Desiderata Mercury Flex Pen

[jasonchickerson]

Introduction

 

This is a review of the Desiderata Mercury flex pen. After seeing a couple of photos on FPN about a year ago, I knew I’d be getting one someday. When I saw that only one or two pieces were available on the website and no new products were in the works, I decided now was the time.

 

After just a few days with the pen, I am really happy with it. Hopefully you’ll find this useful if you’ve considered one of these great pens.

 

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/_FUJ6507.jpg

Desiderata Mercury pen, Purple Heart and Cherry woods

 

First Impressions

 

I’m sorry to start off on a low note, but here we are. Customer service and product presentation are definitely the low point in what is ultimately a great buy.

 

Pierre ships once per week on Fridays, which I understood when I made my order. Pierre emailed me a week later stating he was unable to ship my pen until the next Tuesday as he was preparing for a pen show. When Wednesday rolled around, I emailed Pierre for an update. He responded that he was too busy to ship it and would send it as soon as he could. It suffices to say I was not impressed. In the end, it took two delays and 16 days to receive my order, though it was sent Priority 2-Day Mail.

 

When the package arrived I (mostly) forgot about all that, so you’ll forgive the lack of a proper unboxing photo. Product presentation is a divisive subject. Some people like lots of heavy packaging, wrapped in tape and plastic. Personally I don’t see the need for a pricey box I’m going to stick in a closet or throw away. Still, while not necessarily indicative of high quality, great packaging suggests such. My pen arrived unceremoniously wrapped in brown kraft paper. I’m glad Pierre didn’t go overboard with the packaging, but some people might prefer some kind of presentation.

 

 

Design and Construction

 

What Pierre has done here is to construct a feed/section assembly that makes it possible to use (disposable) calligraphic dip nibs in a fountain pen body. His design works very well, and in normal (slow) flexed writing, performance is very good. Occasional railroading will occur when writing too fast or at the wrong angle. This is not a fault of the pen, however. Calligraphy is meant to be written slowly.

 

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/_FUJ6512.jpg

 

Desiderata Mercury pen, parts exposed

 

The Desiderata Mercury fills with a simple but effective sac. To fill, one must remove the body from the section, exposing the sac. Depressing the sac to create a vacuum, submerging in ink, then releasing will give a 3/4 fill. Pierre provides instructions via a YouTube link on how to get a complete fill, if that is important to you. The pen holds about 3.0ml of ink.

 

Overall, I find that the relatively crude filling system does not detract from the experience of using the pen. While I would balk at any other pen filling in this way, in a calligraphy-cum-fountain-pen, I find it more than appropriate and actually prefer it over a converter setup.

 

Although Pierre does pens of other materials, the Mercury turned from wood. Mine is Purple Heart and Cherry wood with (I believe) an ebonite feed and section. The quality of the wood is very nice. While the color combination of Purple Heart and Cherry would not be my first pick (it was the only option when I purchased mine), woodwork is well done and the pen is beautiful in its simplicity. If scrutinized, I can see the lathing marks, but for me, this says handmade and not low quality. The wood is well-sealed against staining and the hand-cut feed on my pen looks the part and keeps up with the high flow requirement of the Zebra G nib. The nib/feed fits precisely into the section with high tolerance.

 

As another reviewer pointed out, the major failing of the Mercury is in the finishing. When unscrewing the pen for the first time, the threads between the cap and the body showed fine curls of ebonite left over from the cutting of the threads. This causes resistance when replacing the cap. The same is true of the threads between the section and the body. These could have been easily removed and this finishing would improve the apparent value of the pen.

 

 

Nibs

 

The Mercury is designed around the Zebra G comic nib, which is a good, solid nib that is well-suited for calligraphy and drawing. The standard nib is chrome-coated and a titanium-coated nib is available. If you are unfamiliar with calligraphy dip nibs, I suggest you buy a few G nibs and a suitable straight holder and see if this is something you are interested in before you purchase a Desiderata pen. The experience is very different from using a standard, modern fountain pen nib or even a vintage super flex nib. Fountain pen nibs, even those capable of a great deal of flex, are much, much smoother than writing with a true calligraphy nib. The Zebra G, like all other nibs of this type, will seem very scratchy to the uninitiated. Some tinkering with the nib/feed assembly and insertion depth may be required before you get the perfect flow for flexed writing.

 

The pen is compatible with a number of other nibs, including the Goulet, Pilot and Nemosine nibs. I purchased a Nemosine Broad nib with my pen and it wrote a very wet line when tested with a notably dry ink, Rohrer und Klingner’s Scabiosa.

 

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/_FUJ6514%20copy.jpg

 

Desiderata Mercury pen with titanium Zebra G (left) and Nemosine broad (right) nibs

 

Cost and Availability

 

I purchased my pen at www.desideratapens.com. Pierre is a one-man show and his website is the only place you can get his pens. My pen cost $100 and was a “second.” The regular price for these pens is $120.

 

That is, when you can get one. Like any hand-made item, manufacturing is slow and these sell out fast. Ask Pierre when he’ll be making new pens and he’ll happily point you to his extensive FAQ, which basically states, “who knows.”

 

At the time of this writing, there are no pens available. However, you can sign up for the mailing list if you want to be apprised of new stock availability in the future.

 

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/_FUJ6519.jpg

 

Copperplate sample with Rohrer and Klingner Scabiosa ink

 

Conclusion

 

Aside from initial hiccups with the ordering process, I’m very impressed. The pen does exactly what it is supposed to do, which is provide a dip-free calligraphy experience.

 

This will not be a pen for everybody, or even for most people. It is finicky, requiring a precise positioning of nib/feed for proper flow, and I’m not sure I’d trust it in my pocket. But for carrying in a bag to the coffee shop for a little copperplate practice, I could not be happier.

 

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/_FUJ6520-1.jpg

Get Well Card, drawn with Desiderata Mercury pen, Parker Quink Black

and Iroshizuku Chiku-rin inks on Original Crown Mill Pure Cotton paper

Edited February 26, 2015 by jasonchickerson

[cleosmama]

Thank you for your very detailed review. I like your drawing and your card. Your handwriting is lovely (and the pen is lovely, too). Does the pen work well with the Nemosine nib? Were you able to fit it into the pen easily, or did it take a lot more work than using the calligraphy nib?

[flyshot]

Thank you for the review.

I ordered a Delrin Daedalus last month. I'm still patiently waiting on mine.

 

I'm hoping that the pen will be my entry into flex writing. I quit using the flex nib in my Noodlers pen & replaced it with a 1.1 stub. I feel that I was learning bad habits...because it takes way too much pressure to use.

 

Lovely writing & great sketch. You are very talented!!

[jasonchickerson]

Thank you for your very detailed review. I like your drawing and your card. Your handwriting is lovely (and the pen is lovely, too). Does the pen work well with the Nemosine nib? Were you able to fit it into the pen easily, or did it take a lot more work than using the calligraphy nib?

 

Thanks, I'm glad you like it.

 

The Nemosine nib works well. It's easy to swap them out; takes just a min. I used a piece of tape to get the nib/feed out of the section. The pen came with a grippy rubber strip to remove the nib, but I didn't know what it was for at the time and misplaced it before I figured it out.

 

I recommend a dry ink if using the Nemosine/Goulet/etc. nibs with this pen.

 

Edit: Oops, it seems I had lost the paragraph about the Nemosine nib. It's added back in now.

Edited February 26, 2015 by jasonchickerson

[jasonchickerson]

Thank you for the review.

I ordered a Delrin Daedalus last month. I'm still patiently waiting on mine.

 

I'm hoping that the pen will be my entry into flex writing. I quit using the flex nib in my Noodlers pen & replaced it with a 1.1 stub. I feel that I was learning bad habits...because it takes way too much pressure to use.

 

Lovely writing & great sketch. You are very talented!!

 

Have you had any communication as to cause of the delay?

 

Thanks for the compliment. I see mostly mistakes and missed opportunities where you see talent. I'm glad you like it.

[Lamyrada]

I pre-ordered the Deriin that arrived this week. This is a less expensive version of the pen that does exactly the same.

 

I am extatic with the pen. As the reviewer,I don't care much for the boxes as long as the pen is secured withing its packaging. I did not know what the small strip of rubber was for, so thank God that I saved it. Thanks for the input, because it came with no instructions. All the instructions are on the website and I had forgotten. I can now practice my writing without the hideous and constant wetting of nib.

 

To add to your review, which BTW was great, I don't think a bare sac is the right way to go and consider that it could be evolved better so that filling the pens it is not as hands-on activity. You have to press the flimsy sac that it comes with with both hands to draw some ink in. A metal exterior protector that you could press to help the flow IN could be a better solution although I don't really know if the mechanics of this fits the pen design. Just saying, I don't like filling it.

 

The seller takes pre-orders from his website, so it's better to register to receive notifications for each batch he makes. My pre-order was some time around the end of November or mid December 2014, so these pens take some time to be ready, handmade by himself; plus he went to the LA pen show and somehow that interrupted his process. At least he is not concocting a lie to tell you why he might be later than normal in shipping. I like that in a person, that's integrity.

 

I understood the waiting involved since this is explained up front, but I guess he took some of the pens on this last batch to sell at the LA Pen Show if some people pre-ordered at the same time as I did and have not received them. Who knows! When he is ready to ship, he does send and e-mail pointing to the instructions an a video with more information to prepare you for the arrival of the pen. That is great. You can read in peace since you don't have the rush of using the pen quickly, because you don't have it yet! (I had to think positively).

 

Today I filled my Derling with Iroshizuku ink and boy! What an experience. I am loving this pen! I think I can now get rid of my holders and dip nibs, which I had not used enough because I am lzay and don't like to dip the pens every few seconds.Plus it's messy!

 

I agree, a great pen. I am very happy with it.

Edited February 26, 2015 by Lamyrada

[prasadvenkat]

Great detailed review Jason.

Your card and writing is great too. Coming along very nicely. I got the Sleek and it's a great performer too. We just have to keep remembering , it's not a fountain pen- so lay off the pressure

 

I am surprised you did not get instructions with the pen. I got a 5 page booklet with a very detailed usage, maintenance and trouble shooting guide with the pen.

 

-Prasad

Edited February 26, 2015 by prasadvenkat

[jasonchickerson]

Great detailed review Jason.

Your card and writing is great too. Coming along very nicely. I got the Sleek and it's a great performer too. We just have to keep remembering , it's not a fountain pen- so lay off the pressure

 

I am surprised you did not get instructions with the pen. I got a 5 page booklet with a very detailed usage, maintenance and trouble shooting guide with the pen.

 

-Prasad

 

I believe he has switched from the booklet to online instructions. At least, I don't believe it was an oversight. My shipping notification contained youtube links showing how to use the pen, how to fill it, etc.

[jasonchickerson]

My pre-order was some time around the end of November or mid December 2014, so these pens take some time to be ready, handmade by himself; plus he went to the LA pen show and somehow that interrupted his process. At least he is not concocting a lie to tell you why he might be later than normal in shipping. I like that in a person, that's integrity.

 

I understood the waiting involved since this is explained up front, but I guess he took some of the pens on this last batch to sell at the LA Pen Show if some people pre-ordered at the same time as I did and have not received them. Who knows!

 

To clarify, I did not pre-order the pen. It was available at the time of purchase. I'm not questioning anyone's integrity. If I were running a business and realized I was going to be out of town on my normal ship day, I would go out of my way to ship the day before, not the week after. And that is probably more than enough said about that.

 

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I'm glad you enjoyed the review. As for the bare sac filling system, you have to admit, it beats dipping! I'm sure there is a more elegant solution that perhaps will be explored in the future. As I said, I don't mind it at all the way it is.

[Polanova]

Nice review - love your card!!!

Have ordered the Delrin version in late january & am still waiting ...

[pavoni]

I enjoyed your honest review jasonchickerson, great style, and I very much appreciated your excellent penmanship. Bravo.

 

I have exactly the same purple heart-cherry wood pen and also ordered mine directly from the few pens that were left on the Desiderata web site, though I paid the full price plus $15 shipping to England. Still, very reasonable for what one gets. I didn't get this rubber thing you refer to and I was satisfied at having been referred to an e-copy of the manual (not that a manual is necessary given the website and online reviews). Pierre was obviously in a hurry when sending my pen but, as with some of you here, I was more interested in the pen than any packaging. Besides, Pierre has made it clear he is a one-man band and as such, he has met my expectations. In any event, I would much rather see more pens (please) at their current price than see these pens priced higher to account for better packaging or other add-ons.

 

Back on the review, I was intrigued to read about your success(?) with an alternative nib. All the reading on this pen suggests that other nibs don't really work! The titanium Zebra G looks really good. Are you pleased with it?

 

I am glad you made the point about the pen being somewhat finicky. The nib and feed do need setting properly for the pen to work consistently but once there, the pen is an absolute joy to write with. Given this point, I stopped filling the sac with a syringe (removing the nib and feed) to get full ink capacity first time, and have returned to filling it in the way originally designed.

 

I really like what Pierre has done with the purple heart cheery wood look. When capped, I really like the feel and look of the pen and, whilst I bought this because it was all that was left, I am really glad I got mine. Despite the good photography, I don't think the pictures on a computer screen can really do justice to the look of this pen. And spilt ink really does wipe off easily

 

I bought mine because, as a daily user of dip pens, I have longed for the marriage of line variation of a dip pen and the ink capacity of a fountain pen whilst on the road. I was therefore seduced by the Desiderata pen concept. The pen certainly does what it claims it will do, in the way Pierre says it will do it.

 

Until I can find my grail combo of Leonardt Principal (flexibility), in a size 8 vintage nib (longevity and character), on a Conid Bulkfiller body (ink capacity, mechanism and balance) I will continue to carry a Desiderata plus my Conid Bulkfiller and rely on my dip pens in the office.

 

Reading jasonchickerson's excellent review has simply reinforced my determination to buy another Desiderata, possibly two, as back up.

 

Pavoni.

[jasonchickerson]

I enjoyed your honest review jasonchickerson, great style, and I very much appreciated your excellent penmanship. Bravo.

 

I have exactly the same purple heart-cherry wood pen and also ordered mine directly from the few pens that were left on the Desiderata web site, though I paid the full price plus $15 shipping to England. Still, very reasonable for what one gets. I didn't get this rubber thing you refer to and I was satisfied at having been referred to an e-copy of the manual (not that a manual is necessary given the website and online reviews). Pierre was obviously in a hurry when sending my pen but, as with some of you here, I was more interested in the pen than any packaging. Besides, Pierre has made it clear he is a one-man band and as such, he has met my expectations. In any event, I would much rather see more pens (please) at their current price than see these pens priced higher to account for better packaging or other add-ons.

 

Back on the review, I was intrigued to read about your success(?) with an alternative nib. All the reading on this pen suggests that other nibs don't really work! The titanium Zebra G looks really good. Are you pleased with it?

 

I am glad you made the point about the pen being somewhat finicky. The nib and feed do need setting properly for the pen to work consistently but once there, the pen is an absolute joy to write with. Given this point, I stopped filling the sac with a syringe (removing the nib and feed) to get full ink capacity first time, and have returned to filling it in the way originally designed.

 

I really like what Pierre has done with the purple heart cheery wood look. When capped, I really like the feel and look of the pen and, whilst I bought this because it was all that was left, I am really glad I got mine. Despite the good photography, I don't think the pictures on a computer screen can really do justice to the look of this pen. And spilt ink really does wipe off easily

 

I bought mine because, as a daily user of dip pens, I have longed for the marriage of line variation of a dip pen and the ink capacity of a fountain pen whilst on the road. I was therefore seduced by the Desiderata pen concept. The pen certainly does what it claims it will do, in the way Pierre says it will do it.

 

Until I can find my grail combo of Leonardt Principal (flexibility), in a size 8 vintage nib (longevity and character), on a Conid Bulkfiller body (ink capacity, mechanism and balance) I will continue to carry a Desiderata plus my Conid Bulkfiller and rely on my dip pens in the office.

 

Reading jasonchickerson's excellent review has simply reinforced my determination to buy another Desiderata, possibly two, as back up.

 

Pavoni.

 

Wow, thanks for the very thoughtful and thorough reply, Pavoni.

 

I realize that along with originally omitting the paragraph about the nib compatibility, I failed to upload a writing sample with the Nemosine nib. I'll try to get around to doing that soon. Probably not today, though.

 

Thanks for the compliment on the penmanship. I have been working on going through Eleanor Winters' excellent book on Copperplate for the past week or two, writing a couple of pages each day. I have come a long way in that amount of time. I have not yet started in earnest to sketch with the pen, but what I've done so far has been promising, despite my early fumbles (and smudges). The titanium nib performs for me exactly as the chrome Tachikawa G nibs I have been using. In my inexperience, I cannot distinguish between the feel or the results. I have no experience with the chrome Zebra G nibs.

 

Please feel free to post a writing sample with your own Desiderata pen here!

[TeaHive]

The titanium nitrate coating prolongs the nib's life, apparently more than four times the life of the chrome-plated nibs. Functionality should be the same.

 

I am very, very pleased with my Mercury. I was able to snag the last Cherry and Koa pen, ho ho! But I am sorry to hear that it didn't get shipped out quickly for you. Pierre is very friendly, helpful, and his customer service was impeccable when I ordered. So it makes me cringe a little when I hear someone else's experience wasn't the best.

 

The function of the pen.. My gosh, where do I start singing its praises? It's exactly the pen I was looking for and could never find, not in Noodler's or even vintage 14k nibs. I use mine for calligraphy practice (still learning, and quite horrid), and sketching. Couldn't be happier! The feed and nib fit reaaaally tightly in my pen's section, and the rubber gripper is not enough to pull them out. I actually have to get out the knock-out block to change nibs. Thankfully, it takes a long time for the chrome plated Zebra G's to deteriorate anyway, but just because mine is so tight, I'm going to get a pack of the Titanium Zebra G's soon to counteract that. On the flipside, I'm glad they're so tight. Because it helps keep the ink flowing the way it ought.

 

Currently, I have a Parker Vacumatic nib and feed in my section, and it works great! Nice and wet, slightly flexy on its own. I'll eventually have to try a couple other spare nibs I have laying around. Goulet nibs are supposed to fit, as I recall from the top of my head. So perhaps Noodler's nibs could fit for those who like to use the non-flex nibs to make their own italics/drawing nibs.

 

Great review for a great pen!!! I like the look of the purpleheart. I'm hoping someone who bought the Osage Orange and Walnut will post a review full of eyecandy soon. (Which reminds me.. I need to post a review with photos.)

Edited March 1, 2015 by TeaHive

[Cryptos]

I scrambled and scrambled to get the money together and then they stopped making the wooden versions. Finally I got enough together in one place only to find all the wood versions had sold out. I was, and still am, very disappointed by that. So I thought I would bite my tongue and get a Delrin (say it quick)... none left. Exasperating.

[TeaHive]

I believe he's working on pens as we speak (type), so hold onto the money you saved up! And if you see something you like when it's available, snatch it!

[PrestoTenebroso]

I scrambled and scrambled to get the money together and then they stopped making the wooden versions. Finally I got enough together in one place only to find all the wood versions had sold out. I was, and still am, very disappointed by that. So I thought I would bite my tongue and get a Delrin (say it quick)... none left. Exasperating.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to exasperate you!

Also, in case anyone missed it, I need to clarify:

There is no "they". There is only me.

Did you sign up for the mailing list?

 

I believe he's working on pens as we speak (type), so hold onto the money you saved up! And if you see something you like when it's available, snatch it!

I just finished a bunch of Delrin Daedalus pens that I posted about in the Instagram feed. Now, I'm waiting for parts to come in from one of my suppliers, and once I get them, the store can reopen. I'll send an email to people on the mailing list giving them an exact time when things will become available.

 

 

I enjoyed your honest review jasonchickerson, great style, and I very much appreciated your excellent penmanship. Bravo.

 

I have exactly the same purple heart-cherry wood pen and also ordered mine directly from the few pens that were left on the Desiderata web site, though I paid the full price plus $15 shipping to England. Still, very reasonable for what one gets. I didn't get this rubber thing you refer to and I was satisfied at having been referred to an e-copy of the manual (not that a manual is necessary given the website and online reviews). Pierre was obviously in a hurry when sending my pen but, as with some of you here, I was more interested in the pen than any packaging. Besides, Pierre has made it clear he is a one-man band and as such, he has met my expectations. In any event, I would much rather see more pens (please) at their current price than see these pens priced higher to account for better packaging or other add-ons.

 

Back on the review, I was intrigued to read about your success(?) with an alternative nib. All the reading on this pen suggests that other nibs don't really work! The titanium Zebra G looks really good. Are you pleased with it?

 

I am glad you made the point about the pen being somewhat finicky. The nib and feed do need setting properly for the pen to work consistently but once there, the pen is an absolute joy to write with. Given this point, I stopped filling the sac with a syringe (removing the nib and feed) to get full ink capacity first time, and have returned to filling it in the way originally designed.

 

I really like what Pierre has done with the purple heart cheery wood look. When capped, I really like the feel and look of the pen and, whilst I bought this because it was all that was left, I am really glad I got mine. Despite the good photography, I don't think the pictures on a computer screen can really do justice to the look of this pen. And spilt ink really does wipe off easily

 

I bought mine because, as a daily user of dip pens, I have longed for the marriage of line variation of a dip pen and the ink capacity of a fountain pen whilst on the road. I was therefore seduced by the Desiderata pen concept. The pen certainly does what it claims it will do, in the way Pierre says it will do it.

 

Until I can find my grail combo of Leonardt Principal (flexibility), in a size 8 vintage nib (longevity and character), on a Conid Bulkfiller body (ink capacity, mechanism and balance) I will continue to carry a Desiderata plus my Conid Bulkfiller and rely on my dip pens in the office.

 

Reading jasonchickerson's excellent review has simply reinforced my determination to buy another Desiderata, possibly two, as back up.

 

Pavoni.

I re-engineered my feed-making process to make it easier to find that alignment. With future pens, just fit the shape of the feed to the contour of the nib, and you're good.

 

I am honored to have my pen sit next to a BulkFiller!

 

 

To clarify, I did not pre-order the pen. It was available at the time of purchase. I'm not questioning anyone's integrity. If I were running a business and realized I was going to be out of town on my normal ship day, I would go out of my way to ship the day before, not the week after. And that is probably more than enough said about that.

 

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I'm glad you enjoyed the review. As for the bare sac filling system, you have to admit, it beats dipping! I'm sure there is a more elegant solution that perhaps will be explored in the future. As I said, I don't mind it at all the way it is.

Hey Jason. I'm glad the pen arrived and you were happy with it. I thought I sent it in the proper nib/feed alignment for successful use. As for bad customer service, I apologize for the inconvenience; I was over optimistic with what I thought I could do. I'm in my 30s, but I feel like an old man!

Edited March 1, 2015 by PrestoTenebroso

[Cryptos]

I am on the mailing list! I refer to any registered company as 'they', irrespective of how many people are in it. A bit impersonal I'll grant you.

 

I'm back to sitting on the fence over the delrin models. Having just lost a wad of cash on a pen that never arrived, and missed out - again - on a Waterman 52 on FPN because I need (as of today) about 3 more days to reach the target amount and the seller has another buyer waiting (gnashes teeth), I am getting cold feet with regard to purchases, even though I am fast running out of usable pens. I thought 2015 may have been better than 2014. Not looking like it so far.

[jasonchickerson]

 

I re-engineered my feed-making process to make it easier to find that alignment. With future pens, just fit the shape of the feed to the contour of the nib, and you're good.

 

Hey Jason. I'm glad the pen arrived and you were happy with it. I thought I sent it in the proper nib/feed alignment for successful use. As for bad customer service, I apologize for the inconvenience; I was over optimistic with what I thought I could do. I'm in my 30s, but I feel like an old man!

 

Thanks for the response, Pierre. I'm sure you did send the pen with the right alignment. I immediately switched it out with the titanium nib and had no issue mimicking your alignment for perfect flow. My comment was simply to let people know that there is no "hard stop" in inserting the new nib/feed. I personally haven't had any issues.

 

BTW, my ordering experience was in no way "bad." Could it have been a little bette? Yes. But I am loving the pen and using it every day. In fact, I just finished a batch of birthday invitations for my youngest daughter.

 

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/jasonchickerson/_FUJ6525.jpg

 

Thanks again for a great product! On the right paper, I've found it plays well with just about any ink. It has met my every expectation.

[Cryptos]

Some lovely writing right there ^^

[jasonchickerson]

I am on the mailing list! I refer to any registered company as 'they', irrespective of how many people are in it. A bit impersonal I'll grant you.

 

I'm back to sitting on the fence over the delrin models. Having just lost a wad of cash on a pen that never arrived, and missed out - again - on a Waterman 52 on FPN because I need (as of today) about 3 more days to reach the target amount and the seller has another buyer waiting (gnashes teeth), I am getting cold feet with regard to purchases, even though I am fast running out of usable pens. I thought 2015 may have been better than 2014. Not looking like it so far.

 

I'm sure the Delrin pens are fine. But I seriously suggest waiting (don't spend don't spend) on the next round of wooden pens. It really is a pleasure to pull my Mercury out and have a go in a café.

 

That said, have you considered a Conklin Crescent as an alternative to the Waterman 52? They function very similarly and cost about half as much for a good copy. The Toledo #2 nib on mine has the exact same flex as the Zebra nibs (though a little more patience is required to get the hairlines). I love it.