Last week, you might have read about my trip to the London Pen Show, where I picked up a ‘Duo’ made by Black Forest Pens. Since then, I have used this pen exclusively and feel I have put enough ink through it to share my thoughts. So, this blog post has nothing to do with a Brompton. However, it does tell you about a rather unique fountain pen.
The real party trick of the ‘Duo’ is its double-ended construction, with a nib mount at each end. This gives you a huge number of options when it comes to swapping things around. You could have two different colours of ink, different nib widths, different nib colours or even different nib materials. The list goes on and on.
My pen is made from stainless steel and, despite not being a huge fan of metal pens in the past, this one (along with the pocket pen I bought from them) is just lovely. It’s a heavier pen, weighing in at 80g according to my scales, and measures 170mm in length with both caps on. With one cap removed, it measures a little over 160mm. The balance comes into play here, and it sits comfortably and happily in my hand.
The pen oozes quality, with everything machined to perfection. Neither the section nor the cap works loose when carrying or writing with it, and the finish is not slippery. Even during longer writing sessions, I have experienced no hand fatigue, and it has been an absolute joy to use.
I carry a few fountain pens with me every day, and having two different ink colours available in a single pen is incredibly useful. Both ends are fitted with number 6 steel JOWO nibs in fine, and they write really, really well. I don’t know whether Black Forest Pens tunes or checks their nibs thoroughly before they leave the workshop, but these two, along with the nib on my pocket pen, are brilliant writers. They sit firmly in that Goldilocks territory of being just write! (Did you see what I did there?)
My pen came with one cap fitted with a clip and the other without, instead having a small metal bolt that acts as a roll stop. It works well and does the job nicely.
The Duo is a cartridge-only pen, which, for me, isn’t an issue. A blunt syringe allows you to refill empty, cleaned cartridges, giving you pretty much endless colour options without being restricted to whatever cartridges happen to be available.
Of course, this pen is a bit of a conversation starter. Two fountain pens in one? It is certainly something I have seen attempted before, albeit rather badly, although I cannot recall who made the other version. This Duo, however, is as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing.
On several levels, this is a totally bonkers pen. But believe me, it works. It has been part of my daily carry ever since I bought it, and I suspect it will be around for a good deal longer than I will be. I cannot see myself leaving it at home in favour of something else, and the beauty of it is knowing I always have those two all-important ink colours available for work. There is a great deal to like.
I met Lydia and Denis at the London Pen Show, and they were great ambassadors for their pens. I am pretty certain that I will be back for another of their rather lovely offerings sooner rather than later. You can find them HERE
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