Fountain Pen: Stipula Adagio

VISUAL

The Stipula Adagio is a medium-large, faceted piston filler. This color, the Fountains of Poggi, is complex and interesting. It is a swirling mix of teal, silver, and brown with a translucent base.

The cap band is my favorite part of this pen. It is a wide band with a pretty repeating pattern of leaves encircling a large printing of the brand name and model.

The pen is framed with two round silver finials. It is interesting that the finials and cap band are fully circular, but the body and cap have an eight-sided faceted shape. The facets slope up to meet the cap band, fitting together fairly flush.

As a random note, this resin faintly glows in the dark!

TACTILE

The Stipula is a decently heavy pen for its size. The facets are slightly smoothed on the edges, and right before the cap band they angle slightly upwards and are curved slightly to transition from octagonal to circular.

The section is made of a shiny polished metal. It is fairly slick and sharply tapered. It's a bit of a challenge to use. There is quite a step up from the section to the body, but the section is long enough that it isn't an issue.

PRACTICAL

I like the interesting engraved style of this nib. I believe that Stipula makes their own nibs. It's an interesting off-silver color that is darker than most of my silver Jowo or Bock nibs. Interestingly, both of my Stipula Adagios have developed some yellow coloring to the tines - it doesn't look like rust, but I'm not sure what is causing the change.

This pen functions as a piston filler, but it's more of a captured converter. The tiny piston knob technically works, but it doesn't have much feedback so it's a bit frustrating to know when it's fully extended or retracted.

The Adagio does post firmly, but it does slightly concern me that it friction-fits metal threads on a circular cap to the facets of a resin body. I haven't noticed any scratches yet, but it's always in the back of my mind.

The most frustrating part of this pen is the cap. It's a heavy cap, and there is so little resistance to the start of the uncapping that it just...starts unscrewing itself at the slightest jostle.

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STATISTICAL

Pen Measurements:

Weight: 41.9g

Weight of Cap: 19.7g

Length Capped: 136mm

Length Uncapped: 120mm

Length Posted: 168mm

Nib: 6mm 'Fine' Steel

Body Style: Tapered

Fill Method: Piston

Fill Volume: 0.8ml

Comparison Pens: Pilot Metropolitan, LAMY LX

My Fountain Pen Database

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OVERALL

Pros:

• Interesting swirled resin

• Really pretty cap band

Cons:

• Frustratingly slippery grip

• Questionable material contact when posting

• Janky piston mechanism

• Chronically self-unscrewing cap leads to nib dryout

  
  

  I generally find something to like about any pen, and have enjoyed pens of many price points. For whatever reason, me and the Adagio just do not get along. I want to like it, and the nib itself writes fine if it's not dried out, but goodness the construction of this pen is frustrating.

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