Pens Around the World • Caran d’ Ache 849 Fountain Pen Review • Lost Potential
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- A review of the Caran d' Ache 849. Timestamps below.
Intro: 0:10
What's in the Box: 1:33
Design: 2:03
Houston, We Have a Problem: 5:13
A Tale of Customer Service, or Something Like That...: 7:54
My Frankenpen Fix: 10:21
A Poll Question for the Comments: 10:52
Specifications (while discussing the fix): 11:13
Writing Sample: 13:28
Size Comparisons: 17:03
Quick Wrap Up & Unsolicited Advice: 19:19
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Well, I've had my hands on the Caran d'Ache 849 for a few days, my copy is perfectly fine, the nib writes nice and smoothly and needed no replacement. I'm quite happy with it, I actually enjoy writing with it, it glides on the paper. You've received a faulty pen it seems.
I have also a 849 pen and I also had a problem with the nib after some months. But as soon as I contacted the customer service, I got an answer the next day and they send me a new nib unit in just two days at no price. I think your review arrived to them and they improved their customer service because it was excellent.
You know I've been waiting for this! Thank you James, my fountain pen budget is very limited. I love the look of this pen but, I literally can't afford to be disappointed. Fantastic job as always James 🙏💕
Glad to share the experience, Every $ counts, and we hope the work put into the pen is worthy of the work it took to buy it. 👍🏻
Man, get Lamy. "They just works"
I loved the last part of the video. "If you make a product stand by your product". Thank you much for your review. I was thinking about picking up that pen, but I will look elsewhere.
I love the videos don't stop making them.
The word Caran d'ache comes from Turkish (kara taş) originally. It means "black stone" which describes graphite in pencil.
Yes, further back. Russian shares the word as karandash (карандаш). Emmanuel Poiré, whose pen name was the inspiration for Caran d' Ache, is said to have taken it from the Russian. It wouldn't at all be the only word in Russian with Turkish roots, and many more shared with Turkish feom other sources.
It seems that the pen had a factory defect at the nib, i know that their customer service is excellent(in Europe at least) you should resort to warranty and change the nib on that pen, in general, their nibs are very good in the 849 the problem usually it is from the plastic threads to the writing section that tends to break.
Nice to see I’m not the only one with a terrible writing experience with CARAN D ACHE 849 fountain pen. I originally bought one on sale about 4 years ago and the experience almost put me off from enjoying the hobby.
Recently I bought another 849 Fountain pen only because it was on clearance, the store employees themselves warned me of a possible bad experience, I said for 60% off I’ll take my chances. lol well, I should have listened.
Shame on them for not getting this issue rectified after have this pen on the market for years.
Caran d'Ache was the pseudonym of the 19th century French satirist and political cartoonist Emmanuel Poiré. The Swiss art products company Caran d'Ache is named after him.
Hi James,
Thanks for posting this video.
I can't believe that a FP as expensive as Caran d'Ache should be not so great.
I like the idea of a Frankenpen though.
[By the way if you change the "Intro" time stamp from 0:10 to 0:00 [or include a time stamp for 0:00] RUclips should automatically put time gaps onto your video.]
[I can't believe I am the first to leave a comment.]
Happy Fountain Pen Day, James.!
You, too!
Hello! Thank you for the review! I have exactly the same Caran d'Ache pen, and I agree about the nib writing experience, it was very bad out of the box. My nib wasn't too unevenly cut though, but its tines weren't aligned, which made nib very scratchy, and I had to bend them in order to make it work. I expected much better writing for a pen, that costs 1.5x of price of Lamy Safari. But I like the design of the pen very much and the satisfying snap sound, when you place the cap. And after all I've managed to make nib work pretty good. I guess, if someone is considering to try out this pen, it would be better to pay for Lamy (because of better quality control).
Good thing you explained that support section for a replacement nib in detail. I have already ordered one and am waiting for it to arrive. After your video, I'm 50/50 on whatever's goign to arrive. Let's see what happens.
Hope yours is a good one, I'd expect far more are than aren't.
Totaly agree, Thanks for sharing ...
I’d thought of getting one of this - bright yellow - and pairing it with graphite colored ink. Thanks for showing it.
Aloha James! I have been waiting for you to post this video review or at least an update since you first posted the photo of the mangled nib. But I was hoping for a happy ending with a totally "complete" Caran D'Ache pen! I must confess that I was trying to multi-task and didn't completely follow what you did to reach out for customer service (or who is even the US distributor!) I have had a similar experience with a Visconti Rembrandt pen, where the tipping is not even. Unfortunately I didn't notice it until much after I got it as it wrote okay, but had as a nail. I took the loop to it and noticed the un-even tipping, so I reached out to Coles of London and sent it to them, hoping they would swap out the nib and all would be good, but instead they claimed that they adjusted the feed alignment! I have seen Visconti nibs for sale, but this one has a black one (Special Ops model), so finding a replacement may be harder to impossible? I don't think you mentioned this in the review, but why didn't you just return it to the retailer you purchased it from? After buying way more pens than I would like to admit to, that is what I would do and for my Visconti too, if only I had noticed it soon after purchase! I have passed on the 849 only because of the very narrow grip section, but I do own the 849 ballpoint, which is useable. Narrow sections, metal or plastic/resin, makes me think of my Hong Dian Forest that write quite well, but I just can't get a grip on the section! Have a wonderful weekend and what is left of Fountain Pen Day 2021 (any reason this review debut on this day!?) Mahalo from Kauai, Hawaii. Thomas
Hi, Thomas. It's coincidence that it's FPD. I mistakenly blew past the return date before contacting the seller, which I mentioned to Caran d'Ache as well. It's similar to you situation with Visconti in that way.
Have a great weekend!
Love the review and your solution. I'm still trying to source out a quality 14k Chicken Foot nib in medium!
I know a few places you can get a non-gold one in a bowl of soup. 😆
I own this pen and I didn't have any problem with the nib. In my opinion the biggest problem is the ergonomy, the section is too thin and there is a big step between the section and the body of the pen.
My opinion is that it looks better with the Diplomat nib. I also enjoy my Magnum fountain pen.
My first impression on the name is it's something French, yet I have no idea what it means even though it's my first language. Then I studied a bit of Russian. Oh... Well that's one word I'll retain easily!
If only their ink was not so expensive. I would love to get one of these slanted bottles! If only there was an interesting color... and if only they made an interesting pen!
Bravo, James! Great fix to a problem of the least thing a pen should do, write!! Diplomat nibs have always been great in my experience, whether steel or gold.A company should always stand behind their products.
I heard a lots of horror story from this company
The clip looks like it is removable. Is it? Maybe it can be repositioned so the maker's name show?
I’m seeing this video a year later. My colleagues give me this pen as a gift in bright neon orange five years ago. The pen is in a drawer. The writing experience was awful. I’m keeping for two reasons, first it was a gift and second I like the shape of it ( not the color they’re chosen). I like your videos and discovered your channel 3 months ago so I’m going through it and try to catch up. Hello from France.
Glad you're enjoying the videos! My eventual solution to this pen's problems was to use a spare Diplomat nib I had, which fixed it. But, of course, that shouldn't have been necessary. Caran d' Ache never did get back to me.
I got a Caran d'Ache 849 (black, extra-fine nib) quite some time ago. Probably well over a year. I have almost finished writing through one cartridge of ink through the pen. It has three problems for me.
1. The capping is NOT "tight." It's not so loose it falls off (or hasn't so far), but I don't get a feeling of security from it. This may also be a contributing factor to the next problem.
2. It dries out often, but this may be my own fault, as I have not been consistent in using it, and I let it sit too long before picking it up again (we're talking days to weeks, not a few minutes). A quick dip in some water and wiping the nib with a damp tissue generally resolves the issue immediately, and it's not my first pen that has had dry start issues. I keep a vial of water on my desk so it's but a moment of inconvenience to rectify this, and I don't really consider it that much of a problem.
3. The nib frankly just sucks. Straight draw strokes are fine, if a bit wider than I think an extra-fine should be. Side to side, it is scratchy, it digs and tears up the paper, and I simply cannot write smoothly with it. I never contacted the company about it, because I just figured that eventually I would get around to smoothing it myself. I have the equipment to do so. I have inspected the nib under a lighted 30x loupe. I see no misalignment. I see no obvious problem. It is just sharp.
I have a couple of aesthetic issues with it. I frankly expected an all-metal pen to have more weight to it. Perhaps I should have read the specs more carefully and this is my own fault (and the same goes for the fact that I actually expected it to be closer in diameter to the size of their drawing pencils, which I have used in the past).
And there is the matter of that pen name being under the clip. When I saw that, I thought, "I'll just pop that off and move it so that the name sits directly above the clip from the view of holding it in my right hand and using it, only to discover that the clip is "keyed" and will not properly sit rotated to one side or the other.
I'll eventually get around to smoothing it, but I've had so many other pens that I was trying out and working with and that were a much nicer writing experience out of the box that I just haven't put in the time and effort to "fix" this one. And, yeah, for a $50+ pen, part of me feels I should not have had to "fix" it.
I probably wouldn't "recommend" this pen, but I don't feel strongly enough that I feel I should "warn people off of it," either. Just chalk it up as a "less than satisfying experience."
Unfortunately, we're on the same page in the end. A pen like this should just work.
Caran d'Ache was the nickname of a French satirist, which this Swiss company took on when they first bought a pencil company, according to Wikipedia.
His take on the name was quite weird, if you ask me.
Hi James. What about the responsibility of the retailer who sold you this pen? Did you not contact them to request a replacement for your faulty goods?
The fault on my end, which I mentioned in my contact with Cd'A, is that I missed the brief return period. Past that, I have to go through Cd'A.
Have you bought a Leman, they would have replied. You know big brands well, James!
At least, you made the pen working by replacing the nib. 😊
PS: Similar experience happened with me last week with a headphone. Received a faulty one and the company didnot replace even though it has one year warranty.
When I got mine it had a big crack in the grip section. Luckily I had bought it on Amazon and they sent me a new one which is fine and has a smooth nib. But still, it wasn't the best first impression for me either.
Mine is scratchy and no flow at all too 😢 too bad, it looks and holds so good
I’d recommend a nib swap if you like the rest of the pen. It will change the look a little, but redeem the rest of the pen.
I really cannot abide poor customer service. You've spoken before about TWSBI and I've experienced it. I had a cap issue with a 580 RBT. Contacted TWSBI. Rapid response, sent them a bit of pocket change as I caused the issue. They didn't argue, I had a replacement in the mail within days. They absolutely stood behind the brand and, to me, that matters. I now have dozens of TWSBIs and, to a large extent, that is exactly why. I cannot possibly get behind Caran D'Ache after watching this. As I spend far more than I should on this hobby with a collection in excess of 700 FPs, it's themselves they've wounded by letting you down. Thank you for your honest and frank video as always. One to avoid.
TWSBI let me down because it would not replace my pen after it started having ink flow issues, and then the nib started falling apart. I hear TWSBI has improved its quality, but I am not about to take a chance with a company that's unwilling to take responsibility for a pen that malfunctions.
James, I can't tell you about your experience talking to customer service concerning the terrible writing nib. Although I have purchased some fountain pens that had problems.
Most pens come from a store not directly from the manufacture. There is often a language problem at foreign owned store..
In one case, a aeller never answered me in several months time. I fired off another message stating the problem and asking why the delay This responce response came quickly.
The man told me that he was the only person in the entire building, (of half a dozen different stores), that knows English and he had just returned from a vacation.
He also told me many stores had a few pre-written responses that matched up to most messages. Those always asked for a photo. The photo often showed what the problem was as they couldn't read English. You did sent a photo, I don't think this applies in your case.
This may not be your situation, but it could have been.
Sorry for your Caran d'Ache aches, James. I did like the shape of the lousy, misshapen nib that should never have left
Switzerland where these pens are made...right?
I did, too.
What a sad story, with a happy-ish ending. Still, it made me go onto their website and have a look at their fountain pens, many of which are way beyond my budget.
They have some in the stratosphere!
I want a video on a karas custom but I don’t see any
You seem unlucky to get a broken nib. But to be fair, all other reviews of this pens nib are excellent and so is my personal experience after more of one year daily useage.
The arrow shape of the original nib looks a lot like the very, very cheap Indian nibs sold for less than 1$, like those found on the Serwex 162.
Thanks for the review. I think I'll pass on the Caran d'Ache 849. I don't have a Diplomat nib handy in the event the nib I get is of the same quality as yours. :-) It surely doesn't seem that Caran d"Ache cares about non-European customer service...
CUSTOMER SERVICE is not a luxury, not matter what the price. This lack by Caran d' Ache is shocking and disappointing for all who would have considered their pens (of ANY price).
Mine arrived yesterday, and it came with a converter.
Well, that just adds to my questions if they ever get to me. 😆
@@JG3Reviews another side of the story is the nib I received has been tweaked to the perfection; now, I ask, "Did the seller perfected it? Did the seller provided the Caran D'ache converter? Said - well, this chap is from a third world country and cannot throw away his good money at the potential of a bad pen?"
I got a Kaweco Sport ‘clone’ in Brass finish yesterday and I expected it to have the worst nib.. But to my surprise it writes as good as the original Kaweco Sport !
could the fact it is a ball point wannabe have something to do with a bad/horrible nib?
I'll stick with fountain pens that don't try to mimic a ballpoint.
If I want to tote or use a ballpoint, I have 3 Zebra, 2 Parker Jotter, and a Fisher raw brass Cap-o-matic ballpoints. (ain't totted one a them in years ... not since I corrected a "oops" and returned to fountain pens... 🙄😁👍)
My 849 writes very well but I really don't like the grip section it feels like a very cheap plastic. I'm amazed by the lack of respect to the people who chooses their products and also the lack of quality control by a brand like Caran D'Ache.
Interesting, I have a support request message in to Diplomat and have heard nothing after 2 weeks.
I hope they come through!
You would probably like the ystudio pens.
A 50 euro plastic pen (no fancy acrylic here) HAS to write well.
Wow. I've had better response from Chinese pen suppliers when I've bought sub-$10 pens...We're going to have to start calling you the nib whisperer. You're getting pretty good at it.
do a review of the Crown fountain pen from Brazil
I'll have to check that out, it's a new maker to me.
Frankenpens rules! ✒️⚡I like the Franken d' Ache. The Diplomat's nib looks fine, it even looks better in the 849 than in the Magnum 😂.
Thank you for the video. Is not uncommon to have defective nibs, especially in some in-house ones, I remember seen similar defects in Aurora nibs and even in the newest Sheaffer Legacy inlaid nibs too. What matters is how the company manages this situation when someone bought it in retailer.
Thank you for the honest and mildly spicy video😂.
I’ll stick with their ballpoints as I’ve had no issue with them. Their FPS are too expensive for me to waste on a bad pen ! Thanks for the review !
aw man, what a Caran d' Pain
8:33 Oh James. You're just what the doctor prescribed on this dreadful day.
Ha. Always glad to provide a bit of levity.
wondering why you don't swap out the nib ...
I did. I swapped a Diplomat Magnum nib in and it works great. But CdA should have responded. Customer Service stunk.
Another reviewer, in England I believe, posted about a video about two weeks ago (or less) with the exact same experience with the same pen maker. I’m staying away from them.
I'll have to see if I can find that.
wow, so it's a caranplomat now
And better for it, too. The Diplomat nib really improved the pen. lol
Hi James, I love the Diplomat nib 100% better; the original Caran d' Ache nib was terribly boring. The swap has made a great pen; well done.
Chelsea
i dont agree, this pen is one of the best designed writing utensil ive ever used. i bought one 10 years ago and since then i only use pens from caran d' ache because of the quality and writing experience
That’s what I expected, but unfortunately it isn’t what was delivered. As the photo of the nib shows, the problem isn’t a matter of opinion, but of poor quality control, followed up by poorer (non-existent in this case) customer service. I’d love to have had a positive experience, but those just are not the facts in my pen’s case.
But the Magnum nib has redeemed it, at least.
@@JG3Reviews im sorry you had this experience with caran d' ache. maybe you were unlucky and got a pen that was missed by quality control. i know you dont really use ballpoint pens but i recomend you try the caran d'ache 849 ballpoint pen which is my favorite go to pen at the moment
How dare your criticize the Swiss!! Don't you know that makes you just a bigot?! Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did.
😆
In my experience Cd'A have very high manufacturing standards. Maybe you shouldn't have dropped the pen to land on its nib in the first place.
Never happened. The slit is improperly aligned, as seen in the photos.