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Video-Review: Pentel Tradio Fountain Pen

It does not always have to be the 100+ €/$ pens. There are also quite nice pens out there that are rather inexpensive. While many will now think of the Lamy Safari, the Pilot MR/Metropolitan or the like, there are also other nice pens that do not get all that much attention for some reason. One of these pens, in my opinion, is the Pentel Tradio. This is a really alright pen that I do not see being mentioned or reviewed all too often. Reason enough for me to do just that.

Let’s have a closer look at the pen in the video-review below – as always preceded by some quick facts. Again, I hope the review is helpful and that you enjoy watching it!

Quick Facts

  • Pentel Tradio (fountain pen)
  • Available in different colors
  • Made from resin/plastic
  • Cartridge/converter filler (standard international)
  • Available nib options: Medium (M)
  • Price: around 15 €

Video Review

Picture Gallery

Click on the photos to enlarge.

4 Comments

  1. David Heverly David Heverly

    Herr Scrively:

    I saw your YouTube video on the Pentel Tradio fountain pen. That prompted me to to track down your web site. You have an impressive amount of content. I’ll be spending some time here going through your reviews.

    Regarding the Pentel Tradio, they have a Tradio Mini model. It’s 4.6 inches capped and 4.7 inches posted and is made of various shades of transparent plastic. I bought it about four years ago from Jetpens.com. (They have since discontinued selling it.) I wanted a small fountain pen I could clip to the placket of a golf shirt or carry in a pants pocket. A Pilot Petite would do, but the Tradio Mini had the advantage of using the more readily available standard international cartridges.

    Unlike your pen, the Mini is made from a stiff plastic. I was skeptical that the clip would last the summer. But it’s still there. The nib lays down a nice Western medium line of ink without much feedback. It’s a stiff nib, so no flex. It’s just a nice, reliable mini pen you can take anywhere.

    As for your Tradio and the short international cartridge problem, I just got a pack of Jinhao ink cartridges I found on eBay. While they have the same size opening as the standard international cartridge, its’ length is somewhere between a standard long and short international cartridge. It fits the Tradio Mini and the Kaweco Sport and provides a bit more ink than the standard short cartridge. Maybe there is a third size in Asia.

    David

    • Scrively Scrively

      Hi David,
      many thanks for your very kind and thorough comment! Highly appreciated! I hope you have fun browsing through my site and find it informative and hopefully also somewhat entertaining. Thank you also for your hint with this (third?) cartridge size. While I was aware of the fact that Jinhao does make (or at least sell) ink, I was totally unaware of the cartridge size. Good to know though! Maybe I also have a tipp for you? While not taking standard international cartridges, the Pilot Prera may also be a pen that you may wanna look into. At least it matches the use cases you describe. Also, it does come with a converter. Doesnt hold a ton of ink though. There is also a review of it here on my page.
      Anyway, glad you found your way here.

      Kind regards,
      Michael

  2. Anonymous Anonymous

    Hi Scrively,

    Just saw your review of the tradio which reminded me of when I was purchasing some mechanical pencils from a japanese store this autumn.
    Was also browsing the fountainpens and found the Tradio but the description says it´s made of metal. I was very close to order one but didn´t.
    Do you know if there is a metal version ? But it looks very much like your pen.
    Here is where I saw it.
    http://www.pencils.jp/product/2725
    kind regards
    Multiebbot

    • Scrively Scrively

      Hi there! There must be a mistake in the sites product description. There are no metal versions – not to my knowledge. The one on the page is the dark brown one of the so called “Tradion Nature”-series. Google for it snd you’ll find three different earth/sand-tones, one of which is the one on that page. Exactly same pen than the one I review – just different color. Hope this helps! Cheers

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