Extensive Review for Free Pen
Preface:
I got this pen for free in exchange for an honest review. In this review, I will have a brief comparison between the FWP joule, pilot capless, and diplomat aero. This is because I paid a similar price for my pilot capless and diplomat aero before shipping (I did not pay tariffs because I bought them over a year ago). Also, this website only allows me to post 5 photos, so multiple pictures that I have in my Facebook review cannot be included here.
Packaging and Aesthetics:
Overall, I liked the minimal packaging used in shipping and that the packaging was biodegradable. I dislike plastic packaging. The design on the pen box (pictured below) is very aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, the foiling was pristine and elegantly placed. Ferris Wheel Press was originally a letterpress print and design studio, so it feels natural that their packaging is elegantly designed. On the box, states that it is “Designed and Assembled in Canada”. According to the CEO, the pens are manufactured in Taiwan. The joule does look quite beautiful, especially when included in an everyday carry photo (picture below). The lacquer is very smooth to the touch and shiny. While the engravings on the grip section are quite beautiful and help with traction on the pen, I could imagine that some models may chafe the hand after an extended writing section. The Miss Cora Lynn version has sections with very little engraving, so it may not be as much as a problem for this specific model. Additionally, the threads in the cap sometimes catch on the engravings in the grip section, which is frustrating sometimes (especially since I don't want the gold plating to wear off too fast). However, there are nicks in the metal where the grip section meets the body. Furthermore, the threads that connect the grip section to the body look like they have not been cleanly machined (look a little chewed up), and you can feel that as you twist it. Despite this, it does seem to create a seal. The beginning of the threads that connect the cap to the grip section are a little off but not as bad as the other threads. I posted pictures of the threads for my Diplomat Aero and Pilot Capless for comparison. Also, inside the converter is spring. I know it is to agitate the ink, but I’ve only had small balls in my converter, so I’m unsure how effective a spring will be.
Writing:
It takes 3.5 turns to open the Joule. It feels nice in the hand unposted. This pen is not intended to be used posted because the threads in the cap can shred the lacquer off of the pen. So, post at your own risk. Overall, it writes with a lot of feedback even if you use really wet ink (I used private reserve infinity ink), which I personally don’t mind. It seems to write fine on Tomoe River Paper, Rhodia, the paper I get from TJMaxx, and cheap notebook paper (Although the Rhodia and cheap notebook paper bled a little). It did write pretty well after being uncapped for a while. After my 10 minutes uncapped, I forgot about it and ended up leaving it for 45 minutes uncapped…. whoops. Anyway, after this, I tested it with shimmer ink and compared it to my Benu Euphoria, which holds shimmer ink very well because it is naturally just a very smooth and wet writer despite it being a fine nib. The Joule just did not do well with the shimmer ink, which was unfortunate.
Conclusions:
Overall, I think the joule could be a decent workhorse pen. It seems to write well with very wet ink. It also looks very pretty and has a nice leather sleeve. It can roll away from you, but I don’t really mind because I can just set it on something. However, there were some defects in the pen, which were not present in pens that I bought for a similar price before shipping. Defects happen, and I know Ray mentioned that quality control is something that his team continues to work on, so it is really up to the buyer to decide if they think it is worth the $180 price point or not.
