Bexley Stalwart - A Short Review

[de_pen_dent]

I am a big fan of Bexley pens - they are relatively inexpensive ($100-150 a pop) and the Binderized steel nibs that come with them when you buy from Richard are, as always, spectacular. The pens are reasonably well sized and are light, without any pointless brass to add heft and perceived robustness - they are designed to be used, and that's why I get them.

 

I already have a reasonable lot of them - a Corona in Summer Storm, an Poseidon Magnum, a Classique, an America the Beautiful & an Owners Club I got off Classifieds a couple of months ago - and thought that was going to be my lot till I saw the Stalwart.

 

Pulled the trigger virtually immediately, with a B nib ground into a stub. Finally got it out here on the islands a couple of weeks ago, and inked it up this morning.

 

PACKAGING: 10/10 (absolute), 10/10 (factoring in price)

 

The pen came in the usual Bexley box with Richard's card. No photos of that, unfortunately.

 

It is a relatively utilitarian package, which suits me fine - i dont really care for big, heavy, wasteful display cases, etc., all of which are destined to be chucked into a box in the attic anyway.

 

DESIGN: 8/10 (absolute), 10/10 (factoring in price)

 

 

This is a handsome pen. The grooves add a little character to the pen, and this sort of body work is usually found on far more expensive pens.

 

Here is the pen compared to a few others I have inked at the moment:

 

 

Onoto Magna, Visconti Michelangelo, Stalwart, Bexley Owners Club.

 

You can see the resemblance in shape between the Stalwart and the Owners Club. Obviously, some mold has been re-used. Which is fine by me - at $130, I am not really expecting a one-off design (heck, even Montblanc draws from the same well several times).

 

If I was designing the pen, I'd probably have the cap be a little smaller - as is, i think the cap is a little too large for this body size. You might be wondering why i have 2 pens in these proportions then - that's cos I am a sucker for ebonite and i liked the grooves. They add character to the pen and make that oversized cap work (well, sort of, anyway) - with a regular acrylic body, i dont think they'd look as nice.

 

NIB: 10/10 (absolute), 10/10 (factoring in price)

 

This is a Binderized stub. What else is there to say? I am a big fan - they write exactly the way i want: smooth, smooth, smooth with just a hint of paper contact. The analogy i've used in the past - it is like skating on ice that has been freshly "zambonied".

 

 

I actually went with one level wetness more than usual - i do write quite quickly sometimes and find that a slightly wetter pen does a better job of keeping up.

 

Here is some nib pron

 

 

Top down: Onoto Magna, Visconti Michelangelo, Stalwart, Owners Club

 

You'll notice that the Bexley #6 is pretty much the same size (or slightly bigger) than the Onoto #7.

 

That Onoto nib is also a thing of beauty, btw - juicy-wet, with just the right amount of paper feedback, it is one of those nibs that just makes me want to write and write and write. That Onoto nib is one of my reference standards for in stock nibs. The Michelangelo was prone to skipping and required John Sorowka's ministrations before it started working.

 

HANDLING: 9/10

 

In general, I like my writers to be large but light - ebonite pens work really well in my hands, and while i do get along with the MB Writers Editions, they are a little heavier than i would prefer for a daily carry (esp as my daily carry is clipped to my T-shirt collar) or as an extended writer.

 

The Stalwart is a very light pen with a center of gravity just a little above where my hand grips the section - so it feels very balanced in my hands for writing, with the barrel resting 'just so' on my hand.

The pen is a wee bit thinner than perfect for me - I find the M800, Gates City New Dunn sizing to be Goldilocks-approved for me. However, it is still very comfortable to hold - it is only when i am writing several A4-sized pages (which I rarely do these days) that the slightly lesser girth becomes noticeable.

 

 

I rarely post my pens and find that the pen is sized quite well for writing without posting. I wear size L gloves, if that helps.

 

 

I actually dont like how it feels posted. Because i am so used to writing without posting, i notice the extra weight on the top of the pen - and in this case, when the pen itself is very light, that additional weight is relatively more noticeable.

 

VALUE: 10/10

 

You are getting a ridiculous amount of pen for the money. A very, very unique design & a great nib - what else do you need? A rubber biscuit?

Edited June 27, 2014 by de_pen_dent

[hari317]

Looks nice and one that would have flown under my radar if not for your review. The owner's club appears to be cumberland ebonite, what is the material of the Stalwart?

[de_pen_dent]

It's the usual plastic/acrylic thingie, Hari.

Edited June 27, 2014 by de_pen_dent

[hari317]

How do you compare the body work of the Onoto Vs the Stalwart. Both are acrylic and both have some type of engraved pattern.

[Kugelschreiber]

In the pictures at Richard's site, the sections are the same colors as the barrels. But your section appears to be black, yes?

[de_pen_dent]

Hari - the chasing on the Onoto is a lot more detailed and intricate. The grooves on the Stalwart look nice but the edges feel... not quite rough, but not perfectly smooth either. In terms of fit and finish, the Onoto's work is better, I feel. As it should be, given the price difference.

 

Kugelschreiber - you are correct, mine has come with the black section. I had asked for a custom ground nib and i wonder if this led to a mixup. I actually hadnt noticed until you pointed it out to me, and have emailed Richard to see if i can get the matching color section, which does look a little nicer, IMO.

[kazoolaw]

Hari - the chasing on the Onoto is a lot more detailed and intricate.

At the risk of hijacking the thread, have you had the opportunity to compare the chasing on your new to an original Magna?

 

Your review is very well done, thanks for sharing the Stalwart and the others.

 

gary

Edited June 28, 2014 by gary

[de_pen_dent]

Hi Gary - unfortunately, i dont have any old Magnas. I do have a chased GvFC Cisele and a Waterman LeMan. They are slightly more contoured than the Magna, whose chasing is actually quite smooth.

[de_pen_dent]

In the pictures at Richard's site, the sections are the same colors as the barrels. But your section appears to be black, yes?

 

Just heard back from Richard on this - apparently, the prototypes had sections the same color as the barrels but in the production units, they are all black.

[georges zaslavsky]

nice pen ande nice review thanks for sharing

[Kugelschreiber]

 

Just heard back from Richard on this - apparently, the prototypes had sections the same color as the barrels but in the production units, they are all black.

 

Yeah, I figured something like that. Too bad as a same color section is almost always nicer.

[StyloBug33]

I just received the same pen you bought. Mine is also from Richard Binder. I think the color of the pen is not quite what t I expected. I thought it would be more red/burgundy. It has a bit of orange in it.

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/stylobug33/Pens%202014/496363C8-4598-4928-9958-0FD07F95A2A6_zpsvvsxl3uu.jpg

 

Here it is next a Sheaffer Balance in Carmine Red.

 

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/stylobug33/Pens%202014/BF44EA5F-B2C5-44F9-BDB1-07E39290E9D2_zpsv8vcjxcl.jpg

[Bklyn]

I just received the same pen you bought. Mine is also from Richard Binder. I think the color of the pen is not quite what t I expected. I thought it would be more red/burgundy. It has a bit of orange in it.

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/stylobug33/Pens%202014/496363C8-4598-4928-9958-0FD07F95A2A6_zpsvvsxl3uu.jpg

 

Here it is next a Sheaffer Balance in Carmine Red.

 

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k526/stylobug33/Pens%202014/BF44EA5F-B2C5-44F9-BDB1-07E39290E9D2_zpsv8vcjxcl.jpg

Nice pic

[Bklyn]

nice pen ande nice review thanks for sharing

GREAT review! Thanks so much!

[Parker51]

One small correction, Bexley pens are not molded. They are made using a CNC Lathe from solid rod stock, so no injection molding involved, not that there is anything wrong with injection molding .

[Venator]

I have loved this design since I first saw it pop up on Massdrop last year, though I agree that the cap seems too big. I went with the Falcon at the time and I'm glad I did - at the same price points the Falcon must simply be the better pen. Still have an eye for these beauties though and I'm sure I'll pick one up sooner or later, probably with the Oxblood finish.

 

Thanks for the review!

[J85909266]

I have this pen in Oxblood, as well. It's a relatively unassuming pen, but it just feels great to write with. It's one of those pens that stays inked.

[inkmeupscotty]

I have a black one of these with a stock F nib. It is indeed a "usable" writer, unpretentious and functional. I removed the clip and end ring just because I could, and it makes for a nice variant, looks more modern perhaps.