Noodler's Ink Konrad Flex Clear Demo Fountain Pen - ND-14005

I really like this pen. The nib is the only truly extra fine and flexible nib I have ever found in a fountain pen. The lines it makes have a definite thick-and-thin quality that I haven't seen from any other fountain pen. I can write at full speed with it. The pen comes completely apart very easily, which means that for better and for worse it's adjustable. So if the ink is flowing to fast or too slow, you may need to fiddle with it -- Noodler's designs these pens to be inexpensive and tinker-friendly. It's a good size, not too big or too small. It holds a lot of ink. The plastic it's made from is kind of soft and does smell peculiar, but that's intentional, as Noodler's makes these pens from environmentally friendly materials.

I bought the Konrad because it was inexpensive, and I wanted to try it with my own Spencerian-styled round hand. The nib is what I would call Fine, and the fat barrel is comfortable in my big hand with extra-long fingers. However, because the nib is Fine, is squared-off at the tip, and is somewhat less flexible than what I am used to, it requires a little more practice to achieve a smooth line, especially since I lean my letters forward at a significant angle. I think that if I keep at it, eventually I WILL get those smooth lines. Your results may vary.Now, I mentioned that I write in a Spencerian style with a forward-leaning angle, but I did try the Konrad in a vertical cursive hand and a block-lettered hand. In those applications, I think it excels. In fact, I think the Konrad writing experience looks and feels exactly like a German brand whose name rhymes with hammy and begins with an “L.”The Konrad is an excellent starter pen, but it’s also an excellent pen for those who like to write in a particular style of round hand. Most importantly, you have to be OK with the interesting off-gassing that comes from the plastic these pens are made of. My untrained nose detects hints of fresh clay, new racquet balls, Godzilla-sized toe jam, formaldehyde, and ghee butter. Yes, that’s what I smell. And from what I hear online, the smell does not go away. Luckily, you can’t smell it unless you put the pen or your fingers right up to your nose. And by the way, the smell doesn’t stay on your fingers for long. I don’t mind it, but then I have an indoor dog.

The flex on this was great for a new pen-fiend, it stays wet, it's easy to fill. No railroad marks, a fun and enjoyable pen to play with. Stock up on ink because you'll use plenty of it with this pen.It does however smell like wet cat several days old, and the smell ends up on your fingers. The clear plastic looks and feels like very brittle plastic that I expect to crumble after a few months.I'll keep this one for as long as possible, not bad for the price! Excellent to experiment with!

I'm a fountain pen noob, and I'm giving this 5 stars rather than 4 because I think it might not be the pen's fault that it's not working perfectly for me. The pen itself feels good in the hand, and I like the look of the translucent material. It comes apart easily and is easy to fill. I've read reviews that say that it has a smell, and I hadn't noticed anything until I put it right up to my nose. It does have a smell, but it's not an unpleasant one. It's kind of a "natural" smell, if that makes sense. It's not something I'd notice while writing.I think the main problem I'm having with the pen is the nib, and/or the paper I'm writing on. I got the pen to write in a journal that has this kind of parchment-type paper, and I've had problems with other pens on it, with skipping. When I use this pen on regular old notebook paper, it works better for me. My 13-year-old son wrote a school paper with it, and said that once he got used to it, he quite liked it. So I'm thinking I might chuck the journal paper, and refill it with some regular notebook paper, and maybe try another nib. This pen is certainly made to be able to be easily disassembled, and it would be easy to swap out.I'm using this with Noodler's 54th Massachusetts, which I quite like.Update: I've used the pen for a while, and it's working much better for me. I watched a couple of quick YouTube videos on how to clean and adjust them, and my writing experience is much better. I've also tried a couple other fountain pens, so I have something to compare it with. The Konrad is fussier to work with, but rewarding, and I think it's kind of fun. If you want an easy fountain pen, go with the Pilot Metropolitan, which is an excellent inexpensive pen. If you want a pen that might take a bit of time to get used to, but is adjustable, and unique, go with the Noodler's. I love the celluloid material of the pen body. It feels warmer in my hand than any othe pen I've used, sort of in the way amber feels slightly warm to the touch. Whatever odor was perceptible when it was new is gone (though it never bothered me in the first place).

Could be better made. Cheap plastic breaks easily. Does what it says on the tin otherwise.

I had high hopes for this pen since I wanted to try a flex nib but it's a flawed design and very cheap quality pen.The major flaw is that if you post the cap and then turn it (instead of just pulling the cap off), you unscrew the actual fill mechanism and can draw ink up in to the fill mechanism itself whiles also removing the entire fill mechanism from the pen. The end cap for the fill mechanism also gets stuck inside the pen cap. You've been warned!Further, the pen feels really cheap, like something you might find at a dollar store. And, as others have mentioned, it has a really weird smell, like fouled chemicals.I'd recommend staying away from this pen!