Bexley Admiral - Mini Review

January 1, 2015

This is my first real new pen since embarking on this little journey, so I thought I'd do a little review of my new Bexley Admiral.

The little details:

Capped length is 5.00" (that's what I call precise)

Posted length is 5.36"

Jowo fine nib

Loaded with Sheaffer black

Brief review:

Since my only real experience, and that's limited, is with the vintage pens I've come across, I hope Bexley doesn't mind a few comparisons. It may be that some of what was done in the past made its way to this pen, and I'm pretty fond of it. The pen cap has some similarities to what Parker did on the Duofold - clip ring that can be replaced fairly easily if damaged or aged. I love the ball end on the clip, as well, making it an easier slide into my pocket. The basic overall look of the pen reminded me of the Sheaffer Balance Jr - full size cap, with a smaller barrel. You'll note how little difference there is in the capped and posted length. The barrel fits snugly and precisely deep into the cap.

As with any new pen, as I've been reading, I did a quick flush and clean of the pen to sort of prime it up for use. After a few minutes of getting it started, the pen started to come alive. It's a very comfortable, smooth pen. It fits nicely in my hand, and the fact that it's not overly long means that it's not top heavy. You'll need to be careful where you position the cap and clip, because they sit right on your thumb, otherwise. I prefer a smaller barrel, and matched with the full size cap, this pen has the best of both features when using it. After a few minutes, and a couple taps on some micro-paper, the Admiral opened up and was smooth and fluid across paper.

This was an impulse buy for me, and it was well worth it. I've always wanted to try a Bexley, and I'm now happy to own one. The added bonus was a quick tour of his facility.

January 1, 2015

You have experienced one of the major pluses of buying directly from the maker, at their place of manufacturing, a memory and a story linked to the pen in your hand. I value my visits to Bexley Pen and suggest others visit and buy from them as well. We can't do this with Parker, Sheaffer, or Cross anymore, and it's one of my regrets that I didn't back when I first started having an interest in collecting and using Fountain Pens.