Review: 3952 X800 Fountain Pen @PenChalet

Pen Chalet contacted me not too long ago asking if I would be interested in checking out a new brand they were carrying. I had never heard of the Tawainese company 3952 before so I thought it would be neat!

ABOUT

Body material: Metal
Trim: Chrome
Cap: Magnetic
Posts: Yes, friction
Filling: Standard international cartridge/converter
Nib material: #6 JoWo Stainless Steel
Length (capped): 144.86 mm/5.70"
Length (uncapped): 130.7 mm/5.15"
Length (posted): 169.03 mm/6.66"
Length (section): 28.85 mm/1.14"
Diameter (barrel): 10.74 - 11.99 mm/0.43" - 0.47"
Diameter (section): 11.04 - 13.80 mm/0.44" - 0.54"
Weight (all): 59 g
Weight (cap): 24 g
Weight (body): 35 g
Price:  SALE $149.60 USD (regular $187.00)
Where to buy: Pen Chalet

ALL CUSTOMERS: GOURMETPENS

10% off

PACKAGING

The 3952 X800 fountain pen is presented in a large box. The outer black sleeve has a sticker of the 3952 logo on it. The hard box inside has a pebbled texture and has another logo sticker on top. The lid can be removed to reveal a foam pad and the pen in a plastic sleeve on a soft, velvety black bed. The clip is tagged with a 3952-branded plastic tag. It has an interesting animal and nib on the back (antelope with nib antlers - cool!). 

The packaging is simple and attractive - looks like a great business gift presentation. Seems appropriate for the pen. Note that this pen does not come with any cartridges, but does include a converter. 

APPEARANCE

The 3952 X800 is a new brand and model to me. I was not sure what to expect but once I got the pen in hand, I was pretty happy with it. The X800 is a large, full-size pen with a round cap and barrel and flat ends with chrome plugs. There is nothing on the finial aside from the top of the clip. The clip is long, slender, and unmarked. The clip sits close to the cap so the pen doesn't feel very wide - I like the look. The center band is quite wide with four rings engraved in it. The 3952 logo is engraved on the band as well. While I don't usually care for wide center bands, this one looks decent. 

The section is round and straight to the nib. It is all metal with grooves at the back. The body is matte black with grooves spiraling around it. This is a great design, in my humble opinion. It looks like a lot of work was put into the barrel just based on the clean lines and design, even if it was done by machine. The finish looks pretty solid - no unusual gaps or bits of glue, particularly sharp edges, or anything else that might suggest a lack of attention for the finishing. Overall, a nice looking pen!

NIB & PERFORMANCE

The #6 nib is a JoWo stainless steel in extra-fine (also available in fine, medium, and broad). The nib has a single slit, a round breather hole, and is engraved with EF, some flourishes, and the subtle (laser engraved) 3952 logo.

As I expect from JoWo nibs, this nib is a solid, reliable writer. It is as smooth as a factory extra-fine could be, it writes on the dry side - but is appropriate for an EF, and drying times are fast. It is a firm nib that does not skip or hard start, and it can offer a touch of line variation with pressure. Free weight- check. Fast writing and long sessions - check. It can even be used for some reverse writing. An all-around solid nib, great for daily use.

The converter that was included worked fine. I'm surprised it did not include at least one cartridge as it looks like a business-type gift pen to me, and I imagine a new user might like a cartridge to pop in right away. 

IN HAND

The clip is very tight and cannot be lifted. Don't try it. It can hurt. It can, however, slide on to pages, etc, but it is quite tight. The clip holds so snugly as it slides that some of the black material can rub off (i.e. on the paper). This is a shame as I imagine users would like to put this pretty pen in their shirt pocket! As such, I was hesitant to really use the clip aside from putting it in a pen pouch.

The section flares out a little before the nib, which helps keep my grip off the nib. It isn't a super comfortable section because I prefer either wider sections that fill my grip or pinches ones, and this is neither. It can also feel a little slippery with use. The magnetic cap means there are no cap threads to get in the way, though. 

Unposted, this is a full-size pen - not into oversize range but definitely a large one. It is pretty substantial in hand but feels balanced. Due to the weight, I do not use this pen for long writing sessions. The cap can be posted snugly by friction, but that makes the pen long, top heavy, and unusable for me. 

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

3952 is a Taiwanese company that produces this attractive, solid pen. It's pretty reliable, is well-made, and I like the design. The X800 performs really well, not surprisingly. I think the sale price is not too bad, considering other options out there. You could certainly find more inexpensive pens with more features, but the X800 gives you another option, especially if you like magnetic caps and large pens. It's also a pleasant nib. Considering the build, presentation, and writing experience, it's not too bad.




I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion.