Benu Talisman Dragon's Blood
Overview
The Benu Talisman in "Dragon's Blood" was Garry's first-ever Benu pen, bought from Goulet Pens in the US and shipped to Australia. It became his gateway into the brand -- he has since added a Benu Haute, Benu Gem, and Benu Tribute to his collection. He's nicknamed it his "Christmas pen": he uses it every December, traditionally paired with Diamine Garland, and one of his Fountain Pen Focus reviews of it was deliberately released on Christmas Day. It's also one of his Top Six Grail Fountain Pens. Price has climbed sharply since purchase roughly three years ago.
Design & Appearance
- Material/Theme: Benu infuses the resin itself with material inspired by "Dragon's Blood" (Sanguis Draconis), a historical pigment associated with myth and alchemy. The result is a sparkly red ("the blood"), sparkly green ("the dragon scale"), and black resin that Garry says reminds him of the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
- Shape: Faceted body and cap, but with a distinctive twist -- the facets are deliberately offset from each other rather than running the full length of the pen in straight lines, which Garry repeatedly singles out as a clever design touch that adds visual texture and extra sparkle as the light catches it.
- Clip: Stainless steel, lever-action -- it's attached partway down the cap rather than at the very top, and operates by pressing on the top of the clip.
- Cap: Slightly domed top, tapering down through several offset facet sections to a band reading "Benu."
- Pen looks scores across reviews: A perfect 10/10 in the Fountain Pen Focus review -- the only 10/10 pen-looks score in any pen summarized so far -- and 9/10 in the later showdown against the Benu Haute.
The Nib
- Maker: Schmidt (German nib manufacturer).
- Material: Stainless steel.
- Size: #6 (Garry occasionally second-guesses this against a #5, but settles on #6 after comparing it directly against other pens).
- Grade: Broad (available from Benu in F, M, or B -- Garry's copy is a B).
- Decoration: A decorative border, breather hole, and a stamped "B" -- which he initially assumed stood for "Benu" before realising it's actually the nib-width code.
- Feel: Smooth but with a pleasing amount of audible and tactile feedback -- not glassy-smooth, which he says he actively prefers. Capable of a small amount of natural line variation under added pressure, though he cautions against pressing too hard.
- Writing experience scores across reviews: 9/10, 9/10 -> consistent 9/10
Filling Mechanism
Cartridge/converter, supplied with a standard international converter and one long blue ink cartridge. Benu's product page states it can be converted to eyedropper fill, though Garry notes the fittings he can see inside are plastic and says he's never actually tried it himself.
Measurements
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Total length (capped) | 13.8 cm |
| Length unposted | 13.0-13.05 cm |
| Length posted | 16.7 cm |
| Body width | 1.34 cm |
| Cap width | 1.6-1.69 cm |
| Section width | 1.01-1.09 cm (tapered) |
| Full pen weight | 21-22 g |
| Body weight alone | 13 g |
| Cap weight | 8.4-9 g |
Writing Experience
- Posts, and doesn't feel especially back-heavy when it does, but Garry's habit -- as with most of his pens -- is to use it unposted, where he finds it perfectly comfortable.
- Two separate ink-flow scares are worth noting, both of which he attributes to his own handling rather than the pen itself: in the First Impressions video, no ink came out at all until he primed the feed; later, after a period in storage, he found the entire converter had emptied into the cap, which he traced to the nib unit having been left loose after he'd stripped it down for cleaning.
- The section feels a touch thin for his liking on longer writing sessions -- his one consistent, mild criticism of the pen, echoed in nearly every review.
- Comfort scores across reviews: 8/10, 8/10 -> consistent 8/10
Inks Used (as referenced across reviews)
| Ink | Context / Notes |
|---|---|
| Diamine Elf | Used in the Unboxing and First Impressions video; a 2019 Blue InkVent ink, chosen for its fantasy/mythical-creature name to thematically match the "Dragon's Blood" pen |
| Diamine Garland | His December ritual ink for this pen -- used in the Fountain Pen Focus review and described as an annual tradition |
| Diamine Celestial Skies | Used in the vs Benu Haute showdown; a shimmering ink |
Comparisons and Rankings
Size/price references in the First Impressions and Focus reviews (not full scored showdowns)
Brought in alongside a Visconti Breeze and a Conklin All-American in Golden Walnut in the First Impressions video, and again alongside a Visconti Breeze and a Nahvalur Nautilus in the Focus review -- all roughly the same price bracket at the time. Garry rates the Talisman's looks well above both in these informal comparisons.
vs Benu Haute Decadence (Diamine Celestial Skies vs Diamine Marie Rose) -- "Sparkle or Sophistication"
A showdown between two of his now-multiple Benu pens. Garry frames the Talisman as the "bells and whistles," eye-catching choice, and the Haute as the more understated, business-meeting-appropriate option. Pen looks were rated nearly identically (9/10 each); the Talisman edged ahead only on Build Quality, since at the time he'd owned the Haute for just two months versus roughly three years for the Talisman -- he's explicit that this is a temporary handicap and expects the Haute's score to rise with time.
Talisman = 8.5/10, Benu Haute = 8.33/10
Listed among "My Top Six Grail Fountain Pens"
Alongside the Sailor ProGear Slim, Waterman Carene, Pilot Custom 823, Visconti Homo Sapiens, and Pelikan M1000.
Overall Scores Summary
| Review | Score |
|---|---|
| Fountain Pen Focus | 8.67/10 |
| vs Benu Haute | 8.5/10 |
| Average | ~8.58/10 |
By category
| Category | Focus | vs Haute |
|---|---|---|
| Pen Looks | 10/10 | 9/10 |
| Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Writing Experience | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Ink Flow | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Comfort | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Value for Money | 8/10 | 8/10 |
Build Quality
No real issues across roughly three years of ownership, aside from the self-inflicted ink-dump incident traced to a loose nib unit after cleaning -- which he's clear was his own error, not a manufacturing fault, and which he resolved with a couple of millimetres of tightening. Build quality scores: 9/10 in both reviews.
Value for Money
Consistently scored 8/10. Garry considers it good value for the material, the Schmidt nib, and the sheer visual impact -- though he's candid that the eye-catching sparkle limits where he'd actually carry it (he wouldn't bring it to a business meeting, for instance, partly tongue-in-cheek about how it might be perceived).
Key Recurring Themes
- His Christmas pen -- a genuine annual ritual, paired with Diamine Garland every December, with at least one review deliberately released on Christmas Day.
- A perfect 10/10 for looks -- in the Fountain Pen Focus review, his highest pen-looks score recorded so far across any pen summarized.
- Gateway into the Benu brand -- his first Benu purchase, since followed by the Haute, Gem, and Tribute.
- Offset facets -- the standout design detail he repeatedly calls out as clever and visually engaging.
- Thin section -- his one consistent, mild criticism, shared with several of his other pens.
- Two separate ink-flow scares, both self-attributed -- a no-ink start in the First Impressions video, and a later ink-dump-into-the-cap incident traced to his own disassembly/cleaning routine.
- Sharp price increase
- Too "blinging" for some occasions -- by his own admission, a pen he wouldn't take to a business meeting, in contrast to some of his more understated grail pens.
Source Files
- Pens/Pages/Benu Talisman Dragon's Blood
- Pens/Pages/Benu Talisman Dragons Blood - Unboxing and First Impressions
- Pens/Pages/Benu Talisman - Fountain Pen Focus
- Pens/Pages/Sparkle or Sophistication: Benu Talisman vs Benu Haute Showdown
- Pens/Pages/From Ordinary to Extraordinary: My Top Six Grail Fountain Pens