen up ultem?
I'm not aware of one, but I also haven't looked to hard, either.
I know you're using a dry ink, but that broad looks to me more like a F or MF. I bought the Ultem pocket dropper with a broad nib that was an absolute gusher, more like a double-broad, and ended up swapping for a medium to match the nibs on my ever-expanding list of Gravitas pens. Looking forward to getting a Quark, thanks for the review!
I noticed that during the writing test it was drier. I think that’s partly because I had the cap off quite a while, and it just seemed to write a narrower line on Rhodia. I just compared it to a Schmidt M I had handy and the B was definitely broader on Ayush paper. It compares well to my Kaweco B.
Yep,My cursive capital Q looks like a loopy 2. I think it looks better than a O with a tail.
What is the glossy transparen Pen in the background?
That’s the Gravitas Polycarbonate pen. There’s a review here of that one, too.
To answer that question about cursive Q
I write mine like an upside down cursive O, or maybe you could describe it as a 2 with all ends touching the bottom line of a ruled paper. (its how we're thought it school)
Cute little pocket pen too bad it has a metal grip section : /
Metal ain’t so bad, I try to make metal not feel like metal but it still has its toughness.
Perfect, but for the US$ equivalent of shipping. This makes the total cost for the basic aluminum model $112.00
It’s $95.54 including shipping costs. Under a hundred bucks!
@@benwalsh9257 I was doing the exchange of 86.80 in pounds sterling. My mistake.
Essa caneta tem um preço de venda muito alto, não? A Pilot E95 faz a mesma função, não? E por um preço melhor....
Several E95 fans here today!
Bloody bell, WHY there's no GRAVITAS on Amazon?? 😠
I work retailers, family run and owned if at all possible. Not to take a massive shit on amazon but… I don’t think they care about the pens like a pen retailer would. They just care about profit margins and nothing more.
My capital Q in cursive is a capital O with a tick at the bottom to show it's a Q, so pretty boring.
This is just a scam -ordered and paid for a pen and shipping Gravitas is now denying my order and the payment confirmed by my bank.
Are you a just a shill for them?
Nope, I had a good experience. Sorry to hear you are having a bad one, that’s not good for anyone. Was your bank any help on the charge?
do you really take this much time to write a couple of words down? you must have hated exams!! by the time its over you would still be in your first page...shaking around your pen thinking what to write next!! 😅 im kidding, as you say over there in the states.
I used to write so quickly I got cramps. I was in school when notes were still handwritten in class and typed up on a desktop in the evenings. We all work hard to get to the point we can relax, and most forget to. lol
I’ve told you this before, but I’ll say it again - I need to stop watching your videos. You cost me way too much money. My quark will be here Monday according to dhl.
Enjoy!
I'm intrigued by these pens, and by Gravitas's use of the broad arrow, or pheon, symbol. In Great Britain its use is intended to denote items of government property - most typically military equipment - and its unauthorized use in Britain is still an offence, I believe. You can read more about the use of the symbol here: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broad_arrow#:~:text=A%20broad%20arrow%2C%20of%20which,government%20to%20mark%20government%20property.
Nah, they most certainly will not do anything about it as I’ve cleared this before with them. People have reported me too, my family used this symbol long before the ministry of defence and they wouldn’t waste time or resources challenging that.
@@benwalsh9257 I'm sure that it's one of those obsolete pieces of legislation - if ever it was - probably repealed a hundred years ago or so. 😁 In any event, given that you're based in Dublin, I'm not sure how UK law would apply. Ever considered making the Torque in titanium? I could really want one!😉
@@michaelmable336 Yea, coming after a Eu member legally when your now not part of the Eu will make it much harder and costly for them. I have and will be, I just need to do a slight design change to make sure it’s a not sharp enough to slice you.
@@benwalsh9257 That sounds really exciting. I'll have to put my bank account on alert! Know what you mean about slicy - I've a couple of Chinese Ti pens that needed a little time with some 2400 grit paper before they were safe to handle!