This fountain pen was a gift from Stephen. He contacted Ryan about a custom pet portrait on one of his Legend L14 fountain pens. If you aren't familiar with Ryan's work, I'd suggest taking a look at his
website and
Instagram, both of which demonstrate his art, skills, and talent. He's an excellent artist, able to capture the essence of an animal with articulate creations, but he's also a lovely person. I am honored to own a mini painting from him, and I couldn't be happier with the result. Stephen provided Ryan with a picture of my cat, Ellie, and he brought her ridiculous (magical) self to life in a pen. Obviously, this will be a very, very biased review. In fact, it's less of a review and more of a show and tell. I'll do my best to review the base model (Legend L14) but what I'm really, truly in love with is the significance of this pen.
If you have or have had pets, you already know the impact they have on one's life. Ellie, aka DikDik, was a kindred spirit, and her sudden illness and death were devastating. Tyco passed away several months after she did and I haven't been able to bring myself to adopt another cat. Here I am, remembering the cats that have come into my life, left footprints in my heart, and left this earth, in many ways. This particular way is by fountain pen.
I am so grateful to Ryan for creating this pen, and to Stephen for hatching this plan. To say I adore it would be an understatement.
ABOUT
Body material: Ebony wood, ebonite section, labradorite inlays
Trim: None
Cap: Screw on
Posts: No
Nib material: #6 stainless steel
Filling system: Standard international cartridge/converter
Length (capped): 131.8 mm/5.19"
Length (uncapped): 124.13 mm/4.89"
Length (posted): N/A
Length (section): 20.39 mm/0.80"
Diameter (barrel): 12.76 - 14.2 mm/0.50" - 0.55"
Diameter (section): 10.68 - 11.8 mm/0.42" - 0.47"
Weight (all): 21 g
Weight (cap): 7 g
Weight (body): 14 g
Where to buy:
Ryan Krusac Fountain Pen Studios
PACKAGING
The Legend was presented in a handmade pen sleeve with a leather thong. It's a dark, silky sleeve. Ryan presents his pens in similar sleeves. Sleeve may vary! No plastic, no wasted stuff.
APPEARANCE
The Legend L14 is the smaller of the two Legend models - the larger being the 16. The pen is round with slightly rounded off flat ends. The cap and barrel are made of ebony wood and the section is matte black ebonite. The ebony is a deep, dark brown with black streaks. From afar, it looks like a very dark brown pen. The pen has been coated to give it a glossy look and to seal the material. It's a simple design that I really like. The section is smooth, round, and tapers slightly towards the nib before ending in a ridge. There are a few cap threads at the back of the section that blend in well and are clean. I love the look of the matte black ebonite with the glossy cap and barrel.
The top of the cap and end of the barrel have a labradorite inlay set flush in them and sealed with a glossy finish. The labradorite selected here is a yellow-green to green-green that glows. Ryan selected these pieces to match Ellie's eyes, based on the picture he was provided. He did well. It's perfection. Ellie had giant green eyes that were always round and curious. If they weren't wide open, round, and curious, she was asleep. The labradorite is perfect.
The barrel features the painting of Ellie, posing in the same way she is posing in the photograph. The work is incredibly detailed, with fine, perfect brush strokes and a beautiful use of shapes and shadows. I love it. It's also on the subtle side because it blends into the pen a little. Perfect.
NIB & PERFORMANCE
The nib isn't the highlight here but it does perform well. Stephen selected a #6 steel 1.1 mm stub nib as the nibs are interchangeable and I have multiple #6 nibs to play around with. The nib has a single slit, a round breather hole, and is engraved with some flourishes and 1.1. Ryan Krusac's logo is laser engraved on the nib and it's tidy and clean. I like true engravings but in this case, it works.
The nib is smooth, medium wet, dries quickly, and is well-tuned and well-adjusted. There is line variation from the shape of the nib - thin cross strokes and wider down strokes. It can even be used as a reverse writer, but it's pleasant and great to add some character to your writing in its normal orientation. Inks shade nicely with it and overall, I am satisfied with the performance.
The cartridge/converter system works without issue and is ideal for this pen.
IN HAND
There is no clip on this pen. The section is smooth to the touch. It doesn't feel slippery at all and is comfortable to use for long writing sessions. The ridge at the end is sharp so I grip the pen higher up on the section. The step up to the barrel is also somewhat sharp so if I have any complaints, it's about the section having sharp edges. They don't bite into my fingers or hand when I'm writing but if you hold it in certain spots, it's sharp.
Top to bottom: Edison Menlo, Franklin-Christoph Model 66 Stabilis, Franklin-Christoph Pocket 45, Ryan Krusac Legend L14, Lamy Safari.
The cap cannot be posted so the only way to use the L14 is unposted. The L14 is the smaller size and I find it ideal for my hand. It's a lightweight pen but well balanced and works well for short notes and long writing sessions.
PROS & CONS
OVERALL
As I said, I'm biased. The highlight of this pen for me is the painting of Ellie and the matching labradorite inlays. I love the pen because of its significance, but I also enjoy writing with it. I think the section could use some work so it's smoother at the ends, but it's not a deal breaker. If you're looking for a special pen for yourself or someone else, I highly recommend Ryan's work.
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