Ohto F-Lapa Fountain Pen with Fine Nib & Gold Accent

Ohto F-Lapa Fountain Pen with Fine Nib and Gold Accent (only available at Jetpens) was purchased not too long after I got the F-Spirit (even though I enjoy using the pen, the body was too heavy and chubby for my liking). The F-Lapa is slim, classy looking even better-received in the customer review section (just the black-gold version though). I reckon for 16.5 bucks, this is would be a wonderful addition in my messy bag.

The nib is exactly the same as that of Ohto F-Spirit and same gold-toned one with some squiggly patterns. The print "Fine Iridium Point Germany" was etched on it but I guess it's most likely made in China (because I have a Chinese promotional pen with the same thing on it, it's a good writer though).  The grip section is quite small, slim and made of an unknow material that resemble both hard plastic and rubber.Over the course of one year, it has built a little patina (OK, oil built-up) and got a little glossier and more plastic like.

The model number and name are printed by the edge of the cap (which is easier to take off than the F-Spirit but still fits securely). The gold band behind the grip, for some reasons, shows significantly more wear than the rest of the pen (which holds up really well even after a year of frequent use/abuse).

The small size of F-Lapa is perfectly comfortable (evening after being posted) and the metal body makes it weighty enough to rest in my hand. The nib is stiff as a whole but the tip is smooth and lays down a concentrated fine line (between Lamy EF and F, thicker than most Asian fine nib) that makes watery inks appear more saturated. Overall: If you have small hands and like steel nib with no flex, this is a pretty good pen for the affordable price.

  Writing sample of F-Lapa and Diamine Violet on Clairefontaine notebook. (Dime is to show the line width)

Ohto F-Spirit Fountain Pen with Fine Nib Gold Clip

Ohto (a lesser-known Japanese brand that specializes in roller ball pens and mechanical pencils) F-Spirit Fountain Pen is one of the most affordable non-disposable fountain pen in the market. It didn't take me long to make the buying decision as there are so many positive reviews on the Jetpens product page.

The pen as a whole is solid and substantial (not so much that it becomes a burden to hold) as it's made of metal barrel with some sort of resin (or lacquer?) over it. I am not too crazy about the cigar shaped design, since it not only screams 50+ year old corporate lawyer (another way of saying that it looks kind of expensive), it's also a little too big and heavy for my small hand.

The lid (along with the rest of the body) is also solidly constructed (with metal inner cap-like thing) and shuts a little too securely. The weight-per-length is consistent with the body so it doesn't throw the pen off-balance once posted. The model name, number (printed on the other side) and country of origin are printed by the edge and it didn't take long for me (the OCD scracther/peeler) to get it off. There is a ball at the end of the clip which is suppose to facilitate the attachment. However, the clip itself is so stiff that so the ball barely helps.