Stipula Model T, Colourful Modern 'flex'

[olivier78860]

http://i.imgur.com/ID5F7.jpg

Inner box is a bit cheap (white carboard inside); pen held by a silicon band.

http://i.imgur.com/89Dyz.jpg

Inner inner box. Contains a cartridge (international standard), a syringe and a converter (see other pics for the converter)

http://i.imgur.com/yPJGL.jpg

(Standard A4 80g/m² laserjet paper, Waterman Florida blue. Some skipping but nothing too bad, will need some adjusting)

http://i.imgur.com/1Erec.jpg

14.5 cm closed.

http://i.imgur.com/Ex2BD.jpg

Cap is 7 cm long. Pen posted is 16.8 cm long. The pen isn't really designed to have the cap posted.

2 Turns are needed to remove the cap. It holds securely.

http://i.imgur.com/QXyIJ.jpg

Nib is 2.5 cm long. Pen is 12.8 cm long, threads' diameter is 1.3 cm, end of body 1.4 cm,

and smallest section's diameter is 1 cm (just before the metal ring)

http://i.imgur.com/LV6QY.jpg

Body engraved old fashion style

http://i.imgur.com/wN06w.jpg

Bird, oak, pearl. Let's hug trees and wear sandals

http://i.imgur.com/DMmZj.jpg

Your average converter. Note the plastic screw on the section.

http://i.imgur.com/O5L53.jpg

Nice pressing on the nib. Still on with the forest theme. Smooth writing.

http://i.imgur.com/iyiM0.jpg

The nib before flexing (or when things are about to go wrong)

http://i.imgur.com/V6qI5.jpg

The nib after flexing (afterwards, you'll have to bend it back to normal position).

It shows the limits of the concept. It's flexible, but in the end, it's more to be used as springy.

 

As usual, sorry about the pictures' quality. I changed the camera, but it seems the camera wasn't the problem

 

*Edit* I forgot to mention, but every pen in this design is unique, due to a random factor in resin. The colours are the same, but their repartition on the surface changes.

*Edit 2* I've just read the booklet, and they advise to refill the converter in the ink pot, and never to put the pen's head in the ink pot. This makes me wondering if using the pen as an eye-dropper is such a good idea in the end.

*Edit 3* I think, after a day of use, that the problem is ink-flow. I have to get it adjusted. Flex is behaving nicely actually.

Edited January 12, 2012 by olivier78860

[Fountainpenlover]

Congratulations on having such a beautiful fountain pen! Seems to me to be greatly inspired by the Sheaffer Balance which is no bad thing at all.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Fountainpenlover

[mbradley]

Thanks for the review. This is good information. I am surprised that the nib is so soft. I had not heard that before, sounds like this nib was designed to not be a nail. The resin material is interesting. If you write with normal pressure does the nib bend out of shape?

Michael B

[olivier78860]

Michael, the nib is very soft. It won't bend out of shape if you're not trying to write larger than M+.

But then, what's the interest. That's the problem with this pen.

Otherwise, with the eye-dropper possibility, and with standard pressure, it's a work horse, since the balance and weight are impressive.

[mbradley]

Thanks for the information, I will definitely make use of it.

Michael B

[raging.dragon]

It's not a bent nib - it's (almost) a Waverly nib!

[olivier78860]

The main problem is that if you flex it a little too much, to have a B or a little more, it will do the first line, then it will barely write anymore without bending it back. And I'm not sure this nib is resilient enough to be played with like, let's say, one of my Mabie Todd eye-droppers.

[georges zaslavsky]

I am heavily thinking of a stipula titanium nib even tough Mr Mora advised me not to buy one because it is too soft but recommended me the 18kt750 nib

[sheehmi]

I am heavily thinking of a stipula titanium nib even tough Mr Mora advised me not to buy one because it is too soft but recommended me the 18kt750 nib

George--I have the Stipula Model T and Delta Titanio, each with semi-flex titanium nibs and they are among my favorite writers/nibs. I strongly recommend following your instincts.

Edited January 12, 2012 by sheehmi

[olivier78860]

Georges, the nib isn't too soft. Actually, if you're not flexing it too much, it's a real pleasure to write with it. Very smooth, and the line variation is all good.

On a side note, I tried mine at Styl'Honoré. I really liked Mr Arabian. Pay him a visit if you have a chance.

[olivier78860]

http://i.imgur.com/51yqh.jpg

[bizhe]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of ink is this?

[olivier78860]

The classic Waterman Florida Blue.

[bizhe]

Thanks!

[Iranna]

I've had a Modello T for a few months now. At first I was really impressed with it, but after a few fills (converter) it started giving me problems:

 

-skipping especially when using very smooth paper

-when used with cartridges the flow just isn't enough (ironically, the carts it came with didn't work with it at all)

-very fussy about inks

-the chrome collar is not ergonomic for the way I hold a pen

-some railroading when flexed

 

I associate the skipping with the extreme softness of the nib. It's as if the nib wasn't really in contact with the paper, it's just skating over it. To make this sound less negative, mine came with a nicer box than the OP's! Seriously, it's a very nice pen when it behaves.

[olivier78860]

Iranna, I've just solved the problem with the T.

I've had it done by the person who sold it to me, Mr Arabian from Styl'Honoré in Paris.

 

- Tines were spread a tiny little bit

- Ink conduit was enlarged (with a scalpel)

- Nib was fit just a little deeper in the section (so the distance between the end of the feed and the tip of the nib is now smaller by 1 mm).

 

The pen has a wetter line, doesn't skip anymore, and the flex is preserved, without having to bend the nib back to its original position (it's still bend upwards a little, but it works like a charm now).

 

I think the great misconception with this pen, is that the nib is too flexible for the ink-flow. But with a little tweaking, it's now all good, nearly as good as my old beloved vintage flex pens.

 

And therefore, my mark goes from 13/20 to 16/20. Real modern flex, at a fair price. Just requires some tweaking from an experienced hand.

Edited January 17, 2012 by olivier78860

[Korybas]

I have the black Modello T for some months now and, at first, I experienced some of the problems that Olivier had, mainly RR lines when I flexed for B+ .

Sent the pen to Oxonian for re-setting the nib and after that the pen writes like a charm! So +1 for a little tweaking by an experienced hand...

I have Noodler's HOD in it and when I use it I cannot put it down - I really like the fact that the nib adjusts to pressure and writes from F to BB or even more at my whim.

Got the pen from Bryant at a very competitive price (certainly not 200 Euros!) and I am happy with it...

[Iranna]

Olivier and Korybas, I'm glad for you that your pens work so much better now. I just can't help thinking that a pen of (to me) a substantial price should write 'like a dream' out of the box, without any tweaking. Oh well, maybe I'll send the pen to someone at some point. Korybas, how much did he charge for the job?

[Korybas]

Olivier and Korybas, I'm glad for you that your pens work so much better now. I just can't help thinking that a pen of (to me) a substantial price should write 'like a dream' out of the box, without any tweaking. Oh well, maybe I'll send the pen to someone at some point. Korybas, how much did he charge for the job?

 

:hmm1: I do not remember exactly, but it was in the range of 20 british pounds, plus postage...

I do agree with you that a pen should write well out of the box.... but if not, thank god we have nibmeisters!

Edited January 26, 2012 by Korybas

[olivier78860]

Iranna, you should go to a pen shop and ask for the little things I mentionned to be done. If the guy knows how to do it, it should be between free of charge and 10€, because it really takes 2 minutes to be done. It was done just in front of me. Pull nib and feed out, enlarge conduit, set nib back on feed, put a scalped blade between the tines, and place unit back inside the pen.