(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
Have we ever needed a Talisman more than we do now? This perfectly timed line from Russian pen maker BENU is something extra special and I am obsessed.
With this line, BENU stays true to their wild, over-the-top aesthetic--and then takes the creativity up a notch. At first glance, the Talisman pens look like any other BENU line--a creative shape, bright colors, a bit of bling: the BENU look we all know and love. Not satisfied with pens that merely look magical, BENU has set out to make pens that actually are magical. If there was ever anyone who decided that they would be the alchemists of the pen world, of course it's BENU.
The Talisman line is inspired by folklore and legend, with each pen calling out to an origin myth for a magical substance. There's Edelweiss for the flower said to bring true love and bravery; Peacock Ore for the mineral of happiness and creativity; Mandrake Root for sexuality and wealth; Foxglove flowers for good luck and fairy magic; and Dragon's Blood for strength and invulnerability. BENU didn't stop at "inspired by" though. Because these pens are actually made of that stuff. Yes, these are infused with the actual flowers, minerals, and resins of their namesake. (Don't worry--Dragon's Blood is sap from the Dragon Tree. BENU isn't out there slaying actual dragons to make pens. I'm pretty sure. According to them.)
So when BENU says these pens are Talismans, it's more than just a name. And I for one, am enchanted. Who wouldn't need all of these? I was lucky enough to have been sent a Dragon's Blood pen. After a few weeks writing with it, I am delighted to say that even if your life is already charmed and you are in no need of any magical enhancements--this is also just a really good pen.
The first thing I noticed is that it's a more standard size and shape than some of my other BENU pens. It's close to the same size as a Lamy Safari, so it will fit well in most hands and do better in pen cases than some of the larger BENUs. But it can't be boring, so the body is covered in interesting facets of varying lengths, offset from each other. Each section has six facets. The effect is that it looks like an organic shape, like a tree branch or mineral shard. It's a very cool effect that is also comfortable to hold and keeps the pen from rolling.
The clip is stainless steel and very firm, but it has a push tab at the top of it to help it open. The cap does post, but with the facets some alignments work better than others. Posting can be a little fussy to find a secure spot--but if you're determined to post, it does work. The section is tapered and long, with a flare at the end to stop slipping. I found it very comfortable to hold. There are threads and a step up to the body at the back of the grip section, but they are all smoothed and not obtrusive.
The steel nib is an excellent writer. I've never had an issue with a BENU nib, so I was not surprised to find it smooth and well-tuned. BENU pens are wet writers, and this broad nib breathes ink like a dragon breathes fire. Between the generous ink flow and how much I was enjoying writing with it, I ran out of ink before I even sat down to write this review. It won't be cleaned and stored, though. It's getting immediately re-inked and put back into rotation, where I think it will stay for quite some time.
The Talisman line sells for around $122 each, so a bit more than a lot of the BENU lines, but those ones aren't infused with magical properties (as far as we know...). I think the price is very good, especially when compared with other brands of similar quality. If only BENU had sent me the pen that brings wealth. I would have used my riches to buy the rest of the Talisman pens.
(BENU provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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