The Scribes Company: The Quill reivew and giveaway
Recently, I have seen several social media posts about The Scribes Company products and their work with supporting various causes. They are based in NYC and were founded with two goals, 1) Design quality products, and 2) Support worthy causes. When you purchase one of their journals, they donate one to a school or non-profit. They state on their website that, “A portion of all proceeds go towards inspiring and supporting a community in need.” A few of my friends in the pen community have tried out their products so I reached out and they generously sent me several pens to review and give some away and a journal as well. Thank you to the good people at The Scribes for sending these my way, if you would like to try their products as well, you can find them at their site. I will be giving away one white gel tip Quill pen and one black ballpoint Quill pen. To enter, simply comment on this review or my Instagram post with the products pictured before 11:59 PM EST on July 3, 2022. I will announce a winner the following day. Shipping will be included anywhere in the U.S. free of charge. Stay tuned as I will have a review of their Scribe journal as well!
Packaging: The Quill pens come in three packs for $25USD. You can select the colors of white, black, grey, or one of each. The packaging is perfect and simple which I appreciate as it cuts down on unnecessary or bulky packaging. A card stock outer wrapper holds three inner packages which each contain a pen. I like this design as it leaves in pen in its own box ready for use or maybe even to be gifted to a friend. The design of the Quill is on the front of the wrapper with “The Quill 3 Pack” printed on it. Around the rest of the box is printed, “Heavy in hand with a smooth metal feel, the Quill is your bridge from mind to paper.” The back of the wrapper has information about the company and product and the side reads “Scribes for students supporting students along their educational journey.” Each inner box features a similar look as well.
First Thoughts: I love the simple somewhat utilitarian design of the pens. The solid colors fit well as a workhorse pen that is not over the top and flashy, it is there to write. The white finish has an almost pearlescent look to it and catches the light as you move it.
Design: The Quill has a mostly flat top finial with a slightly raised center. Below the finial is a rectangular clip which is tight but flexible enough to clip securely on a shirt or pen loop. The smooth barrel is engraved with the company quill feather logo, appropriate for the Quill pen. Both models are twist activated and the barrel has a clear line showing where to twist the pen as you reach the grip section. Once you reach the end of the grip section, there is a tapered nosecone that ends with the writing tip. Both models can be easily disassembled, by turning the mechanism the opposite way, to refill the pen when needed and the company offers refills as well.
Nib Performance: The ballpoint is a 1.0mm and is very smooth and keeps up even when pushing it and writing fast. The ink appears to be slightly grey/blue which I like over the regular black normally found in ballpoints. This might be due to lighting or to the paper I am using thought, your results may vary. The ink stood up well to water and smear testing. The gel tip is 0.5mm and was a slight bit scratchy on the paper I used but is also somewhat normal for a 0.5mm tip as well. The ink was a vivid black and stood up very well with water and smear testing.
Filling System: 1.0mm Ballpoint or 0.5mm Gel tip
Value: $25 USD for a 3 pack
Overall: These pens are a pretty great value at three for $25 USD. They have a quality feel and weight to them, and I do not feel like they will not work after being carried around in a backpack or pen case all day. I feel their choice of using aluminum for these pens was a great decision as it makes the pens more durable and keeps them light at the same time, which is helpful for long writing sessions. The bonus of the company’s non-profit support is fantastic as well.
Specs:
Name: The Quill
Design: Aluminum
Length: 136mm (5.35in)
Posted: N/A
Diameter: 11mm (0.43in)
Weight: 30g (1.05oz)
Nib: N/A
Filling System: 1.0mm Ballpoint 0.5mm Gel tip
Pros: Lightweight aluminum pen, supports a good cause, great price point
Cons: Smooth barrel could be harder to grip for some
In the same price range:
Each pen is roughly $8.33 USD
Sheaffer Sentinel Ballpoint ($9.95)
Caran d’Ache 888 Infinite Ballpoint ($9.95)
Pilot Dr. Grip Ballpoint ($5.25)
