Visconti Comparison

[@richardc6932]

The more I see this pen , the more it grows on me. The unique clip design is “not my cup of tea”, but the the nib of any pen is the most important component in a pen, at least to me. I must say that your pen and paper reviews are a fresh breath of air and much appreciated. Pen and paper are close to my heart but with limited disposable funds mean that this deep appreciation has to be throttled back. Keep up the excellent work.

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks so much for the kind comment. I have to admit, having lost some damn expensive pens and pencils over the years, I really appreciate a good clip! This one works enormously well. Thanks for your words about my reviews - I'll try to keep them coming!

[@mrfxstsb96]

Greetings from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I've enjoyed your videos on the Visconti Homo Sapiens. I went back and reviewed them before I purchased a Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age with a fine 18ct gold nib. It has become my every day writer. Thank you for your informative videos.

[@writerlywitterings]

My pleasure - I'm glad you like it as much as I love mine!

[@kapirk2244]

Thanks for the comparison video. I was wondering about the difference in nibs. So sorry to hear of the loss of your dog.

[@writerlywitterings]

Many thanks, KA. It was very sad losing that dog, but now we're being terrorised by her replacement! Glad the video was helpful.

[@sistergoldenhair0727]

I have the Homo sapiens Bronze Age roller ball and love it! The fountain pen was too expensive for me but I love looking at videos of them in action!

[@writerlywitterings]

The main thing for me is the material. I adore my Homo Sapiens pens. Both of them are used every day, and the feel of that volcanic material is wonderful. I love the tiny flakes of mica in them, and the fact that they are virtually indestructible - nothing can even scratch them. Thanks so much for all your comments. I really appreciate them!

[@sistergoldenhair0727]

writerlywitterings yes! They are amazing pens and such a joy to hold in your hands! I’ve been binge watching your videos all day! There’s just something so relaxing about the quality of your voice talking about all of my favorite things! Just saw the Freewrite ones and I’m seriously considering picking one of those up! It would be great to use on the train!

[@Richard_Barnes]

Another re-visit for my 2020 isolation video playlist! lol. I love these pens. Another one on the ‘ever growing larger’ wishlist. 😀👍🏻

[@writerlywitterings]

My Viscontis are my daily use when I need something that will just make me feel good. Excellent nibs, fabulous capacity, and a wonderful material that will not scratch or show any injury whatever. They really are just stunning pens. The only pen that comes even moderately close is the Conway Stewart Wordsworth - it'll get scratched and marked, but the size is marvellous, the nib - well, it's stunning - and it felt so good in my hand. But I'll never sell these Viscontis, no matter what!

[@ShawnDaygoogles]

Thanks Mike. Well articulated. Pith to the point. Even a nice musical send off. I ended up with an EF and it's as gushy as I'd want. Quite appreciate seeing yr uniform treatment of the two. Happy writing. Shawn

[@writerlywitterings]

My pleasure, Shawn. The pens are both very nice (and unscratched ...!)

[@russcox]

Enjoyable as Always Mr J...Looking forward to the next instalment.

[@writerlywitterings]

Many thanks. Let me know if you have specific interests.

[@russcox]

Now there's a question. I've got loads of ideas for future vids. A few tour videos? I 360 of your writing room and desk so people can have a real nose into the world of Jecks the author at work. A wander around your local village, pub moors etc? We all enjoy your dog walking photos on your other social media outlets, and it would interesting to see a recorded walk around and chat (I appreciate your camera woman may not be so keen stomping around the locality with a camera, getting odd looks!) A hand writing vid? You have lovely hand writing so how did you learn? How much hand writing do you do? Do you practice hand writing at all? Any tips for people like me, trying to improve our hand writing? Leather work, your painting hobby, home brewing? All interesting comments. Vids on location where some of your books are set? And I know you've recorded plenty of stationary vids, but I really enjoy them so if you've got anything else hidden away that you think would be of interest, that would be welcome.

[@jd7713]

Good video. Loved that orange ink. What was that please?

[@writerlywitterings]

Hi, and thanks for the question. I think it is Iroshizuku's You Yake. A lovely ink - a middle orange in a medium nib, but in a gusher, it'll tone up to red.

[@jd7713]

@@writerlywitterings Thanks

[@sachakahn2052]

It was your Visconti Homo Sapiens that caused me to discover your channel. Your review, the only one I found by someone who had been using the pen intensively for a long time, made me buy one. A medium, I don't regret it. I have one question: I thought of the MyPen system but I haven't been able to find the initials and jewels to match the bronze cap. Apparently you have. Where did you get yours?

[@writerlywitterings]

:-)

[@revianwolfe]

Just watched this video again. I appreciate now more than then as I’m currently within range of getting my first HomoSapiens and am going back and forth between a fine and medium nib. Really appreciate it, Michael. Any change in opinion between the F and M over the years? Thanks again!

[@writerlywitterings]

This is a really difficult one to answer. I adore the medium, and when I write with it on good paper, it shades and moves beautifully. It almost glides over the paper. But I don't carry it with me all the time because the fine nibbed model is so much more of a working tool, with the greater capacity. I tend to keep the fine on me all day because the nib uses less ink (so it writes for longer), the pen is therefore more tolerant of less good paper (it won't soak in, feather and bleed through quite as much), and the fact that it has ink windows makes it easy to see how much ink there is inside. Contrast that with the medium Bronze Age, and it makes more sense to keep that on me all day. But then, when I sit down to write and use the medium, suddenly every word feels slightly more important. I cannot explain how or why, it's just an instinctive reaction, I think. If I were to advise, it would be this: if you really like and enjoy fatter nibs, and you want to take time over every letter or word you write, I'd go for the medium. It's the pen I go to of an evening when I want to write something more important, make notes in my journal or write an important letter. It gives more importance to the writing. On the other hand, if you want something to use all day, every day, the fine won't disappoint. In fact, from personal experience (never having liked fine nibs to write with), I can happily state that whichever you buy will be the one you adore. If you pick either, they will be the pen you are used to, and you will love using them. If you have any doubts, my advice would be to go and visit a pen store that has them in stock, or a firm like Goulet Pens who give superb service to make sure you're happy. I'm sure it would be possible to buy one or the other nib with a chance to swap that nib for the other size if you ask them? Best of luck. I know you'll love these pens, no matter what!

[@revianwolfe]

writerlywitterings I really appreciate the detailed reply. I tend to use broad nibs on a regular basis, however they aren’t always the most practical so I do appreciate a fine nib every now and again. But with this I think will go for the medium now and then maybe in the future get one with a fine nib. I know it’s a bit like choosing between chocolate cake or chocolate cream pie. At the end of the day it doesn’t much matter because you’re still having chocolate. Thank you again. I do appreciate your time given to reply to my post. As always I do enjoy the videos and looking forward to creating some more myself.

[@MrCranberran]

@@revianwolfe Get both - determining factor for me is the characteristic of the ink I use: for ‘wet’ inks I use the fine nib, for dry or ‘regular’(?), I use the medium.

[@revianwolfe]

@@MrCranberran I'll be sure to add this to my reasons that I give to my wife on why I NEED another Visconti! ;)

[@khphou]

Very interesting comparison! Thank you for this useful review!

[@writerlywitterings]

Thanks for the comment!

[@opasanparadajz3622]

"It's always difficult to write neatly when you're filming the writing." My dear sir, I know exactly what you are talking about. A while ago I have tried to make a channel about theoretical mathematics, and after filming my video I was very disappointed with the result so I gave up on it, just until I find a better method for filming that is. These pens are great, I have bought my bronze age when I defended my master, it has been heavily used and abused, if I may say so, and I'm still amazed by that pen just as much as I was on the day I bought it. I hope that Visconti will make pens like the one with an ink window soon, because I really want to have it. Best wishes to you, and I hope that these pens will serve you many years to come.

[@writerlywitterings]

:-)

[@tontowilliams]

Interesting as always Michael, thanks for sharing.

[@writerlywitterings]

Cheers, Alan!

[@debsmith7050]

Great review - thanks for sharing. Good to hear from you :)

[@writerlywitterings]

:-)

[@VISHNUNAIR7000]

How's the feedback of the nib? My medium is feeling like it's having more feedback

[@writerlywitterings]

I would say that my medium is smooth as butter, but there is a little feedback on all my fine nibs from Visconti - the palladium nibs as well as the gold ones. All very smooth, but you know they're moving over paper.

[@sllingky]

Are you going to do any updates on your thoughts about writing longhand so far in your project? Maybe you did and I missed it.

[@writerlywitterings]

I will - but the first attempt had to be stopped - deadlines - and I'll be starting again in December with the next one. Wish me luck!

[@sllingky]

Of course! *tips hat*

[@solar7927]

Does the visconti skyline hold more ink then the homosapien? Because all the tech specs I've seen say that it holds moor but it looks like the same size

[@writerlywitterings]

It looks and feels the same size, but yes, it definitely holds quite a bit more. It uses the Dual Powerfiller system, whereas the HomoSapiens uses a simple reservoir system. I believe that the later models, such as the Crystal Dream and Skylight (Skyline?) are designed to hold more. As to the actual quantities, I have no idea. And I have to admit, I think the HS original holds plenty enough. My only reservation with it is the fact that there is no way to see how full it is. Still, it holds such a lot of ink that it's rarely been an issue.

[@kevinu.k.7042]

Nice vlog. Thanks. Rock dust mixed with two part epoxy resin and then pressed into a mould is used both in the art world and architectural worlds. I don't know what 'plastic' they are using here, but that is the principle. Yes, it is bomb proof. Cheers

[@writerlywitterings]

I believe it uses some kind of rubber as the fixing/glue/stabiliser or whatever it is! It's a marvellous material, though. Slightly absorbent, so even in hot weather the pen stays non-slippery, warm to the touch when it's cold, and bulletproof!

[@alexmood6407]

I had Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel age Midi. The material was beautiful and it looked well made. But the nib was too wet and stopped writing after half a page. I like the cap closing mechanism, but I sold it. As they say, it only had one job.

[@writerlywitterings]

That's strange - I've not heard of that as an issue before. Was it a piston or vacuum pen? The one issue I have seen is, the vacuum pens (Bronze Homo Sapiens large size, my steel HS oversize etc) do not always fill properly. You have to try three times to fill it when it's empty, because the first and second are really doing little more than 'greasing' the seals. When it's dry and empty, they don't suck up so much ink. On the third, they work better, but the very best way to fill the pen is by using a Travelling Ink Well. With these you can invert the pen and ink well as you press the pen's plunger. This way I get an absolutely full pen with no problem. And even though my medium HS is a complete gusher, it will write for at least three times as long as my Conway Stewarts and Cross pens with medium nibs and cartridge converters. It's the fact that the Viscontis keep on writing that first persuaded me to clean, dry, and put away my old pens!

[@yuejiaohu7759]

Very useful video! I've been interested in this pen for a while, and after watching your video I think I'll probably end up buying one! I'm a bit concerned about it being too wet though. Do you have problem such as feathering or bleed through? Can you tell me what kind of notebook are you using for this video? It doesn't seem to have any such problem.

[@writerlywitterings]

There are plenty of papers that are fine. If you go for a Fine nib, you shouldn't have too much problem with Clairfontaine, Leuchtturm, classic Atoma, Tomoe River and other quality papers. But to put it into perspective, I always find that even my fine Cross will feather and bleed through ordinary paper. The pen justifies good quality paper. It's so smooth and effortless to use. I'd highly recommend it.

[@andyprozeller4735]

Great review!

[@writerlywitterings]

Many thanks, Andy!

[@samehshahin9358]

Very good video, how much for this one plume Visconti fin nib, thank you 😊

[@writerlywitterings]

Depends on where you are, my friend. Over here in England, they are about £570 (see Cult Pens here: www.cultpens.com/i/q/VS15499/visconti-homo-sapiens-bronze-age-fountain-pen) but they will vary in price depending on where you live and so on. All I would say is, that they are magnificent pens to use, and work fabulously in the hand!

[@samehshahin9358]

writerlywitterings , thank you very much my friend, i’think they become more expensive when i’live, i’hope buy of this one Visconti homo fin but maybe in the future in the black Friday or other occasion, any way just I would thank you for your attention sir 🙋‍♂️

[@sungwoochoi4217]

Hi, how did you get an ink window on the Steel age Homosapiens?

[@sungwoochoi4217]

Do all steel age pens come with an ink window?

[@writerlywitterings]

:-)

[@writerlywitterings]

:-)

[@ChengliangZhu]

Hi, could you please let me know what paper you were using ?

[@writerlywitterings]

Hi - To be honest, I can't remember. I tend to use Clairfontaine papers most of the time, with Atoma as a standby. However I think that this was very cheap Office Depot 70 gsm, which I used to use a lot. I found it really good, reliable paper, with no feathering or bleed through. Hope that helps!

[@ChengliangZhu]

@@writerlywitterings thanks for the reply! The quality of the paper is really good.

[@henryofskalitz2228]

I love visconti pens. They're my favorite brand.

[@writerlywitterings]

I think they're one of mine too. I still love my Conway Stewarts, Montegrappas and old Cross pens, though!

[@karaokekannibal]

Why can't we find that silver one with an ink window on the market?

[@writerlywitterings]

It was a one-off made especially for me by Dante Del Vecchio. I am writing my books using it, and he was looking at marketing it and possibly making more of them. It's still possible, but as things stand, this is the only one of its kind, I'm afraid.

[@animenolifer2]

writerlywitterings holy crap you got a one of a kind pen O.O!