Magic from the desk of an aircraft designer engineer
1. For me, neither the Capillaris fountain pen nor its creator was unknown, although I had not met either of them in person before. A few years ago, I approached Zsolt Pataki to tell the story of brand building on the marketing secrets blog (the article can now be read in the Budapest Pen Show community magazine. readable), 3. Shortly thereafter, the Octogon magazine also 4. wrote 5. the Capillaris story.
6. Last summer, I finally had the chance to meet Zsolt in person, just before the online community magazine was launched. I was curious about him, as one does not meet an aircraft designer every day – especially not one who dedicates all his energy in his free time to developing a special fountain pen.
7. Zsolt arrived with a large bag, which actually contained the entire Capillaris story: the raw titanium rods, the failed and successful prototypes, various nibs, packaging designs, posters and flyers, and of course, special accessories such as different versions of pen holders made from kimono fabric.
8. From the very first moment, it was clear that Zsolt was fundamentally an engineer, not a salesman, which made him particularly sympathetic to me. He did not want to sell with various sales tactics, but to share his story with me. He began to tell quietly while unpacking his treasures onto the table one by one. Soon, I found myself in the middle of an exciting and captivating story. Zsolt became increasingly enthusiastic as he told his story, and I must admit, I was also captivated by the story of the Capillaris fountain pen. I learned about the beginnings, the journey filled with failures and successes, the difficulties of realization, and behind all this, the person who persistently created what he had dreamed of, step by step. I still remember the sincere delight with which he presented the beautifully packaged, narrow little box to me: „This is how I envisioned the packaging. Please unwrap it!” And I unwrapped it, with slightly trembling hands, because Zsolt's genuine enthusiasm also affected me.
9. That day was not just about the Capillaris fountain pen for me: it was much more about the experience of meeting a person who believes in his own dreams and realizes them through thick and thin.
10. I met Zsolt again in December. He asked me to test the Capillaris and write an article about my impressions. When he entered the spacious lobby of the office building, he was clutching a box under his arm: this concealed the fountain pen and the accessories. Although he was cordial and smiling, I felt that he was tense, and at that moment, I became tense too, because I understood that he was entrusting me not just with a tool, but with an embodied dream that I would have to scrutinize as a strict judge.
I didn't even unpack it until the end of January, even though I knew I couldn't prolong the testing any longer. The time had come for me to get acquainted with Zsolt's oeuvre: The Capillaris fountain pen.
First impressions: the packaging
The natural-colored cardboard box contained a few small prints and two additional narrow cardboard boxes, which were sealed with a translucent, logoed sticker. I often say how much I appreciate the „glass beads” as a marketer, the little surprises that accompany the product, several of which emerged from the depths of the cardboard box.
The translucent, sealing sticker with the brand logo brought a smile to my face: I believe such little details play an important role and reveal a lot about the brand philosophy. The two small narrow white cardboard boxes are of premium quality: you can feel that they are uniquely designed and manufactured. A minimalist, simple solution that radiates sophistication and attention to detail.
Next to the boxes, I also found a stylish brochure about the fountain pen, and two more small prints: the business card of the designer of the pen holder made from kimono fabric and a similarly business card-sized, branded greeting card, on which I could read Zsolt's cordial message. I even found a small card at the bottom of the box containing the details of the cardboard box maker. It was a clever and sympathetic gesture from Zsolt to acknowledge the creative partners involved in brand building (although he mentioned them during our personal meeting as well).
Let's see what's in the box!
I started by opening the heavier narrow box, as I suspected it contained the Capillaris fountain pen. The sight that unfolded before me after the „seal breaking” is, in my opinion, a masterclass in marketing and packaging design. Inside the cardboard box was another box wrapped in tissue paper. After removing the paper, the Capillaris box was revealed. I must confess, this little branded box is like a beautiful jewelry box: the embodiment of elegance and sophistication. Its opening is clever: it happens with the help of a small (logoed) ribbon, which, when pulled, lifts the box lid.
Inside the box, a cleaning cloth with the Capillaris emblem hides the fountain pen. Before I took out the contents of the box, my eyes caught the „recording card” glued to the inside of the lid, on which Zsolt had handwritten the most important details of the pen. I was impressed by this solution because it immediately reminded me of the forms used during the Apollo program.
The Capillaris fountain pen
The Capillaris, wrapped in a square-shaped, soft cleaning cloth, is a medium-sized fountain pen without a clip. Its length, including the cap, is 129 mm. According to the information on the website, the pen body is made of grade 23 titanium, manufactured by the Swiss BIBUS METALS AG.
The Capillaris surface design is Germanically precise, yet playful: curves and edges make the pen body exciting. I feel a strange duality: on one hand, it feels like I'm holding a precision tool, yet I see the shape of the pen as distinctly beautiful and aesthetic. The Capillaris is neither light nor heavy, weighing only 29 grams. Thanks to the material used, it is noticeably lighter than a steel fountain pen. The pen body has a cool yet exciting touch: the hexagonal shape makes me want to rotate it in my hand. Only the word capillaris appears discreetly on the pen body, in the font set familiar from the marketing materials.
The Capillaris consists of three parts when closed. Despite the perfect fit, it is fortunately clear where the three elements meet: the cap, the section, and the pen body. Since I have previously held a Capillaris fountain pen, I know which part is the closure cap and how to remove it.
However, this does not mean that it is obvious on the first use. Since I was curious how another user would remove the cap, I asked one of my colleagues to try the pen. It went as I expected: he almost immediately started unscrewing the section from the pen body.
The Capillaris does not work this way. The cap is not screw-on, but thanks to the precise design, a size-accurate fit holds it in place. I marvel at how precisely it must be designed to fit so stably without threads.
I am surprised when I try to fit the removed cap onto the end of the pen body: it succeeds without any issues (for some reason, I remembered that I couldn't do this in the summer). At the end of the operation, I test how much the center of gravity of the pen body extended with the cap has shifted, but I notice no change. In fact, I particularly like the elongated pen body; the Capillaris looks good this way too.
With a quick motion, I unscrew the pen body.
The converter is unmarked, but of high quality and, more importantly: quite large. I search the website to see if I can find information about the manufacturing company, as I have only encountered converters of this quality in Montblanc fountain pens so far.
I do find the information I was looking for on the website: the company is the German SCHMIDT Technology GmbH. After a brief search, I also learn that the company is a supplier partner for Parker and Montblanc.
The section
I feel the section is very small when unscrewed: what looked good on the assembled fountain pen now seems narrow and tiny. With one motion, I pull the converter out of the unscrewed section: although it fits precisely, I feel a sense of dissatisfaction because it is not secured with threads (really, why do only a few manufacturers pay attention to this?).
I will examine the small component in more detail. It is small, but very carefully designed: a kind of instrument within an instrument. A groundbreaking solution, as the nib is positioned at least half a centimeter deep, recessed in the section. Like everything in the case of the Capillaris, this solution has its reason. This can be found in the careful design: the edge of the cap can be slid into this recess, allowing it to be placed onto the barrel. I play around a few times with putting on and taking off the cap: each time it fits perfectly – just as one would expect from a precision instrument.
It cannot be emphasized enough that one of the greatest secrets of the Capillaris is the soul-filled, careful design that defines the shape. This is of course true for the section as well: when screwed back into the barrel, the proportions of the pen become perfect again.
Assembled, as part of the whole every proportion becomes perfect and the pen fits comfortably in the hand. This is true magic, born not in a cauldron, but at the drawing board.
The nib
I am slowly starting to get used to this German precision and logic: it doesn’t even occur to me that the ink feed and the nib in the section wouldn’t be removable. And indeed it is: I can easily unscrew the nib from the pen. The unmarked nib is also made of titanium: it fits aesthetically and flawlessly with the pen. I can’t imagine any other type of nib for the Capillaris – I feel that a gold nib, which has worked well on some versions of the Rotring 600, simply wouldn’t work in this concept.
The titanium nib is a perfect hit, although I must note two small things: on one hand, it has picked up a tiny but visible scratch, which is annoying for such a perfectly tuned pen. On the other hand, I can’t find any information on it about the thickness of the nib. How do I know that my fountain pen has an F nib? Of course, I just marveled at the little „loading label” hidden inside the box, reminiscent of the Apollo era, which contains all the important data about the nib: Nib type: #5 Fine.
The Capillaris website offers two options for selecting the nib: a standard Bock nib (standard #5 size, F) can be ordered, or a special, slightly thicker (F-M) nib, which is truly a unique solution: Jose Munuera A unique combination developed by the master of the tollhegy „tuning”. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that when the pen is turned upside down, the nib becomes architect-ground.
This reminds me that I will suggest to Zsolt to place a spare nib in a small capsule in the box. I think no one could wish for a cooler gift alongside a fountain pen...
The plastic ink feeder fits well and accurately to the nib. I suspect that this component, along with the nib, is not custom-designed (it would be completely unnecessary to manufacture such a component individually, as experienced component manufacturers can meet any special requirement).
I am sure that I will find information about this on the website, and indeed: both components are manufactured by PETER BOCK AG, which has been producing high-quality components for fountain pens for nearly 100 years. The BOCK ink feeder used in the Capillaris is also used by brands such as TWSBI and Faber-Castell, among others.
In operation
For testing, I use the usual Pelikan 4001 ink. The converter sits steadily in the neck and does its job nicely. On the second attempt, the reservoir is almost completely filled. I wipe off the excess ink from the converter and the ink feeder, then I make the first lines.
The nib glides particularly beautifully on the paper. Although at first glance this nib does not seem to be an F, its line quality is still beautiful and graceful. (Later I find out that Zsolt sent the pen with a special F-M thickness nib as a surprise.). Anyone considering the purchase, I suggest requesting it with this nib, especially because of the Architect option!)
The nib surprisingly follows the movements smoothly, like the gearbox of a high-end car. The ink feeder dispenses the ink beautifully and evenly as expected. It feels good to hold the Capillaris in hand. During use, it feels like we have been a well-rehearsed team for years...
I leave the Capillarist set up on my desk (it would be interesting to have a designer desktop holder next to it), then I deliberately do not close the cap and after one or two hours I pick it up again. I do not notice any change in its performance. The flow of ink is flawless, the ink feed performs well.
The price
The Capillaris fountain pen, with a price of 835 euros, competes in the same segment as the Pelikan M1000 or the Montblanc 149 Meisterstück. But, as I wrote, it is not worth comparing the Capillaris to products from other manufacturers. If someone is looking for a status symbol, they will surely choose easily identifiable pieces from big brands.
The Capillaris targets a much more niche segment: a market where the idea, uniqueness, truly low production numbers, handcrafted nature (some phases of production are done by hand), or the slow life philosophy that characterizes the entire production of the Capillaris fountain pen are valued more. The production of the Capillaris fountain pen indeed comes with a small eco footprint: there are no cooling lubricants, chemicals during production, surface hardening is done only through oxygen enrichment in a furnace, and the glass bead blasting that results in the surface structure is also completely environmentally friendly.
This fountain pen will definitely not come across you in the offerings of large stationery webshops. Not to mention that the Capillaris manufactory is essentially a one-person operation: each piece is made, tested, and checked by the pen's creator and designer.
Summary
Metal fountain pens have never been among my favorites. So far, two pens have been exceptions: the Rotring 600 and the steel version of the Lamy 2000, although the latter has an unreasonably slippery surface, but it is true that it is very attractive.
As I have already mentioned, the Capillaris fountain pen does not hold up in any comparison. This pen is clearly different, from its competitors available on the market. A conceived, thoughtful, space-age wonder, perfected by enthusiasm, knowledge, and dedication.
The cap could be screw-on, but why would it be necessary if it functions perfectly without it?
It could have a clip, but what would it add to the Capillaris concept? Probably nothing, and it would only ruin the thoughtful design. Personally, I am a fan of fountain pens without clips (see Edison Mina). Thanks to the hexagonal body, there’s no need to worry about this pen rolling off the table.
The thing is, I have grown very fond of this fountain pen. I could imagine it as an everyday companion, even though I would surely be worried about scratches (probably unnecessarily, as it seems quite durable). This fear is also unjustified, as the daily carry of the fountain pen is well thought out: the pen case made from kimono fabric is not only a visually pleasing and unique artistic creation but also perfectly protects the Capillaris fountain pen. And it’s just the icing on the cake how well it pairs the two worlds (German precision and artistic Japanese ornamentation)😊
The Capillaris accompanied me at work for a week. I placed the beautiful case and pen on my desk so that they would always be within reach. I caught myself several times simply admiring them. It has also made it onto my bucket list because it is a true curiosity: a magic born on a designer's table!
