--- title: "OHTO Dude: The Hexagonal Aluminum Fountain Pen" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/ohto-dude/" description: "OHTO Dude fountain pen explained: 135 mm capped, 158 mm posted, 26 g hexagonal aluminum body, medium steel nib, international cartridges, and how it compares." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-24 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 6 products: - name: "OHTO Dude fountain pen, medium nib" brand: "OHTO" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Aluminum barrel and cap, stainless steel clip, chrome-plated brass fittings, rubber grip, stainless steel nib" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "OHTO Co., Ltd. (Japan)" --- # OHTO Dude: The Hexagonal Aluminum Fountain Pen > The OHTO Dude is a chunky, all-metal fountain pen with a hexagonal aluminum barrel and a medium steel nib. Cult Pens lists it at 135 mm capped, 126 mm uncapped, 158 mm posted and 26 g. It takes international cartridges, or bottled ink with a converter, and sells in our $$ band ($5–20). - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/ohto-dude/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-24 ![Black OHTO Dude fountain pen with the cap posted drawn to scale at 158 mm, with an inset of its steel nib](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/ohto-dude-16x9.png) *The black Dude posted at 158 mm, drawn to scale.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | OHTO Dude fountain pen, medium nib | OHTO (by OHTO Co., Ltd. (Japan)) | Japan | Not stated | Aluminum barrel and cap, stainless steel clip, chrome-plated brass fittings, rubber grip, stainless steel nib | – | $$: $5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (OHTO Dude fountain pen, medium nib): Not stated. Cult Pens, the retailer whose spec sheet we use, doesn't state the country of manufacture, and OHTO's current Japanese and English catalogs don't list the Dude, so we found no maker statement. ### OHTO Dude fountain pen, medium nib colors - Body colors (1 standard, 0 special edition): Black. - Ink in the box: black international cartridge (two included). - Per Cult Pens (https://cultpens.com/products/ohto-dude-fountain-pen), checked 2026-10-24. Cult Pens lists one color, black, and says the pen comes with two black international cartridges. OHTO's current catalogs don't list the Dude. Tints were sampled from Cult Pens' product photo; the cartridge tint from the black cartridge in OHTO's photo on its FCR-6 cartridge page. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Cult Pens lists the Dude at 135 mm (5.3 in) capped, 126 mm open and 158 mm (6.2 in) posted, and 26 g. - The barrel is hexagonal aluminum that turns round toward the end, so the cap posts firmly, per Cult Pens. - It has a stainless clip, chrome-plated brass fittings, a rubber grip and a medium stainless steel nib. - It ships with 2 black international cartridges and takes a standard international converter for bottled ink. - At 26 g it weighs about the same as a Pilot Metropolitan; OHTO's current catalogs no longer list it. ## What is the OHTO Dude? **The Dude is a budget, all-metal fountain pen from OHTO with a thick hexagonal aluminum barrel and a steel nib.** Cult Pens calls it a chunky, great-value pen and lists a stainless steel clip, chrome-plated brass fittings and a rubber grip. The barrel is hexagonal near the grip and becomes round toward the end, which lets the cap post firmly. It has been sold in black, blue, purple and silver, and in the US it reached many buyers through Drop's 2-packs. ## OHTO Dude specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | OHTO, Japan | | Length capped | 135 mm (5.3 in) | | Length uncapped | 126 mm (5.0 in) | | Length posted | 158 mm (6.2 in) | | Weight | 26 g | | Barrel | Hexagonal aluminum, round at the end | | Fittings | Chrome-plated brass; stainless steel clip | | Grip | Rubber | | Nib | Stainless steel, medium | | Filling | International cartridges or converter | All figures are from Cult Pens' listing, the fullest spec sheet we found. OHTO doesn't publish one for the Dude in its current catalogs. ![OHTO Dude lengths drawn to scale: 135 mm capped, 126 mm uncapped and 158 mm posted](https://stationerytimes.com/images/ohto-dude-lengths.svg) *Posting adds 32 mm, making the Dude a long pen.* ## How does the Dude write? **It has a medium steel nib, and Cult Pens supplies it with two black international cartridges.** Japanese medium nibs often run finer than European mediums, so expect a line closer to a Western fine or medium. We haven't tested it yet, so try it with your usual ink when it arrives. A different ink often changes how wet a steel nib writes. ## What ink does the Dude take? **Standard international cartridges, short or long, or bottled ink with an international converter.** Cult Pens lists a Faber-Castell converter as a compatible spare. That makes it easy to feed: international cartridges are sold by Kaweco, Pelikan, Diamine, J. Herbin and many others. Our [how to fill a fountain pen](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/how-to-fill-a-fountain-pen/) guide covers cartridges and converters. ## How does the Dude compare with other budget metal fountain pens? **It's as heavy as a Pilot Metropolitan and posts longer, but it's harder to buy and has one nib size.** | Pen | Capped | Posted | Weight | |---|---|---|---| | OHTO Dude | 135 mm (5.3 in) | 158 mm (6.2 in) | 26 g | | [Pilot Metropolitan](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-metropolitan/) | 138 mm (5.4 in) | 153 mm (6.0 in) | 26 g | | [LAMY safari](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/lamy-safari/) | 139.5 mm (5.5 in) | 163.9 mm (6.5 in) | plastic, lighter | Figures for the other pens come from our guides to them. The Metropolitan comes with a converter and is easy to find in the US; the Dude's draw is its hexagonal metal body. Our [best fountain pens for beginners](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-fountain-pens-for-beginners/) covers the safer first picks. ## Is the Dude a good first fountain pen? **It can be, if you want a heavy metal pen and are happy with a medium nib.** It takes the most common cartridge size, so ink is easy to buy, and the cap posts firmly. The trade-offs are a single nib size, no converter in the box and limited stock now that OHTO has dropped it from its catalogs. A first-time buyer who wants a fine nib may be happier with a Japanese fine nib such as the [Pilot Kakuno](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pilot-kakuno/). ## Is the OHTO Dude still sold? **OHTO no longer lists it, but some retailers still have it.** In October 2026 OHTO's Japanese and English catalogs showed only the FF01 and FF02 fountain pens, while Cult Pens still sold the black Dude. ## Where is the OHTO Dude made? **The listings we read don't say.** OHTO is a Japanese pen maker based in Yuki, Ibaraki; our [OHTO history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/ohto-history/) covers the company. ## Frequently asked questions ### What size nib does the OHTO Dude have? Cult Pens sells it with a medium stainless steel nib, and lists no other sizes. Japanese makers' nibs often write a little finer than European ones of the same name. ### Does the OHTO Dude take a converter? Yes. It takes standard international cartridges, and Cult Pens offers a Faber-Castell international converter with it for bottled ink. ### How heavy is the OHTO Dude? Cult Pens lists 26 g. That is heavy for an aluminum pen, because of the brass fittings, and close to the brass-bodied Pilot Metropolitan. ### Can you post the Dude's cap? Yes. The hexagonal barrel becomes round toward the end so the cap posts firmly, bringing the pen to 158 mm (6.2 in), per Cult Pens. ### Is the OHTO Dude discontinued? OHTO's current Japanese and English catalogs don't list it, though Cult Pens still sold it in October 2026. Expect limited colors and stock. ### Is there a Dude rollerball? Yes, OHTO also made a Dude rollerball with the same body; Drop sold both versions in 2-packs. ### Is the OHTO Dude made in the USA? No. OHTO is a Japanese company; the listings we read don't state the country of manufacture. ## Sources - [Cult Pens: OHTO Dude Fountain Pen (135 / 126 / 158 mm, 26 g, materials, medium steel nib, international cartridges)](https://cultpens.com/products/ohto-dude-fountain-pen) - [Unsharpen: Ohto Dude Rollerball](https://unsharpen.com/pen/ohto-dude-rollerball/) - [OHTO (English): Writing Pens (current catalog; fountain pens FF01 and FF02 only)](https://ohto.co.jp/global/products/gs/) - [OHTO Japan: 万年筆 category (current catalog: FF01/FF02 only)](https://ohto.co.jp/?product_cat=fountain) - [The Well-Appointed Desk: Review: Ohto DUDE Fountain Pen](https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/page/491) - [OHTO (Japan): fountain pen cartridge ink FCR-6 (black and blue-black)](https://ohto.co.jp/?product=fcr)