Editing The Pen Addict 480/transcript (section)

== Butter Softly Show Title ==


'''''Brad:'''   Do you remember a couple of weeks ago where we had the wonderful show title of Butter Softly? Yes. Myke, do you recall the Butter Softly conversation? This was around the marketing and press release of Kaweco's new premium nib. And what is Kaweco's premium nib for those who didn't listen to the episode a few weeks ago? It's a new steel model nib, excuse me, steel nib from Kaweco that you'll be able to buy separately for your pens that is, in theory, more special than the steel nibs that they sell currently with their pens. That's right. That's the story they're telling me. Hey, we sell a steel nib and we're going to make a nicer steel nib and sell it as an add-on. And obviously I had lots to say about that. I still have lots to say about that because I'm very confused on what they're trying to tell me here. But they have started to be ready for sale now. And I'm definitely getting one, right? Like I just have to get one because I need to know what the deal is. Like people are going to want to know, do I buy my $25 Kaweco Classic or Kaweco Sport with a standard steel nib and pay another $44 in the U.S. to add on a different steel nib to a pen that already has a steel nib?

''''Myke:'''  It's got to be a real different steel nib, right? And I don't know how different a steel nib can be.

'''''Brad:'''   So they've said that they've designed it differently and they manage these nibs differently and they polish them differently. And they're lots of hand processing differently than what they do in their standard. So the reason I'm pointing this up because they're about to become for sale. Yoseka Stationery posted a link on Twitter. They're going to do a blog post with a comparison in there. They put it on Twitter. They put an image of the standard steel nib on the left. And we'll have this in the show notes. And the premium on the right, both in extra fine. And you can tell like the idea just in the marketing copy that the new premium nibs were going to be wider, maybe wetter, and maybe smoother. Like they were all around the tipping and how they were handling the tipping on the front end of the pen. And, you know, that's well and good except like on things like an extra fine nib. It's like if I get an extra fine nib, I'm getting it for a reason, right? I don't need my extra fine nib to be wider than it already is. And so it's kind of like defeating the purpose. So I'm anxious to see this blog post. I'm anxious to get one in my hands. I will order one as soon as possible to test out with. And I am so interested in this because as someone who reviews a lot of products and has hundreds of products across their desk every year, I get some preconceived notions about topics like this that don't make sense in my head, right? Like Kaweco has made this decision and my job is to ask why and what are they trying to accomplish? What's the story they're telling me and how much are they going to charge me for it? And how does that relate to what they already do, right? This doesn't feel like a different product. It feels like they're making a premium product for a product that already exists. And is that price going to be worth it, right? That's my job. So I get these preconceived notions like, well, this is going to be like, I don't see how this is going to work out well, right? That's what's in my head is like, how does this work out well? And I don't know. So I got to get it and I got to try it and I got to say, hey, this did work out. This didn't work out or, you know, whatever the result may be, might be different. And once I get it in hand, then it is me reading marketing copy. So I bring this up because I just went through this with the Caran D'Ache rollerball. Myke, I don't know if you saw this pen. You're not as much of a Caran D'Ache fan as I am. I'm a huge Caran D'Ache fan. And I saw this rollerball pen. So I'm a huge fan of what's called the 849. If you just say Caran D'Ache 849, that's like saying bit crystal, right? It's like that common of a pen.

''''Myke:'''  This is the model that you made one in, right? You made an 849. Yeah.

'''''Brad:'''   Yeah. So it's the slim hex barrel, you know, ballpoint pen is generally what it's known as. So, and the ballpoint pen takes a Parker style refill. So they made a rollerball model of the 849, but they changed the barrel and they gigante sized it. It's kind of a behemoth looking barrel when compared to the traditional, what everyone knows as the 849. Like the 849 has been around for like a hundred years in that size. It's like, it's fixed in people's brains, what the 849 is and what it stands for. And so then they make the identical aesthetic for the rollerball, but embiggen the pen so much that the, it looks to me like the original 849 could fit inside of this barrel. Like that's how big it is. So I tried to have some comparison shots when I reviewed it. And so I was really concerned, like looking at pictures, I was like, oh my gosh, what are they doing? They're besmirching the name, the good name of the 849, making this huge pen. And I got it in hand and you know what? It's pretty darn good, Myke. Right? It's, it's, it's pretty good. Like it's not the greatest. I still prefer the smaller model, but like, I get it. Right. It's, you know, it fits my hand and works better than I thought it would from seeing the pictures, seeing the pictures. I was like, oh my God, this is ridiculous. Like, why would they do this when they've made just a complete stand on a product model and then add this in there? And I was like, okay, well, now that I have it, I get it. So like, that's why I wanted to bring up this Kaweco nib in comparison to this 849 rollerball, because like, I'm willing to be wrong on these things. You know, like I have my opinions when I see launch material and press releases and marketing, and I'm willing to have my opinion changed when I get the product physically in hand. Like those things can coexist together because I think the questions come from a genuine place. Like, why am I, why would I buy a $44 steel nib? That's like twice as much as the pen I just paid for with the steel nib in it. What are you selling me that that's a good, good deal? You know, why would I buy a gigantic 849 when I already have like the other 849s that I really enjoy and love? So I think it's a good, good way to approach things from my perspective is like, it's okay to, you know, have some kind of judgment or have some kind of idea before getting the product in hand. And then be open to having your mind changed when, when you do get it. If, if something, you know, actually meets or exceeds your expectations or goes the wrong way, something I could love, you know, on paper, you get it in hand and it's like, whoa, that did not work whatsoever. Like I'm really open about these types of things. So I think these two products are like a good study for me and just how I go about working and doing like penatic review stuff.

''''Myke:'''  It's weird to make it so large like that, but I would say the 849 is quite a dainty pen.

'''''Brad:'''   It is. It's small. Like I'll straight up the eight standard 849. Most people consider it to be a small pen. The only interesting thing I found about the 849 rollerball, which I thought was curious, and I brought it up in relation to the regular 849. It's the same size refill. It's a Parker style refill. So they just embiggen the barrel to use the same refill I could put in the smaller 849. I mean, different retail, different ink, right? Ballpoint ink versus rollerball ink, but exact same Parker sized refill. Not like a larger, like a big, you know, like a, you can get like a full sized, you know, Mont Blanc rollerball refill, like the big long refills. They don't use that. So, I mean, that's a pro and a con. Like I would have liked to seen something more special in the refill. On the other hand, it lets me use any Parker style refill I want in this pen barrel.

''''Myke:'''  Very cool. I mean, at least you get the option of the design that you like, even if you're going to change it out for something else.

'''''Brad:'''   Yeah, it's really cool. It's nice to hold. I'm using it today for show notes as we go, and I just keep picking up and holding it. But I'm surprised, as someone who generally likes smaller pens, I'm surprised how much I like this pen.

''''Myke:'''  I want to talk real quick about the Canalea, because I didn't get to talk about it last week. Yeah, you do.

''''Myke:'''  It's part of the Manta collection. So this is the Manta. I have the Manta Mailele version. I didn't remember if that's the one you had. I do. This is with the Argentium silver band around it. But I own the... I'm now doing what you did. I forgot the names again. The most recent one, the Honakalani, right? That was the one they did last time. And I have the one with the band on that, and I adore it. And I've really come to love that band. So I recommend that, by the way, if you want to treat yourself. I think it's a very nice detail. But I wanted to just talk about the acrylic coloring of this a little bit. Because it's very different for Canalea. Yeah. Because you said it's a mood, right? And it is intentionally more gloomy, I think, than some of their other models. And I think this is really smart for them, that they're now going under the sea. It's a new area, color-wise and thematically, that they can explore. And so a green and dark, I guess black, I think charcoal is the color. It's nice if you're describing it. I just think it is very different. And I really like it. I think this one, this colorway, I think I could see it's holding place in the executive pen world. Maybe more than some of the others are. And for me, I adore the big, bright colors. That's what my tastes lean to. But I really enjoy the kind of almost understatedness of it a little bit. So yeah, I'm really into it. I think it's very cool looking and very different. And I'm really excited to see if this is the beginning of a new design exploration for Canalea. I'm really into it. And I'm also just really happy that they're putting that silver band on other pens. Because I think it's a great option. I think that this is something that people would pick up and they would be like, Oh yeah. Like I imagine that the My Lele versions will be good pen show sellers. Like that would be my expectation.

'''''Brad:'''   Yeah. And what's funny, I think in relation to like kind of how you're saying, like if I'm, I have the pen right here. So like if it's sitting on my desk, like an arm's length away, it looks, you know, proper and businessy. Even though like mine has the My Lele band and it's like, Oh, but it makes it look fancy and stand out. And then you pick it up. And that's when you get hit with like the depth of the materials and things like that. So it's unique in that aspect. Like I've, you know, the two that I have, the Hanuma Bay and the Kona Cherry, you can see those from a mile away, you know, like, and that's like intentional. Right. And I think it's intentional.

'''''Brad:'''   Subdued is not the right word for this at all. It's actually, it's actually like an extreme design.

''''Myke:'''  It's got all of the stuff that you're used to from their most recent pens where like it looks like it has depth to it, which I actually also think really works for the under the ocean idea because they have these, the acrylic really feels like it just has a mind bending depth to it.

'''''Brad:'''   So it's got this depth and darkness. And I think it, like you said, it's, I tend to look at things a lot is how does it fit with the rest of the product lineup as a whole. And it's kind of like a perfect fit for, for that. So yeah, a really great job on this one. I love the colors, love the, love the shape, love the story. All of it. It's great.

''''Myke:'''  Yeah. I'm excited to see what they, where they go next now as well.

'''''Brad:'''   Yep.

''''Myke:'''  I'm keen to, I'm keen to see it. Cause I think they called it the Manta Collection, right? Yeah. Or there's only one of them right now. Unless they're referring to the whole pen line. I don't know.