Review: @FPRevolution Guru Fountain Pen - Steel Flex Nib Pen for Beginners

This is a review and a suggestive post! I mean, it's not suggestive in a weird way, it's just suggesting a certain pen if you are looking for a certain something.

A lot of people ask me what is the best beginner flex pen. My beginner flex pen was a Waterman 52V with a fine to triple broad, wet noodle nib. Maybe that wasn't the smartest idea, but many years later, I can recommend this pen: the Fountain Pen Revolution Guru. I've used several FPR flex nib pens and all have been pretty successful, but this one is my favorite. More on that in the review.

ABOUT

Body material: Vegetal resin
Trim: Metal
Filling system: Piston-filler
Nib material: Steel
Nibs available on Guru model: EF, F, M, B, Stub, Flex
Ink capacity: 1.2 ml +
Cap: Screw on
Posts: Yes, friction
Length (capped): 133.7 mm/5.26″
Length (uncapped): 115.8 mm/4.56″
Length (posted): 149.5 mm/5.88″
Diameter (barrel): 11.7 mm/0.46″
Diameter (section): 9.5 mm/0.37″
Weight (all): 12 g
Weight (cap): 4 g

Weight (body): 8 g

Price: $ 9.00 USD + $3 for flex upgrade

Where to buy: FPRevolution

PACKAGING

None, just bubble wrapped with an elastic around it. My favorite kind. Simple, nothing to keep.

APPEARANCE

I have two colors of the FPR Guru - one clear and one solid navy blue. These are small pens, both in length and width. They are round, tapering to each end. The piston-turning knob is a rounded off point. The finial is a pointed cone - clear on the clear pen and blue on the blue pen. The metal clips are attached externally by a ring just under the threaded finial. Both pens have misaligned, poorly threaded finials, so the clips are quite wobbly and are also misaligned. The clips are simple and unmarked, with a ball at the end, sitting against the cap.

The end of the cap has two thin metal rings spaced evenly apart. The blue pen is a solid, dark blue and the clear pen is all clear. The sections are a decent size, especially considering the pens are not all that large to begin with. They are one piece with the barrels, and are quite thin. They taper towards the nibs and end in a ridge.

These are very simple pens - not the most beautiful, not the most well put together, but they look ok. 

NIB & PERFORMANCE

These pens have # 5.5 nibs with 5.1 mm "guru" ebonite feeds. They are both single tone steel nibs - one in fine (clear), one in flex (blue). The fine nib has a single slit and a round breather hole, and is engraved with FPR and some flourishes. The flex nib has a single slit that runs up most of the nib, and there is no breather hole. It is engraved with FPR and 'flex' and some flourishes. Both nibs are on the small side but suit the pen.

Both pens were flushed thoroughly to remove any residual oils in the feed or on the nib as this can affect ink flow. I flush first with some dilute dish soap (i.e. Dawn), and then with clean water until there are no suds coming out. Neither feed needed heat setting upon arrival, but if you find there is a gap, you can heat set quickly and easily. So far, I have not had to heat set any of my FPR pens. 

The fine nib really surprised me. Not only was the nib not scratchy, it was actually quite smooth and really nice. It put down a nice fine line that was fairly generous with ink flow. Drying times are average. The nib and feed perform quite well during normal and fast writing sessions. With pressure, the nib actually produces a surprising amount of line variation, and the feed does not dry out quickly. With or without pressure, the nib does not skip or hard start. 

The actual flex nib was even more awesome. Not only was it smooth it did not hard start or skip with normal writing. Drying times were longer, with or without pressure, because the ink flow was increased compared to the fine nib. I love this one. Moderate pressure achieved serious line variation and the nib was quite responsive and snapped back quickly. With constant pressure, the nib and feed did run dry and railroad, but it picked up quickly with just a tap or two on the page.

The flex nib is quite forgiving and as it is affordable, it's a great nib to practice your flex hand on, especially if you don't want to go the dip nib route. Flex on the down strokes, and apply no pressure on the upstrokes. If it runs dry, make sure the nib and feed are heat set correctly. 

I found both nibs very enjoyable, especially the flex nib. For just a few dollars, you can have a lot of fun!

IN HAND

The section is fairly slim but I do not find it slippery in use. The cap threads are noticeable, but they are not too sharp such that it was uncomfortable to hold them. Although it is slim, it's a comfortable pen for me, and it is quite light. The ridge from the section to the barrel is quite sharp and very visible - again, not the most meticulous finishing. Those with large hands may find these pens too small for longer writing sessions.

Unposted, the pens are very light in the hand. I find them too light to be able to control them properly when they are unposted. The cap can be posted by friction, and it is quite snug and secure. When it is posted, it is much more comfortable to write with - longer, better balance, and a little heavier. 

The clip is snug and springy - easy to operate one handed, but it looks a bit wonky. I don't really use it.

PROS & CONS

FINE NIB

FLEX NIB

OVERALL

For the price, these are pretty decent pens - whether you want to just try out a fountain pen, try out a variety of nibs, get a fountain pen and not spend too much, try out a flex pen, whatever it may be - these are piston-fillers at a great price with a solid nib selection. The finishing leaves something to be desired but I am mostly interested in the flex nib on this model and can overlook the little details for the couple dollars it costs. 

It isn't the most amazing pen in hand, and the fine nib doesn't hold a place in my daily carry, but the flex nib sure does. I use that one for all sorts of fun lettering, scribbles, doodles, and general flexy goodness. You can expect the barrels to stain a bit, especially if you get the clear, and a funny smell from the material, but it's worth the fun.

Give the flex nib a go. It's a great place to start!

I received this item free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion.

Review: Gama Hawk Fountain Pen - Flex @FPRevolution

Thanks to Fountain Pen Revolution for sending this Gama Hawk fountain pen for review! It even has a flex nib, which I am most excited about. What would I use this pen for? A giant eyedropper with a flex nib that I can be rough with - I wouldn't be too worried about what inks I put in this (i.e hard to clean ones or boutique inks would all be fair game). It wouldn't be a nib I expect to keep forever - I expect to wreck the nib at some point, so it will need replacing. Fortunately, it is (relatively) inexpensive to replace.

ABOUT

Body Material: Ebonite
Trim: Metal
Length (capped): 155 mm/6.10''
Length (uncapped nib-end): 140 mm/5.51''
Length (posted): 180 mm/7.00''
Barrel Diameter: 15.9 mm/0.62''
Section Diameter: 12.1 - 13.6 mm/0.48'' - 0.53''
Nib material: Steel
Weight (all): 34 g
Weight (cap): 12 g
Weight (body): 22 g
Fill type: Eyedropper
Ink Capacity: 4 ml
Cap: Threaded
Posts: Yes, friction
Feed: Ebonite
Price: $44.00USD + $9 for flex nib
Where to buy: Fountain Pen Revolution

PACKAGING

None, just the way I like it!

APPEARANCE

The Gama Hawk is a large, simple black pen. It has a round cap and barrel, and it tapers slightly towards the back end, with rounded ends. The finial is just a rounded top with no markings. The clip is attached internally, under the cap top. The seam is visible around the top of the cap, but there are no major gaps that make me think this lacked attention. The clip is plain, and reminds me of Pelikan's pelican bill clip - it is similarly shaped and has no markings on it. There is a small vent hole in the cap - clean cut and it doesn't look bad to me.

The cap, section, and barrel are all a black ebonite. The cap and barrel are a matte, brushed black. The barrel is engraved with GAMA. I would prefer a g or something on the finial to mark the brand instead of this giant engraving on the barrel - something a little more subtle, but I imagine this is more cost effective. The section is round and smooth black ebonite, tapering slightly towards the nib and ending in a hard ridge before the nib. The cap threads are at the back of the section.

This is a pretty cool looking pen - it's large, and although simple, it looks cool - probably because of the size. I'm not crazy about the brushed look; I prefer a smooth finish, but I like the shape. It's a cool name, and not ugly or anything. The brushed finish doesn't put me off completely.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

This #35/#6 two-tone steel nib is an upgraded nib available at FPR. It has a single slit that runs half the length of the nib, and no breather hole. Other than a few simple flourishes, there are no other markings on the nib.

This nib and feed should be thoroughly flushed with water, then some dilute dish soap, then water again, then heat set for optimal ink flow. (I have gone into a little more description than just saying "flush" because if you are a new reader and unfamiliar with this notion, you might think I'm nuts.). Flushing and heat setting will remove machining oils from the nib and feed, and heat setting will give your feed the best shape to the nib so ink will move best. As you can see from this image, the tines were a little too far apart - the nib and feed were realigned and heat set, and the tines were then properly aligned.

The nib offers some feedback but is not scratchy. I enjoy this nib more than the flex nib on the Gama Popular, which had hard starts and some skips. This one does not hard start or skip, and ink flow is consistent and reliable. Without pressure, the nib writes a fine line. With moderate pressure, you can experience the flex capabilities and line variation. I find this nib pleasant and enjoyable to use. It's a solid writer, and it's fun to play around with. It bounces back quickly after applying pressure - but if you apply too much pressure, the tines may spread too far and it will be misaligned. They can be realigned pretty easily as this steel is relatively soft, but this can be avoided by just paying attention to your angle and pressure when using this nib. Or any flex nib, for that matter.

Ink flow picks up right away, even after sitting around for a few days, so the feed doesn't dry out too easily. This is a good thing - given the large ink capacity!

IN HAND

I like this clip. The shape makes it pretty easy to slide on to papers, and into pockets and pen cases. It's nice, springy, and easy to operate one-handed.

The section is smooth and round, and just a little on the thick side to be 100% comfortable for me, but it isn't a deal breaker because this isn't my holy grail kind of pen. The threads are quite smooth to the touch. The ridge at the end of the section is very hard and of course, this is right where I tend to grip. It's the spot where I have the most control over the pen and nib. Not ideal for long writing sessions, but best for uniformity/consistency of my handwriting.

Unposted, the pen is a comfortable, usable length, and it is well-balanced.I find it a little on the girthy side. The cap can be posted securely by friction. For me, the pen becomes too long and top heavy, so I prefer using it unposted. The only advantage is that I can grip a little higher, off that hard ridge. I can't use it posted for long writing sessions - my hand gets tired. I also have a hard time controlling the pen for uniform writing because of the length and balance pulling towards the back.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

This is a great pen to experiment with. I enjoy the fun line variation offered by the flex nib. I wouldn't use it for every day writing because I find it a little plain and too big, but the large size is great for eyedropper mode with that flex. I love the ebonite feed, and the smell of the ebonite itself. It's a nice, relatively affordable way to dabble with flex pens, and to use any sort of fountain pen inks, even those hard to clean ones. It also doesn't fit in most of my pen cases, so I have to keep it around my desk area if I want to use it.

With a Gama Jumbo Acrylic.

This pen was sent for review. I was not compensated monetarily for this review. All opinions are my own. No affiliate links.

Review: Gama Popular Fountain Pen - Flex @FPRevolution

Thanks to Fountain Pen Revolution for sending this Gama Popular fountain pen for review! It even has a flex nib!

ABOUT

Body Material: Ebonite
Trim: Metal
Length (capped): 150.0 mm/5.50''
Length (uncapped nib-end): 132.5 mm/5.21''
Length (posted): 170.0 mm/6.70''
Barrel Diameter: 14.0 mm/0.55''
Section Diameter: 10.8 - 12.3 mm/0.42'' - 0.48''
Nib material: Steel
Weight (all): 28 g
Weight (cap): 10 g
Weight (body): 18 g
Fill type: Eyedropper
Ink Capacity: 4 ml
Cap: Threaded
Posts: Yes, friction
Feed: Ebonite
Price: $35USD + $9 for flex nib
Where to buy: Fountain Pen Revolution

PACKAGING

None, just the way I like it.

APPEARANCE

The Gama Hawk is a large, round pen with rounded off ends that are slightly tapered. The finial is a round knob in ebonite. The clip is attached externally by a band around the top of the cap. The clip is simple with a slightly rounded off square bottom. There are no logo or brand engravings on it. The center band at the end of the cap is smooth and unmarked.

Other than that, the pen has a very seamless appearance, and I like how it looks. The cap, barrel, and section are all a pretty, tan ebonite with dark brown-black swirls. The barrel is engraved with GAMA.

The section is fairly short, round, and tapers slightly towards the nib. There is a ridge at the end of the section, before the nib. The cap threads are at the back and in this pen, blend in to the swirly ebonite really well - I barely see them! I like that.

Overall, a nice looking pen, available in a few ebonite colors. It's not too large, it's simple, and it's decent altogether.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

This nib is a replacement #35/#6 nib offered by FPR. It's a two-tone flex nib, coupled with an ebonite feed. The nib is very simple - it has a single, long slit that runs through half the nib, and no breather hole. Other than some simple flourishes, it has no markings. It is supposed to write a 0.4 mm line normally, and up to 2.0 mm fully flexed.

Before inking, this feed was heat set to the nib and it was thoroughly flushes. Flushing removes machining oils left behind on either the nib, feed, or both, that can hamper ink flow. Heat setting optimizes ink flow.

This nib is not a super smooth writer - it offered some feedback, but the tines were well-aligned and I did not feel it was scratchy. Without pressure, it writes a line on the finer side. There is not an excess of tipping, but the sweet spot felt like it was for a high angle to the page. I found the nib skipped and hard started more than I liked at low angles to the page, but performed much better at a higher angle, even for flexing. Slowing down made a big difference, as well as finding the right spot on the nib.

This is not a super, very soft flex nib, so moderate pressure is required to achieve line variation. However, I found it more on the soft-medium side than the medium-stiff side. Make sense? It didn't tire my hand completely to apply pressure to it. Slow and steady, or the feed will not keep up too well. I think the nib is capable of flexing further than the feed optimally accommodates (2.0 mm). 

This is a fun nib to use because of the flex and line variation. It's also a pretty tough nib so it's not very easy to spring, particularly useful if you're a new flex user. It's perfectly usable as a regular writer, since it isn't so soft that it will flex at the lightest touch.

If you don't mind feedback, and going slow and steady, you could do worse than to experiment with this pen and nib combination.

IN HAND

This clip is so stiff, I can barely use it - I can hardly lift it to slide it on to a page, so I don't even bother trying a pen case. It's so tight, I worry I would tear everything. So... the clip is not that great.

The ebonite smells delicious. Rub it between your fingers a little and you'll want to sniff it all day. No? Just me?

I like the shape of this section. It isn't too short and the threads are quite smooth. I actually grip quite low down on the section - right on the hard ridge, which can get a little painful after awhile.

Unposted, I find the pen comfortable and well-balanced. It isn't too thick, and sits well. The cap posts securely by friction. It remains pretty comfortable, but it is a little too long and it looks silly in my hand when posted. For loner writing sessions, unposted is much  more comfortable for me to use. My hand cramps after awhile when using the pen posted.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

For $35, you get a nice looking, large pen that you can use as an eyedropper. For $9 more, you get a decent steel flex nib and an ebonite feed. It's a lot of fun to write with, it's easy to use, easy to clean (but do not soak this pen in water - ebonite cannot tolerate water exposure like that), and it's a comfortable size for regular use.

Top to bottom: Gama Jumbo Acrylic, Gama Hawk, Gama Popular, Noodler's Neponset.

I received this pen free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. There are no affiliate links in this review.

Review: Fountain Pen Revolution Jaipur - Flex & M @FPRevolution

I'm always curious about flex pens with steel nibs, especially when they're affordable. Will it work? Will it be a pain? Let's find out.

ABOUT

Body Material: Resin
Trim: Metal
Length (capped): 134.62 mm/5.3"
Length (uncapped nib-end): 128.0 mm/5.04"
Length (posted): 157.48 mm/6.20"
Barrel Diameter: 13.2 mm/0.52"
Section Diameter: 10.16 mm/0.4"
Nib material: Steel
Weight (all): 17 g
Fill type: Piston-filler
Price: $18.00USD ($3 extra for broad/flex/stub)
Where to buy: FPRevolution

PACKAGING

None, just the way I like it.

APPEARANCE

The two models of the Jaipur I have are the same in design, and only differ in color. These are larger than the other FPR pens I have used (Dilli, Indus, Guru, Triveni Jr.), with a round body and a slightly rounded off end. The finial is raised to a point. The clip is attached externally by a thin metal ring. It starts wide and narrows towards the end, and ends in a drop shape. There is a metal band at the end of the cap, engraved with FPR. The section is round and ends in a slightly flared ridge.

On the black pen, there is a large, clear ink window under the cap. Other than that, the cap, section, barrel, and piston-turning knob are all black On the clear/blue model, the top of the cap, the section, and the piston-turning knob are blue. The rest of the cap and barrel are clear, and the piston is also clear.

Both pens have metal trim and the same types of nib, with ebonite feeds. They aren't too bad-looking, especially considering the price. They look put together well enough, and I have not noticed any weird edges or bits sticking out.

NIB & PERFORMANCE

Both nibs are two-toned #5.5 steel nib. The medium nib has a single slit and a round breather hole. It is engraved with some simple flourishes, FPR, and M. The flex nib has a long, single slit, and no breather hole. The nib is also engraved with some simple flourishes, FPR, and flex. There is no mistaking the two - they look different.

Both pens were flushed with soap and water before being inked. The medium nib writes well - somewhat toothy but not scratchy, and it is a reliable writer. It isn't very wet, but ink flow is more than adequate, and makes it convenient as a daily writer. Drying times were average. The medium nib is quite stiff, but with enough pressure, a little bit of line variation is possible. I experienced maybe one or two skips in a page, so I'd hardly call that skipping and was probably just a poor angle on my part, and it doesn't hard start. Overall, a very decent performer.

The flex nib is a heck of a lot of fun. Writing normally, it writes a very wet medium line. Wet. Drying times are pretty long because it is so wet, and when it is flexed, it's even inkier. Delicious.

The nib is quite soft for a steel nib, and it's relatively easy to achieve line variation compared to my Noodler's Ahab, which starts quite stiff and needs time and pressure to be flexed fully. This nib feels like it's already been broken in, and that's a good thing. If all the flex nibs are like this, that's going to be great and I think a lot of people will be pleased with their purchase. This nib is capable of some pretty decent line variation and the feed keeps up very well, during fast writing, and during flex writing. It railroads eventually, but it picks up quickly with a few taps on the page. It's a lot of fun to use. With such a wet writer, the ink drains pretty quickly, but I enjoy that. I love the feeling of using up a pen. (Not so much the cleaning of it.)

IN HAND

The metal clips are quite springy and easy to pull. They're not that easy to slide on to papers or into pouches without lifting the clip.

I don't like the section much. the threads aren't sharp and further up, I can feel the ridge halfway up the barrel where the cap sits when the pen is closed. It's visible and it's sharp. The end of the section by the nib is also blunt and sharp. It's not my favorite section, but if it means the flex nib will work, I'll take it, because it's not a pen I'll use for pages and pages of writing.

Unposted, the pen is light and easy to use. The cap posts deeply and securely by friction, and this makes the pen well-balanced, comfortable, and it's a better length for both long and short writing sessions.

The piston, once in operation, is smooth, but during cleaning, the piston-turning knob gets slippery and it's hard to turn.

PROS & CONS

OVERALL

Overall, this is really decent, especially considering the price. The medium is a solid, reliable writer, and the flex nib actually flexes. They're not ugly, they don't feel cheap or poorly made, and they perform well.

I received this pen free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. There are no affiliate links in this review.