This pen has been near the top of my wishlist for months. Pens with vivid colours and interesting designs attract my attention, and I knew that I'd have to add this to my collection soon.
I recently got the chance to review it for Narwhal - I was impatient to try it out, but luckily shipping from the US to the UK was swift!
It arrived packaged securely in a FedEx box, padded on the inside with bubble wrap. I was delighted when I removed it, as inside was a lovely gift box!
The box has the brand name and colourful Narwhal logo printed on the top.
Pull the ribbon...
Then you will find an instruction mnual. Once you remove this, you can see the pen and the little metal spanner used to take it apart.
They are both surrounded by soft white foam so they won't be damaged in transit.
Please note that in this review I will not be disassembling the pen. I haven't forgotten! Narwhal advise to avoid disassembly unless absolutely necessary. This, of course, made me want to take it to bits immediately. However, as I do like this pen very much and don't know what happens if you do start removing pieces, I'm going to play it safe for once and refrain from messing around with all the pretty pen parts.
For an acrylic pen, the Narwhal is quite weighty. This might be due to the fact that the acrylic is thick and there are metal parts inside. It is reassuring to have some mtal in the filling machanism as it will take much longer to wear out than plastic will.
To fill the pen, unscrew the blind cap anticlockwise. Dip the nib in a bottle of ink, and screw the blind cap clockwise into its original position.
Your pen is now ready to write! I used a purple Diamine shimmer ink (colour coordination and all) annd I can see the shimmer of the ink through the barrel. It looks gorgeous, as if it is a sparkly pen! The combination of the lovely ink and swirly barrel creates a stunning effect. I suspect a conntrast ink would also look good.
The nib is adorned with some interesting scrollwork, and the Narwhal logo is etched into the middle of it.
Can you guess the nib size that I chose?
Yes, that's right. A medium!
It has a nice balanced ink flow, making for a comfortable writing experience that is accentuated by the concave grip. The line is even and consistent.
(For some reason, halfway through this review I decided that it is now called the Narwhal Classic. Don't mind my nonsense).
The cap will post, but it throws off the weight distribution of the pen, making it top-heavy. Because of this, I leave it off, though the balance issue may not bother somebody with a bigger hand.
I like the chrome accents on the pen. The clip is very firm but springy, and reminds me of a snake! This is because the end of the clip has a little hollow in it either side and the general effect is rather like the head of a snake.
The brand name appears only once, on a band above the grip, which I appreciate. When a company pastes their name all over a pen, it ruins its looks and makes it seem cheap.
Overall, the Narwhal Original is a beautiful, affordable and quality pen for its price point. I'm pleased that a pen I have wanted for so long has lived up to my expectations, and I'd recommend it to both beginners and those who already have an established fountan pen collection!
Disclaimer: This pen was sent to me for the purpose of review by Narwhal Pens. All opinions expressed in this article are my own.