I have described this company in its main manifestation in the Ink division. While the more common direction is for pen makers to move into inks, it is not unknown for an ink maker to move into pens; Pelikan and Carter are probably the best known examples of the phenomenon. Noodler’s is a source of much laudable fountain pen proselytizing, and apparently at the end of the first decade of this century it struck the company’s management/staff (same guy) that fountain pens were either somewhat out of reach of most people or rather poorly made. Noodler’s sought out a maker (discovered latterly to be in India) and thrust themselves into the pen side of the business at the entry end.
With a certain amount of ballyhoo amongst the fountain pen faithful, two models were offered initially with different fillers and materials, both offering vintage-style durability and a high degree of user maintenance potential. The line has since grown, and even includes a refillable rollerball. This is all slightly self-interested, of course, as an ink maker will obviously want to encourage ink use, but when the pens are attainable and functional that’s not something to object to. “Attainable” is a little ideal, I should say, because retailers stocking Noodler’s pens frequently find themselves selling out.
| Most Noodler’s pens are made with vegetal resin, which allows for some extremely decorative marbling. However, many people have found the smell of the material to be troubling. I will agree that there is a pronounced smell, which I find to be somewhat reminiscent of the childhood favourite Silly Putty, but it’s not an objectively offensive smell, nor is it so strong as to be more than barely noticeable if the pen is not pressed firmly against the upper lip. It might be a little upsetting if one is not expecting it, though, so I thought I’d mention it. |
Models I’ve examined:
| Alphabetically | By Date |
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