Fountain Pens

Webson Gill Captain Review: A Wooden Fountain Pen with Brass Accents

The Webson Gill Captain pairs a wooden barrel with a brass cap and section. Here is how it writes, where it shines, and what to check before spending $99.

Published: 10/1/2026 Updated: 10/1/2026

Webson Gill Captain fountain pen with wooden barrel and brass cap on a desk

Introduction

Wooden fountain pens occupy a small but appealing corner of the market, and the Webson Gill Captain is a good example of why. It combines a wooden barrel with a brass cap and section, sells for $99 US, and aims squarely at people who want a good-looking pen rather than a hard-core enthusiast piece. After spending real writing time with it, here is how it holds up.

Unboxing and First Impressions

The Captain arrives in a refined little box with a cardboard sleeve and a faux leather interior that looks genuinely classy. The package includes a converter, a cartridge, and a voucher with a $25 off code, which softens the price a little for whoever uses it. Webson Gill also supplied a box of midnight black ink cartridges with this unit.

Fountain pen packaging with a cardboard sleeve and a faux leather box

Next to a Pilot Metropolitan, the Captain runs slightly longer. The tapering profile is the first thing you notice, and it reads as classic rather than flashy.

Build and Materials

The brass cap carries a WG engraving for Webson Gill, and you can choose your wood: this unit has the darker black wood option, with oak also available. The barrel tapers down toward the section in a shape that resembles a dip pen holder, which gives the pen a distinctly vintage desk-pen character.

Close-up of a brass pen section showing natural patina

The brass section develops a patina quickly where you hold it. Some people love that, and it can be polished back to its original luster with a cloth if you do not. One honest caveat: after long writing sessions, your fingers can start to smell like brass. If you are sensitive to metal sections or that kind of thing bothers you, this is not your pen. The pen does not post the cap safely either; forcing it onto the wooden barrel risks damage, so plan to write unposted. The converter is the familiar type found on many Chinese pens, and the nib looks to be a number five size with a plastic feed.

Writing Performance

The nib is described on the website as a gold nib, but there is no carat marking anywhere on it. Pulled and inspected, there is no 14K or 18K hallmark, and it is engraved iridium point Germany. Realistically, this is a gold-colored, likely gold-plated steel nib rather than solid gold. That said, an honestly ground iridium point Germany nib has nothing wrong with it: this one writes, has not skipped, and has never run dry, even after a couple of days uncapped and uncared for. Start-up has been reliable every time.

Fountain pen writing a sample line of blue ink on white paper

The nib is medium and on the finer side, with a nicely tuned ink flow that is neither especially wet nor dry. It does have noticeable feedback, bordering on scratchy for some tastes. If you prefer glassy smoothness, a bit of micromesh will fix it easily, but as delivered it is a feedback-forward writer, and some people genuinely prefer that. Line variation is modest, reverse writing works but with occasional start-up hiccups, and this is not a flex nib.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The main tension here is price versus provenance. At $99, you are paying for treated wood and real craftsmanship, which is not an unfair ask, but the generic converter, the lack of any solid-gold evidence on the nib, and a design that strongly resembles Chinese-made pens mean the value could arguably be fairer. There is no nib choice; you get the medium that ships with it.

If you can accept a feedbacky nib and brass patina, the trade is reasonable: a handsome, reliable writer that also works well as a corporate or casual gift for someone who simply wants a nice-looking pen.

Pricing and Value

At $99 US, the Captain is not cheap, but the wooden barrel, brass hardware, lifetime warranty, and included converter and cartridge do justify part of the tag. Considering what is in the box, it is hard to call it unfair, though the nib situation keeps it from feeling like a bargain.

A wooden fountain pen resting on a desk beside an ink bottle

For buyers who value looks and writing character over nib pedigree, it lands as a fair purchase. Nib obsessives may want to look elsewhere.

Conclusion

The Webson Gill Captain is a nicely made, good-looking wooden fountain pen with a reliable medium nib, no flow issues, and a genuinely classic taper. Its feedback-heavy nib, brass smell, and $99 price with a standard converter are the honest trade-offs. If you like wooden pens and want something distinctive for yourself or as a gift, it is an interesting brand worth checking out.

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