Opus - The Best Demonstrator?
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- Опубліковано 30 лип 2024
- After the wonderful arrival of a large box last week, the first item to review is this fabulous Opus 88 Demonstrator. All demonstrators are lovely, but this is just gorgeous.
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Cheers for now!
Mike - Фільми й анімація
Your channel viewers are awesome! 🤩 It’s makes for great videos for us all and interesting ones as well. Thanks to all who contribute and thanks Mike for the video 🙂👍🏻 I have the Pilot Custom 823 and that is the one pen I would take anywhere because of the ink capacity. I enjoy demonstrator pens too.
Thanks, Richard, and I entirely agree!
Thank´s for watch Mister Jecks. I need the Opus 88. I need everything you show in your videos hahaha.
Hahaha - I hope you can find one!
I'm glad you liked my box, you are more than welcome for keeping us all amused and entertained with these video's! I also sent in the other opus in 2018. Hope you and the family have a festive time! And get in some much needed down time.
Thanks again! I am enormously grateful for your generosity, Jim, and for that of some other viewers who are determined to keep me recorded my witterings here! I am looking forward to refilling the Opus very soon - that acrylic is hypnotic!
I've come to really like the Opus 88. I have an earlier, large demo model followed by the Stilo & Stile LE model, then joined by the Pocket model and finally the harder to come by Fantasia. These are GREAT for travel due to high ink capacity, shut off valve for air travel and smooth nibs!
Thanks for sharing! I quite agree - very good pens, great nibs, reliable and reasonably priced.
I purchased an Opus 88 just earlier this year and enjoy writing with it a lot. Thank you for this great video about the brand - they have a beautiful lineup of different styles and colors.
Glad you enjoy it!
Thanks for the review! Well deserved support from your subscribers.
Many thanks, Paul!
I love opus 88s , esp the demonstrators, I have 4 and another on the way. I use them for urban sketching so I have lots of ink when I am out with my friends. Excellent pens!
That is a really good idea. These pens hold so much ink, don't they? I think I'll stick to my cheap Sailor Fude pen for sketching for now, though!
@@writerlywitterings Funnily enough I got an Opus 88 just a few days ago with the intention of using it for sketching. I've had my heart set on getting an FPNibs EF Jowo nib with the fude modification for a while now, but the shipping cost from Spain is rather prohibitive. So I decided to try modifying a Jowo nib myself using some pliers to carefully bend an EF unit I got from ebay and got it shaped just right with some diamond plates and micromesh, and I'm really really happy with it. In fact I wish I'd tried this ages ago! It's honestly far easier than you might imagine.
My modified nib is easily my best fude now, goes from fine hair thin to a really broad line, much greater variation than any production fude fountain pen. Even the little Jinhao that I roughly modified the same way to test the theory is one of the best in my collection in terms of putting out a smooth expressive line for sketching.
What a beautiful pen! I’ve had my eyes on an Opus 88 Holiday Jazz for quite some time. I regularly list a couple of my favorites as gift ideas for my family, but since no one else understands this hobby, anything priced more than a Pilot G2 gets serious consternation from my wife! I’ve always loved the idea of an eye dropper for travel and not having to worry about ink supply. A recent acquisition was a vintage Parker Duofold that was missing the ink sac and button-filler mechanism. Rather than fixing it up, I’m contemplating just covering the threads with silicone grease and making it an eye dropper filler.
Interesting idea, but beware of converting the Duofold. I haven't tried turning one into an eye-dropper, but I'd be anxious if you were thinking of using it for travelling. Trouble is, if you used it on a flight, you would probably have an accident. Second, I believe that most pens of that type risk "burping" as you get to the end of the ink, and hand warmth will heat up the air in the barrel and force blobs of ink out of the nib. The thing with the Opus system is that shut off valve that saves you. It's similar to the Visconti systems that have the dual reservoir system that also blocks off the ink from the nib. Mind you, don't tell your wife how much the Visconti costs ...
I really like demonstrators too-don’t have an Opus 88…but do have SEVERAL TWSBI ECOs 😉😊
TWSBI Ecos are great pens, aren't they?
Very important to keep your hands in proper position - because as we age our hands are particularly prone to arthritis. Any injury or even minor bruises in our older hands, becomes easy targets for arthritis. Good news is you can prevent it.
Many thanks!
It is indeed beautiful and the nibs are interchangeable with, I believe, Edison nibs. It is a fabulous writing instrument and a conversation piece to boot!
I totally agree! I love the ones I have. Good value, and great writers.
I got one of these wonderful tools a couple of months ago, and I absolutely love it!
I actually also have the Koloro tan/teal version. Recently purchased the Demonstrator. I enjoy both of them, but the Demonstrator especially - mainly for the wide grip section, the sleek & sharp look of it, and the smooth nib(s). I've had fun swapping some nibs on it, too. Many reasons, really, to love this pen.
Great to hear!
I do agree with you. Lovely to look at, lovely to use, and really practical pens. Why would anyone complain about them!
I am up to about seven Opus 88 pens now, including some with #5 nibs (Picnic model) and some with #6 nibs (Demonstrator like yours, Omar, Jazz, Opera -- the latter being the only one with a Bock nib instead of Jowo). Every one of them is a superb, reliable pen that offers a fantastic writing experience. I find them comfortable to use and like the aesthetics. They may just be Jowo-made nibs, but they are very well tuned. It's also easy to but replacement, Opus 88-branded nibs if you want to change your nib size. I don't always comment on videos, but I love this brand so much that I feel compelled to offer a counter opinion to the negative comment below. I recommend these pens with no hesitation.
Thanks for that, Marilyn, and I entirely agree with you. Really well made pens, and the writing experience is getting better daily - although it does take time to empty that reservoir, doesn't it!
@@writerlywitterings Very true -- I have to do a partial fill or be ready to live with the same ink for a very long time.
I really and truly hate eyedropper fill, which does not automatically mean I hate the pens. I really do avoid eyedropper fill pens as a rule, I think it's a rather sill way to fill a pen. From what I've read, when the first self-filling fountain pen hit the market, news traveled around the world in record time, and a loud cheer accompanies that news.
Despite this, two of my favorite pens are eyedroppers. One is the Namiki Maki-e Emperor which is a huge pen that holds an astounding 6ml of ink, and the other is the Opus 88. There's a UA-camr named Chris Saenz, and I never miss one of her videos. She's just a wonderfully pleasant, no airs person. She did a review of the Opus 88, and even though money was very tight at the time, I pulled the trigger and bought the demonstrator. I'm very happy I did.
The only other cheap pens I've been buying are the various TWSBI models, the latest of which is the Swipe. But I have the TWSBI models, so unless TWSBI comes out with something new, there's really no other low-cost pens I want, so I suspect there are more Opus pens in my future. They're cheap, and if the demonstrator is an indication, they're very, very good pens for the money.
I have to say, I entirely agree with you, James. I would not have touched an eyedropper, had these two Opus pens not appeared through my letter box. But they are lovely pens to use, and I find them so relaxing to play with, just because I can see that fabulous ink swishing around! Excellent value for money, as you say.
Great pen. Lovely review. I love seeing demonstration pens. My only worry about eye dropper is it may leak.
That was my fear too - and the fear that I might knock it over while filling it and make even more mess on my desk! But this is a lovely pen and really ideal for me because of the massive reservoir.
Great review. This brand is a big surprise for any FP lover. Thanks.
Thanks for watching! I can't disagree!
I have the Omar demonstrator with the broad nib. Its my daily writer, I keep it in my backpack (goes everywhere with me) Ive had it 3 or 4 months with no problems and no serious scratches (I treat it as a tool not a precious item). I agreee 3 rotations seems a bit excessive, but quickly adapted. My "biggest complaint" is that the nib can touch the side wall of the cap, Regular quick cleaning of the cap is all that's needed to keep it looking nice
Thanks for that. I'll be sure to watch the ink in the cap!
The Opus 88’s are great to hold, look at and write with. I have a Fantasia which is a great pocket pen and recently got a demonstrator.
Also nice that there are a lot of nibs available.
Apart from the nice presentation of the pen that you keep in your pocket I’m also I intrigued by your waistcoat. Looks good!
I agree with Pieter here, Mike. The waistcoat looks stylish and warm. Thanks for reviewing the Opus 88.
My pleasure, Randy!
Thanks for that, Pieter. The waistcoat I had made for me by Tom Sawyer Waistcoats in Torquay. They were very easy to deal with even though it was all ordered and arranged over the internet and without a visit or measuring.
You are very blessed.
Certainly feels that way! Merry Christmas!
It does look very good indeed to my eye.
I have only ever had two Yowo nibs, both were scratchy and in both cases I couldn't polish that out. So that would be a downer for me. I took note that yours was smooth though.
Thanks for reviewing this.
I have to admit, I adore this pen. It's lovely to see the ink sloshing around, and the nib is very smooth. It wasn't a special or anything, just out of the box.
@@writerlywitterings 🙂 Nice.
You should get a commission from Opus. :) I just bought an 88 Clear with an EF nib and it's really very good! My first eyedropper/demonstrators in my collection. Thank you for the great video!
Cheers, Mark, and I'd be delighted to get some income from anywhere, really, but I have to admit, I think it's better that you, and other viewers, know these are my honest opinions. I do adore that Opus, though. It's a fabulous looking pen, isn't it? Still wondering what to use in it next. I have a fancy for some Sienna or KWZ Honey ...
Got the same pen but with a submariner. Thanks
They are great pens, and really good value!
Have you tried removing most of the ink and writing with it to see if there are any burping issues in cooler weather? That's my big hangup with eye-dropper pens.
No, but I will be doing exactly that. It's one of my pet fears about big eyedroppers too. And if there's about 3.5 mls of air in that barrel, I'd expect there to be a problem - BUT - with the lock-off mechanism, I'm guessing that as you get less ink, the fact of shutting off the valve when capping will mean that the air will get more time to acclimatise. Also, because I keep the pen in my shirt pocket, I am guessing I'll have less difficulty, since the pen will always be at body temperature. I will let you know via a video.
Because of the valve it doesn’t burp. So far not my Omar nor Fantasia. And it’s pretty cold (starts to freeze) now and warm inside.
Drat, and curse my poverty to boot. Now I've started to crave an Opus 88.
I see potentially less astute reviewers complain of hard starts and nibs running dry on the Opus 88. Since this is the Internet, I can have a theory without actual experience.
My first charge of ink ran through my new Vac 700R with zero issues. After refilling it, I got about a page and a half written and it went dry. A few hard starts, then completely dry. Long strokes the length of the page failed to get ink to flow. The plunger valve was open.
I gave the pen a few inertial bumps and it resumed skip-free operation. I believe I know what caused it, and I think it could affect any pen.
Curious about nib unit swaps, I had removed the nib unit after refilling my 700R, looked at how things fit together, and replaced it.
From the amount I wrote I'm pretty sure the only available ink was in the feed.
My guess is that when I exposed the inlet of the feed I managed to get a little air where it didn't belong. A tiny bubble in a capillary passage, I think, acted like a cork and blocked the ink flow.
Could this explain some reports of trouble getting the Opus 88 started after filling? I see suggestions of adding a drop of ink into the nib unit before placing it back on the pen body.
I think I'll experiment with opening the plunger on my 700R with the nib up and thumping it to see if I can induce the problem without removing the nib unit. It might promote more consistent flow to open and close the plunger with the nib pointing down
Of course, the die-hard enthusiast could ensure no air in the feed of an Opus 88 by priming it. Then, instead of inverting the feed, one could invert the barrel for rethreading. Naturally, this would reduce the benefit of the large ink capacity since the ink would then be on the table linen, but the purist should be willing to make some sacrifices.
Thanks for that - I have to admit, I did have an initial problem with the Opus, which was that the feed took an age to suck up ink. I got around that by dipping the nib under running water in my sink. The first two lines were feeble, then the ink kicked in. If you have problems with the Vac, I would recommend taking the nib and feed out and washing them in cool, very slightly soapy water, and then rinsing them extensively before using them again. Sometimes a little grease from the manufacturing process can be left on the nib, and that'll work better than an air gap in stopping ink flow!
@@writerlywitterings More info, posted to provide correction. I'm pretty sure I've found the problem.
I had been following what appears to be conventional wisdom for writing more than a page - unscrew the plunger cap a few turns.
That probably allows some ink to seep past the plunger, but it doesn't fully open it up.
If I completely unthread the end cap and pull a little bit I get the sensation of pulling a cork out of a drain. That seems to have eliminated the hard starts and skips. It's pretty easy to pop the plunger o-ring out of its seat without pulling the plunger past the flared region of the reservoir.
Apologies for posting without a good solution.
Fun fact I didn't realize - the plunger works as a one-way valve. As you draw the plunger out air or ink is allowed to pass through the plunger piston. When you press the plunger back down, the one way flap closes, drawing a vacuum behind it.
Is the pen easy to clean?
Yes they are easy to take apart and clean.
I agree with Pieter about the cleaning. It's very easy to clean.
@@jamesaritchie1 does the nib/feed unit unscrew from the section? At the very least, can the nib and feed be flushed with a bulb syringe? My favorite pen to clean is my Parker Sonnet with the 18k nib. I can easily unscrew the feed and gently remove the nib for a thorough cleaning. I wish all my pens were this easily serviced.
I haven't completely taken this apart yet, but I think, from looking at it, that the nib and feed will unscrew perfectly easily. Everything else on the Opus looks very easy to disassemble.
@@JerryBearry Yep it's a standard no.6 Jowo nib unit. It does come a little tight due to the rubber o-ring that sits under the bottom of it, but if you're firm it unscrews no problem. I swapped the nib on mine to an EF which I then modified to a fude design. Great fun.
Honest question, what is the point of having nice pens if you don't care to work on your penmanship?
Well, first, you assume that I don't care to improve my penmanship ... However the main thing here is, try writing with a camera between you and the paper and you'll start to understand. Although I have to admit, I like fountain pens because I love the feel of them, and loathe ball points. I write for work, though. My writing is almost exclusively for my own use, making notes and jotting ideas down. My pens aren't a hobby or playthings - they are the tools of my trade. If you look at Agatha Christie's handwriting, you'll see that my penmanship is not too bad!
The RSI from keyboards is even worse for “well-endowed” women
I did once have a lady who bought a word processor from me in the 1980s. Our tech king had to go in when she said that the cursor was "whizzing" around the screen as she typed, putting numbers of spaces between letters as she typed. Tony told me later that it was one of the hardest chats he had been forced to have with a lady of a certain age and girth, explaining that a pair of her attributes were resting on the space bar as she typed ...
@@writerlywitterings ha ha. I remember those days. The suggestion from many was the minimiser bra. These flattened and spread the “problem” across the front and under your arms. Made you look like you were about to cluck or take flight.
These are beautiful pens but the nibs are crap. Definitely not my favorite but I’m glad you are enjoying yours so much. I know they are popular.
Really? The nib on mine is extremely good. I know several people who own various Opus pens, and none of them have any complaints about the nibs at all. Maybe you just got a dud. It happens with any brand of pen. I've had bad nibs on pens that cost seven hundred dollars. A pen model usually isn't popular unless the large majority oof them have good nibs. As I say, this is my first and only Opus, but the nib is as good as any steel nib I own, and you're the first I've heard complain.
@@jamesaritchie1 it’s not defective. It is boring. There’s absolutely nothing special about it and provides a very boring writing experience with the medium nib I have on mine. My viscontis and Twsbi s and even my Kawecos write better than the Opus 88. It’s just blah and maybe people love them so much because they are beautiful pens, but I’m past that point in my fountain pen journey and my main concern is how a pen writes. Period. This one is boring and I won’t ever own another one. Just like I had to give up on Sailor pens (except for the pro gears which are amazing) as they are soooooo beautiful to look at but the writing experience is just awful. I do not enjoy the nibs at all and I won’t be buying another one no matter how beautiful it is.
I would say that it's not a good nib on certain papers - it's not ideal on Rhodia, for example. It seems to slide slightly. But having said that, it's perfect on Tomoe River, William Hannah, Midori etc. But I don't have any complaints about it. The nibs are just as good as other pens as far as I can tell/feel!
@@sistergoldenhair0727 Sorry, I'm really confused. You say the nib is crap and your Twsbis write better, but the Opus 88 has a Jowo nib which is the same nib that Twsbi uses. Are your Twsbis the old ones made before they were using Jowo? It's also maybe a bit over the top to say a nib is crap just because you find it boring, I'd save "crap" as an adjective for a nib that won't write at all.
@@avalonianwanderer2876 as with everything fountain pen related it is all subjective. I’m entitled to my opinion as is-including my choice of adjectives. Actually the nib would not write at all when I first got it and I sent it off to be tuned and smoothed and when it finally wrote it was not a good experience at all so I stand by my opinion of the Opus. Won’t be spending any more money on these when I know I can depend on better writing experiences elsewhere.
Did you say" Beauty is in the eye of the pen holder?"
Damn - I should have!