Before 2020 broke bad, one bright spot was the proliferation of good pocket fountain pens, after years of there being, well, the Kaweco Sport and not a whole lot else. I’ve already discussed my love for the excellent Schon DSGN Pocket Six, and today I’ll turn my attention to Traveler’s Company’s new twist on an old format.
The Traveler’s Company Brass Fountain Pen (shown here in the special “Factory Green” finish) builds on TRC’s “Brass” lineup that originally held just the bullet pencil - a modern reissue of the classic pocket writing implement from the early 20th century. Over the past couple of years, Traveler’s Company has slowly built out the line to include a ballpoint pen (which I wrote about last week), a rollerball, and now a fountain pen. I started out as skeptical as anyone of TRC’s ability to incorporate a decent fountain pen writing experience into this form factor, but again I was pleasantly surprised.
I found the TRC Brass Fountain Pen to have good length and balance when “posted” (which is really the only way you can write with it). As with the Brass Pencil and Brass Ballpoint, the TRC Brass Fountain Pen features a clip and a loop, if you’d like to attach this pen to a lanyard or keyring. The integrated clip makes all of the TRC pens quite functional, if like me you regularly clip your pens to shirt pockets and the front of notebooks.
While the Brass Pencil and Brass Ballpoints feel solid, they are still relatively inexpensive writing instruments that rely on the same metal ferrule system used in vintage bullet pencils. The fountain pen receives a bit of an upgrade, featuring a brass “bullet” section that makes the fountain pen feel like a more elegant, and likely more durable, writing instrument. The nib appears to be a JoWo No. 5, based on feed design and performance. While I’ve not experimented myself, I’ve heard anecdotal reports of JoWo No. 5 nib units being interchangeable with the one that ships on this pen. In any event, the included nib is stamped “Fine” with the Traveler’s Company Logo, and I’ve found it to be a smooth and reliable writer. This pen refills with short international cartridges. While I imagine Kaweco and Monteverde mini-converters will also fit, I typically rely on cartridges for most of my pocket pens due to issues with reliability and low ink capacity.
Takeaways and Where to Buy
No product is harder to do correctly than a pocket fountain pen, and the industry is littered with examples of poorly executed attempts and good ideas that simply never caught on. Occasionally, someone will absolutely nail the form factor, and what’s great is how Traveler’s Company has managed to make a pocket fountain pen that actually looks nearly identical to their Brass Pencil and Brass Ballpoint, drawing on a beloved vintage design to create an instantly recognizable aesthetic that captures the personality of the company. I’ve long been a fan of the Traveler’s Notebook and related accessories, and TRC has clearly put a lot of effort into expanding its product line in a way that maintains quality and doesn’t dilute the brand identity.
The Gentleman Stationer Curated Shop is an authorized retailer of Traveler’s Company pocket pens and pencils, including the Brass “Bullet Pencil,” the Brass Ballpoint, and now the fountain pen, priced at $75. Currently, the fountain pen is only available in the “Factory Green” finish but I will be looking to stock more in the near future, along with additional Traveler’s Company products.
Further Reading
Last week, I wrote a short piece describing the Traveler’s Company Pocket Ballpoint. I also have a periodically updated standing piece discussing some of my other favorite Pocket Pens, which you may find helpful. While I haven’t had enough time with the TRC pens to justify adding them to the larger Pocket Pens index, they will probably make an appearance on that list in the future.
Disclaimer: As noted above, I am an authorized retailer of Traveler’s Company products. As a general matter, I only sell products I’m willing to stand behind, but everyone has different needs so I strongly encourage everyone to do their own research as opposed to relying solely on my opinions as expressed in this blog.