Fountain Pen Review: Esterbrook Estie Pink Sands

The Esterbrook Pen Company has introduced beautiful pens and accessories during the last two years.  A number of Esties, JRs, and new writing and journaling accessories have been released one after another. Have you tried their custom nibs? The Journaler is an excellent recreation of a vintage Esterbrook nib. Have you seen the new Bee Page Holder in Brushed Rose? Do you have Patience on your table?

By now, the Esterbrook Pen Company has introduced a number of Estie pen models in two sizes (regular, oversize) and various materials. In November 2021, Esterbrook delighted fountain pen lovers and fans with the release of their first limited edition pink fountain pen called Pink Sands. The all-pink fountain pen is inspired by the pink beaches in Greece, Indonesia, and the Bahamas, and it is a gorgeous coral pink with the proprietary all-pink nib designed in collaboration with Hinze Pen Co.

The Estie Pink Sands in the red Esterbrook box. 

During its first run, 50 Estie Pink Sands fountain pens in palladium trims were sold out in less than 24 hours. Since then, many Esterbrook fans expressed their desire to own one of the rare all-pink Estie. As a second and final limited edition run, Esterbrook has reissued the Pink Sands in gold trims this time. The final run will have 150 pens that are available only through Esterbrook. 

Estie Pink Sands has a unique vibrant color that is a mix of pinks and corals. It comes in a coral pink barrel and cap that sometimes look like red-orange.  

The limited edition Estie Pink Sands in gold trims.

Uncapping the Estie Pink Sands reveals its beautiful pink nib.

The Estie Pink Sands is a light pen even with a full converter. It's easy and comfortable to use for long periods of writing. While some pens need their caps posted for comfortable writing, Pink Sands can be used without posting the cap. I do not usually post my pens because it makes writing uncomfortable for me—the pens become too long and top-heavy. Thankfully, Estie fountain pens can be used comfortably without the need to post the cap. 

The Estie fountain pens also have the cushion cap closure feature that prevents the nib from drying as it provides a secondary seal that ensures the nib does not dry while the pen is capped. 

Pink Sands Estie's cap, section + converter, and barrel.

My Estie Pink Sands is fitted with the unique and one-of-a-kind pink nib made by Hinze Pen Co. I chose a medium nib this time, and I love writing with it. It's wet and has written smoothly out of the box. Estie Pink Sands is also available with standard Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, or 1.1 Stub nibs. They are also available with the custom Gena Salorino “Journaler” nib, or the Scribe nib by Joshua Lax.

Why 1858? In its rebirth, the Esterbrook Pen Company holds dear the history and story of how the iconic company started. 1858 was the year that entrepreneur Richard Esterbrook established his pen company under the trademark Esterbrook Pen Company, which became one of the biggest and most beloved pen makers in the world. 

The Estie Pink Sands is fitted with a pink nib especially made by Hinze Pen Co. My pen has a smooth medium nib and it writes well every time I use it.

The Estie Pink Sands has Esterbrook's cushion cap closure that provides a secondary seal to ensure that the nib does not dry up. The cap is also engraved with the Esterbrook logo. 

The pattern on the Pink Sands barrel is beautiful. The translucence reflects light beautifully with exceptional gloss and shine.

Now here is something I wish all fountain pen manufacturers would do. The metal threads in the barrel and section of the Pink Sands ensure durability and longevity. The barrel and section will stay in place and won't unscrew unnecessarily.  

Pink Sands is only one of the many beautiful Estie fountain pens that the Esterbrook Pen Company has released in the previous two years. Among these beautiful pens is the Lilac Estie released in 2020 and the Frontier Green Estie that was released in May 2021. 

Three beautiful Esties in Esterbrook's antique brass Patience Tortoise Pen Holder.

Oversize, regular, and small: Rocky Top Estie OS, Pink Sands Estie, and Esterbrook JR.

The Estie Pink Sands is a standard-sized fountain pen, sharing almost the same length as the Laban 325 Snow. It's longer than a TWSBI ECO, Lamy Safari, and Pilot Prera. It's a well-balanced pen that is comfortable to use.

To test how this beautiful pink fountain pen writes, I filled it with Robert Oster Hot Pink, a safe ink for the pink nib. The pen wrote smoothly out of the box. The medium nib wrote smoothly, there were no hard starts, and I had no trouble writing at all. I'm so happy that I chose a Medium nib for my Pink Sands because I can use it for regular writing and drawing. Pink Sands is such an enjoyable pen. It's beautiful, classy, versatile, and one that can be used for long periods of writing without any discomfort.

Jesse's Poem is a perfect poem to try writing with Pink Sands.

In the previous two years, Esterbrook has kept the tradition of providing good quality specialized nibs through the Esterbrook Custom Nib Program to highlight exceptional American nibmeisters. Gena Salorino of the Custom Nib Studio in Los Angeles has created the Journaler, the first edition nib in the series. The second nib in the series was the Scribe, done by JJ Lax. 

The third nib in the series is the Needlepoint, done by Pen Realm's Kirk Speer. Esterbrook has sent me one to try and I fitted it with Pink Sands. The Needlepoint is a modified #6 Fine nib, and it is a true Fine nib but I am surprised at how wet it writes. It's also very timely as I have been using more of my Medium and Fine nibs lately. I enjoyed writing with it and it matched my writing style for now.

The Needlepoint writes wet and smooth, I enjoyed writing with it.

The Needlepoint was modified from a Fine nib.

Pink Sands Estie is truly the right pen for the way I write!

I do not have many pink fountain pens and I am very happy to add one to my collection. I love the Pink Sands Estie and  I recommend it to anyone who wants to explore and know Esterbrook fountain pens. It's a beautiful pen and well-built for long-term use. The Pink Sands is on its final run and only a few pens remain. Make sure you get it before it's gone. Get one for your collection!

Rants of The Archer thanks the Esterbrook Pen Company and Kenro Industries for providing the Pink Sands Estie for review purposes. The Pink Sands Estie fountain pen and the entire Esterbrook collection is available at Esterbrookpens.com. 

To learn more about the Esterbrook Pen Company, where to buy their pens, and for other details on purchasing their pens, visit their website at https://www.esterbrookpens.com/ or follow them on social media:

• Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/esterbrook_official/)
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/esterbrookpens)

Fountain Pen Review: Otto Hutt design 06 Seashell Pink

Last year has been a remarkable time for everyone, including Rants of The Archer. It was a time for rebirth, and a time of discovery. While the pandemic wreaked havoc on every single country in the world, products from across the globe poured in. I got the opportunity to review amazingly excellent products through brand collaborations, and also made friends with wonderful people from different places. One brand that truly impressed me with the quality of their products is Otto Hutt. Their products are well-crafted and designed for functionality. They're beautiful pens, too!

When Otto Hutt was relaunched in 2016, they offered a modern collection of seven different design lines, design01 to design07. Each line has unique variations in shape, material, and pen type. design06 has a classic and modern design with a shape that fits perfectly into the hand. The series has rich color schemes in black and red; soft, calming pastels in summer colors of cashmere, lilac, sand, and pistachio; elegant rose and white with rose gold accents; and lacquered classics ash gray, seashell pink, lavender violet, and arctic blue.

Otto Hutt design06 series is available as a fountain pen, rollerball pen, and twist ballpoint. All pens are 100% made in Germany, and everything is produced on-site in the Otto Hutt factory in Pforzheim. This review is focused on the design06 Seashell Pink fountain pen with rose gold accents, a lovely, elegant, and well-built fountain pen.

 

Otto Hutt design 06 Seashell Pink with rose gold trims.

design06 Seashell Pink is one of the four popular colors from the Otto Hutt Configurator that was made available in their standard product range in early 2020 as a response to customer requests. Arctic Blue and Lavender Violet with platinum décor, Seashell Pink with rose-gold fittings, and Ash Grey with aubergine-coloured décor are now available as regular offerings. design06 Seashell Pink is made of solid aluminum with a special lacquer coat in matt finish, giving it a unique feel.

Otto Hutt writing instruments all carry the label "Made in Germany." Initiated by the German Federation of Jewelry and Watches, this label shows that 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 design06 fountain pens have the following measurements and specifications:

• Length, capped: 5.4 in | 13.9 cm
• Length, uncapped: 4.8 in | 12.2 cm
• Length, cap posted: 6.1 in | 15.5 cm
• Length, barrel only: 3.14 in | 8 cm
• Length, section to nib: 1.6 in | 4 cm 
• Length, cap: 2.4 inches | 6.1 cm
• Weight, capped/empty barrel: 44.9 g | 1.58 oz
• Weight, cap only: 13 g | 0.45 oz
• Weight, barrel only: 30 g | 1 oz
• Body material: Solid aluminum
• Clip material: Brass, coated with platinum
• Nib material: Steel or 18ct gold
• Nib widths: EF, F, M, or B
• Filling mechanism: Otto Hutt converter or cartridges (standard international long or short) 

This Otto Hutt design06 Seashell Pink fountain pen has a bicolor medium nib.

design6 fountain pens can be filled with ink using standard international short or long cartridges. It can also be inked using the Otto Hutt converter included in each fountain pen purchase. The Otto Hutt converter is branded with their logo and this helps me to prevent pen and converter mix-ups and to use the correct converter for each pen. A mismatched pen and converter could result in breakage or ink spills.

The design06 has Otto Hutt's unique mechanical spring clip that is handcrafted from solid brass with high-quality platinum coating. To ensure the quality of the clip's design and functionality, it is checked by hand several times. This clip is a special feature of Otto Hutt writing instruments. It is highly polished and constructed well. 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 all the time.

All design06 pens, including fountain pens, rollerball pens, and ballpoint pens have the Otto Hutt mechanical spring clip.

The pen's cap finial is engraved with the Otto Hutt logo, in the same rose gold color of all the pen's trims and accents. 

Otto Hutt logo on the cap finial.

Otto Hutt pens are unique writing instruments with individual numbering which make them valuable to those who collect them. A six-digit numerical code is engraved on the opposite side of the cap finial. This code is also noted on the warranty card, and it ensures that every writing device is a unique item and one of a kind.

Each Otto Hutt writing instrument is unique and has a six-digit code engraved on the cap. This code ensures that the Otto Hutt writing instrument belongs to its owner for a lifetime.

The cap ring is engraved with the Otto Hutt logo.

The other side of the cap ring is engraved with Germany, indicating that it is exclusively made in Germany using high-quality materials.

Otto Hutt's pen design and construction are truly impressive. These long brass threads in the barrel and section ensure stability and durability. These threads will always stay in place and prevent unnecessary loosening of pen parts.

Brass threads on Otto Hutt's pens ensure stability and durability.

Otto Hutt offers both steel and 18ct gold nibs for their fountain pens. The nib on this Seashell Pink fountain pen is a happy surprise for me because it is a lovely bicolor nib that is platinum- and rose gold-plated. The plating is neatly done, and it's very pretty. I also noticed that this nib has the Otto Hutt logo engraved onto it instead of the previous design of a stylized image of a half nib.

Nib widths for design06 are available in EF, F, M, or B. This nib has the Otto Hutt logo and width (M) engraved onto it. 

The nib on my design06 Seashell Pink fountain pen is very pretty. I love the platinum- and rose-gold-plating on this nib which matches the rose gold plating of the section, clip, cap ring, finial, and barrel end.

design06 is my second Otto Hutt fountain pen after the design04 I received in October last year. The cigar-shaped form of design06 makes it longer and chunkier than the slim design04. The two pens are both made from solid brass and have the Otto Hutt unique mechanical spring clips.

Otto Hutt design04 (top) and design06 (bottom) fountain pens. 

However, they have different nib design and width. design04 on the right has a bicolor platinum- and yellow gold-plated nib. It also has a different nib design than the platinum- and rose-gold nib of design06.

Otto Hutt design06 is a cigar-shaped standard-sized fountain pen. While capped, it is longer than design04, almost the same length as a Lamy AL-star or Stanford Wood Studio's Ghost's Breath, but shorter than a Leonardo Furore.

Uncapped, however, design06 is now the same length as the design04, and shorter than the other three pens in the batch.

I love matching pens and inks. To test how the design06's steel medium nib writes, I filled it with the latest Robert Oster Shake'N'Shimmy Rose Gold Antiqua ink with rose gold flecks/shimmer. The ink looked so beautiful pouring out of the rose gold medium nib which wrote so well out of the box. It's smooth, springy, and wet. This pen's steel nib is so good, it's perfect! Get one for your collection!

Otto Hutt's design06 fountain pen is an excellent pen. It's elegant, classy, and modern. This full-sized cigar-shaped pen is well-built, sturdy, and comfortable for writing. The barrel and cap are made from solid brass, fitted with the Otto Hutt mechanical spring clip. The pen's overall grainy texture has a unique feel to it. The design06 also comes with a 10-year availability and guarantees on all parts. Get one from Otto Hutt where it retails for €160.00, or from their authorized sellers in 23 countries worldwide. Find the one nearest you!

Last year, Otto Hutt celebrated 100 years of traditional craftsmanship, technical perfection, and timeless design. The company marked this important milestone with many unique products including Unique by Otto Hutt, a bilingual magazine, new pastel colors for 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 design06 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 - pure elegance
• design05 - functional
• design06 
• 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/)