Pens of a Feather...
My more "regular" readers know I have a thing for OMAS. (OK, I'm not as consistent a blogger as a Gram'er- so it's hard to really call you "regular"; but you know what I mean). So when the SCRIBO pen company was launched and filled itself with mostly ex-OMAS, quillessential, creative types (ergo: talented people - yes I'm biased, deal with it) it seemed inevitable that I would gravitate their way. Even so, I was hesitant. For starters, while the feather may have been their logo, they certainly weren't, and aren't, "cheep". Additionally, until recently the offerings from SCRIBO, while purportedly boasting excellent nibs and clearly showing interesting materials, have been of a mid-belly bloat shape that have successfully kept me at arms length. Nothing stands still forever however, and, unfortunately for the welfare of my wallet and my child's inheritance, SCRIBO has decided to leave the nest by introducing the Piuma (which means the small feathers on a bird - consistent with the SCRIBO feather/Quill theme) - and the Piuma has taken wing!
Oooh, like the pen wrap, nice touch (albeit materials are a bit dull and I'll probably never use it).
A little trepidation - am I going to like this?
Yes. Oh yes. So elegant, simple, subtle and seductive.
If it writes like it looks, I'm a happy chappy.
8/10
APPEARANCE AND DESIGN
For this pen, I made a little departure from my standard "bold, bright and big" and I chose a subdued colour that Scribo calls Lieve/Grigio (blue/grey) (can you tell me why it is when you say it in Italian it just sounds so much more interesting?) To be fair, my colour choices were limited as this pen was bought from Pen Chalet on a fabulous deal that saved me more than a few cents.
Waiting for this pen however, I was filled with doubt. Have I gone too conservative? Will I find it too dull? Will I turn off before it turns on?
I need not have worried. The shape, the feel, yes, AND the colour, somehow has drawn me in. I love it.
I wondered about what looks like a steep step between the barrel and the section - but it has zero impact on the writing or holding experience.
I love the length and, closed, the seamless flow and elegance of this pen.
I love that, like the Sailor Rimless Epinard, the Piuma is unencumbered by any banding (the only metal you see when closed, is the clip).
I love that in this colour there is a subtle hint of Tiffany blue - just a smidge greyer.
I love that it's not a perfect torpedo shape but has two flat facets that serve to both stop the pen from rolling and to subtly emboss the brand.
And I love that every time you screw the cap back on, the facets line up perfectly! Brava!
The clip is straight, simple, effective and serviceable. It keeps the pen in your pocket, and slips on comfortably.
Unscrew the cap (a touch over 1 and a half turns) and the subtlety of the colour continues - if just a touch narrower. The drop from barrel to section serves to almost hide the threads at the base of the section and then moves your eyes away by providing a slim, silver circle hinting to the silver glory that lies at the pen's tip.
And then there is the nib. At this point (pun intended) I'll just say that at first glance I thought the length of the nib from base to tip, seemed longer and slimmer than usual - but when I checked it next to other pens - it 's not. So it's just the optics of the rhodium plated silver colour against the blue/grey which adds to the elegance of this design.
Finally, (or should that be finially) there is the little silver coin finial with the Scribo logo of a feather, topping off a great design.
As for the material, notwithstanding my appreciation of this colour, well, it's acrylic. Acrylic is, what it is. It's not a negative, but it's not particularly special either. The Piuma comes in a number of finishes, some, like my Lieve/Grigio and the newly released orange Levante, offer a single colour with bauhaus simplicity; others, like the Utopia and Altrove, play with a pseudo celluloid patterning to perhaps evoke a little nostalgia or vintage vibe. Either way, the material delivers, although it doesn't to my aesthetic deliver the depth or feel of a celluloid or ebonite.
8/10
Lately I have been using a number of steel nibs, and have been enjoying the writing experience. But ink up your Scribo "Feel the Flex" 14k M nib, and you are reminded in no uncertain fashion, why you choose to write with fountain pens, why gold nibs are the preference of so many and why "Scribo" which stands for "Scrittura Bologna" (handwriting, Bologna) has "handwriting" first and foremost in it's name.
