Pen review: Monteverede Tool 60
Something about this copper colored pen jumped out at me when I heard we would be receiving it. I've never been in the market for a tool pen, but in the store I'm always playing with the level of the regular tool pens. They're weighty pens, as many Monteverde's are, and have an interesting 3-sided shape with rounded edges. The copper coloring was what sold me-- I'm a serious sucker for anything even remotely related to copper material or color (have you seen the new Montegrappa Mule pen?!).
This pen is good for:
- Budding engineers, architects, designers, or wannabes
- People who often say to themselves "I wish I had a ruler on me"
- People into weighty, well balanced, metal pens
- People who love copper colors
- People who use stylus' on phone or tablets
- Fans of the Monteverde Original Tool pen.
Writing fantasy: Morning blue hour with my garage door open to the street. I'm measuring and cutting wood for a low bench I'm making for my friend's garden. Where did my ruler go? I take out my copper Tool 60 and double check that I measured the 4" correctly.
Looks and color: I would describe the Tool 60 as fun, metallic pen with architectural influences.
This is a triangular pen with slightly rounded off edges. It currently comes in 3 finishes-- Black, Copper and Grey. The Copper finish is on the lighter side, almost bordering on rose gold. The pens have a lovely brushed look and feel. It's a very unique looking pen-- I have never seen another pen like it.
Most notably, this pen has 2 sides of the triangle marked with rulers-- one in inches and the other in centimeters. In the couple of weeks I've had this pen the ruler has come in handy the most, especially working at a pen store where I'm always measuring mystery refills that customers bring in.
The stylus is made with a tightly-woven material-- a bit tan in color and looks far more sturdy than conventional plastic stylus'. There is a nice rounded clip that secures snugly to shirt or pant pockets.
Feel and writing experience: The Tool 60 pen currently only comes in ballpoint and uses a mini ballpoint refill. It's sibling, the Classic Tool Pen, comes in fountain, pencil, ink-ball, and ballpoint. Writing with the Tool 60 is like a standard ballpoint writing experience, except the pen is nice and heavy allowing me to bear down on the paper with greater ease.
The weight of the pen is a weighty, but not overly-heavy, feel. It is great for writing down quick notes, but I would never be able to write long letters with this pen because the pen's weight becomes too much for my small hands to handle after about 30 seconds of use. I personally do not enjoy the fat-line of the ballpoint refill, but I do not mind it for administrative work or quick notes to coworkers.
The triangular shape with the rounded edges works very well for this pen. It serves as an awesome guide-point for a pen that is heavy enough that it may turn in the hand without some sort of anchor.
The tip of the ballpoint is revealed and retracts by turning the grip section of the pen. It requires two hands, which doesn't bother me, but it may not be practical for people who are actually looking to use this pen while performing design or manual activities.
It's a tool pen so this pen has a few additional notable features:
-THERE'S A SCREWDRIVER! The stylus screws off to reveal a Philips head and Flathead screwdriver.
-Micro-weave stylus
-Level on one facet of the pen.
-2 sets of rulers -- Metric and Imperial
Final thoughts: This pen is excellent for people who will be taking quick measurements and notes. If you're looking for a pen that is a functional, reliable ballpoint, and not looking for a tool to provide precise measurements then the Tool 60 is a good option. It's funky yet subtle and makes you feel super "mathematical" when using it.
Shoot us an email at support@penboutique.com if you have any questions or if you just want to talk pens.
Inked and ready,
Rachel
