Pentel Tradio: One of The Absolute Best Fountain Pens on The Market
Written: Aug 22 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Rich ink, refillable, sleek look, well made.
Cons: Can take non fountain pen users a while to get used to.
The Bottom Line: What separates pen lovers from pen junkies? Spending more than fifteen dollars on a pen.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Pentel Tradio Fountain Pentel Pen Black Barrel |
What separates pen lovers from pen junkies? Spending more than fifteen dollars on a pen and not thinking twice about it. To most people that is an obscene amount of money to spend on a "pen" but the Tradio from Pentel is more than just a pen. Granted, this isn't the absolute best fountain pen made but in the price range of fifteen to twenty dollars, it is at the top of the list. I have a passion for black ink and like it to be as dark as possible. That might sound like a moronic statement to make but there are some black inks that are not a true black. Even worse there are some that look great but fade over time. So far I have been completely impressed with the Tradio and the refill that I purchased when the original ink supply gave out. OK, I'll admit it; this pen looks awesome and feels great when you are writing with it. Give the suggested retail price of this, it isn't something that everyone is going to rush out and buy but if you are serious about pens and want something that is going to outlast almost all other fountain pens in this price range, then the Tradio is an awesome pick.
Pentel Tradio Fountain Pen
Aside from the Lancelot and Ion, a majority of the pens that I use on a regular basis are inexpensive. I do have some that are reserved for 'special occasions' or when I am writing in a journal. What makes this worth the price? Smooth ink flow, an incredible weighted balance and the fact that no matter how you write or hold you pen, you are going to get seamless lines with no skipping. The biggest problem with fountain pens is that if you leave the tip on the paper [called 'dwelling'] the ink will start to spread and if there is a grain to it, it will feather [spread into the indentations]. There's no way around that, if the design of the tip were changed then it wouldn’t be a fountain pen.
The Tradio doesn't have a metal tip; this is something that might not sit well with pen purists that insist on a metal point. Metal tips are a little less stable than plastic ones and can rip paper, become bent or rust [rare but it does happen]. Plastic allows for a smoother glide and better coverage. That's not to say that you are going to get a better write from plastic than you will with metal, it's all about personal preference. Another problem with metal tips is that they can make a most annoying scratching sound on certain types of paper. The plastic can make some noises here and there but for the most part, unless you are really pressing hard and grinding the tip, it's completely quiet. How does the tip hold up over time? Since it is a synthetic there is always a chance that it will dull or become damaged but I am on my second set of refills and it is still in mint condition.
Visually this is a true beauty. The combination of flat black, gray and silver give it a higher end look but it's still affordable. Needless to say, this isn't something that you are going to want to buy for your teen or absent minded spouse unless they leave it at home. This lacks a rubber comfort grip but if there was one, it would ruin the look of it. It is extremely comfortable to write with and there have been times when I've used it for hours with no hand cramps or those nasty indentations you can get on your fingers. This is only available in black; at this time Pentel isn't planning on releasing this in any other colors and that's fine with me. The refills can be purchased online or at larger office supply stores but you will need to buy the specific refills [J20] for this or they won't fit inside the barrel.
One thing you need to know about this pen; there are several different Tradio pens sold around the world. Some are marketed as calligraphy pens and are completely different than this fountain pen, others are knock offs of the original from Pentel. There are some sites that say that you can use any type of ink cartridge refill for this but I strongly caution against it. You could end up with ink leaking all over the place, ink getting stopped up in the tip or any number of other problems.
This pen costs about fifteen dollars so it isn't something that's going to be stocked in the pen and pencil section of your local office supply store. You'll have to go to the customer service desk or look for the other 'expensive' pens. Is this worth it? To me it is, I love trying out new pens and when I come across something that costs more than what I normally spend and it's worth the price, I always spread the word. I let a few people use this at a recent toy convention and almost didn't get it back. A few complained about the lack of a comfort grip but everyone else loved it. This isn’t something that you buy on a whim; blowing fifteen dollars on a 'pen' just to have something to write with is pointless [no pun intended]. This is for serious pen lovers and people who still practice the somewhat lost art of actually writing letters to people.
The Bottom Line
The Tradio is a nice fountain pen that delivers perfect lines each and every time you use it. It's not heavy like a pen with a completely metal barrel but it isn't lightweight like the cheaper plastic disposable pens. If you have someone that is a pen lover and want to get them something that they will not only use with pride but love the way that it looks, the Tradio makes for an incredible gift. It looks great even after a lot of use and the fact that you can get refills for it makes it worth the price in my opinion. With only 124 days until Christmas [like you really wanted to hear that] this makes for a great gift to toss in a stocking or show your favorite elf that you really do care. There aren't many people that I would buy this for; simply put, most of them are too irresponsible to have something that costs this much without the risk of them losing it. I'd be "pen checking" them all that time and making sure they hasn't misplaced it, left it somewhere or had it stolen. Maybe they can invent a LoJack for pens!
As always, thanks for the visit…
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2007 Freak369
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Recommended:
Yes
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