Retro 51 Tornado™ Vintage Metalsmith - Lincoln Antique Copper Rollerball Pen

Not to discount the experiences of other reviewers - I did not have any rattling issues with the pen I received. The finish was pretty decent, a brushed-copper, lacquered finish. No yellowing as described in other reviews, but it does have that "fake" look similar to what you see with Moen and Pfister brushed metal bathroom fixtures. I get it, it is not the copper patina one might envision when thinking of antiqued copper, but it looks decent enough. The finish aside, it writes pretty well and if the ink flow isn't to your liking - it's easy enough to replace it with a Schmidt or Parker refill of choice. The pen is hefty and feels good in the hand; it is as good as any Retro 1951 I already own. Bottom line: liking a particular pen is a matter of personal taste - like style choices in fashion. I happen to like the Retro 51 pens. If you find that they're not for you, at least you didn't spend $400 on a Mont Blanc that you ended up hating - right?

I have a few of these now and this was my first Retro 51 rollerball and I love it. It is sturdy enough to carry around everyday. It looks nice and writes nice as well. Having the refills be a Parker size is great as I have been able to swap out and try out other refills which is nice. I recommend picking one of these up if you want a nicer pen, a gift or just want a cool EDC item.

When I first got this pen, I was somewhat disappointed. The "antique" finish is a varnish like substance applied over the copper. It had an odd texture that I found unpleasant to the touch, and the color had a yellow tone that is not found in naturally aged copper. I considered sending it back, but, on impulse, I decided to try stripping the varnish off. A ScotchBrite pad and rubbing alcohol removed it very easily, revealing the beautiful copper beneath. Now it looks and feels wonderful. I also changed out the included rollerball refill for the Retro 51 ballpoint refill (a rebranded Schmidt EasyFlow). I added a 3mm plastic spacer on the refill nose end to increase tension on the retract spring, which made the point rock solid when extended. It is now, for me, perfect. It's beautiful, distinctive, and solidly made. I would suggest to the Retro 51 folks that they sell this pen without the fake antique finish. It just detracts from what, for me, is the perfect pen. Without the varnish, the copper naturally tarnishes with use, making a beautiful patina. This pen also offers tremendous flexibility with refills. The included capless rollerball seems to work perfectly well; I just don't favor rollerballs. The pen will accept Parker-style refills (there are many brands), Fisher Space Pen refills (with the adapter Fisher provides), and, I believe, both capless rollerball and gel/ballpoint refills made to fit Mont Blancs. Even though these are different lengths, the retractor mechanism apparently has a stepped opening that accommodates the different length/diameter configurations. I plan to buy more of these just for backup, in case they are discontinued.

Only four stars because of the twist mechanism. It works really well and has not loosened up at all, but would be greatly improved with some knurling on the very top edge of the cap. It is smooth and sticks out a bit making it much harder to use one-handed.I also took advice from another review suggesting to removing the finish with steel wool or a Brillo pad. I ended up with a much better looking copper pen without the antique varnish over top.The refills write very smooth and lay down a thick dark line. The pen has some weight but is not overly heavy. The clip could be just a bit sturdier, but works very well even on thick materials.

This is a nice, solidly built pen and it has a good amount of weight to it. Judging its quality, I believe that it is worth the money. I also like the fact that it has such versatility in the amount of refills it takes. I don't use rollerball refills that much. I was looking for a solid drawing ( ballpoint ) pen. It may be a little too heavy for that For Me, but it does take some nice refills such as the Monteverde Ceramic Gel. I think the Retro 51 Easy Flow 9000 ( REF71 ) is very smooth and that is what I am currently using.

This pen had a very rustic look to it. It is heavy and feels of quality. The pen has a nice solid feel to it and the twist mechanism is stiff and well crafted. There are plenty of different ink replacement options for it, but the one that comes with it is fantastic! Just remember to close it before placing it in your sleeve or pocket; it will bleed!This pen is beautiful and perfect for anyone trying to add that personal detail to their work space. I am active duty military, so standing out is tough to do. This is no mo-hawk, but it helps a little...Highly recommend. You will not be disappointed!

Like some others in the reviews here, I chose to take an alcohol swab and a scrubby sponge and remove the clear lacquer coating. If you do this, bear in mind you'll have some linear scratches from the abrasive, so it might look even nicer to try and maintain the 45-degree angle that the brushed finish starts out with. Mine looks a little dull compared to the way it had previously had more depth, but it's a fair trade-off as I also didn't really care for the overly-smooth feeling of the lacquer. I feel like it wasn't taking full advantage of being a copper pen before.The shape and weight of the pen is great. I agree with the reviewer who said the little silver-colored circle at the top of the knurled twisty bit at the top should be copper as well, but I wouldn't take a star off for it.Final note: you know what's cool about having the copper exposed, aside from the patina that is already starting to develop after just a month or so of light use? Copper is bacteriostatic, so this pen is the least likely of all my pens to be the reason I get a cold. Your move, office coffee mug that doesn't get washed enough.

This pen is made by one of my favorite pen manufacturers. I have been writing with their pens for years. I enjoy the quality and smooth writing. It is easy to get refills which gives you years of enjoyable writing!

Great pen. No regret. A must have.

I purchased this pen after reading some excellent reviews of the Tornado Roller Ball Ink Cartridges online, and accounting for the expensive postage from the States, opted for a Deluxe model as the price difference wasn't so large.This is a fairly standard roller ball pen, there's not much to say about bells and whistles, because it's a pen... The pen itself is of a nice weight, has a premium feel, and, when they work correctly, the ink cartridges are super smooth to write with. However, there are three major flaws with this pen and the cartridges which would discourage me from repurchasing it:1) the copper vintage affect is achieved and maintained by a thin polymer coating on the surface of the pen's body, however this coating is prone to scratching and flaking, and after two months of use my pen has almost none of this coating remaining. The upshot of this is that instead of looking like a fancy, brushed copper instrument, it is a deep, dark brown, and the flaking surface feels unpleasant to hold, and comes away on your fingers to leave black flakes. Whilst the knurled screw end is heavily weighted by a metal insert, this insert is silver, not copper, in colour, and looks odd. It also highlights that the body is clearly not copper, but merely an imitation.2) the removable screw tip at the nib end of the pen is made by a different process and coating, and wears at a different rate to the rest of the pen body, and so the two parts are now different colours and feel quite different too. It looks odd and highlights the lack of true quality.3) the ink cartridges do not flow freely at all times, and I consistently find myself having to repeat the curved lines of "a"s, "b"s, "d"s and similar letters. This makes for an unpleasant and stop-start writing experience.I'm not sure which pen I'll move to once I have used all my existing cartridges, but I will not be purchasing this pen, or replacement cartridges, again.

ive been carrying this pen with me everyday for a year and its held up well. Some of the antique finish has worn off but i love the copper color underneath so im happy about it :)