Narwhal Fountain Pen
Narwhal pens exploded onto the market at the D.C. Pen show in 2019. The company is based in China and made a name by offering a piston filler for $45! I couldn’t pass this up. For this review I have the Yellow Tang and Poseidon Blue models, but Narwhal pens also makes Hippocampus Purple and Mermaid Green models.
Design: The pens are made from swirled translucent acrylic, giving most models a demonstrator appearance. This is most evident on the Yellow Tang which is a mix of translucent yellow and opaque yellow acrylic. The Mermaid, Poseidon, and Hippocampus all have chrome accents and the Yellow Tang has gold accents. The cap finial is slightly rounded with a chrome circle inset in the center. The clip has a rounded top and tapers down to a diamond shaped end. The clip is springy but tight enough to hold onto thin shirt pocket fabric. The bottom finial on the piston knob is rounded as well and there is a metal ring where the knob meets the body. The body gradually widens moving towards the grip section and there is a barrel ring with “Narwhal” engraved twice around it. I really like that this band is on the body instead of the cap as it makes a nice transition from the body to the grip section. The cap unscrews with 1 ¾ turns and the threads are smooth and barely noticeable. The grip section tapers slightly until it reached a flared finger stop at the nib.
Nib: The nibs are made in house and both nibs I received were tuned perfectly. They were smooth and laid down a perfect medium wet line. They only have fine nibs available currently, but they are looking to add more in the future. The Mermaid, Poseidon, and Hippocampus come with stainless steel nibs and the Yellow Tang comes with a gold tone nib. Each nib has a narwhal engraved in the center, “Narwhal” engraved at the base of the nib, and decorative scroll-work around the edges. My favorite part of this nib, besides how it writes, is the narwhal engraved on it. It is whimsical and it also happens to be one of my favorite animals.Filling System: The pens are piston fillers and the mechanisms are smooth and easy to use. They hold about 1.5ml of ink which is a pretty good amount in my opinion. I learned at the D.C. show that the filling mechanism can be disassembled/assembled using a TWSBI wrench which comes in handy for cleaning and greasing the piston. While I have not done this, I did see it done at the show.Value: The pens retail for $45 USD.
Overall: These pens are fantastic! As previously mentioned, they are only available in fine nib currently which may be a deal breaker for some, but I really like their fine nib. The materials they use are beautifully made and the contrast of colors is perfectly executed. The build, fit, and finish are all well above the price point and in my opinion worth every penny even at the $45 price tag. I can’t wait to see what they introduce next…. hopefully a vac filler if the guys at Narwhal are reading this.Specs:Name: Narwhal Yellow Tang and PoseidonDesign: Translucent acrylic piston fillerLength: 146.5mm (5.77in)Posted: N/ADiameter: 11mm (.43in)Weight: 19.8g (.7oz)Filling System: PistonHow much and where: $45 USD at Pointspens.comPros: Larger ink capacity, demonstrator allows you to see the ink level, easy to service, great nibs.Cons: Only fine nibs available, can't swap the nibs at this timeIn the same price range:TWSBI 580Conklin DuragraphFaber-Castell Loom
Nib: The nibs are made in house and both nibs I received were tuned perfectly. They were smooth and laid down a perfect medium wet line. They only have fine nibs available currently, but they are looking to add more in the future. The Mermaid, Poseidon, and Hippocampus come with stainless steel nibs and the Yellow Tang comes with a gold tone nib. Each nib has a narwhal engraved in the center, “Narwhal” engraved at the base of the nib, and decorative scroll-work around the edges. My favorite part of this nib, besides how it writes, is the narwhal engraved on it. It is whimsical and it also happens to be one of my favorite animals.Filling System: The pens are piston fillers and the mechanisms are smooth and easy to use. They hold about 1.5ml of ink which is a pretty good amount in my opinion. I learned at the D.C. show that the filling mechanism can be disassembled/assembled using a TWSBI wrench which comes in handy for cleaning and greasing the piston. While I have not done this, I did see it done at the show.Value: The pens retail for $45 USD.Overall: These pens are fantastic! As previously mentioned, they are only available in fine nib currently which may be a deal breaker for some, but I really like their fine nib. The materials they use are beautifully made and the contrast of colors is perfectly executed. The build, fit, and finish are all well above the price point and in my opinion worth every penny even at the $45 price tag. I can’t wait to see what they introduce next…. hopefully a vac filler if the guys at Narwhal are reading this.Specs:Name: Narwhal Yellow Tang and PoseidonDesign: Translucent acrylic piston fillerLength: 146.5mm (5.77in)Posted: N/ADiameter: 11mm (.43in)Weight: 19.8g (.7oz)Filling System: PistonHow much and where: $45 USD at Pointspens.comPros: Larger ink capacity, demonstrator allows you to see the ink level, easy to service, great nibs.Cons: Only fine nibs available, can't swap the nibs at this timeIn the same price range:TWSBI 580Conklin DuragraphFaber-Castell Loom
