Fountain Pen Review: Otto Hutt design 04

Here's another first in Rants of The Archer blog: Otto Hutt, a pen brand from Germany's "Golden City" of Pforzheim. Founded by Karl Hutt in 1920 and successfully run by his son Otto, the company has a first-class reputation around the world through centuries of making jewelry and writing instruments. Using the Bauhaus style, the company produced new products for pocket consumer goods and writing devices made of silver. Otto Hutt still uses silver in some of their pens, but they mostly use brass and aluminum now.

Otto Hutt was relaunched in 2016, and the company's new package includes a modern collection of seven different design lines, design01 to design07. Each line has several variations such as shape, material, and pen type. The design04, however, is an exception as it is the only line with an extensive combination of designs and variations. Otto Hutt design04 is available as a fountain pen, rollerball, ballpoint, or pencil in ten combinations of patterns and designs including this black lacquered square guilloche fountain pen. The lacquered guilloche on the barrel is elegant and classy.

Pen products are presented differently by their brands. Though presentation boxes and accessories are usually unused and kept in storage — or discarded — after purchase, I enjoy seeing them and their branding. To me, such details reveal how a company values its products. I like Otto Hutt's presentation box for their pens. It's elegant, compact, and sturdy, and like their pens, these boxes and other accessories are also 100% Made in Germany.

This sleeve, printed with Otto Hutt logo in silver, covers the box carrying the design04 fountain pen and accessories. 

The box carrying the Otto Hutt design04 fountain pen and accessories is elegant and sturdy.

All Otto Hutt writing instruments are packaged with an ink converter, a cleaning cloth, user manual, and warranty card.

I came across Otto Hutt on Instagram. I was very impressed by the pens from their different series which all speak precision, quality, and functionality. When I discussed this collaboration with them, I didn't know what pen they were going to send. The design04 fountain pen surprised me. It has a subtle design, but it is elegant, classy, and functional. It looks ultra-modern and very Bauhaus, despite coming from an original design by Otto Hutt from the 1960s.

Otto Hutt design04 fountain pen is 100% made in Germany, produced in their own factory with a 70-man workforce. This slim and compact medium-sized pen is made of solid brass. The barrel has a checkered guilloche pattern, lacquered in several color coats with a final velvet, matte finish. The cap and clip of this pen are both made from brass and plated in platinum. For its size, this pen is well balanced. It's not too heavy from the materials it's been made from, but it's not light, either. The design04 is available as a fountain pen, rollerball, twist ballpoint pen, and twist pencil.

Otto Hutt design04 fountain pen black square guilloche with a bicolor steel broad nib.

Otto Hutt writing instruments all carry the label "Made in Germany." Initiated by the German Federation of Jewelry and Watches, this label shows the product came from Germany and is a unique distinction within the jewelry industry. To get the distinction of this label, a brand must fulfill an extensive range of requirements. To fulfill such requirements, Otto Hutt products are exclusively manufactured in Germany using high-quality materials and a sustainable manufacturing process.

Otto Hutt design04 fountain pen has the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.25 in | 13.3 cm
• Length, uncapped: 4.9 in | 12.4 cm
• Length, cap posted: 6.75 in | 17 cm
• Length, barrel only: 3.1 in | 7.8 cm
• Length, section to nib: 2 in | 5 cm 
• Length, cap: 2.3 inches | 5.8 cm
• Weight, capped/empty barrel: 34 g | 1.20 oz
• Weight, cap only: 13 g | 0.45 oz
• Weight, barrel only: 21 g | 0.75 oz
• Body material: Brass with guilloche pattern in a checked design
• Clip material: Brass, coated with platinum
• Nib material: Steel or 18ct gold
• Filling mechanism: Converter or cartridges (standard international long or short) 

The design04's clip is Otto Hutt's unique mechanical spring clip handcrafted from solid brass with a high-quality platinum coating and checked by hand several times to ensure quality. This clip is a special feature of Otto Hutt writing instruments. It is highly polished but well constructed. There are no sharp corners or uneven parts that could snag a shirt pocket or pen case slot. It feels solid, very sturdy, and the spring works perfectly.

The design04's clip bears Otto Hutt's branding and the pen's identification. The company's logo is laser etched on top of the cap behind the clip.

Otto Hutt pens are unique pieces and have individual numbering. A 6-digit numerical code is engraved on the opposite side of the cap, which also bears the word GERMANY. This code is also noted on the warranty card, and it ensures that every writing device is one of a kind.

The cap's finial is engraved with a variation of the Otto Hutt logo, and some people view this branding a little too much. I think the first two branding marks are a nice touch, but I prefer the finial to be smooth and shiny and free of any engravings like this pen's barrel end.

The lacquered guilloche on the barrel of design04 is very elegant and classy. Otto Hutt describes the process of making the barrel pattern: "The barrel sleeves are given a guilloche pattern in a checked design. This is followed by multiple lacquering with colored lacquer and finally with high-quality matt lacquer." The guilloche pattern is smooth to the touch and a perfect combination with the brass barrel.

design04 can be inked using standard international short or long cartridges. It can also be filled with ink using the converter that is included in each Otto Hutt fountain pen purchase. The converter that came with the design04 fountain pen is branded with the Otto Hutt logo and I prefer this because it helps me prevent mix-ups and use the correct converter each time. A  wrong converter could result in breakage or ink spills.

Long brass threads in the barrel and section ensure stability and durability. These threads will always stay in place and prevent unnecessary loosening of the pen parts.

For its fountain pens, Otto Hutt offers both steel and 18ct gold nibs in EF, F, M, and B. A stylized image of half a nib is engraved into the nib. The design04 fountain pen sent to me has a steel bicolor broad nib that is platinum- and yellow gold-plated. The plating is neatly done and it's also very pretty.

The Otto Hutt design04 is a slim and medium-sized fountain pen. While capped, it is shorter than a Faber Castell e-Motion or Lamy 2000 and shares the same length with the Kaweco DIA2.

Uncapped, it's another story. The design04 is now longer than the Faber Castell e-Motion and shares the same length with the Lamy 2000, Kaweco DIA2, and Pelikan M400. This length comparison shows the design04 is not so compact at all. It's a pen that anyone can use for comfortable writing, even without the cap. I also think that if the design04 fountain pen came in the same size as the Faber Castell e-Motion, it will be a heavy brass pen.

To test how the design04's steel broad nib writes, I filled it with Otto Hutt Ocean Blue ink, and the pen performs so well. I inked it out of the box and it wrote smoothly and consistently with good ink flow. In the days that I tested it, this pen always writes even when I have not used it for days. It doesn't skip, and it never had any hard starts at all. This pen's steel nib is so good, it's perfect! Get one for your collection!

Erratum: the design04's cap is made of brass, not silver.

When Otto Hutt sent design04 to me, they kindly included a bottle of one of their handmade inks. I wasn't so sure about their inks, but testing it in my design04 proved me wrong.

Otto Hutt also carries a series of inks for their fountain pens. There are five different colors in their selection of handmade inks, including emerald, black night, ocean blue, red rose, and gold dust. They also have permanent blue and black inks. I got a 30 ml bottle of Otto Hutt Ocean Blue ink together with the Design 04 fountain pen. 

Otto Hutt Ocean Blue fountain pen ink.

Also called 'schoolboy' ink, Ocean Blue is a bright, vibrant blue ink — the blue that I like — that is wet and saturated. It has good flow in the design04's broad nib and shows sheen in some paper types. It has a faint scent of detergent/soap, too! Lastly, I like the Otto Hutt ink bottle because it's so simple yet functional. It's glass, has a wide opening, and a coated metal cap. I just wish they use a more sturdy material for the ink bottle's box.

Otto Hutt Ocean Blue is a nice blue ink, perfect for everyday writing. Get it for your pens!

Otto Hutt design04 fountain pen is an excellent pen. It's subtle, classy, and elegant. This slim, compact, medium-sized pen is well-built, sturdy, and comfortable for writing. It also comes with a 10-year availability and guarantees on all parts. Get one from Otto Hutt where it retails for €185.00, or from authorized sellers in 23 countries worldwide. Find the one nearest you!

This year, Otto Hutt celebrates 100 years of traditional craftsmanship, technical perfection, and timeless design. The company marks this important milestone with many unique products including Unique by Otto Hutt, a bilingual magazine, new pastel colors for their design06, three new additions to design04, and the iconic and innovative designC fountain pen by award-winning international designer Mark Braun. 

Rants of The Archer thanks Otto Hutt for providing the design04 fountain pen for review purposes. Visit the Otto Hutt website or click the links below to learn more about their series 01 to 07:

• design01 - classic
• design02 - classical style with traditional artisanal craftsmanship
• design03 - modern
• design04 
• design05 - functional
• design06 - innovative
• design07 - perfection in form and functionality

Follow Otto Hutt in their new adventures!

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ottohuttgermany)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ottohutt/)

Notebook Review: Maruman Mnemosyne N196A Notepad

Do you know what makes fountain pen users happy? Fountain pens, of course. But do you know what makes fountain pen users happier? Excellent, good-quality fountain pen friendly paper. Paper products come in different types and sizes, and not all are suitable for fountain pen writing. Aside from paper quality, I also consider the size, durability, and availability of a paper product. While most of my notebooks and pads are in A5 size, I'm also using a B6 notebook and notepad from Maruman's Mnemosyne line. I like these B6 notebooks because they are portable and so easy to stash inside my backpack, use for notetaking, and create lists.  

The Mnemosyne range of products is simple, functional, and excellent notebooks from Japan's Maruman Corporation. These notebooks with ultra-smooth paper are all manufactured in Japan using Maruman's original paper. Named after the Greek goddess of memory, Maruman's Mnemosyne has four characteristics: paper (uses original and exclusive Maruman Paper Series for Notebooks), design (simple design, yet very unique), variety (available in a variety of sizes and paper styles), and quality (proudly made in Japan under thorough quality management). I have a couple of Maruman paper products to test, and I chose the N196A B6 Notepad for my first Mnemosyne product review. I like this portable, top-bound spiral notepad that reminds me of steno notebooks.

Maruman created Mnemosyne with a simple design. The sleek black cover is quietly accentuated with the gold Mnemosyne logo.

The Mnemosyne N196A has the following specifications and features:

• Size: B6 | 5 in x 7.5 in 
• Cover material: plastic (front) and thick board (back)
• Binding: top-bound; coated twin ring (black)
• Number of pages: 100 | 50 sheets
• Paper weight: 80 gsm
• Paper type: Maruman Paper Series for Notebooks (MPS-N)
• Page style: ruled/lined; 7 mm
• Page features: perforation; date and title boxes on top of each page
• Other features: environmentally friendly premium paper engineered for smooth writing, acid-free, and works well with fountain pens

Mnemosyne 196 Notepad is top-bound, and the spiral binding is a sturdy coated twin ring that won't snag or easily get deformed. 

The covers and pages of this notebook are cut into semi-rounded corners, which is a nice feature. Sharp page corners fray easily and sometimes cut into palms or hands as one writes. Pulling out the notebook from a bag is also easier.

I like this thick back cover because it's sturdy and gives the notebook stability. I could also use it as a writing surface if needed.

The 196 Notepad's black plastic cover opens to a bright, happy, yellow inside cover page. It is blank, except for the Mnemosyne logo at the bottom. It's a perfect page for some ink art. 

Mnemosyne uses the special Maruman Paper Series for Notebooks (MPS-N) which is engineered for a smooth writing experience. This Maruman-original paper is highly suitable for comfortable writing with different writing instruments such as fountain pens, ballpoint pens, and pencils. MPS-N is acid-free and environmentally friendly as it is made from planted (farmed, I guess) trees. The MPS writing paper is available in different weights—60 gsm, 70 gsm, 80 gsm, and 90 gsm. The MPS-N paper used in Mnemosyne 196 is 80 gsm, which is of higher quality and guarantees no ink bleeding. There is also the MPS-D which is MPS for drawing paper, MPS-W for watercolor, and MPS-C for Croquis, mainly for pencils and sketching.

The Mnemosyne 196 Notepad's pages are ruled/lined in the popular 7 mm spacing. Each page contains  21 lines with each seventh line printed in a thicker weight, dividing the page into three sections. Maruman says that this design makes it easy to organize information. Some people are bothered by this style, but I just fill the page and hardly notice the thick lines—or the page divisions. 

The pages of this Mnemosyne notepad has the popular 7 mm spacing. There are 21 lines on each page, with each seventh line printed in a thicker weight, dividing the page into three sections for easy organization.

At the top of each page are boxes for the date, number of entries, and the title of the entry.

Unlike most notebooks with continuous line ruling, Maruman used dotted lines. The faint gray lines are perfect for writing and notetaking.

The pages in the Mnemosyne notepad are perforated, so it's easy to just tear a page off.

Maruman's MPS-N paper is ultra-smooth and has excellent quality for writing. To test the MPS-N paper, I used various combinations of fountain pens and inks, gel pens, ballpoint, and a Sharpie. My fountain pen nib preference has always been B (broad), and most of the pens I tested have either a broad or stub nib. In the pen and ink tests below, I noticed that most of the fountain pens did not bleed or feather, except for three pens with minor bleeding—two with very wet nibs, and one with a sharp italic nib. I'm still very happy with this notebook's paper despite this minor flaw. I'm glad I saw it so I can avoid using the particular pen and ink combination in this notebook. The paper is also great with the other pens I tested, and the Pilot G2 1.0 just glided smoothly as I wrote. If I were not a fountain pen user, the Mnemosyne + Pilot G2 1.0 will be my perfect paper and pen combo! Now I understand why so many people prefer using Mnemosyne notebooks—the paper is just excellent! 

Pen and ink tests on the Mnemosyne's MPS-N paper. No feathering, just a bit of bleeding, but ultra-smooth paper is perfect for any pen type!

I wrote a full-page using a TWSBI 530 with a medium nib filled with Iroshizuku Asa-gao. The writing experience is extraordinary! The pen just glided on paper while I wrote.

Mnemosyne notepad, fountain pen, blue ink. Lovely, useful combination.

The Mnemosyne 196 B6 is an excellent notepad/notebook that is well-built for writing. The front and back covers are strong and thick enough to protect the pages inside and be a writing surface if needed. This notepad is portable and can easily fit into backpacks, computer bags, or handbags. The 80 gsm MPS-N paper is excellent for writing, and it's fountain pen friendly. Get one for your pens!

Learn more about Mnemosyne notebooks from the Maruman website or follow them on social media:

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/maruman.usa/)
• Twitter (https://www.instagram.com/maruman.usa/)

My deepest gratitude to Maruman USA for sending the Mnemosyne N196A B6 Notepad in this review.

Fountain Pen Review: Stanford Wood Studio Ghost's Breath

I have used fountain pens for almost thirteen years now, and these writing tools have brought me so much — friends from different parts of the world, art and calligraphy, and this blog that I have been working on ever since. Writing reviews for this blog have become educational and entertaining for me. I meet many people, I receive products from different countries, and with them, I learn about their culture and design preferences. 

Through one of my Instagram posts, I came across an interesting pen maker from an equally interesting country. Stanford Wood Studio, based in Stanford, South Africa are makers of canoes and kayaks. But they also make pens. They make fountain pens, solid wood pens, silk pens, and wood and resin pens and pencils. One of their fountain pens, a three-color clipless Unique caught my eye. This fountain pen is unique as it has three distinct barrel colors, its material has an unexpected addition, and it has a very intriguing name: Ghost's Breath.

Stanford Wood Studio Ghost's Breath Unique fountain pen

Di and Dave, the wonderful team at Stanford Wood Studio called the new pen in their Unique series Spookasem, after the Afrikaan name for cotton candy or candy floss. However, in South Africa, Spookasem translates to ghost's breath. The Unique pen, appearing like a sweet mix of fine cotton candy strands, also has the spectral, ethereal feel of a ghost blowing a kiss. A fun ghost, Di said, not the baddie. One that rolls around with kittens in balls of soft wool, and splashes the dawn clouds with watercolors. So they kept the name Ghost's Breath for this one-of-a-kind, only-one-in-the-world fountain pen. 

Ghost's Breath has an interesting name, but its story is even more captivating, one that I love telling people. This fountain pen has a special ingredient embedded in the blank it was made from—wood shavings from a double canoe that Dave was working on! According to Di, when Dave made the blanks, he was also finishing a double canoe in ash. As he completed the canoe's gunnel, he shaved the finest paper-thin curlicues. The canoe was very special to them both as they have spent many, many months to finish it, and they thought the shavings could be a memento of the canoe and be given a new life in a pen. Ghost's Breath contains the ash shavings from Dave's double canoe, and as long as this pen is with me, I will always remember how special it is to Di and Dave, and that somewhere out there is a double canoe waiting to reunite with its playful ghost sibling.

Ghost's Breath has three sides with unique colors. This side has a combination of blue and pink and some purple swirls. The yellow or golden swirls are the ash shavings from Dave's double canoe. 

This side has more blue swirls.

This dominantly pink side is my favorite because it shows more of the ash shavings.

The Ghost's Breath fountain pen has the following measurements:

• Length, capped: 5.5 in | 14 cm | 140 mm
• Length, uncapped: 5.2 in | 13.2 cm | 132 mm
• Length, barrel only: 3.5 in | 8.9 cm | 89 mm
• Length, section to nib: 2.2 in | 5.6 cm | 55.9 mm
• Length, cap: 2.25 inches | 5.7 cm | 57 mm
• Diameter, barrel: 0.6 in | 1.7 cm | 17 mm
• Cap thread: 0.5 in | 1.4 cm | 14 mm

The Ghost's Breath is a well-balanced fountain pen. It has a nice heft that's just right for writing. I also like the diameter of this pen's section and how I can comfortably grip it as I write. This pen's cap doesn't post, but that's okay with me as I do not usually write with my pens posted.

This beautiful fountain pen can be filled with ink using cartridges or converters. It's a standard-sized pen that can be filled with short and long international standard ink cartridges. However, Stanford Wood Studio provides a Beaufort converter for every pen purchase, and the Ghost's Breath came with one.

The Ghost's Breath's cap, section + converter, and barrel. That's Robert Oster Signature Dusky Pink in the converter.

The Ghost's Breath cap has a small breather hole to prevent messy ink burps. Screwing an airtight cap onto the pen usually causes air to be pushed into the ink reservoir (cartridge or converter) through the nib/feed. When the cap is unscrewed, the trapped air is released and the nib usually "burps" ink. A breather hole prevents inky accidents such as these from happening.

The Ghost's Breath's cap has a small breather hole to prevent ink burps. 

Most of my fountain pens have clips, so when I got the clipless Ghosts' Breath, it was a new experience. I realized I always needed to check which end I was holding so I don't put it nib down in my pen wrap. However, the makers of the Ghost's Breath are a thoughtful bunch, they provided these simple design tweaks to remind the user of the pen's ends—the cap has a flat top, while the barrel has a pointed end.  Thoughtful, wise, brilliant design!

Thoughtful, wise, brilliant design: this clipless pen has a flat cap top and pointed barrel end, a very helpful design feature. 

Up close: the beautiful ash shavings.

Ghost's Breath is fitted with a #6 bi-color steel and gold Bock nib in my favorite width, broad (B), but it can also be fitted with either a fine or medium nib. This Bock nib is my first Bock, and it wrote smoothly out of the box. It is soft and springy, and such a joy to write with.

The #6 steel and gold Bock nib in Ghost's Breath is such a joy to write with.

The Ghost's Breath is a full-length fountain pen, sharing almost the same length as a Lamy Safari or TWSBI ECO, but it has more heft. It's a litter shorter than the Esterbrook Estie and Laban Wisteria, but it's comfortable to use for long periods of writing. 

Capped, Ghost's Breath is almost the same size as Lamy Safari or TWSBI ECO and shorter than Esterbrook Estie and Laban Wisteria.

Uncapped, Ghost's Breath has the same length as the other four pens. 

To test this beautiful Ghost's Breath's broad Bock nib, I first filled it with J. Herbin Rouille d'Ancre, but it was too wet and dark to be a match. I also filled it with Laban Greek Mythology Aphrodite, but the pen wrote dry. A search in my ink box revealed the perfect ink color with just the right wetness, Robert Oster Signature Dusky Pink. The Bock nib wrote smoothly, and I did not experience any hard starts, skips, or inky blobs. I had no trouble writing at all. And I am so happy I can use this beautiful ghost to write my own compositions and do some colorful doodles. 

Here is a piece I wrote last summer. The broad Bock nib is a wet and smooth writer and I'm glad I can use it for long periods of writing.

And I can use it for ink art, too!

I am very happy with this unique Ghost's Breath, and I am mesmerized with it still. I feel honored that Stanford Wood Studio trusted me to write the first full review of one of their fountain pens. Ghost's Breath is a well-balanced, built for long-term use, and a stunning and beautiful pen. It's not only a work of art, but it's also art that works!

For now, this is the only Ghost's Breath fountain pen that exists. However, if anyone wants to own one, do visit Stanford Wood Studio's website or send Di and Dave a message at info@stanfordwoodstudio.com. There are also many interesting fountain pens in their shop! Get one for your collection!

To learn more about Stanford Wood Studio, how to buy their kayaks, canoes, and pens, and for other details about their wonderful work, visit their website at https://www.stanfordwoodstudio.com/ or follow them on social media:

• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/StanfordWoodStudio)
• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/stanfordwoodstudio/)

My deepest gratitude to Stanford Wood Studio for sending this fountain pen to Rants of The Archer all the way from Stanford, Western Cape, South Africa to Laguna in the Philippines. It's a fountain pen full of many interesting stories and it will write more significant ones in the days to come.