Bexley Corona Summer Storm Steel M Nib

[Weiss.ar]

This is my first review, and my attempt to give back to this community that has been so helpful to me.

 

 

 

First Impressions/ Appearance and Design: This is the fifth fountain pen I’ve ever used and the first one I’ve ever actually purchased (or rather, asked for as a gift). Up until Friday, the main pen I used was my Pelikan m200 pre-1997. You’ll likely notice that my pictures are less than crisp. I don’t own a camera, but I thought I’d make up for it with a neat little contribution. You see, Dana Gioia wrote a poem called “Summer Storm” and published it in his collection “Interrogations at Noon”. “Summer Storm” happens to be my favorite poem of all time, as well as the name of this pen. You can read the poem here; it’s not long or unnecessarily difficult to decipher:

 

“We stood on the rented patio

While the party went on inside.

You knew the groom from college.

I was a friend of the bride.

 

We hugged the brownstone wall behind us

To keep our dress clothes dry

And watched the sudden summer storm

Floodlit against the sky.

 

The rain was like a waterfall

Of brilliant beaded light,

Cool and silent as the stars

The storm hid from the night.

 

To my surprise, you took my arm–

A gesture you didn't explain–

And we spoke in whispers, as if we two

Might imitate the rain.

 

Then suddenly the storm receded

As swiftly as it came.

The doors behind us opened up.

The hostess called your name.

 

I watched you merge into the group,

Aloof and yet polite.

We didn't speak another word

Except to say goodnight.

 

Why does that evening's memory

Return with this night's storm–

A party twenty years ago,

Its disappointments warm?

 

There are so many might have beens,

What ifs that won't stay buried,

Other cities, other jobs,

Strangers we might have married.

 

And memory insists on pining

For places it never went,

As if life would be happier

Just by being different.”

 

…My favorite stanza is the last:

 

And memory insists on pining

For places it never went,

As if life would be happier

Just by being different.

 

To me, this poem is about not regretting the past because there are no guarantees in life. Even though the speaker laments what could have been, he admits that he can’t be certain that his life would have turned out better if something in his past had transpired differently. Anyhoo, back to the pen.

 

When I saw this pen, and saw the name of the pen, I knew it was something I needed to have. And the pen is absolutely beautiful. If my pictures don’t do it justice, take a look at Watch_art’s photos in his review. The pen is stunning, sleek, a summer storm, a “waterfall/ of brilliant beaded light” even. 10/10

 

Weight and Dimensions: This is a large pen. Probably too large to post the cap. I believe that, uncapped, this pen is as large as the Pelikan M600 capped, but this is not a thick pen. It’s a touch thicker than my M200, but so far it rests very comfortably in my hand. I don’t get tired taking long notes sessions with it, and the heft is assuring, but not cumbersome. 10/10

 

Filling System: I don’t have that much experience with piston-filler pens, but this piston is very, very, very smooth. Part of me is worried about it being so smooth that I might accidentally twist it and spill ink all over myself. But I’m comparing it to my Pelikan m200, which requires a bit of effort to twist the piston. Watch_art seems to know a bit more about the piston mechanism, and says that the pen is simply made this way and so it’s likely that your Summer Storm piston will be smooth too. Since posting is unlikely (it gets a little too long for my personal taste posted, and I don't post any of my pens anyway), there’s really nothing to worry about, and I’d rather have the piston too easy to turn than too difficult to turn. 9/10

 

Nib Performance: Stainless Steel M nib from Richard Binder. This baby is so smooth that if I closed my eyes, I wouldn’t even know if I was making contact with the paper. It glides over my Staples Composition notebook paper and even this cheap computer paper where I’ve written the poem “Summer Storm”. It’s a lovely nib, so much smoother than my m200 that I’m worried if I’ll ever return to it! 10/10

 

Cost and Value: I’m a law student, so I don’t have terribly much money. I was about to buy this for myself when my parents beat me to it and got it for me as a gift. It was $138 plus shipping from Richard Binder (no affiliation). But since I know this pen is going to last me a lifetime, It seems like a bargain. I honestly don’t see how this pen could be any better. In between classes I like to sneak a peek at different pen stores and ogle the MontBlancs or the Pelikan M1000s. Ever since I got this pen, I haven’t felt like doing that, and this puppy is only worth $138 plus shipping. 10/10

 

I’m definitely a newbie when it comes to fountain pens, and unfortunately for me, having bought this pen will probably keep it that way. I just don’t see why I’ll need another pen any time soon! I have absolutely no legitimate complaints with this pen. It’s tremendous!

[watch_art]

Great review!

 

But I’m comparing it to my Pelikan m200, which requires a bit of effort to twist the piston. Watch_art seems to know a bit more about the piston mechanism, and says that the pen is simply made this way

 

I must be getting old b/c I don't remember this - but you could put a little silicone grease in the Pel to make things smoother. My Bexley must have just needed running in b/c the piston on it is as smooth as I could want from a pen.

[Weiss.ar]

Great review!

 

But I’m comparing it to my Pelikan m200, which requires a bit of effort to twist the piston. Watch_art seems to know a bit more about the piston mechanism, and says that the pen is simply made this way

 

I must be getting old b/c I don't remember this - but you could put a little silicone grease in the Pel to make things smoother. My Bexley must have just needed running in b/c the piston on it is as smooth as I could want from a pen.

 

I was referring to the Bexley Corona piston since you took yours apart and mentioned the thread system and the fact that it wasn't being utilized despite its existence in the pen. sorry for the confusion

[watch_art]

oh yeah!

 

Gotcha. I'm so easily confused these days.

[Weiss.ar]

oh yeah!

 

Gotcha. I'm so easily confused these days.

 

haha easily confused and good with fountain pen pistons! no worries

[raging.dragon]

I’m definitely a newbie when it comes to fountain pens, and unfortunately for me, having bought this pen will probably keep it that way. I just don’t see why I’ll need another pen any time soon! I have absolutely no legitimate complaints with this pen. It’s tremendous!

 

For the sake of your budget: I hope you're right about this! However, it's been a long time since I *needed* another pen. Yet I still keep buying them...

[LedZepGirl]

Nice review and great pen, I really like the color of that one. *Pen Porn* I have a Bexley Simplicity that I really like and would definitely consider buying another Bexley.

[FrankB]

Thanks for a good review.

 

I like Bexley pens and have accumulated quite a few. The only piston fill Bexley's I have are the long out of production Prometheus LE's. Those pistons are super smooth and very efficient. I have been wondering about the Corona model, and I am grateful for this review. It sounds like I need to take the plunge and try one.

[Weiss.ar]

Thanks!

 

Since I got this pen I haven't gone back to my Pelikan M200. This pen is just too much fun, and too pretty, and feels too good in my hand. Plus, it writes so smoothly!

 

From what I can tell, this piston is one of the best there is! I'm not an expert with pens but apparently the smoother the piston, the higher the quality. In retrospect I'd probably change my 9/10 to a 10/10 for the piston. It was my inexperience and caution that deterred me from giving it a 10.

 

I love this pen, and I'm not even interested in looking for another pen. This is my pen and it's going to last me a long time!

 

If you do end up getting one, let me know how you like it!

[tonybelding]

This is a large pen. Probably too large to post the cap.

 

I think mine posts OK. It's fairly long when posted, but the cap doesn't have much mass and IMHO doesn't unbalance the pen. You just really need to remember not to twist the cap, because it posts onto the piston knob! I myself am not in the habit of posting, although I'll sometimes post a cap if I don't have anywhere else to put it while I'm writing. I like to have the option at least.

 

 

I don’t have that much experience with piston-filler pens, but this piston is very, very, very smooth. Part of me is worried about it being so smooth that I might accidentally twist it and spill ink all over myself.

 

Mine is the same, very smooth and effortless. Almost too effortless. By comparison my Lamy 2000 and Pelikan M200 seem stiff. My TWSBIs fall somewhere in between.

 

 

I’m definitely a newbie when it comes to fountain pens, and unfortunately for me, having bought this pen will probably keep it that way. I just don’t see why I’ll need another pen any time soon!

 

What? You're going to use only one ink color?

[JimB]

I keep forgetting how good this darn pen is. I circulate my pens and every time the Corona is up for a turn I am re-amazed at the quality of the pen and the fun I have using it, now that I swapped the fine nib for a Binder 0.7 CI nib. It beat all my other pens that are not flex pens. (But flex is another category altogether!)

[Weiss.ar]

I wish I knew how to pick and choose quotes to make a nice clean response but this will have to do!

 

Tony- you absolutely could post this pen. It's a bit long for my taste, and as I think we both agreed, with the piston so smooth, there's a fear that it might twist if posted because the cap sticks to the piston knob. However, it's probably not likely.

 

I spoke about the piston with Richard Binder and he assured me that the smooth piston is the designer's intent.

 

The only other thing that worried me about this pen was that I felt like it wasn't getting a full charge because of the air bubble that makes the pen seem only half full when I turn it on its side. Richard Binder also explained this phenomenon to me and said it was part of the pen's design, and that it still holds quite a bit of ink- about as much as an m800 Pelikan.

 

As for the inks = I use Pelikan Brilliant Black and Sheaffer's Skrip Blue-Black. What inks do you use in this pen?

 

 

January - do you have a steel nib or gold nib? I have the steal and it's lovely. Plus, these pens have interchangeable nibs, so maybe when I graduate from law school and if there's a good job waiting for me I'll reward myself with a gold nib!

[JimB]

I have a steel nib. I first ordered my Corona with a fine, but it proved too boring for me. I sent off for a second one, 0.7 CI and could not be happier. I almost wish I had two of these...

[Weiss.ar]

I have a steel nib. I first ordered my Corona with a fine, but it proved too boring for me. I sent off for a second one, 0.7 CI and could not be happier. I almost wish I had two of these...

 

ooh cool! I've always been interested in different kinds of nibs (not just plain old round) but as a student I need the easiest and fastest and i don't know how stubs or italic nibs work.

 

But since Bexley nibs are interchangeable it's not inconceivable to try one out in the future!

[tonybelding]

The only other thing that worried me about this pen was that I felt like it wasn't getting a full charge because of the air bubble that makes the pen seem only half full when I turn it on its side.

 

TWSBIs are the same, they always have an air bubble.

 

My trick is to hold the pen pointing straight up or down. If I point it up and the window is dark, it's close to full. If I point it down and the window has light coming through, it's close to empty.

 

 

As for the inks = I use Pelikan Brilliant Black and Sheaffer's Skrip Blue-Black. What inks do you use in this pen?

 

Right now I have Noodler's Texas Blue Bonnet in the Corona, and Private Reserve Invincible Black in the Bexley America the Beautiful.

[spyguy]

OK - so I bought one of these beauties and got it last week. Sorry, but I like the fine point nib... I found the piston was smooth. I use J. Herbin Olive Vert ink. It is a very smooth pen. I was right; the same material for the Taccia Legato Arctic Swirl. It is also just as dazzling.

[Weiss.ar]

OK - so I bought one of these beauties and got it last week. Sorry, but I like the fine point nib... I found the piston was smooth. I use J. Herbin Olive Vert ink. It is a very smooth pen. I was right; the same material for the Taccia Legato Arctic Swirl. It is also just as dazzling.

 

You do not need to apologize for preferring a fine point nib. I'm glad you like the pen and (i think?) the review.

[taylor16]

I just received my Corona in the mail from Binder. One quick question - does every summer storm pen have the exact same pattern or is everyone unique? Great pen, by the way.

[watch_art]

I'd say they're probably all different since they're all cut from different parts of acrylic rods.

[raging.dragon]

With the complex swriling patterns, I doubt it would be possible to make every rod identical, let alone every pen. I'm quite sure each pen is unique.