His Nibs.com update -- DUKE Khaki Squares

His Nibs.com Update
DUKE Khaki Squares
October 1, 2005

This week we're introducing a new model from DUKE,
the Khaki Squares. It's a full-sized fountain
pen, conservative in appearance but with a color quite
unlike any other pen I've seen.

From the weblog, we present an optical illusion that
has to be seen to be disbelieved.

Also, we link to a rather extensive review of the
DUKE Mako, published recently on The
Fountain Pen Network website. The Mako has
become one of my personal favorites, and although
the brown finish -- the particular one reviewed --
is currently out-of-stock, there are more on their
way in the next few weeks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in this issue
* DUKE Khaki Squares
* Review of the DUKE Mako
* From the blog...An incredible optical illusion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DUKE Khaki Squares

I struggled a bit in finding a name for this pen (DUKE
tends to only number models, and this is #929), and
actually spent quite a bit of time reviewing color
charts to find one. I wanted to highlight the rather
fetching appearance of this color and although I
never found an exact match, the closest I came to
was 'dark khaki'. Matched with the sharply defined
squares that cover the cap and most of the barrel,
the moniker was born.

The pen is constructed of brass and chrome overall,
but the lacquering that now gives the pen its name
gives it a texture somewhat like that of snakeskin
pens I've felt in the past. It's a full-sized pen,
measuring 5-1/4" capped and 6" posted, and has a
pleasing heft without being at all tiring during long
writing sessions. It's well balanced, whether one
writes with the cap posted or held aside.

Read more here... - http://www.hisnibs.com/khaki_squares.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review of the DUKE Mako

I ran across the following review while reading on the
terrific Fountain Pen Network (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/) website
last night. From the review...

"As to its size, the Mako is a full-sized, medium
weight pen. It is comparable in weight to my
Sheaffer Prelude and Parker Sonnet, though I would
guess that it is slightly heavier. I usually write with
my pens unposted, and the Mako feels very balanced
in my hand. The best word that I can use to describe
its feel is "substantial." Everything about it feels solid
and secure. The cap clicks securely into place, and
the all-metal connection between the barrel and nib
section is very sturdy.

The Mako's all come with a fine-medium steel nib.
The nib writes very smoothly, though the line is a bit
less wet than my Lamy Al-star, or my Pelikan m215.
The ink supply is stored in a large, integrated piston-
filler that is permanently attached to the nib
assembly.

In summary, the Duke Mako is a very unique pen that
combines the best of Asian artistry and German
design. It is solidly constructed, and has a look that
is sure to elicit compliments from all who see it. And
with a price of $65 from Norman Haase's His Nibs.com
online store, the Mako is also a very good value."

Read the full review (along with photos) here - http://tinyurl.com/cgxoq

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From the blog...An incredible optical illusion

As it doesn't reproduce well here, please click on the
link below to go to the weblog and view the illusion.

Click here to read more... - http://tinyurl.com/agc8w

Regards,

Norman Haase
His Nibs.com
www.hisnibs.com
Blog: http://hisnibs.blogspot.com