Everyday Writing with a Modern Flex Pen

I’ve always been a “firm nib” person for the majority of my everyday writing. While I enjoy flexible nib fountain pens, my experience has been limited to the occasional review and playing around with vintage flex after-hours at pen shows. I use a combination of italic-style script and cursive for my everyday writing, so firmer nibs typically work better for my handwriting, particularly cursive italics and stubs.

But I’m still intrigued by the new “flex” nibs pen companies have been releasing over the past few years. I use the term “flex” loosely - in my opinion, there is no such thing as a modern equivalent of true “vintage flex” like you would find in a vintage Waterman pen from the first half of the 20th century. What you have today, rather, are softer nibs that can provide a fair bit of line variation if pushed, but you need to be careful and manage your expectations.

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Both of these nibs are No. 6 JoWo. The one on the left is a 14k fine nib custom engraved for Montegrappa, with carve-outs on the side to increase flexibility. The one on the right is a Franklin-Christoph stainless steel nib with an elongated nib slit, which also increases the ability to flex the tines.

For today’s post, I’m not so much interested in further discussion of “whether these nibs are truly flex nibs.” Each person tends to have their own opinion on that issue, influenced mainly by how much line variation they like in their writing and whether they have experience in the vintage market. I’m more curious about the practicality of these softer nibs and whether or not I can actually use one as a daily driver. Will I spring the nib? Will the pen write too wet, creating a feathering, bleeding mess? Given that I don’t write in pure cursive, will I even be able to notice a difference?

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Review Pen No. 1: A Montegrappa Miya 450 with a 14k Fine Flex.

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Review Pen No. 2: A Newton Shinobi with a Franklin-Christoph HPSteel Flex Extra-fine nib unit.

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For this experiment I chose two pens that sit on the firmer end of the flexibility scale: a Montegrappa Miya 450 with Montegrappa’s 14k “fine flex,” and my Newton Shinobi with Franklin-Christoph’s HP Steel Flex nib. I picked both up at pen shows earlier this year before everything shut down. As it turns out, I’ve enjoyed using these pens, including as daily writers, though I would advise anyone interested in these pens to take a few things into consideration:

• Use a lighter hand. Not only will this create more noticeable line variation, but you’ll avoid springing the tines. Less writing pressure will also result in less ink being poured onto the page - a key consideration if you need to take notes or do a lot of other writing where you need the ink to dry quickly. If, like me, you tend to use a fair bit of pressure when you write, consider a drier steel flex nib. I’m still getting the hang of writing with the Montegrappa 14k flex, and the Franklin-Christoph steel nib offered a more seamless transition for my writing style.

• Pay attention to your paper. Because softer nibs tend to lay more ink on the page (especially gold nibs), you will likely experience feathering and bleedthrough on cheaper and/or more absorbent paper. The writing samples for this review were done in a Write Notepads Dot Grid Spiral, which performed beautifully. Other paper options include Tomoe River and Clairefontaine. I’ve had mixed results on Rhodia with super-wet pens, and sometimes get spots of bleeding.

• Pay attention to your ink. While you might be tempted to use more flexible nibs to show off your highly saturated “super sheeners” and “super shaders,” be aware that these inks might not be the best choice for everyday writing in a super wet pen. If you plan on using the pen for notetaking or office work, consider an ink that dries relatively quickly and is known to behave well. Sailor and Montblanc make excellent inks, and the two used for this post (Montblanc Irish Green and Sailor Ink Studio 140) worked quite well, without complications.

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Takeaways and Final Thoughts

So could I see myself using either of these nibs as a regular everyday writer over the long haul? Yes and no. Since it takes more pressure to flex the nib, the Franklin-Christoph HP Steel Flex nib writes like a slightly softer, standard extra-fine JoWo steel nib that has the option to add line variation if you so desire. I could easily use this particular nib all day, every day, and it may have found a permanent home in my Newton Shinobi. While I enjoy the 14k “fine flex” nib in the Miya, it’s still slightly too wet for me to use as an everyday work pen. I typically have to take notes quickly which doesn’t allow enough time for the ink to dry before I need to turn the page. For me, the Miya will mainly be used for personal writing in my journal.

I acquired the pens featured in this review directly from Kenro (the U.S. Montegrappa distributor), and from Franklin-Christoph. Kenro provided me with the Miya as part of their generous sponsorship of The Gentleman Stationer; the Franklin-Christoph was acquired with my own funds for my own collection. This post contains links to paid sponsors and affliates.

First Impressions: Esterbrook JR Pocket Pen in Tuxedo Black

This week, Esterbrook announced arguably its biggest release to date: the “JR Pocket Pen”, which is the first modern Esterbrook that actually attempts to replicate the design of the famed vintage “J” pen. As such, Esterbrook knew that there would be heavy expectations piled on this release, and there was no room for error. So how did they do?

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While I’ve only had the pen for a week, what I’ve seen so far leads me to believe that the JR will be widely viewed as a success. As with all “heritage” releases - which is how I generally refer to products such as pens and watches that draw inspiration from a vintage product without copying it exactly - the JR borrows from those aspects of the original “J” that translate best into a modern fountain pen, and dispenses with others that, well, wouldn’t work so well today. I’ll briefly run through the similarities and differences:

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The Esterbrook JR comes in three different colors: Tuxedo Black (shown here), Carmine Red, and Capri Blue (which is the only one with gold trim). Based on pictures alone, the Tuxedo Black and Capri Blue are my favorites.

First of All, What’s Changed?

• The new Esterbrook JR is slightly slimmer than a standard vintage Esterbrook J, and the barrel and ends less rounded. While I don’t currently have any vintage Esterbrooks in my collection, Ana over at the Well-Appointed Desk has published her own review and has some extremely thorough comparison photos that show the JR compared against various vintage Esterbrook fountain pens.

• Esterbrook has dispensed with the black plastic cap jewels in favor of metal finials. The finial on the cap bears the Esterbrook “infinity” logo also found on the Camden. While the black plastic finials lent the original J a unique, almost Art Deco look, they also grew fragile over time and had a tendency to crack and/or fall out if you accidentally dropped the pen. Here, I would say that gains in long-term durability make up for any losses in terms of aesthetics and faithfulness to the original design.

• The filling system on the JR, predictably, is cartridge-converter instead of a lever-filler. I’m sure many vintage pen die-hards will complain (loudly) about this fact, but seriously, is Esterbrook really going to release a lever-filling fountain pen that would require periodic ink sac replacement? No. Nor should they. Even back in its heyday, Esterbrook was a mass-market brand, and to me, going with cartridge-converter is more faithful to the original vision of Esterbrook than releasing a throwback pen with a high-maintenance lever-filling system.

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Size comparison, show here between a Kokuyo Sketch Notebook (left) and a Hobonichi Techo A6. Writing samples in this review are shown in the Kokuyo Sketch.

What’s the Same or Similar?

• The overall look, feel, and aesthetic of the pen are very similar. As someone who has used vintage Esterbrooks extensively, I will say that the modern iteration of the company has definitely managed to “recapture the magic” of the original brand. A key part of this reissue is the choice of pearlescent acrylic: Vintage Esterbrooks are known for the depth of the material used to make the barrels, which was largely unique to that brand. The black, blue, and red materials chosen for the JR, while not an exact match, replicates at least some of that same depth.

• While slightly longer and slimmer than the clip on the original J, the clip on the JR retains the same ribbed look while omitting the “Esterbrook” engraving, which moves to the cap band. While I’m glad they retained some version of the classic clip, I’m torn over the placement of the engraving. Could they have gone with a wider clip and kept the vintage-style engraving? Possibly, but I suspect this would present production issues, whereas placing the Esterbrook engraving on the cap band also creates branding consistency with the Estie and the Camden.

• The JR features an interchangeable stainless steel JoWo No. 5 nib unit, which allows you to swap in different nib sizes, and even JoWo nib units you may have had ground to a stub, italic, architect, etc. It remains to be seen whether the JR will get its own adapter that will allow you to use the full array of vintage Esterbrook nib units.

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Esterbrook is marketing the JR as a “pocket pen.” I typically don’t pocket-carry pens like this one - it’s slightly too large for that purpose, at least for me - but it’s quite portable. The JR would make a great planner pen. (Picture below)

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Perhaps my one critique of this pen is that I wish the cap posted a touch deeper as it looks a little awkward. The pen itself is so light, however, that it makes very little difference from a functionality perspective.

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No surprises with the line written by a medium No. 5 JoWo nib.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Esterbrook JR is a very well done heritage pen that I expect will please the majority of Esterbrook fans while still managing to tick off those few who would only be pleased with a “J” replica. As evidenced by the visceral reaction to Parker’s recently announced Parker 51 re-release, attempting to recreate a vintage pen design for modern users can be a risky move, in that you need to strike a balance between catering to fans of the original pen while still making a product that is marketable to new customers. So far, Esterbrook seems to have done just that, and I’m excited to see where they take this pen design over the next year or so. The next logical step would be to introduce additional colors, either special editions or green and grey pens to match the original lineup, as well as a vintage nib adapter.

You should now be able to purchase the Esterbrook JR at most Esterbrook retailers, including site sponsors Vanness Pens and Goldspot. Current MSRP on the Esterbrook JR is $175, with most retailers so far pricing this pen at $140, which is becoming the standard price point for a steel-nib pen of this quality.

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The Esterbrook JR fits perfectly in the pen slots on my Hobonichi Techo. Planner pen, anyone?

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Esterbrook/Kenro Industries for sending me this pen for review. This post contains links to paid sponsors/affiliates.

Pen Review: Kaweco x Galen Leather Classic Sport

Ok, so I’ve been teasing pictures of this pen for a couple of weeks now, and it’s only fair that I go ahead and write up this new fountain pen from Galen Leather. As Galen expands their retail offerings outside of traditional leather goods into desk accessories, paper, and now fountain pens, what better way to launch a new product category than a collaboration with Kaweco!

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The Galen Leather + Kaweco release is a special edition from the Classic Sport “Transparent” line, meaning that it’s a demonstrator version of Kaweco’s Classic Sport workhorse. Galen has chosen a “cognac” acrylic, which Kaweco has paired with their gold-plated trim. I’ve never owned one of the transparent Sports, so this is a first for me and I’m enjoying the look.

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In addition to the standard Kaweco logo, Galen Leather has included their own branding.

I’ve previously reviewed the Kaweco Sport fountain pen in multiple iterations on this blog (additional links below), so I’ll only briefly recap the specs. The Sport is intended as a pocket pen, and it lives up to Kaweco’s slogan, “small in the pocket; large in the hand.” Once you unscrew the cap and post the Sport, it becomes a full-size writing instrument that’s as comfortable as any standard fountain pen, even for long periods of time. Kaweco Sports use a small No. 4 Bock nib, which over the years has had its share of quality control issues, but recently Kaweco and Bock seem to have figured things out and the last few Kaweco nibs I’ve used, ranging from EF to B, have been solid. The medium nib on this particular pen is an excellent writer, and I will go ahead and mention that the best Kaweco nibs I’ve used have all been mediums. It’s become my default for this brand.

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As you might expect, the “special” attribute on this edition is the cognac acrylic. Kaweco absolutely killed it, and the pen is stunning to look at. For whatever reason, I like to pair translucent brown pens with dark red or burgundy ink, and I inked this one up with a Diamine Oxblood cartridge. It’s a perfect pairing, and Oxblood might be the ink for this pen (at least until my cartridges run out).

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For a cognac or whiskey-colored pen, gold trim is really the only option.

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Takeaways and Where to Buy

You can’t go wrong with a Kaweco Sport, and if you’re looking to rejuvenate your office space with some elegant wood and leather accessories from Galen Leather, I would encourage you to consider adding one of these pens to your order before they sell out. Currently, you can purchase the Galen Leather + Kaweco special edition fountain pen directly from Galen Leather in their online store, as part of their growing selection of fountain pens. Since this is a special edition, pricing is slightly higher ($30) than you would otherwise find on a standard Sport, but still reasonable.

Many thanks to Galen Leather for providing this item for review!

Further Reading

I’ve previously reviewed several iterations of the Kaweco Sport, including not only the Classic but also the Art Sport, the AL Sport (aluminum), the AC Sport (Carbon Fiber), and the all-metal Brass Sport. I even reviewed a vintage Kaweco Sport with a piston filler a couple of months ago. Check out these reviews to learn more about Kaweco’s Sport series.

Disclaimer: I received the pen featured in this review from Galen Leather for review purposes, free of charge. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

Mahogany Desk Accessories from Galen Leather

Although they started out making leather goods, Galen Leather has expanded their lineup to include a line of handcrafted brass and wood desk accessories. Previously, I’ve written on the Galen Leather Writing Box and how I’ve used that particular product as “home base” for my journaling setup. I recently received a box of additional samples from Galen Leather, including their mahogany pen rest and brush stand, as well as the “ToolComb” pen and brush holder.

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Both are examples of well-made, useful products that look great on your desk and don’t cost an arm and a leg. The pen rest/brush stand is a small wooden block containing three grooves large enough to accommodate pens of various sizes (though if you try to use it to hold larger pens, they may touch). It’s perfect for those who keep three or fewer pens inked at any given time, or have pens that live permanently on the desk.

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The Mahogany Three-Pen Stand, shown here with three Fisher Space Pens.

The ToolComb is also handcrafted from solid mahogany, and per the Galen Leather website inspired by a mid-century Danish design. Come to think of it, the ToolComb does have a vintage-meets-modern flair that I very much appreciate, and it looks exceptional on a desk, especially paired with my Dudek Modern Goods “Divide.” The ToolComb holds up to 13 pens or artist’s tools (Galen specifically mentions paintbrushes), and with a hole size of 15mm most pens will fit.

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Many have used the Galen Leather ToolComb to showcase their collections of 13+ Kaweco Sports. I don’t have that many Kawecos, but you can see that it fits the both the Sport and the Schon DSGN Pocket Six quite well.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I look forward to enjoying these two mahogany pen stands for a long time to come. You can purchase both products directly from Galen Leather’s online shop. The Mahogany Pen Rest/Brush Stand is priced at $16, with the ToolComb slightly more expensive at $30. Other options from Galen include a larger Desk Organizer, a Washi Tape Dispenser, and of course the Writing Box. Many thanks to Galen Leather for making these products available for review!

Disclaimer: I received these products from Galen Leather, free of charge, for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.

Ten Classic Stationery Items Everyone Should Own

I’ve thought a lot recently about stationery items that should form the “core” of any stationery collection. If I had to liquidate everything and start from scratch, what pieces would I purchase again? I’ve bought and sold thousands of pens, pencils, notebooks, and desk accessories over the years, and have a good idea of what I like and don’t like, what I need and don’t need. While I could play the “top ten” game forever, and come up with hundreds of different combinations depending on my constantly evolving preferences, what follows is a “top ten” list for this particular season of my life and career. Of course, what works for me doesn’t necessarily work for you - it’s merely intended as food for thought. Enjoy!

The TGS Patreon Program and sales through The Curated Shop are how I fund The Gentleman Stationer. Your support is greatly appreciated! Any third-party links are unpaid and NOT affiliate links, just stores I enjoy visiting.

1. Lamy 2000 (via Goldspot Pens). The Lamy 2000 will always serve as my “Desert Island Pen,” given its supreme functionality, durability, and minimalist industrial aesthetic. Plus, I love how the hooded 14k nib writes. You can read my review of the Lamy 2000 here.

2. Fisher Space Pen (via Vanness Pens). I keep a Fisher Space Pen AG7 or “Shuttle Pen” on my desk at all times, and if you’ve ever received a note from me on your packing slips, chances are it was likely signed with one of my Space Pens. The Fisher Space Pen isn’t just a great ballpoint, it’s an iconic piece of American history. Read my review here.

3. Caran d’Ache 849 Ballpoint (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). When I’m in the mood for some color, and want a pen with some personality that isn’t a rollerball (which as time goes on I dislike more and more), I reach for the iconic Caran d’Ache 849. With faceted sides that taper to a point like a woodcase pencil, I find the 849 supremely comfortable to write with, and the included refill is quite smooth. Check out my retail offerings for a selection of special and limited editions.

4. Rotring 600 or Rotring 800 Mechanical Pencils (via Goldspot Pens). My mechanical pencil of choice? Easily the Rotring 600 or 800, depending on whether you prefer a fixed or retractable pipe mechanical pencil. If you carry your pencil in a pocket, go with the 800. Read my write-up comparing these two here.

5. Caran d’Ache Fixpencil (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). Some people might not consider a 2mm leadholder a stationery “essential,” but if so, there’s no better option than the Caran d’Ache Fixpencil. A leadholder built for writing as well as drawing and drafting, the Fixpencil incorporates a sharpener inside the button cap so you can get the woodcase pencil experience with out having to worry about carrying a separate sharpener. Now available in color versions (pictured above) as well as the classic matte black.

6. Blackwing Natural Pencils (via Vanness Pens). Choosing just one brand of woodcase pencil would be difficult, but if I had to choose, it would probably be a Blackwing, and of their four standard versions, I would go for the “Natural” model with the extra-firm graphite. I’m a sucker for natural wood pencils, and the extra firm graphite lets you go a bit longer without sharpening.

7. M+R Brass Bullet Pencil Sharpener (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). If I was forced to pick one handheld pencil sharpener to pick, I’d probably choose this one, even over my more expensive long-points. Why? A combination of durability, quality, and overall value. Plus you can easily purchase replacement blades to keep your brass sharpener in action for the long haul.

8. Baron Fig Confidant Notebook (via Baron Fig). The Baron Fig Confidant is one of the best all-around notebooks I’ve used over the years, featuring a strong combination of design, size, and versatile paper. Baron Fig periodically releases special edition collaborations and designs that many people love to collect.

9. One Star Leather Goods Notebook Cover (via One Star/Etsy). Looking for a nice leather cover for your favorite notebook? Keegan at One Star leather can custom make a leather cover for your preferred brand. Check out my review here.

10. Pocket Notebooks or Spiral Notebooks (via T.G.S. Curated Shop). In addition to a “formal” notebook, I like to keep different paper formats on hand for sketching out my thoughts. Currently, I have in rotation a Write Notepads Spiral Dot Grid Notebook, as well as an endlessly rotating series of Pocket Notebooks from either Field Notes or Write Notepads. While the Write Notepads paper works great with fountain pens, it’s not something I tend to worry about with my pocket notebooks.