Enso Gyro and Italia Copper: Two Distinct Pens at Sensible Prices

Introduction

Enso is a Los Angeles based pen brand, established in 2014 and founded by designer Carlo Aiello. The company offers a range of fountain pens and rollerballs on its site and has run around sixteen Kickstarter campaigns to date. Today we look at two of its current offerings: the Gyro rollerball, available through a Kickstarter campaign, and a limited edition all-copper version of the Italia fountain pen, available for pre-order directly from Enso.

Enso Gyro: A Twisting Take on the Rollerball

The Gyro, named after the Italian word for “turn,” extends and retracts its refill by twisting the back section of the barrel. The mechanism is simple and satisfying, and the pen ships with a Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 refill that writes smoothly. Swapping refills is easy: untwist the end, drop in a new refill, and twist back.

Design-wise, the pen has a distinct look with a groove running the full length of the barrel, similar in spirit to pens from Tactile Turn, which adds grip and a nice texture against the palm. The clip is not too stiff and fits the overall aesthetic. One honest caveat: the section tapers significantly at the front, and if you hold pens close to the tip like I do, that narrow section forces your grip further back. There is also a design quirk worth knowing: the pen arguably looks better when closed, but you spend most of your time with it open and ready to write.

Enso Italia Copper: Patina as a Feature, Not a Flaw

The Italia is a model Enso has offered before, but this limited edition version is machined from solid copper, and it is striking when new. Copper changes quickly, though: within three or four days of being inked, the section had already started to darken, likely due to the higher humidity inside the capped barrel rather than finger oils. You can polish it back to bright copper if you prefer, or let it tarnish naturally and develop character over the years.

The cap comes off in one and a half rotations and conceals a #6 Bock nib in fine, which appears to be the only option for this edition. The Bock fine nib has a decent ink flow and a plastic feed. The pen posts deeply and securely, and because the cap sits low when posted, the extra weight does not throw off the balance, so posting works even though this is a heavier metal pen. Unposted, it works fine too.

Fit and finish deserve a candid note: several edges, including the Greek key engraving on the cap and the tapered groove at the barrel end, feel a little sharp, and there is a small visible step and gap where the cap meets the barrel. None of it is a dealbreaker, but sharper edges could be buffed down more.

Writing Samples and Nib Notes

The Gyro’s Schmidt EasyFlow 9000 refill produces a pleasant writing experience with a smooth, consistent line. The Italia’s Bock fine nib is fairly smooth with a moderate amount of feedback that is not scratchy. Fine nibs are not usually my preference, but this one holds its fine line well and keeps up with fast writing. Reverse writing is a bit hit and miss. For the sample I used Diamine Ancient Copper, a reddish-brown ink that suits the pen beautifully; Private Reserve Copper Burst is another copper option worth considering.

Which One Should You Buy?

The Gyro is priced at $49, which is very reasonable for a well-machined rollerball, and the campaign only has about a week left at the time of writing. The Italia in copper is $95, a solid price for a full-copper fountain pen, but inventory is limited: roughly 50 pens remained during the pre-sale period, so interested buyers should act sooner rather than later.

Conclusion

Both pens offer honest value with a distinct design language. The Gyro suits anyone who wants a tactile twist-action rollerball at a sensible price, while the Italia in copper rewards those who will embrace its patina and accept a few sharp edges in exchange for character that grows over time.