Pininfarina PF1 Fountain Pen Review: A Triangular Design With One Clever Trick

Introduction

The Pininfarina PF1 is a fountain pen that leans hard into a distinctive shape: a full triangular profile in aluminum, capped with a rotating integrated clip that is genuinely one of the more clever small design choices we have come across. It is filled by cartridge or converter, ships with a converter included, and carries a price of 111 euros and 57 cents, so it sits firmly in the considered-purchase category rather than the impulse-buy one.

After spending real writing time with it, the PF1 comes across as a comfortable, interesting writer with a couple of practical compromises to be aware of. Here is how it breaks down.

Design and Build

The PF1 is made by Pininfarina, a company better known for automotive design, and that design sensibility shows. The triangular profile is the headline feature, and the presentation matches it: the box is itself triangular, wrapped in a leather-look material with a magnetic closure that opens and folds neatly around the pen. Paperwork and filling instructions are included.

The body is aluminum, which keeps the pen light while remaining reasonably strong. Compared side by side with a Pilot Metropolitan, the PF1 has a similar girth but is a little longer, so it is not a short pen by any measure. The pen will not roll off a desk thanks to the flat facets; it will only spin in place.

The Rotating Clip

The integrated clip is our favorite thing about this pen. At first glance it appears almost non-functional because it is so stiff, but the entire clip rotates around the cap with a very light click into place. Rotate it out and you have a perfectly usable pocket clip; rotate it back and it sits flush with the rest of the cap sides, as if the clip does not exist.

That flexibility is quietly practical. Sometimes you want to clip the pen to a pocket or notebook, and sometimes you want it to disappear into a pen case or rest flat. The PF1 handles both without asking you to think about it.

Grip Section and Nib

Uncapping the pen reveals a faceted triangular grip section with a number 5 steel nib. The nib has no breather hole, which is characteristic of certain number 5 steel nibs, though the maker is not stated. It is stamped M for medium with a plastic feed, and there is a nicely engraved Pininfarina logo on the nib itself.

Available nib options cover extra fine, fine, medium, and broad in steel. Cartridge-converter filling is standard, and the supplied converter screws in, which we appreciate: screw-in converters are far less likely to slip loose and end up rattling inside the barrel.

Writing Performance

As a writer, the PF1 is pleasant and reasonably wet, with a noticeable but not scratchy degree of feedback. It feels like writing with a fountain pen rather than a ballpoint, which is exactly what many buyers want at this level. The medium nib laid down a clean, consistent line, and the nib is aligned so that the triangular section puts the tip on the paper at the right angle, at least for a natural grip.

Line variation exists if you press gently, but the pen is absolutely not advertised as a flex nib, so treat any flexing as incidental rather than a feature. Reverse writing also works, producing a finer line, and the pen does not seem to dry out quickly. One practical note: the cap does not post.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The triangular section divides opinion. We found it comfortable, but the section itself is on the thin side, and there is a fairly substantial step-down between the barrel and the grip, sharpest at the top of the section near the cap. If you prefer girthier sections or you are sensitive to step-downs, this pen is probably not for you.

The other consideration is price. At 111 euros and 57 cents, this is not an inexpensive pen for an aluminum body with a steel nib. The included converter softens the total cost a little, since you would otherwise buy one separately, but you should go in knowing the price reflects the design more than exotic materials.

Buying Advice

If you like triangular pens, appreciate thoughtful industrial design, and want a light, comfortable writer with a clip you can genuinely hide away, the PF1 is an easy recommendation despite the price. If thin sections, sharp step-downs, or a premium price for a steel-nibbed aluminum pen bother you, steer clear and look elsewhere.

Conclusion

The Pininfarina PF1 succeeds mainly on design execution: a clean triangular body, a genuinely clever rotating clip, and a solid writing experience from the steel medium nib. The thin section, pronounced step-down, and premium pricing are real trade-offs. Match the shape to your grip preferences and the price to your budget, and it is a distinctive pen worth a close look.