why bexley

[watch_art]

saw a LOT of bexleys at the pen show the other day, and wonder what it is about them that draws people in so much. i came home with a nice yellow and blue swirls bexley myself, but i want other opinions.

 

thanks

[Silvermink]

The couple I've tried have been attractive and have been nice writers, but I don't have one yet myself.

[PAKMAN]

Yours is a beauty, thanks for showing it to me at the show! I think the draw is that the folks at Bexley are great and they make a good quality product and they still manufacture in the US. I've got two now as of this weekend. My first was the FPN special edition and now a special edition made back when the Zoss pen discussion list first hit 1000 members.

[fuchsiaprincess]

Perhaps it's because they're American owned and made?

[Glenn-SC]

I used to be a BIG Bexley collector.

I had one of most everything that they made.

But I've sold off all but two Simplicities because they just don't write well.

Mine had poor ink flow, lots of skipping, and this was even after being returned to Bexley for "Service".

Some re returned several times but still didn't work right.

 

The Simplicities seem to work right though.

[Drone]

I have a Bexley Intrepid, black w/GT furniture and a two-tone M SS nib purchased from Richard Binder. The Intrepid is a no compromise pen, it is large and presents beautifully. The black GT version just screams, "Take me to a Board meeting!"

 

The Intrepid is in my opinion the best value Bexely offers for the money. At $111 USD it won't break the bank. But the $231 jump for the 18k nib version (more than double the price) seems waaay too steep.

 

Prices for most of the other Bexley models take them off my radar screen. If you want to dip into Bexley's, I recommend starting with the Intrepid.

 

My Intrepid is a daily user. It works and writes like a dream (thank you Richard), especially considering the nib is a fine. Actually the nib seems to write a bit finer than I've experienced with other Western fines. The SS nib is a nail though.

 

The Bexely build quality is excellent, and it is mostly made in the USA (nib is German) - should that be a matter to you (it does to me).

 

So that's my Bexely story, so-far... Best Regards, David

[avlisyar]

My collection of Bexley's include the following:

2 - Americana's

1 - Imperial International Prototype

1 - 10th Anniversary Edition

1 - BX 701

1 - Parkville Pen Special Edition Simplicity

 

The build quality of each is outstanding. There has never been a problem

with any of them. They are a solid pen. All but one of the nibs on the pens

are steel. The Schmidt nib while not my favorite writes very well. The JoWo

steel nibs are extremely good. Everyone of these nibs wrote out of box

without issue.

 

And yes, they are made in America!

[FrankB]

I just commented in another thread that I have been buying Bexley pens almost since Howard started the company. I now have nearly two dozen, all of which I intend to keep. I have found them to be very well made, and mine are all excellent writers. I have heard of people having problems with Bexley pens, but I have never experienced a problem. Bexleys remain very high on my preferred pen list.

[ethernautrix]

I have one Bexley -- a black with silver trim Simplicity (F) -- back before Nakaya urushi trumped my black-w/silver-trim preference. I consider this to be my beater pen. If I wear it clipped to my collar, I know the cap is not going to unscrew and lose the nib and barrel hours before I notice they're gone. (Lost two Pelikans and a Sheaffer this way. Some people live and learn. Some people just live.)

 

The steel nib is nice and rigid, just like I like, and the ink flow is perfect.

 

There isn't the Nakaya glow about it, and it isn't in rotation currently, but it's a good pen.

[tonybelding]

I don't have a Bexley, but I have a New Postal Jr which is largely made by Bexley. I can't fault the build quality or fit-and-finish in any way. It's nice.

 

I think it's great that they are made in the USA, but that's probably a good part of the reason that they are pricey compared with some other options.

 

I think it's great that they've made many pens with a stylistic nod towards the classic pens of decades gone by -- inspired from vintage Watermans, Parkers and Wahl-Eversharps. I'm a sucker for that kind of thing. However. . . I think it has somewhat kept Bexley from developing their own signature style. There is no pen I can point out as being the iconic Bexley.

 

I understand the economic reasons why they've made most (all?) of their pens C/C fillers, but it does make them somewhat less interesting in my view. They may be beautiful and classically styled, but then I consider that there's an off-the-shelf nib and feed module connected to an off-the-shelf converter, and it starts to seem like I'm paying a big price for a fancy handle.

 

That's why I find the Gate City pens appealing. You get all the benefits of a Bexley, plus an integrated filling system, plus a nib that, although it may be a commodity part, has at least been individually adjusted.

[Fuddlestack]

Yellow w. blue swirls is the one I have, too. Pretty pen, although it needed a bit of adjustment before it wrote decently. That I found irritating, but I quite like it now. I like the big nib, the feel of the barrel and the precision of the cap screw. Less pleasing is the intractable rattle from the converter.

 

I don't intend to buy another.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Fuddlestack

[watch_art]

Some Bexleys are piston fillers and some are slide fillers. I'm using mine right now as an eyedropper and love it that way. Very little worry about running out of ink.

[liverman]

My first Bexley was a Simplicity (original model). I am not at home right now, so I can't count them. And my pen database is way behind...so I have to guess a bit - I think I have on the order of twelve to fifteen Bexleys.

 

Almost all the nibs, both gold and steel (even the older Schmidt units that are on the Simplicity era pens), wrote very well out of the box. The ones that were not to my liking quickly came into line with a little tine alignment or flow adjustment or a sweep or two across my smoothing pad. Not much different than Parkers or Pelikans or other pens I've purchased - some are great, some need a little adjustment.

 

I have had only one issue with one pen - one of the Simplicity pens had a problem with the way the section fit in the barrel. Even though I purchased it used, I returned it and Howard got it fixed and back to me. I was only out the cost of shipping to the factory.

 

The range of models are really cool and Howard seems to keep coming out with new ones. He freely admits he is channeling the "golden age" of fountain pens with his designs. Those designs appeal to me. The fact that he is a USA pen company appeals to me, especially since so many others have partially or completely fled our shores. Kinda cool to show your friends one of the few pens still made in America.

 

I think some of his higher end pens are a bit overpriced. But, I've bought one or two of those anyway

 

Of the six pens I've brought with me on this business trip this week, three are Bexley: Imperial International (Grey, Broad, Noodlers San Jacinto), Tenth Anniversary (Green & Red Swirl, Medium, Noodlers Green), Intrepid (Red, White Blue Speckled, Broad, Alamo Twilight). Of the other three two are Platinum Preppy (purple ink and red ink) for the ink color variety. The last one is My TWSBI Diamond 530 with Noodlers Blue (looking at the ink sloshing keeps me sane in meetings).

 

 

 

1. I like the styling and design (some colors are not my cup of tea).
2. I like the way they write (nib & ink flow)
3. I like the size and balance and how they fit my hand
4. I like the variety of models avaialble
5. I have good (though limited) service interactiosnw ith the company
6. I like that they are made in the USA - it is unusual in this day and age
    
    
    
   Greg

[JefferyS]

I have three Bexley FP with stub nibs, and all three are beautiful and write very smoothly. I know that some people have complained about their nibs, but I have played it safe and bought two of my Bexleys from Richard Binder. He ensured that they didn't leave his store with anything less than a silky nib.

[MarkAL]

I have an Intrepid (Blue Swirl) that my wife and daughter got me for Christmas. I love it. The other poster is right, this pen is a "no compromise" pen...it's a big pen and it makes a statement. I've been thinking of adding the black to my collection as well.

 

I'd like to buy some other Bexley pens, but for the most part they are out of my price range.

[watch_art]

After being stuck in the ER all day (since I wasn't sure I could walk in to my family doc w/o an appointment.... they're booked till next week) I gotta say I like this Bexley even more than at first. The size and shape is perfect. The nib is fantastic. It's got a bit of tooth when held at certain angles, but I'm going to push it over a bit of micromesh to clear that up. Using it as an eyedropper right now, and it's great. Full of Pilot Black. Not the greatest black, but still nice. The color of the pen changed with the load of ink and I LOVE the look of it more this way than with the converter. It's just so much darker and deeper. Very nice.

 

But yeah, 8 hours in the stupid ER and this pen and my CF notebook helped me keep my mind. I even drew a pic of the cup that I peed in. I know, TMI.

[Ron Z]

but I have played it safe and bought two of my Bexleys from Richard Binder. He ensured that they didn't leave his store with anything less than a silky nib.

 

It's a service that I also provide. Most retailers simply don't have the ability to test and adjust a nib before it goes out the door. But we do...

[Raiden]

Has anyone had experience with the Molteni brand made by Bexley? Does the quality compare to the regular Bexley line?

Thanks

[flodoc]

Has anyone had experience with the Molteni brand made by Bexley? Does the quality compare to the regular Bexley line?

Thanks

 

I have two. Both have fine nibs. The Curukova (40/50) is a large pen and appears to be a Taccia Staccato in blue marble with an 18k Bexley nib. The Antonella (02/88) is a medium size flat-top pen in red and black hard rubber and roller clip that looks like an early Duofold Junior. Both are well-made and very good writers. They are c/c fill as are most Bexleys. I also have eight Bexleys. Fit and finish are comparable. The Molteni pens are adorned with a bit more "bling." The Curukova has three individually seated cap bands and both cap and barrel jewels. The Antonella has two individually seated cap bands and two bands on the barrel. Bexley's don't seem to have quite as much adornment, generally speaking.

 

I purchased them both on ebay for far less than retail, so I am pleased with the value,

[Bill]

...I understand the economic reasons why they've made most (all?) of their pens C/C fillers...

 

 

Cartridge converters are what all the regular models use, although they have produced piston-fillers in the past. They even experimented with an integrated (captive) converter.

 

If someone is hung up on piston-fillers, stick with Pelikan. For a wide variety of exotic filler types and materials, Edison is becoming a cult favorite.

 

In practice, I find c/c pens no more fiddly than most other types. By the time you unscrew the blind cap (or body), squeeze a bulb or push a button a bunch of times, you could have easily filled a c/c pen. Probably faster than the Parker aerometrics!

 

A Pel or Montblanc or Omas goes longer between fills for me; however, in the long scheme of things I find converters pretty trouble-free. If I ever have a converter go belly up on a Visconti, Sailor, Bexley, etc., I suspect I can swap it out myself.

 

Bill