The 1745 is a piston filler. The nib, the clip and the cap ring are metal; all other parts appear to be plastic. The design is a bit of a Pelikan knockoff. The pen is very lightweight, and just a bit more slender than I find really comfortable - though it's probably a "standard" size pen, at 5 1/8 inches capped, 4 3/4 inches uncapped.
I didn't flush or otherwise prep the pen in any way; I just threw some Waterman Florida Blue ink in it - which is what I almost always use as my initial test ink in a new pen (or in a pen new to me).
And it just - worked.
Much less fussily than pens ten or even a hundred times its price sometimes are.
I'm sure the nib is steel - but, interestingly enough, it's got just a touch of flex to it. It's nice to write with - a good amount of feedback, smooth but not too smooth, and just a little bit springy.
And I'm very impressed at how nicely it started right out of the gate.
Overall, I'd say I got my $7.50 worth - and then some.
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| (clickable) Draft of this review, written with the Reform 1745 |
This is one in a continuing series of reviews of inexpensive fountain pens.
Three years late to the party here Sheila, but I was wandering the web looking for 1745 reviews (I've heard a lot of bad stuff about scratchy nibs),but you're review has clinched it. I've just bought one from FPN, probably from the same seller, but it's gone up $5 in four years. I'm looking forward to it arriving at the weekend, aahh..Pens in the Post - could almost be the title of my next book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review Sheila, it helped me make a choice.
Great, Jeff! Glad to know it was helpful. And, three years later, I still think the 1745 is good proof that pens don't have to be expensive to be good, reliable tools. Hope you enjoy the pen!
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