Pen Review: Edison Beaumont Pneumatic
The Edison Pen Company is located in Ohio, and is owned and operated by Brian Gray. Mr. Gray makes special order pens for his customers who get to choose from one of his signature line pens, and from the many materials he stocks to make a masterpiece of a pen! Mr. Gray also has production line pens that are less expensive, but limit the customer to certain makes and materials.
The Beaumont Pneumatic is a very cool pen that was announced in January of 2013. It utilizes a filling system that was introduced by Sheaffer in 1949 with the Touchdown Pneumatic, and was used through the 60's with the PFM. The pen itself is one of Brian’s Signature line of pens which means you can have it made in any material that you would like that Brian carries. The one I bought is made out of Briar Swirl Ebonite. The finial, blind cap and section are made from Black Ebonite. There is a gold clip and center band on the cap, and a two tone #6 nib. The Briar swirl material gives the pen a wood grain look.
Construction and Quality
If you own any pens from the Edison Pen Co. you know that they pay great attention to detail. With my Beaumont Pneumatic and my other Edison’s for that matter, the construction of these pens is flawless. The Ebonite gives the pen a solid, almost dense feel while not being overly heavy. Anyplace where you know there is a seam, the materials meet up so well that you would never think a seam existed. Though the pen appears to be a small one, it fits perfectly in my hand. It can be posted, but I do not post it. The concave shape of the section cradles my fingers so well that they do move at all while writing. I have a cheaper pen that is made of Ebonite, and you can see the machining marks all over it. That is not so with this pen, it has been sanded and buffed to a very nice shine with not a trace of machining.
Nib Performance
The nib used on the Beaumont Pneumatic is the same Jowo #6 nib that is used on most of the Edison pens. Right out of the box this one wrote superb! It is a two tone steel nib that is nice and smooth, but offers a touch of feedback that makes sure you can feel the paper. That feedback should not be mistaken as scratch, because it is not. On a recent episode of Fountain Pen Geeks, Brian Gray said that for every signature line pen he sells, the nib is dipped and the tines are adjusted for smoothness and optimal flow. The nib could be a touch wetter for my liking, but it is by no means a dry writer. Since many of the Edison pens take the #6 nib, if you have others you can switch them out and share them among your other Edison’s that take the #6.
Weight and Dimensions
Before ordering this pen, I was worried that it would be too small to enjoy. I knew it could be used posted, but I generally do not like to post my pens when I use them. To my surprise, the pen fits my hand perfectly, even after longer writing sessions, it is not uncomfortable at all.
Total Weight: 21 grams (.75 oz)
Weight uncapped: 15 grams (.53 oz)
Length Capped: 131.15 mm (5.15 in)
Length posted: 141.10 mm (5.5 in)
Body including section (not nib): 99.73 mm (3.9 in)
Diameter: 12.15 mm (.48 in)
Filling System and Maintenance
As stated, the filling system is a pneumatic system. You unscrew the blind cap, and pull out the pneumatic sleeve that surrounds the ink sac. There is a small hole in the back of the blind cap that you cover as you push it back in. What it does is it creates pressure that causes the ink sac to deflate. When you remove your finger from the hole, while your pen is in the ink, the ink sac inflates again, drawing ink up into it. It works great! The standard international converter holds .5ml of ink, with the pneumatic filler, I measured just under 1.5ml of ink, more than double what a converter holds. The only other maintenance it requires is just a dab of silicone grease (which is provided with the pen) around the piston sleeve to make sure everything slides smooth.
Cost and Value
The cost of the Edison Beaumont Pneumatic is $350 with a steel nib. With that you are getting a hand made in the United States pen that is top quality. You are also getting the support of a company that stands behind its products, and even says that if your pen gets a scratch on it, you can send it back to them to be buffed out. Are the pen and the service worth $350? You have to answer that question for yourself, you obviously know my answer!
Conclusion
I have only had the Beaumont Pneumatic since Saturday. I have written a few letters, carried it where ever I went and wrote down anything I could with it. I am very pleased with it to say the least. Everyone should have at least one Edison pen. The quality of the materials and the workmanship is second to none!
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