When it comes to the realm of Italian fountain pens, the renowned Leonardo brand has always been in my crosshairs, largely thanks to its widespread availability and glowing reviews. While Montegrappa was initially under my consideration, Leonardo ultimately emerged victorious. Having had a delightful experience with the metallic nib of my Faber Castell fountain pen, I was keen on trying a metal nib from Leonardo as well, given the praises it had received.
However, my first encounter with a Leonardo pen in the store left me slightly underwhelmed. The pen felt excessively lightweight, overly colorful, and, dare I say, cheap. Though I appreciated the size, the weight and appearance left much to be desired, leading me to decide against the purchase. But then, a week later, a friend mentioned a Leonardo pen made from a material called Micarta, and my curiosity was piqued.
I love micarta material
Micarta is a fascinating material, known for its strength and durability. Originally developed in the early 20th century as an electrical insulator, it is made from layers of paper or fabric that have been impregnated with a resin and then subjected to heat and pressure, resulting in a hard, stable material. Its diverse applications span the realms of knife handles, gun grips, and even musical instruments. When it comes to fountain pens, Micarta offers a unique combination of aesthetics and functional qualities, making it an unconventional yet intriguing choice.
Despite my initial reservations, the pen’s weight, comparable to that of a Montblanc 149 – a pen that isn’t the heaviest but substantial enough – nudged me towards giving it a shot. Thus, I ordered one from this limited edition of 223 pens and eagerly awaited its arrival.
When my pen come
Unboxing the package was an exhilarating experience. I carefully opened the packaging, noting the unique limited-edition label, and finally came face-to-face with the pen. Included with the pen were a converter and an external filler to avoid getting ink above the nib level, a handy feature considering the Micarta material isn’t easy to clean. They had even thoughtfully included a spare cap made of black resin, which I planned to use at a later stage.
At first sight, the pen was enchanting and I couldn’t wait to fill it up and start writing. However, despite using the included external needle for filling, the cap inevitably got stained. It seemed to absorb the ink in some mysterious way, either through my fingers or possibly leaking through the mechanism. The latter seemed more likely as I found the converter missing ink the next morning. After refilling, the pen stopped leaking, but the staining, though not an issue for me, could potentially be problematic for others.
One of the appealing aspects of Micarta is its ability to “remember” everything – every ink spill, every smudge from dirty hands, and so forth. It carries with it a unique collection of stories that get lived out with the pen, which is an appealing and distinctive feature.
About nib 🙁
However, the actual writing experience left a lot to be desired. I had ordered an EF Flex nib, but its thickness felt more like F-M, rather than the EF I’m accustomed to. The flexibility, even with the carved slots, felt lackluster and awkward with the steel nib. The flex was there, but only if one exerted excessive pressure, and honestly, it didn’t deliver the EF line nor the BBB line, leading to disappointment.
The biggest letdown, though, was the nib’s ink flow. Each time I uncapped the pen, it wouldn’t write initially. Sometimes, it would start skipping mid-writing. Cleaning the entire mechanism didn’t help, and it didn’t seem to have a baby’s bottom issue either. Upon closely inspecting the nib, I noticed a considerable gap between the plastic and metal parts, which could possibly be hindering the ink flow. While I intend to fix this issue, it might just be that I received a faulty nib, or it could be due to the flex feature. It’s hard to say since this is my first Leonardo pen.
As of now, the Leonardo x Stilo&Stile Momento Zero Fountain Pen Micarta Limited Edition has been the most disappointing fountain pen I’ve ever used (Even though the pen’s material and overall design are amazing.). I might give this brand another chance, perhaps by trying a different nib in this pen, but my initial experience has certainly left me less than impressed.
