Fountain Pen: Conklin All American Matte Black and Rose Gold

whimsicaleccentric
Mar 12, 2024
2 min read

Updated: Jun 8, 2024

VISUAL

I don't know why, but there is something satisfying about the look of large matte black pens. The pop of rose gold from the clip (and the section band and threads when uncapped) is very nice.

TACTILE

Satin matte texture is incredibly pleasant to touch. This is not the most 'grippy' of textures, certainly not as slippery as polished metal but it can slide between my fingers pretty easily.

The Conklin branding is engraved on the barrel. The limited edition number is engraved on the base of the cap. Both engravings are barely noticeable when running a finger over them - it doesn't detract from the satin matte finish.

PRACTICAL

I've had some issues with this Conklin broad nib, so it took some nib cleaning and tweaking to get it to work for me out of the box.

The grip is a decent width for me. It is very comfortable to hold, and the grip itself is long enough that my fingers only just barely touch the cap threads. The cap threads themselves are not overly sharp.

This pen can technically post, but it is incredibly loose and uncomfortable. Fortunately, I find it a very comfortable length to use unposted.

STATISTICAL

Pen Measurements:

Weight: 34.49 g

Weight of Cap: 14 g

Length Capped: 143mm

Length Uncapped: 128mm

Length Posted: 172mm

Nib: 6mm 'Broad' Steel

Body Style: Cigar

Fill Method: Converter

Fill Volume: 0.8ml

Comparison Pens: Pilot Metropolitan and LAMY Safari

My Fountain Pen Database

OVERALL

Pros:

Comfortably large pen
Beautiful matte finish

Cons:

Poorly posts
Some nib issues out of the box

The All American has a very satisfying 'large pen' presence to it. I really like how it looks in the matte black and rose gold. This is not the first Conklin pen that has given me issues with its nib, however. I'm glad that I was able to tweak this into working, but it is always at the back of my mind when I consider purchasing Conklin pens.

DISCLAIMER: Pens and inks purchased by myself. Photos and opinions are my own.