Modern "Flex" Pens

Brian Goulet just posted a mini-review of five "flex" fountain pens. A few of them fall under the $100 range.


Flex Nib Comparison: Noodler's Ahab, Pilot Falcon SEF, Noodler's Neponset, Stipula Splash, Omas Ogiva Alba 14k EF


My personal take is that none of them can compare to a vintage pen with a nice, flexible gold nib. YMMV. (I wouldn't turn down an Omas Ogiva if someone wanted to give me an early Christmas present! )

I was surprised how he didn't seem to like the Falcon SEF as much in the video vs. how he felt about it when they first started carrying them. I like mine, for sure.

Krodor said:

I was surprised how he didn't seem to like the Falcon SEF as much in the video vs. how he felt about it when they first started carrying them. I like mine, for sure.

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Absence makes the heart grow fonder ... so maybe presence makes the heart grow meh-er.

Snargle said:

Brian Goulet just posted a mini-review of five "flex" fountain pens. A few of them fall under the $100 range.


Flex Nib Comparison: Noodler's Ahab, Pilot Falcon SEF, Noodler's Neponset, Stipula Splash, Omas Ogiva Alba 14k EF


My personal take is that none of them can compare to a vintage pen with a nice, flexible gold nib. YMMV. (I wouldn't turn down an Omas Ogiva if someone wanted to give me an early Christmas present! )

Click to expand...

Ditto ditto ditto

Krodor said:

I was surprised how he didn't seem to like the Falcon SEF as much in the video vs. how he felt about it when they first started carrying them. I like mine, for sure.

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He had to like it in his video introducing it...he's a businessman at the end of the day. Gotta sell your wares.

I have one of the SEF Falcons. At first, I was disappointed with it. Very scratchy. But I forced myself to use it more and more, and be patient with it. Now I like it.

Liked the video too, when I saw it the other day. It's a good "warts and all" showing of what these pens are.

Regarding the Omas Ogiva Alba: I have no doubt that it's a well-made pen, but its colors do not appeal to me at all. And the whole "cotton resin" thing he goes on about in the other Omas videos...it's the same stuff many eyeglass frames are made out of. It's nothing special really. But like ebonite, for some reason in the pen world, it inflates the cost of the pen.

That said, I'd love the extra flessibile version, like everyone else. "Meh" colors or no.

The Marlen Aleph, a beautifully crafted and looking pen, IMO, retails for almost half the price of the Omas Ogiva. The steel flex nib of this Aleph piston-filler is such a joy to write with.