Review: Retro 51 Lincoln EXT Copper Tornado Fountain Pen

Quick scores
Appearance: 4.5/5
Nib: 4/5
Comfort: 3/5
Build: 2.5/5
Design: 3/5
                              
Total: 17/25

Appearance

What drew me to the pen was the somewhat steam-punk look, the brushed copper finish, and threaded cap design is almost everything I hoped it would be. Almost. Uncapped, the plain, black plastic section does not carry the look through and disappointed me a little.

Nib
Out of the box, the nib was smooth with a little feedback, which can be easily adjusted with a buffering stick. The stainless steel Schmidt is a little large for my taste but does match with the look of the pen, though the lack of a 14k/18k nib option loses some points with me.

Comfort
This is not the most comfortable pen to write with, the large nib forces my hand to a higher position and adds pressure to my waist and forearm. I can foresee my arm tiring quickly in long writing sessions.

Build
There are bits of contact glue left over between the end of the pen and the body, and the metal body screws directly onto the plastic section, raising concerns about the durability of the plastic threads.

Design
The pen is well balanced when not posted, with a heavy cap, posting will be uncomfortable.

A big part of the problem in this pen's design lays in the section, the overly smooth section lacks grip, and does not have any stoppage to prevent your fingers from gripping onto the nib and feed. A few sentences in and my finger was already inked up from accidentally touching the feed.

Conclusion
The Retro 51 Lincoln EXT Copper Tornado is a good looking pen with a few design flaws. Overall, the pen will still serve as a decent writing instrument, though I will hesitate to recommend it to others.