It had been a long time since I gave Faber-Castell fountain pens a spin so when I saw the slim, metal Faber-Castell Neo Slim Aluminum Fountain Pen in Olive Green (EF nib, $67), I decided it was time to try again. The Neo Slim comes in several other color options including a black-and-rose-gold.
This pen is brushed aluminum design that feel a little like the Makralon Lamy 2000, that slightly toothy exterior. It is a narrow, slender design which reminds me of the Faber-Castell colored pencil in width.
The pen uses a standard international cartridge or converter. The pen shipped with no converter. At a price over $50, I really want pen makers to include a converter.
The cap is a snap cap which makes it a quick and easy pen to use in office settings, meetings and note-taking since there is no twisting.
The clip and nib are black anodized metal. I got the EF nib in hopes that it would be fine enough for my use.
I was surprised at how wide the lines were with the EF nib. Its not scratchy but it is definitely wider than what I was expecting from an EF nib.
When the EF Neo nib is compared with other EF nibs, it is the widest. I would compare it to a medium, at least a Japanese medium. It’s EF as Lamy thinks of EF nibs. So if you like needlepoint nibs, this is not for you.
Size comparison:
I was hoping that the Neo would be competitive to the Caran d’Ache 849 fountain pen. It is very similar in length. The Neo is slimmer. Next to the Sailor ProGear Slim and Kaweco Sport, the Neo is the narrowest of the bunch.
The nib is similar in size but the Neo nib is a unique shape.
The grip section is the shortest with the sharpest step down. That is one of the things I found the hardest to deal with. It was a little pokey in my hand.
Finally, I’ve been working with this Faber-Castell pen all week only to discover that the snap cap doesn’t seal completely and every time I uncap it, the nib is dry and hard starts.
Sadly, this is the deal breaker for me. The point of a snap cap pen is for it to be easy to use on a regular basis. If after only a day, its dry, that’s a no-go.
I will try this pen with a different ink since the Monteverde California Teal is a sheeny ink that may be causing the pen to dry a little faster but I’ve never had a problem with it in other pens so I think its a long shot.
My Final Opinion
The Faber-Castell Neo Slim is very narrow pen in the hand so it is going to appeal to a very specific audience. When you add a wide nib for an EF, not a complete seal with the snap cap, and no converter, and I can’t really recommend this pen. I wanted to love it but I just don’t and I keep trying to use only to have it hard start. Argh!
Do you have a Neo Slim fountain pen? What nib size do you have? Do you like it?
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The broad size of the EF nib is exactly what I like less in this otherwise well balanced pen.
My hands are small and my writing is small and neat, so I really prefer tiny EF nibs, on the stiff side, to be honest.
Thank you for the review!!