Fountain Pen Hideout
This is the last Pelikan I bought: A very classic design It’s instantly recognisable as a Pelikan of some sort, but with a few unusual features. There is no decorative metal band on the piston, and the whole pen looks plain black... but what’s this? With the piston half-extended, showing that the stripes go all... Continue Reading →
I knew I was in trouble as soon as I decided to stop at that table. Here we go: What a beauty. This was March 2019. The typical London pen show fare was on display: lots of new releases, many many tables of vintage stuff, and some incredibly high-end pens on display at Sarj Minhas’s... Continue Reading →
To those who have laid eyes upon it, the legend needs no introduction: The Pilot Myu gains its 100% deserved reputation with its rarity (i.e., not very, or not too much so) and its quality. Made from steel all over, it has the polished-chrome look of last-century modernism, and its slim, tapered profile definitely harbours... Continue Reading →
This is a curiosity from the Soviet era, quite along the line of Eastern countries imitating Western products. China had its own Parker 51 clones, and today we discuss a Russian one: The model name translates to little golden fish, and the novelty factor lies in having a small glycerin-filled chamber with a small plastic... Continue Reading →
Italian pens have always been iffy in my general impression. From the horror stories about Visconti nibs to Delta’s strange dealings with MarteModena, they have always seemed like something to avoid. It’s a decision made easier by the fact I don’t like the aesthetic of Visconti’s clips, and they have always been grail-level items to... Continue Reading →
Happy New Year everybody! Now that I’m sober again, I want to thank everyone for your support over the past year. Flex & Other Follies is now more than 12 months old! And I acquired a few more pens over the winter break, so there’ll be more reviews to come. Just hang tight! Meanwhile, a... Continue Reading →
I’ve run out of pens to review (hopefully only for the short term) so I’m turning to writing articles about the things I’ve picked up over these years of being in the hobby. I hope you’ll find these as fun and informative as the reviews have been! And thus, the first of these how-tos: There... Continue Reading →
I know this blog is called Flex & Other Follies and I always rattle on about vintage flex, but: I was at the London pen show in October and spent a grand total of £201 on a variety of things: a pen case/box, more pens, more inks, and stuff... and the largest purchase I made... Continue Reading →
The little brother of my 12 1/2 VS, I got this on eBay on Fountain Pen Day last year, but it leaked ink everywhere when I tried to fill it. Clearly it needed restoring, but I never got around to it until recently: And what a process it was! I had to take it apart.... Continue Reading →
I’d read so much about Eversharp nibs and how they were supposedly incredible at flex. Well... The answer is yes. I got this off r/pen_swap and it was everything I expected! The Skyline was released in 1941 and ceased production in 1950. It came in three sizes, of which mine is the medium “Standard” version sporting... Continue Reading →
Flex & Other Follies 