Super5 Fountain Pen

Super5 Fountain pen first came to my attention by way of its waterproof ink. It was adored especially by artists since the ink is also extremely lightfast (fade resistance to light) and very close to PH neutral. To complement this seemingly amazing line of ink, the pen should not be too shabby, right? Last Christmas I joined one of the Massdrop offers on Super5 Fountain pens and purchased one with .5mm calligraphy nib.

Here are the details on this pen (information extracted from Massdrop and Super5’s sites)

• Length: 14cm (≈5.5in; capped); 12.7cm (≈5in; uncapped)
• Weight: 24g (≈.8oz; capped); 19g (≈.7oz; uncapped)
• Filling system: international short, Kaweco mini converter, Super5 converter
• Nib material: stainless steel
• Body materials: plastic barrel and cap with metal grip and clip

Humans are visual animals so the appearance of a pen could play a role in the purchase. Looking at my purchase records, most of my pens have leaned toward the simple designs without much decoration (My most decorated pen is a Platinum Maki-e), so Super5 fits my usual modus operanti. It conforms with most classic pens, conical shape with tapered head and end with a black metal clip that ensures the pen stays put in pockets. The color selection for Super5 fountain pen mostly corresponds to its ink line: Arctic (white; it really looks like a Storm Trooper to me), Atlantic (dark blue), Australia (dark red), Darmstadt (black), Delhi (orange), Dublin (green), and Frankfurt (gray). It was a rather difficult choice, and I have contemplated purchasing multiple with different nib width for a couple days but at the end, I settled on Delhi.

Simple design

 

The only noticeable branding on pen, embossed with “Super5”

Do not let its simple exterior fools you, the grip section is surprisingly heavy. When I first opened the package, I assumed the pen was a lightweight judging by its plastic exterior, until I almost dropped it. By itself, the grip section plus the nib weighs 15g, which accounts for 94% of the body weight sans cap. Even though the pen appears to be top heavy, it is very balanced while holding it, as the weight gravitates down when one writes. Besides adding durability and balance, the metal grip warms up as you use the pen, which renders the hold more comfortable.

 

Super5 nib works right out of the box. With Stipula Grigio Fumo (Fading Gray), the nib laid down a web stroke with buttery smoothness. The italic nib is sharp so the ink flow cleanly to make those little “ticks” without piercing the paper.  Love by first write is not an exaggeration by any means, as I become more enamored with each usage. Another thing about Super5 pen is that it does not dry as easily as other fountain pens. After leaving the cap off for a couple minutes the pen will still write, picking up where it left off. My speculation is since the pen is designed to use waterproof ink, anti-drying property would be a must.

The .5mm italic nib is quite versatile; it is wide enough for calligraphy and adds a bit of personality to one’s writing when used normally. As seen in the picture below, .5mm nib writes just a slightly thicker than a European medium nib so it is close to two pens in one. Super5 fountain pen takes an international cartridge. A Super5 converter is available for purchase, and just for those who are curious, a Kaweco mini converter will fit nicely as well.

Here is something good to look forward to, according to Matthias who attended Insights X last year, Super5 with a flex nib is in the making with an indefinite releasing date. I am very much looking forward to this new addition, as I am having a great experience with the italic.

The pen costs 24,90€ on Papier Labor that includes 19% VAT. I purchased it for $24.95, including shipping on MassDrop. For a pen that is easy to use and is designed to use iron gall ink, I believe it is a great addition to anyone’s rotation.