This is a review of the Sabonis Fountain Pen. This fountain pen brand is primarily marketed in Latin America. This specific pen was sent to me from Mexico. I am not 100% sure what model this is, as it came to me without a box or any paperwork. There doesn’t appear to be any markings that reflect a model on the pen or nib.
The first thing I noticed about this pen, was the weight – it’s pretty darn heavy. Much heavier than most of my other pens. The pen is pretty plain looking – in a good way, it also does look more expensive than it is. The cap is very tight fitting, it requires a pretty good grip to pull the cap off. There is also a noticeable click when the cap is removed and or reinstalled.
The dimensions of the Sabonis Fountain Pen are as follows:
Capped – 5.25″
Cap removed – 4.75″
Cap posted – 6″
Weight – 1.1oz (this was using a digital scale that was zeroed & includes the converter plus what ink is left inside.)
I was surprised that this pen didn’t include a cartridge and or converter. I tried using the extra Platinum Preppy and the Waterman converters I had… neither one fit correctly. I ended up ordering an International Piston Converter for a Pelikan (from my friends at Pear Tree Pens) and it ended up fitting perfectly.
The nib seems to be a fine-medium steel nib. It has the Sabonis logo and is made in Germany. It originally was difficult to get inked up. It was having a lot of problems starting up, even after I let the ink prime in it for 24+ hours. The next day I decided I needed to floss the nib (this opens the tines up a bit & allows for a better flow). That ended up working perfectly. Now the pen starts much faster and flows a nice fine-medium line.
The nib is nice and smooth and it produces a nice wetish line that has a nice bit of shading to it. I recently did an ink review with the Sabonis, it can be found here: J Herbin Bleu Azur Ink Review
All in all, for an inexpensive fountain pen, this is a pretty nice pen. I won’t say it’s my favorite, but its fun and will stay in my rotation.
Full sized images can be found on this set on my Flickr account.
Matt is a Systems Development Director for a multinational franchise. Matt has lived and worked in Hawaii, Chicago, South Florida and currently resides outside of Atlanta. He enjoys his hobbies including Technology, Gadgets/EDC, Fountain Pens, Wetshaving, Clocks, Antiques & Coffee. He even roasts his own coffee weekly.
