An Italian pen has not appeared on this blog in ages. I have found them too erratic. The newer Stipula Model T is an eyedropper, which made me reconsider it – cartridge/converter pens simply can’t keep up with what I do to flex nibs.
The material is called pyrite resin, and it is gorgeous. (If there’s anything Italian pens do well, it’s gorgeousness.)
This is where the section screws into the barrel. The section is also made from pyrite resin.
The fit is snug, as befits an eyedropper. So far, no leaks.
I was really curious about the nib. I had a titanium stub on a Stipula Ventidue (now deceased, thanks to giant ink window crack), and it was more soft than flexible.
I unscrewed the nib and feed (they’re in a collar) and washed them to get rid of any remaining oils from manufacturing.
The nib flexes as advertised. The flow is good, sometimes a little too much, but I expect that from eyedroppers. I had several minor railroading episodes, which I hope will disappear over time. (In fairness to the nib, when it is used slowly and carefully, railroading does not happen.)
The fine nib is closer to medium, so to get more line variation means having to write very lightly on upstrokes and applying more pressure than usual on downstrokes. The nib releases a lot of ink on downstrokes, so occasionally dabbing the feed with tissue to absorb the excess is a good idea.
I think I like the pen’s material enough to not demand so much from the nib. It’s not the holy grail, but it’s no slouch either.