The Grimsmo Pens Saga Pen: The Full Nick Shabazz Re-Review

Today, we'll take a look at a pen which is great, but at substantial cost, the Grimsmo Knives/Pens Saga.

[@TheBeardofDOOM]

“The blade is much larger on the knife because this is a pen” your quips always make me smile.

[@Jacklsovakia1]

Nick is no longer remorseful for the theft of the Hampton Inn pen.

[@m4jqp]

I also thought this.

[@garrettstapleton7945]

True character progression

[@starkparker16]

No remorse, no repent Nick don't care what it meant - J Hetfield

[@bizsmith99]

I've been carrying my Saga every day for around a year, and absolutely love it. I work in a brewery where the mechanism of the pen is regularly exposed to sticky fluids and dust, and has only become smoother. I haven't tried to clean out the mechanism, but I would imagine it could be flushed out with alcohol fairly straight forwardly, should it ever need it. It is also entirely possible that I've been trying to justify the $300 I spent on a pen.

[@2is1gold]

"I own this guy free and clear." Says something about the price of a pen these days! 😄

[@jackroy9094]

I love watching your content. You deserve some kind of a KZbin award. Thanks

[@bryanstone654]

I'm a "pen guy" and my EDC pens are the Machine Era Classic and an early version Ti Scribe Bolt. I like the pilot G2 size refills (actually Pentel Energel, same size but better writers). Thanks Nick.

[@m4jqp]

Grimsmo is offering Saga pens on their site with pretty frequent drops (maybe weekly?). It's still maker's choice, but at least you don't need to be drawn as long as you keep an eye on their site. Same goes for the Norseman.

[@markp4401]

The prices are much better than dealer prices too.

[@justinmarney2193]

"Because this is a pen." Every Shabazz video has a moment where I almost spit coffee on the screen from laughing. Love it!

[@rigidsphate]

Only being available as a maker's choice isn't entirely true. You can also get drawn for a "curated collection" on the saga. Which basically means you can choose from a selection(around 20 or so) of Sagas that the Grimsmo team selected that day. While still not as good as a "Buyer's Choice" it does make it more likely that you'll be able to get the pen in a configuration that you are happy with.

[@michaelmelling9333]

$300 buys a lot of groceries. Once again, a great Review!👍

[@joe2531007]

You didn't compare it to a Spiderco Delica. I'm totally lost.

[@d7r_tv]

Sir. Do you still have the CASIO OCW-S5000? How is that going 2y after your original review?

[@slick_slicers]

Is it more expensive than a Mont Blanc acrylic ball pen? I’ve been using the same one for over 30 years. I’m sure this would last just as long. So at less than 3 cents a day, is it so much?

[@artsohc]

The thing is, on the secondary I bought a nearly identical pen for $210. On secondary these are much closer to a reasonable price. Also, to the Maker vs Customer build…there are over 3000 of these now, it’s pretty easy to find the make you want. Mine is a logo-less rip with the twist mechanism, and the twist is in bright blue. It’s exactly what I wanted and it look me less than a week to find it and it was $260 to my door.

[@jaycowper]

#maxiboiz

[@DieYuppieScum91]

Sorry, any system where I can't just hop online and order in the variety that I want is deeply ugly to me. That applies to their knives too. North Arm has a long wait on the waitlist but you ultimately are guaranteed to eventually get to order the knife you want. That's a much better system for the customer than lottery based systems and drop based systems.

[@MkMc80]

My issue with expensive pens in general is that they tend to write just like every other pen with the same ink insert. Only the ink insert touches the paper, so it kind of feels like spending $300 for a knife handle that contains the exact blade as a $50 knife. Then again, I’m cheap so what do I know?

[@usmc38]

Where’s the link to buy 🤔

[@SRVandDtrouble]

But what if you get one on the secondary for $150?

[@user-ig6nu4oo5p]

There is no way i'm paying any where near 300$ for a freakin pen so why am i watching this 🤔

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

you came for the nick

[@user-ig6nu4oo5p]

@@KZbin-Censorship-Police oh ye him, thats right 🤪

[@matthuck378]

Beautiful pen with one huge caveat. Oh, and "Maker's Choice" is a bad idea unless you're literally producing one off pieces of art.

[@mountman5386]

Glad you like it & the OTT machining & the feel of the clicker perhaps makes it a bit like a Grand Seiko. But especially for someone out of the US/Canada like me, the price & makers choice kill it. I also just much prefer the look of the USG pens & it's neat that they are both cheaper & I can choose what mine looks like! You'd also have to be someone who doesn't lose pens or for whom US$300 is like a coffee for most of us.

[@dirtbagel]

I've had mine for a number of weeks now, and I think my only gripes are I wish it were 10% bigger in all dimensions and that there was some kind of texturing or CNC'ing on the length of it. The grimsmos know how to do good cnc work, and its a shame we don't get to see and feel a good texturing on it. Depending on the design, I think it would be much easier to justify the price (imagine crosshatch). I think since Tactile Turn exists, there's no real reason to have this. But when have we ever been reasonable. I don't regret my purchase if thats any consolation.

[@bryanstone654]

Nick I need your advice please and other Nick followers please chime in too if you're so inclined. I am in the process of selling off my large collection of vintage fountain pens because modern pens bring me more joy. My favorite refill is the Pentel Energel 0.5mm so my favorite current pens are the machine era classic and the Urban ti scribe Bolt. I learned about them through your channel. I like parker refills too and I'm considering the Saga as a grail pen with the vintage pen money I made. ?Any other grail pens I should be considering? Thanks

[@randallkelley3599]

I am thinking we need to give one of those to a Marine and have him/her run the obsticle course, in the mud, and water, and sand. Then see if the pen will write a letter home to mom?

[@Richard_Barnes]

Totally appreciated your no BS and honest review of this pen 👊🏻 I think it looks incredible but yeah, that $300 is hard to justify BUT, so is every Apple price I’ve ever paid, so with that being said, I’d be willing to pay it I think. 🙂

[@Sleepy_spartan717]

Truth. The $1k+ spent on my iPhone 13 pro is a hit. But when you compare it to any other phone out there, you understand why the price is high.

[@jpf5920]

At least your getting drawn for a Rask. Been on the list for years, never gotten an email.

[@CNYKnifeNerd]

Damn. When did you hit 150k? That's awesome.

[@redchris1757]

Ok Nick, my son listening to the review with me is positive you do the voice for a certain racoon looking character in a certain Marvel movie. Had to explain to him you're the Batman...

[@-winter-7920]

Please.. do not use any sort of thread lock. If you continue to have issues with it coming loose try flipping the tube. Put the tip to the clip side and vice versa

[@m4jqp]

Hey at least you're getting drawn for a Rask... I've been on the list for years and not one draw.

[@matthuck378]

You know what'd be great? If a knife company were to make a pen, and use the same clip they use for their knives.

[@Nyu727]

The tip of mine comes loose after a 5 or so clicks and by the end of the day is usually visibly loosened, no issues with the clip side coming undone though

[@SeattleRingHunter]

Small micro drop of Loctite blue on the threads will do you wonders!

[@richardsalinetrojr1957]

​@SeattleRingHunter or try using a thin o-ring (like Tactile Turn uses) at the joints. will keep joints tight and make pen easy to disassemble.

[@modofatak]

Grimsmo is the machining shop equivalent of Apple wrt profitability. I can’t believe how much they must make/pen, knife, all for the insta-flex (how many people see/care about the pen a man is using, irl?)

[@WhatThatIsNotTrue]

"Impressive. Very nice... Let's see Paul Allen's pen."

[@modofatak]

Was it obv I’d verbatim know that reference, verbatim!?

[@nukadog1969]

I toyed with going to this style...meaning disposable cartridges, but I just couldn't justify it. A Pilot Custom 823 might be price-competitive with this amazing machining, but Every 25 or so fill-ups with ink, I recycle the bottle. And I'm not shaming anyone whatsoever...I just couldn't make that leap to throwing away every time I refilled.

[@markp4401]

Nick recently within the past year they’ve had frequent drops on their site in various colors.

[@fredfinger7092]

3:23 No. Just... No. I'm sure this is amazingly, maybe even lovingly made, of great materials, by skilled artisans. But still the answer to that question for me will continue to be "no, thank you".

[@ribstein7714]

Nice looking pen but I'll stick with my lamy 2k

[@clintonlewis1261]

Looks good"but way to much$

[@bighouse6120]

Too rich for my blood

[@fossilimprint2954]

Maker's choice...? What the actual F? Whenever they get their act together I will maybe consider buy from them, but life is too short to be at the beck and call of a seller. There are many more options available, they do not have a monopoly on machined pens.

[@randallkelley3599]

The value is kinda like a Submariner verses a Tag...Who's to say what one's time is worth..(get it, hehehe..).

[@tacticalcenter8658]

I have one of these. Its not amazing at all. Not worth the cost. It's fine. I use other Pen's way more often. I have a lot of wear on mine from using it a fair amount for about year or so on and off. Have had it for 4 years or so.

[@914Rocky]

Nice looking pen. But $300? Hard pass T Scribe or Machine Era all the way.

[@CrimsonSurvival]

If only I had 4 or 5 hundred dollars to spend on a pen.

[@joeallen2354]

I find it interesting that you are not nearly as critical on the price of knives as you are on this pen. Why is that?

[@joelhansen7373]

Sometimes you just pay the freight because it brings you joy. I can’t believe a watch collector doesn’t understand this & is bitching about paying an extra $100 for a collectible he really enjoys. I’ve seen watch collectors pay a grand extra because the indices reflect the light in a better way.

[@kosher8720]

$300 is not bad for anything Grimsmo. Still beyond most peoples price range I think.

[@TheFlyingPlectrum]

I have no idea how I got here and have no interest in pens except to make sure I have one. But I rather enjoyed your patter.

[@darthvaper6745]

Who writes numbers all over an elegant pen? Imagine a Montblanc Meisterstuck covered in a big serial numbers?

[@reeb9016]

All over? It's small and quite discreet.

[@beaurex4756]

It took one minute, 29 seconds to find out this pen is $300. That was enough for me. Buh-bye.

[@masonr1666]

To rich for my blood. I will stick with the Tactile Turn.

[@nolan280]

Own 6 of these bad boys lol

[@stevenrobertson6656]

$300...I'm out.

[@MrPsiman]

knife makers need to stop making pens and leave pen making to companies that make pens. Pen companies aren't in the knife business. I rest my case your honor !!!

[@Baaddu]

"If money doesn't matter to you" sums up this pen...no intrinsic value over the Parker Jotter...the pen and the knife they make are done on cnc machines...love the review but the pen is...meh

[@richardsalinetrojr1957]

$300? maybe a year ago when this video was made. they're now sitting at $450. I don't mind paying high prices for premium items but $450 imo is way to much to spend for a pen. for that costs I can get a pen/pencil set from Tactile Turn in Titanium, Copper or Bronze. hell, you could potentially get the Zirconium pen/pencil set (if you dont get the moku-ti pocket clip/bolt) and still be under the $450 mark. I've been wanting a Norseman for a while and will likely be buying one shortly, but I certainly don't see one of Grimsmos' pens ever being in my collection.