In this video I’m taking a look at the Hero 856 (also sold as the St. Penpps Retro), which is one of those under-the-radar, budget-friendly pens that leans hard into that last-century aesthetic. I go over the basics—what you’re actually getting for the money, how it feels in the hand, and why this pen is a little different from the usual “cheap No. 6 nib pen” you see everywhere. Mine came with a No. 6 fine nib, and I put it through the kind of everyday writing I’d actually do, not just a five-second scribble. The big talking point here is the filling procedure, because it’s not your standard cartridge/converter situation and it’s definitely uncommon compared to most modern pens in this price range. I also run it with Noodler’s Heart of Darkness on Rhodia dot grid so you can see how the line looks and how the pen behaves with a well-known, no-nonsense black ink on reliable paper. If you’re into retro-styled pens, or you’re just hunting for an affordable writer that isn’t the same old thing, this one is worth a look—while still keeping an eye out for the usual budget-pen “duds.”