[UPDATE 9/27] Franklin-Christoph Model 40 Pocket Fountain Pen

By On · 14 Comments · In Fountain Pens, New Products

The Franklin-Christoph Model 40 Pocket is a smaller version of the original Panther (which is also undergoing an update). It features a short capped length of the 4.2″, but turns into a nice sized pen measuring 5.2″ when capped. The latest edition is made from creme colored acrylic with a translucent light blue accent on the top of the cap.

The Model 40 Pocket is designed without a clip to make it easier to slide easier into pockets. Due to the size of the pen it cannot accommodate a converter, but will easily fill via a short international cartridge. For you eye-dropper lovers out there you’ll be glad to know that the conversion on this pen is very easy, only requiring a bit of silicon grease on the section threads for a tight seal.

Steel is the only material option for the nib and it comes in a wide range of sizes: fine, medium, and broad – or in specialty nibs, Extra-Fine, .9mm Med. Italic, .9mm Medium Stub, 1.1mm Broad Italic, or 1.1mm STUB. The Model 40 Pocket is currently available for only $119.50 from Franklin-Christoph.

Franklin-Christoph is looking for feedback on the color combination of this pen. If it’s not too much trouble, drop a note in the comments and give us your thoughts.

UPDATE: You can now upgrade the #5 nibs in these pens to 18k gold for an additional $80. Needlepoint has also been added as a custom nib grind.

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  • Dgator

    I can’t warm up to this color. In addition, I’d like to see a clipped version (preferably removable–like the clip available for the Kaweco Sport).

  • Andrew Young

    I would have trouble justifying the large price difference btwn this and the Kaweco sport (~5x).

    • http://fpgeeks.com/ Dan Smith

      Hmm, I don’t know. Franklin-Christoph’s pens are very well made and the quality is noticeably better. Add to that those custom ground nibs and I think Model 40 holds its own. I do think you need hands-on with both to appreciate what you’re getting though.

    • clockmilk

      I have both a Kaweco Sport, and a different F-C pen, the Model 02 Intrinsic, I don’t think the Kaweco Sport even approaches the class of a Franklin-Christoph pen. The fact that a custom ground Mike Masuyama nib is included in the $120 asking price makes it a bargain. In fact, I’m not a fan of the Kaweco at all, and have heard that there are problems when converting it to an eyedropper. As for the new colorway of the Model 40, I applaud them for trying something new and would consider the beige/blue combo. I would have preferred the blue cap to be solid rather than translucent though.

  • maiboo

    I would love to see more red. I’d also like to see a clip version. Without the clip, the pen would drown in their penvelopes.

  • Bill Carriger

    I have one of these Model 40 Pocket pens and I love it. It is black with a dark blue finial, of which only a couple were made, and did not go into full production. I carry it more than I do my little Stipula Passaporto’s. I think I may have to have one of these too. Sigh…

  • http://twitter.com/bogong007 Ken

    I quite like the colours as they are. If they were to expand the translucent accents to include an amber/apricot, coffee, caramel, chocolate and maybe strawberry to go with the creme body theme to create a cafe lifestyle fountainpen.

  • http://www.facebook.com/will.platt.39 Will Platt

    as with all FCs, beautiful!

  • PeppWaves03

    Too light of a blue. Would love to have darker more deep colors. Light colors make pens look childish. The black end where the nib meets the barrel should be the same color as the barrel or the end cap. Just my two cents :)

  • MTruppi

    How about black with a red top?

  • Nibman

    Feels feminine

  • OcalaFlGuy

    Re; the pricing difference between the FC and Kaweco. As Dan and Eric alluded to in the video, the Kaweco is injection molded while the FC is lathed Acrylic. That is a noticeable upgrade (to Acrylic) in both material and preciseness of manufacture. Precise machining costs more than being glurped out into a mold. There ARE Acrylic Kaweco sports and they are very close in price to this FC and that’s not even with a Masuyama tuned nib.