Fountain Pen Review: Platinum Curidas Gran Red

Back in time when I wasn't using fountain pens yet, I hoarded Pilot G2s in all available colors. They're sturdy, reliable, and cheap. They're also retractable 'click pens' that I love because I didn't need to worry about losing pen caps. Shifting to full fountain pen use changed my writing behavior and preferences. Since then, I got used to pens with caps that snap or screw onto the pens. There are also very few retractable fountain pens, and I only had one of them. Thankfully, Platinum announced in early 2020 the release of their brand new retractable fountain pen, the Curidas. The Curidas is a translucent fountain pen available in five colors, named after combining the English word curiosity and the Japanese word Kuridasu, which means to let out. 

It's true that the Curidas has let out people's curiosity. Before its release, fountain pen collectors and enthusiasts clamored for the Curidas. It was one of the most anticipated fountain pens of 2020, and everyone just wanted to get their Curidas fountain pens. I passed on the opportunity to get a pen last year, but luckily, I got one two weeks ago when Scribe.ph received their new stocks of Platinum Curidas and sent one to me for review. I was so excited to get another retractable fountain pen, and I'm so happy I got one in red!

The outer box of Platinum Curidas is made of board paper with a stylized rendition of the fountain pen and the Curidas logo.

The inner box is made of plastic and contains the Curidas fountain pen, Platinum converter, cartridge, an instruction manual, and a set of tools for disassembling the pen's clip.

The Curidas is one of the world's few retractable fountain pens, and Platinum's first. With the Curidas, Platinum offers a new and unique mechanism and a different writing experience. It is available in five translucent colors and three nib widths. It can be filled with ink using a Platinum cartridge or through bottled ink using the supplied converter. It's helpful that the Curidas can be safely and easily taken apart for cleaning. The clip of the Curidas is removable, and Platinum includes a tool to help in disassembly. This is useful for people who want to use their Curidas fountain pen without the clip.

Platinum Curidas Gran Red fountain pen with a medium nib.

The Curidas is comfortable to use. Unlike the Pilot Vanishing Point's clip that extends almost to the nib, the clip of the Curidas is short, leaving enough space that the user can grip while writing. I also love that Platinum used colored translucent plastic for the Curidas because I can peer into what's inside the barrel, and also because they remind me of the Pilot mechanical pencils I used in my illustration classes in college. Gran Red is stunning! But don't let the plastic put you off—the Curidas is a sturdy and reliable fountain pen. 

Platinum Curidas with the nib extended.

The Platinum Curidas fountain pen has the following specifications and measurements:

• Length, nib retracted: 6.04 in | 15.34 cm
• Length, nib extended: 5.50 in | 13.9 cm
• Diameter, body and section/grip: 0.53 in | 1.34 cm
• Full pen weight: 24 g | 0.84 oz
• Body material: Resin
• Cap: Capless
• Clip: Steel
• Nib: Steel
• Nib sizes: Extra Fine, Fine, Medium
• Colors available: Gran Red, Abyss Blue, Graphite Smoke, Prism Crystal, and Urban Green
• Filling mechanism: Platinum converter or cartridge, both supplied with each pen purchase

I mentioned that Platinum offers a new mechanism in the Curidas, and this design is the only thing that may put off some people from getting one. In order to fill this pen with ink, — using a cartridge or converter — one needs to partly disassemble the pen, and no, there is no other way to fill the pen with ink. The top part of the barrel needs to be removed, and the nib assembly after that. But Platinum designed this assembly with guided grooves so that the user will not be lost in the process of filling or refilling the pen with ink. After receiving this pen, I took a few days before finally taking the pen apart to ink it, and I realized it was so easy to do it. And if I can do it, yes you can do it, too!

It was easy to disassemble the Curidas as taking apart the nib assembly is guided by assigned grooves. It's intimidating at first, but once you get it, it's very easy to do.

The Curidas is a unique fountain pen, but the extended button is quite long. It makes clicking it a bit tricky for me because getting my thumb over it takes my hand away from the other end and increases the risk of hitting something as the nib extends. 

The button of the Curidas is longer than most retractable pens' buttons and it makes the pen exceptionally long.

I received the Gran Red Curidas with a medium nib and it writes so well! I expected it to be dry and scratchy, but I am surprised that it's not. The medium nib writes smoothly, almost stubbish, and delivers wide and wet strokes right out of the box. This medium nib writes thicker lines than most Japanese medium nibs do, in fact, it's very close to a western medium.

The medium nib of the Curidas writes smoothly with wide and wet strokes.

Side by side, the Curidas dwarfs the Pilot Vanishing Point with its long button. It's also thicker at 0.53 inches in diameter than the Vanishing Point at 0.44 inches, but it's still comfortable to grip without the clip getting in the way. While it seems a heavy pen, it's actually light and comfortable to use even for long writing periods.

Platinum Curidas and Pilot Vanishing Point, both retractable fountain pens from Japan.

The Curidas is longer than most full-sized pens because of its long button. With its nib retracted, it is longer than the Lamy Al-star—my standard pen for size comparison, Pilot Vanishing Point, Platinum Prefounte, and Sailor 1911 Profit Junior, also known as Compass 1911. I also noticed that the material for Gran Red is very similar to that of the Crimson Red Prefounte. When the nib is extended and the button is pressed, the Curidas is still slightly longer than all of these fountain pens. 

From the top: Lamy Al-star Ruby Red, Pilot Vanishing Point, Curidas Gran Red, Prefounte Crimson Red, and Sailor Compass 1911 Transparent Red.

Even with the nib extended and the button is pressed, the Curidas is still slightly longer than all of the four pens.

Testing fountain pen nibs and doing writing samples are always a challenge for me. While my purpose is to show how a nib writes, I also want to produce writing samples that are relevant to the pens' origins, designers, or brands. However, there are times when I cannot find any written piece that I feel is suitable, and I do random poems or song lyrics. This time, though, I remembered something I wanted to do before. Remember Sex and the City? The film? There was a scene in the film where Carrie and Mr. Big were reading together, and the book was Love Letters of Great Men, Volume 1. Carrie read a love letter to Mr. Big, and it was Beethoven's letter to his Immortal Beloved. Now that love letter is special to me and one I will always love reading. It's also one I loved writing with a very special red fountain pen with a smooth, wet, stubbish medium nib I filled with matching red ink, Robert Oster's Red Candy.

I used the Platinum converter included in the box to fill the Curidas fountain pen with Robert Oster ink. The medium nib wrote smoothly out of the box, and I did not experience any hard starts, dryness, or skipping. It's a wonderful experience writing with a spectacular nib.

Here is a perfect match of fountain pen, ink, and paper: Platinum Curidas Gran Red, Robert Oster Red Candy, and Midori MD notebook. All perfect for Beethoven's love letter. 
Ever thine. Ever mine. Ever ours.

I missed getting the Curidas the first time it was launched last year and I didn't think that I'll get to try one, especially during these difficult times. But here's one with me now, in a bright and happy color that's just perfect for the times. The Curidas is a wonderful fountain pen made by great pen makers, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to try retractable fountain pens. Get one for your Platinum collection!

Rants of The Archer thanks Scribe.ph for providing the Platinum Curidas Gran Red fountain pen in this review. Scribe offers Platinum fountain pens in their stores and through their online service, Scribe.ph. Visit their website to learn more about their products, promos, and new brand offerings. Scribe.ph now offers worldwide shipping. For more updates, follow them on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScribePH/
• Instagram: https://https://www.instagram.com/scribe.ph/

Fountain Pen Review: On A Whim Woodworks Fountain Pen

Writing about fountain pens allows me to try a variety of products from different makers and to also meet many people behind the brands. With each fountain pen review, I learn about pens, their makers, and the company that produced them. One of the brilliant pen makers I've met recently is Alan Shrebtienko, the owner and maker behind On A Whim Woodworks, after seeing his wonderful fountain pens on Instagram and Etsy. A retired Physics teacher from Indiana, Alan makes bespoke fountain pens using the most gorgeous pen blanks from Bob Dupras, McKenzie Penworks, Tailored Pen Company, Carolina Pen Company, and Turnt Pen Co.

For this review, Alan made me a beautiful and unique fountain pen using Peacock Springs from Bob Dupras. The fountain pen is one of a kind and special, and the material is mesmerizing. Peacock Springs is a beautiful combination of yellow, orange, red, blue, brown, and gray. On one side it looks like a raging fire, and on another, it reminds me of sweet, caramel syrup.

The fountain pen is neatly packaged in a sleeve and presented in a simple black box embossed with the logo of On A Whim Woodworks.

Alan has turned this colorful fountain pen skillfully, it is polished to a high gloss that is smooth to touch. This pen's finish is truly exceptional, and it is more beautiful in person. I am truly amazed at Alan's exceptional pen turning. He lost part of his vision in 2016 due to a life-threatening case of pancreatitis. Despite that, he works on pens and does woodworking and won first place in the craft category of the 2020 APH InSights Art competition for artists who are blind or visually impaired. (For more about Alan's exceptional woodworking skills, read this article by Amy Lynn Smith: https://bit.ly/3xKo4eh)

This pen is larger than most of my pens, but it's well-balanced and comfortable to hold and use for longer periods of writing. It's not a heavy pen, but it's not light, either. The pen is widest at the top of the cap and slightly tapered towards the barrel end. It has a small step at the joint and the slender section fits my hand perfectly. It has 13mm triple start cap threads and a JoWo #6 steel nib. A Schmidt K5 converter is also included in every pen purchase.

My first On A Whim Woodworks fountain pen, from blanks called Peacock Springs made by Bob Dupras.

This fountain pen has the following specifications and measurements:

• Length, capped: 5.75 in | 14.6 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.27 in | 13.4 cm
• Length, cap posted: 7.3 in | 18.5 cm
• Full pen weight: 20.3 g | 0.71 oz
• Body material: Bob Dupras Peacock Springs
• Cap: Screw-on, postable but not very stable and may fall off
• Clip: None
• Nib: JoWo No. 6 Broad 
• Filling mechanism: Cartridge or Schmidt K5 converter included in each pen purchase from On A Whim Woodworks

Alan's pens are mostly without clips and I like them that way. The only downside to this design is that the pen just rolls off without a clip that also doubles as a stopper. I just place the pen in its sleeve so it doesn't roll away and fall off the table.

This pen can be filled with ink using standard international cartridges or a converter, and Alan has thoughtfully included a Schmidt K5 converter with each pen purchase. But as this pen is made from a single block of resin without holes or metal parts in its barrel, I'm considering converting it into an eyedropper pen! Imagine all the ink that can go into that barrel? (I'll post an update when I do the  eyedropper conversion.)

This pen can be filled with ink using cartridges or a Schmidt K5 converter. It can be converted into an eyedropper pen, too!

The beautiful faces of this fountain pen. You can look at different sides and always see beautiful patterns from this wonderful fountain pen creation by Alan.

Alan offers JoWo or Bock No. 6 nibs in his pens. This pen came with a steel JoWo No. 6 Broad nib that is smooth and wrote well out of the box. When I received this pen, I held off inking it because I wanted to take its photos with a clean converter. When I finally inked it, I regretted holding off because the nib just wrote so smoothly. I'm not so much into nib priming or tuning when using a pen for the first time, so I'm glad this pen's nib wrote so well with its first ink. I did not experience hard starts, skips, or inky blobs as I wrote with it. 

This pen came with a steel No. 6 JoWo nib that writes smoothly.

Alan's fountain pen is a full-sized one that shares almost the same length and diameter as a regular Esterbrook Estie and Leonardo Momento Zero. In the photos below I included several pens to show their size differences/similarities with the pen from On A Whim Woodworks and also to showcase the pens turned from beautiful resins made by different makers. Peacock Springs stands out in this group as its vibrant color swirls show through.

Uncapped, this pen has the same length as the Esterbrook Estie Rocky Top Oversize (OS) and is longer than the Collier, regular Estie, and Momento Zero. 

Beautiful pens made from wonderful pen blanks. From top: Esterbrook Estie Rocky Top OS, Edison  Pen Co. Collier, On A Whim Woodworks + Bob Dupras Peacock Springs, Esterbrook Estie Frontier Green, and Leonardo Officina Italiana Momento Zero Positano Blue.

Uncapped, the Peacock Springs fountain pen is now longer than most pens in this group and shares the same length as the Rocky Top OS.

To test this pen, I filled it with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown, one of my favorite russet brown inks. I wrote a full page of text in an A5 notebook, and the Broad nib wrote smoothly. This pen fits my hand so well, and its well-balanced design allows for comfortable writing. Even if I had to write a whole page, I did not experience any discomfort at all.

The Pelikan Brilliant Brown ink is perfect for this beautiful fountain pen. I love that the Broad nib writes smoothly, juicy, and wet.

I am very happy with my first fountain pen from On A Whim Woodworks and I am recommending it to anyone who wants to know Alan and explore his colorful creations. This pen is beautiful and well-designed, and I'm glad to have one in my collection. Alan is an excellent and skilled pen maker who uses only the best materials and takes great care in making fountain pens. Get one of his pens for your collection now!

Rants of The Archer thanks Alan Shrebtienko for providing the fountain pen in this review. His pens are available at Etsy, where they retail for US$149-US$169. But you have to hurry as his pens are always sold out!

If you want a custom-made pen from Alan, visit his Etsy shop or look him up on Instagram. At the moment, the queue is about a month, and anyone who wants to get on the list can choose the material for their pens. Alan keeps a good inventory of material from the best makers, or he can order for clients if they want something that's not in stock. 

To learn more about On A Whim Woodworks, visit them on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnaWhimwoodworks?ref=nla_listing_details) or follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onawhim_woodworks/.

Fountain Pen Review: Leonardo Officina Italiana Momento Magico Millefiori

Leonardo Officina Italiana, currently one of the world's most prolific and talked-about pen makers, has outdone themselves again with the launch of the Momento Magico Collection, their brand new line of piston-filling fountain pens with transparent ink windows and a large ink capacity of 1.5 ml. Leonardo has created piston-filling fountain pens before, including the Pura Collection, but the Magico is the first Leonardo pen with an ink window.

The Momento Magico Collection was launched in June with four fountain pens in striking, vibrant, and colorful resins with gold or chrome trims inspired by the design of vintage Italian pens. Like the other Leonardo pens, the fountain pens in this Collection are hand-turned from solid bars by expert craftsmen in Italy, using traditional systems, giving their unique pens soul and warmth. The Magico fountain pens are available in four lovely resins that include Pietra Salata (dark sandstone), Miele (golden honey), Millefiori (wildflower), and Tramonto (sunset). The Magico is also available in the glossy or matte black Anima Nera.

The box sleeve for the Momento Magico Collection has the special geometric art that is also found in the pens' cap bands. 

Inside the Leonardo box: Magico Millefiori fountain pen, Certificate of Authenticity, another certificate that it is 100% Made in Italy, and a piston tool, Leonardo's latest accessory that helps to completely disassemble the pen (see photos below).

Aside from the matte black Anima Nera, the Momento Magico fountain pens have a high gloss finish that is so shiny and smooth to the touch. The finish on these pens shows the expertise and craftsmanship of Leonardo's artisans. Millefiori's material is a lovely combination of red, green, brown, and some blue, perhaps inspired by the ornamental glasswork with a floral pattern from the various colors of murrini (glass rods) fused together.

Leonardo Momento Magico Millefiori with gold trims.

Momento Magico fountain pens have the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.8 in | 14.7 cm
• Length, uncapped: 5.25 in | 13.3 cm
• Length, cap posted: 6.75 in | 17.1 cm
• Full pen weight: 27 g | 0.95 oz
• Body material: Resin
• Trim: Gold, Chrome
• Cap: Screw on, postable
• Clip material: Stainless steel 
• Nib: No. 6 steel or gold in Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, or Stub (1.1mm) with an ABS or black ebonite feed; an Elastic Fine or Extra Fine are also available in gold with a black ebonite feed
• Feed: ABS or ebonite
• Filling mechanism: Piston; ink capacity is 1.5 ml

Another unique feature of the Momento Magico fountain pens is the possibility to completely disassemble the pen comfortably. The new piston wrench created by Leonardo helps to disassemble the pen for cleaning. The wrench is so easy to use in taking the piston assembly out of the barrel. Once the piston assembly is taken out of the barrel, the wrench stays secured to the assembly which is a huge help in putting it back into the barrel after cleaning. I'm not very comfortable in taking apart most of my piston-filling fountain pens, but disassembling the Momento Magico is very easy using the Leonardo wrench. The wrench, made from 316L steel, the same steel used in high ranges watches, is sold separately.

The wrench allows complete disassembly of the Magico fountain pen. It can also be used in the Pura fountain pens.

The wrench has two pins towards the end that fits into the piston rod. The pins then fit into the grooves in the piston assembly. Once the wrench is secured between the piston and the piston knob, it is so easy to turn the whole assembly and take it out of the barrel. This locking feature is also very helpful in putting the assembly back into the barrel. 

The Momento Magico's cap has a different band from most of Leonardo's fountain pens. The fretwork central band in a pattern of the letter M that comes from the Geometric Art period, a phase of Greek art devoted to geometric motifs in vase paintings and ceramics. At first, I saw the intersecting lines as just lines in the cap band. Then I realized that the lines form the letter M - it's like magic!

The Momento Magico has a unique cap band inspired by Greek art. This pen also uses the new and slimmer Leonardo clip.

Unlike other Leonardo pens with markings on their barrels, the Momento Magico has its branding on the cap, perfectly matched by the ascending geometric lines of the cap band.

This pen's barrel is vibrant and so shiny! I love the glossy finish of my Leonardo pens.

All good things come in threes, right? The third best thing about the Momento Magico after the brilliant wrench and lovely cap band is the ink window! All of the pens in the Momento Magico Collection have transparent ink windows to allow users to check their pens' ink levels at any time. It's fun looking at ink sloshing inside the pen's barrel. It's also very convenient!

The Momento Magico's ink window is convenient and pretty.

Momento Magico fountain pens are fitted with No. 6 steel or gold nibs that are screwed into the section. Available nibs are Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, and Stub (1.1), both in steel and 14k gold. An elastic nib in Extra Fine and Fine are also available in 14k gold. The Momento Magico fountain pens are also fitted with either an ABS or black ebonite feed and they have a 1.5 ml piston filling capacity that are both produced in-house. My Millefiori is fitted with a juicy and smooth M nib that wrote so well out of the box without priming or modifications.

The Medium nib on my Millefiori is Leonardo at its best - smooth, juicy, and very comfortable to use. 

The marking to indicate width is engraved on the nib shoulder. 

I also noticed that the Momento Magico has a different shape than the usual Leonardo pen section. It's plain and rounded without the tapered grip design.

The new pens in the Momento Magico Collection are full-sized pens that share the same length and diameter as the Momento Zero and Furore. It also looks very similar to the MZ, but the differences are also very obvious: slim clip, wider cap band, ink window, and piston-filling mechanism.

From top: Momento Zero Grande Pura Arancio Fiammante, Furore Arancio, Momento Magico Millefiori, and Momento Zero Positano Blue.

Capped, the full-sized Momento Magico fountain pen shares approximately the same length as Lamy Al-star and Tibaldi Bononia. It's a little longer than the TWSBI ECO and BENU Talisman. Uncapped, all of the five pens share the same length.

From top: TWSBI ECO Sunset Orange, Tibaldi Bononia Seashell Mist, Momento Magico Millefiori, BENU Talisman Foxglove, Lamy Al-star Ruby Red.

I always try to fill my pens with matching ink colors, and I filled my Millefiori with Diamine Burnt Sienna, a matching russet brown ink. The Momento Magico's piston mechanism worked well, and the Medium nib wrote smoothly without the need for adjustments or tuning.

This pen's medium nib wrote so smoothly out of the box. It's perfectly matched by Diamine Burnt Sienna.

The Momento Magico is another exceptional and well-designed fountain pen from Leonardo Officina Italiana. These fountain pens are fully handmade in Italy using high-quality, lovely resin and include a full lifetime mechanical warranty. Like its pen cousins, the Momento Magico Millefiori is a delight to look at, wonderful to use, and great to keep. Get one for your collection!

These days, Leonardo Officina Italiana is one of the most active and talked about pen brands. Anyone into pens who is on Instagram knows this. Leonardo also has the fastest workshops with their current pen line up getting new additions almost every quarter. From the initial series of Momento Zero and Furore, they now have the Cuspide, Speranza, Messenger, Pura, and quite a number of limited edition pens in various materials in between. The Momento Zero and Furore have also gotten their size upgrades: the "Grande" with piston filling mechanism and ebonite feed. I'm always excited to see new pens coming from the Leonardo workshop, and I'm sure more exciting pens are coming in this year.

Rants of The Archer thanks Leonardo Officina Italiana for providing the Momento Magico Millefiori fountain pen for review purposes. To learn more about these beautiful, colorful, well-crafted pens, follow Leonardo Officina Italiana on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/leonardopenss/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/leonardo_pens/).

In Europe, Leonardo pens are widely available from retailers such as Fontoplumo, Appelboom, and Fontanna Penna.

In the United States, Leonardo pens are available from Goldspot Pens, Truphae, and Pen Chalet.

In the Philippines, Leonardo pens are available exclusively at Pengrafik (https://www.facebook.com/PenGrafik).