Pen review: Black Robin Pens Ophelia

Or Wherefore art thou Ophelia

I am sure that neither one of my two readers are aware that I used to dream of obtaining a PhD in Shakespearology. Obviously, that has not and will not not happen (thanks, Balkan family, for not supporting my dreams of becoming a Dr. Idipbananasintocoffee), but ever since my university days, I have been a huge fan of Shakespeare. Naturally, I was “forced” into reading Hamlet when I was in high school, and I frankly thought it was more on the side of… well, Much Ado about Nothing (haha I am funny). However, once I actually dug a bit deeper, a few years later, I realized I was, in fact, very much into his plays.

It is no surprise, then, that I was instantly drawn to Black Robin Pens (with the same Instagram handle) when I found out about them. It’s a shame, really, that I only stumbled upon their page a month or so ago. With the variety of pen models and amazing finishes that the owner puts out, I feel cheated of having missed out on some mind boggling pens.

So, naturally, I pestered them about at least one of their models when they asked for input. It was, I believe, a Primary Manipulation finish in… Ariel? Not sure. As someone who doesn’t care about binaries, I felt strongly drawn to Ariel, the genderless spirit of The Tempest; however, I am also a huge fan of Macbeth and Othello for various reasons. I believe I am guilty of having bothered Black Robin Pens for a model named after Desdemona (in the works TM). But the first model that caught my eye was Ophelia, and for a very good reason.

Ophelia is apparently one of the most popular pens in the lineup. They do make other models and a bit girthier variations of their models (Grand Ophelia is, for example, slightly thicker than the regular Ophelia; XL Prospero is, you guessed it, a bigger Prospero). Off the top of my head, they currently offer Prospero, Ariel, Hamlet, Titus, King Lear, and Viola. I chose Ophelia because of the shape. It is curved, dainty, and absolutely beautiful to hold and look at.

Since this is a one-person-operation, the number of released pens is limited, which can be both a good and a bad thing. A good thing is the fact you’re almost guaranteed of having quite a unique pen, and a bad thing is that if you miss out on a pen you want, you almost certainly will not be able to have it. Ever. I was lucky. I put alarms on and notifications on to be ready for the launch of the most recent batch of their pens. I obsessively checked the time they would be dropping the batch. I knew I had to act quickly. Hell, I even took a break at work at the exact time they would be posting the last batch for the next few months, and I still — almost — missed out on the pen I will be showing. The only reason I have it in my possession now is the fact someone else backed out after DMing the maker before me. My full thanks to that person, by the way. And, without actually kidding, thank you to Black Robin Pens for letting me know I could still have it.

I present to you: Ophelia in Neon Reef Trio finish.

I usually don’t care about measurements as numbers generally don’t mean much to me, but I will let you all know that at the narrowest, the pen’s width is 13.3 mm and the widest, it goes to 15 mm. What I like to do is to compare the pen I am reviewing with pens that are similar in size and those that are actually more common in the fountain pen community. I’m not too interested in knowing how big my pen is compared to a pen that I’ve never seen or will never hold (like some obscure models of pens that cost more than most people’s rent). As I said, Grand Ophelia is a tad girthier, but both variants are of the same length. Personally, I’ll say that the regular size works well for me.

Left to right: Pilot Cocoon, Diplomat Aero, Black Robin Pens Ophelia, Zodiac Pen Co Pisces (if pens could dance I would say its body fits against Ophelia’s), Benu Euphoria.

The pictures don’t do this finish justice. Even non fountain pen people were gobsmacked when they saw my Ophelia. Now, I will not say that this one is the “prettiest” or the “best” in my collection, as I love all of my pens dearly, but it sure is special and unique — both in the shape and in the finish.

Uncapped, Ophelia is now about the same length as the Euphoria, despite it looking way smaller when capped.

The attention to detail is stunning.

Ophelia has an inner cap, or rather, a step that keeps the nib wet even with longer periods of it not being used (I wouldn’t know if it works since I’ve been doodling and playing with it since I got it). The cap is not flush with the body, so if that bothers you, I suggest not talking about it because it’s absolutely not a problem. The pen is pointy on both sides, and I am amazed by the craftsmanship because it feels like even one more rotation on the lathe would obliterate the ends. It’s perfectly balanced, light, and the grip is comfortable; with its slight flare at the end, your fingers won’t slip and end on the nib (side note, I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with a slippery grip except with a Diplomat Aero/Elox, and with that one unbranded pocket pen that I stripped of paint on the grip because I am smart like that). The only thing I am worried about — as a layman — is the fact that the spot the cap meets the body seems quite thin. I would be worried to drop this pen. But, again, I am anal about pens and I have yet to drop a more precious pen from my collection. Basically, just don’t drop your pens and they will last you a long time.

I swapped the nib when I got the pen because I wanted to use the Wearingeul Hamlet ink in it, and I needed the wettest nib I could find (for shimmer, obviously. Not because I wanted to pair Ophelia with Hamlet as Hamlet did not deserve Ophelia). Of course, I am sure the original nib is excellent. Again, as I am a big fan of stamped/engraved nibs, I would love to see the logo on their new pens whenever that is convenient for them!

When the pen is inked, you can see some of the ink in the grip, which I don’t mind. And yes, I am showing off my nib; I had it engraved with the Tree of Life because I miss my family.

The blank is Neon Reef Trio that I managed to find on one website, but not on any other pens I’ve seen out there. Then again, I wear glasses, so take my research with a grain of salt. It’s surprisingly translucent, with green, pink, and purple ribbons just ribboning around. And the acrylic is so well polished that at first I thought the pen did not come with a converter! (It did). You just can’t see it from the outside, and frankly, I love that detail; I love that I can see the ink level but the converter itself is not taking away from the beauty of the pen.

All in all, would I recommend this pen? Well, you can’t have it. The model itself, however? Absolutely. Black Robin Pens are located in the UK, and I received the pen within a week, so meticulously wrapped that I admired the packaging almost as much as the pen when I finally unwrapped it (at work, of course). It comes in a felt sleeve (stamped with the logo) and in a cylindrical box (stamped with the logo) and with a lollipop (you guessed it, stamped with the logo). The certificate of authenticity was placed in a wax sealed black envelope, and I wish I knew what ink (honey colored) they used because it is gorgeous.

I don’t think the price is outrageous for how perfectly executed the pen is. Check them out. I am not affiliated (I wish I was); I am just a happy customer. Anyway, they take commissions, although at the time of writing this review, they might be on a bit of a break, but I’m sure they’d love to hear about your thoughts and ideas.

You know, so they can make, or not make the pen you would love.