Bought a Hexo at a local pen store last year, completely unaware that it existed and was willing to give it a shot. Very quickly became one of my favorite pens. I have Lamys and a lot of pens some would call “comfortable” writers for workhorse sessions. The Hexo hands down has one of the most comfortable feels for long writing sessions. Unassuming pen with amazing performance. Can’t compliment it enough. Left it untouched for a couple months and came back to it, writes well! Only complaints I would have is that 1) the capping mechanism (not the seal but the notch thing) can get worn down easy. 2) the body feels- maybe not flimsy, but a little thin. Can at times feel a little too light. Otherwise, a top 10 pen for me.
Faber Castell makes great nibs. They're way underated. Not many youtubers talk about them. The F and EF nibs write the smoother than anything else I've tried. I bought a lot of FC pens for cheap when I last traveled to Germany. You can never have enough good pens.
Yes, Hexo’s are great and under represented. The Faber-Castell nibs are fabulous right out of the box! That’s so rare these days. Thanks for the video!
Great pen review DB! Indeed, it is a good Lamy AL Star alternative. May have to try one out. Love that it is a snap cap, and not a screw cap. Faber castell is a brand that few review. I wonder why? Most of the TH-cam reviews are on the latest Chinese fountain pens. I kind of get tired of those reviews.
got this pen as an graduation gift to myself since I didn't have a good pen that took SI cartridges and I am very pleased with it. I pair it with the al star usually and they are both some of my favs
I have three of these pens and I think they're great! They deserve more attention, definitely. Thanks for bringing more attention to these underrated pens!
That’s one of the many reasons I follow you with such entusiasm: You always review pens I love. I have the Hexo Bronze! Currently inked with Diamine Salamander
Yeah I have no idea why FC is not popular, really solid pens. I think the most likely thing is that they haven't found a niche like Lamy or TWSBI in the fountain pen corner. I love their nibs a lot.
Really really like this pen. Absolutely brilliant. I have 2 Faber Castell pens the E-motion and the Loom. They’re both brilliant. Lamy pens generally leave me cold. Not so Faber Castell. Very underrated. Brilliant video and pretty much a flawless pen.
Its the Ondoro. I actually think its the very FIRST review I ever did. If you can stomach the video, give it a watch LOL th-cam.com/video/ZlrY7wlcUls/w-d-xo.html
This was my first Faber-Castell. It means a lot to me as I found it in a small but amazing stationery in Italy. Awesome to see that you gave it a solid review!
The Loom is, if not criminally underrated (because I've never met anyone who has a bad word to say about it), then criminally underused anyway. Superb pen. The Hexo nib is lovely but the pen feels a bit pricey overall to me. But I can definitely see the appeal.
F-C pens all seem pricy to me, except the beginner pens. Stopped me from buying the Ondoro and the E-Motion, both of which I covet. Nice German pens are just not cheap.
in the art and trad art communitie faber catell I a super highly renowned for their excellent quality pen, pencil, ink, etc. was complatly unaware that they sold fountain pens, ill defo be looking into those now!
I own 2 F-C Looms and 1 Grip, with a mixture of fine and medium nibs. All three have the soothist nibs of all the many pens I own. If I were to dispose of all my pens I'd keep only the F-C. Thanks for this review.
Trust me when I say, I'm critical of Lamy's current choices in the market and don't feel the Safari is as good a pen as it used to be way back when. And yet: no thanks, FC. Your color choices are astoundingly uninspired! black, blue, grey and 2 very faint metal hues? effin' golf clap, bois! You did it, truly revolutionary, chef's kiss! Your Logo is way too big, and there's apparently no option I can turn it to the bottom (a thing I enjoy on the Safari), and of course on the Lamy it's all the way at the butt end of the barrel also, not right in the middle. Coated clips are dumb; that's not future proof. It will eventually chip, won't it? There's no way the clip can flex and glide over rough materials without damaging the coating, is there? Personally, I also think the nib looks way undersized on the pen. However, the EF writing sample shown here looks good. For a German EF it's good; that's because Lamy and Kaweco are both bloody terrible with the EF width, IMO.
I've bought cheap, no name knockoffs with better extra fine nibs than Lamy! The nib lottery is ridiculous from a supposedly top sale brand, at least their italics are great, love my 1.1 stub.
Since this looked interesting enough and affordable I went looking for one. Here in Australia it's very hard to find a vendor who has stock. I found only one which is the same as the one you have - rose gold in EF. It also seems to be a fairly new offering from FC. I think they might have just seriously underestimated how much interest a good pen in this price range (In between Lamy Al-star and the LX) would generate. UK and US does appear to have some limited stock. I eventually found a UK Amazon listing with a free promotional shipping, so I do finally have one on the way. Dark Blue with M nib. Yes the available colours are a bit conservative - silver, blue, black, and rose gold.
Used Faber Castell Neo Slim FP for years (i have two of them), great nib. The only problem i have is the cap loosened after al those years of use. If they upgrade to screw caps, its a perfect pen for me.
Bought one and it’s crazy good - for me so much better than the Lamy grip. I got the fine nib in silver and I’m totally impressed. No drying out it’s fantastic.
As a devout Kakuno fan, I was excited when the Hexo was announced, and was then puzzled and disappointed when it turned out that FC had decided to give their hexagon-themed pen a round grip instead of a hexagonal one. Sounds like I might need to give it a try anyway, though.
@@martinlebl631 I have around a dozen more expensive pens, including a Pilot 823 and Lamy 2000, but I still use my cracked, stained Kakuno more than any other pen. Reliable, lightweight, clean thin line, satisfying tactile scritching on the page without being unpleasantly scratchy or tearing the paper-just a fantastic pen 🙃
@@SmasherBunny I don't have a Hexo, but the F nib on my F-C Grip, which I expect is the same nib, is about the same width as the Pilot M nibs on my Kakunos. The Pilot F is finer than any European or Chinese EF I've used, and the Pilot EF that came on my Kakuno (I moved it to a Plumix) is amazingly fine and yet still a lovely smooth writer. The Pilot F and EF are my nibs of choice for writing small editing comments in the margins of papers printed on copier paper, or for inks like Noodler's 54th Mass. that spread out too much with other nibs.
Yes, I'm not a fan of the triangular grip or the look of the LAMY. So this is a great option to know about. I have a Faber-Castell Ambition and it is a great pen. Looking forward to your Infinity Ink review.
I picked up one of these because I had heard good things about Faber Castell nibs and also because it came in Rose (I love pink pens!) But, I mistakenly neglected to select the nib size and wound up with an Extra Fine when I am a fan of Medium and Broad nibs! I was going to exchange it, but then I thought that since I have never tried an Extra Fine nib, I might as well keep it, just out of curiosity! I loved it! I even went back and purchased one in Bronze with a Broad Nib and 2 different models with Medium and Fine nibs. So now my Faber Castell collection is "complete" (pens with nibs in every size!) I really like brands that offer affordable pens that are not only nice to look at, but that are great writers! I especially like the long grip section--that is actually a feature I look for these days before choosing to buy a pen.
Sometimes is good to try out a different nib point size, and looks like it turned out like a good "mistake." Good to hear the pens are working out for you
@@Doodlebud I recognized that sometimes there is a need for small handwriting, so having a fine or extra fine helps me accomplish that! A pen for every purpose, right?
The nibs on the hexo and e motion are different by the way. The hexo (along with other pens like the grip) have breather holes and the e motion (along with pens like the loom or ambition ) don't. I've found their higher end nibs to be slightly smoother and much stiffer, however that may just be my experience.
The fact it has a rounded grip might make me get one to replace my Lamy. I really hate grips that cannot be reversed (I draw with my pens so the reverse thinner marks are very important for me)
Blesket is in my backyard. See if you can get them to send you the Schulfuller to review. FC nib, $10, soft rubberized tripod grip ( much better than the Safari). I think you'll enjoy it, and you can pass it down to your daughter. Or grid it.
Nice review, thanks. I purchased this pen a few months ago because I read very positive reviews about its nib, actually about all Faber-Castell nibs. When I first used it I liked the pen for reasons you’ve talked about in this video, except for the nib. The tines were way misaligned and even after aligning them, the nib was somewhat a little scratchy. It needed some work with micro-mesh. Now it writes smoothly and I may buy another FC again, but can’t be very enthusiastic.
If you ever run into nib issues with a new pen, whichever the brand, contact the retailer and let them know. Typically they will take care of you really well and remedy your issues
@@Doodlebud Thanks for the advice. I have actually done that (I'm doing with a very faulty Pelikan M805 replacement nib). Maybe I didn't do it this time because it seemed too much trouble (I live in Mexico City and bought it from Cult Pens with a good discount) for something I thought I could solve.
Comes with a converter too?! I just bought an ambition and it doesn't even come with a converter for double the price. I'm gonna head back to my local pen store tomorrow and take a look at this to compare it to the Lamy al star. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
3:13 The nib on the E-motion is different from the Hexo. The E-motion does not have a breather hole, whilst this does. It is the Grip Fountain Pen that has the same nib as the Hexo.
Good point. Love their standard nib in the Essentio, and their little curved nib in the Neo Slim, and the beginner nib in their 3 beginner pens. I haven't tried the Grip/Hexo nib personally, but my best guess is that I would like it.
And the Grip also is a good writer & well balanced pen ! FC makes good out of the box nibs generally but unfortunately,the higher end pens have steel sections. Uncomfortable for dry hands.
I’ve yet to ever purchase a Faber-Castell fountain pen. I believe I had some ball point or roller ball many years ago. The kind you could just buy in a corner drugstore her in the states. I really like this pen. It’s seems simple, unassuming, yet gracious in its appearance. It’s a good price as well. Like you said in your review, it seems to hit all the bells and whistles. Wait, did you say that or did I think it? 🤔 Anyway. I will be purchasing one of these as soon as I can. I can see this being an everyday writer and carrying it around with me everywhere. If I went anywhere that is. Got to do something about that. Lol. Thanks much for the review. Cheers
This is a great pen -- mine is also the bronze, with a converter, but with the F nib. Much better look and feel than the Lamy Safari, I think. And the slightly bouncy nib is far nicer than a Safari or anything in this class. Thanks for this video.
I prefer the FC nib feel to Lamy nibs. To most gold nibs for that matter. Faber Castel grinds their nibs for a "pencil like" feel. A perfect amount of smooth feedback. Not like other brands.
I like the design buy Faber Castell did a weird thing where their converters fit loosely on their own pens and gave me issues with this pen. I’ll have to pull it out and compare to yours. Maybe they tweaked it since then?
This looks like a very good budget pen. I like to have a couple of budget pens just living in my shoulder bag. What sank Lamy Al-Star for me is that they dry out and that most nibs I get from them needs polishing up to reduce scratchiness. F.B. nibs are very good. Great review - Thank you.
Great review. I feel that it is the entry level pens that will bring in the new users, and help the old folks enjoy a renaissance and the innovation that may result. I also love the tip about the ink for pens that dry out. I adore my Noodler's charlie pen, but it is not always ready for taking notes at short notice... Same issue it seems - a pen you love but with one flaw that limits its potential.
A very good pen. With the Lamy you get a better rang of nibs. Both great pens . The Ondoro is a really nicely weighted,knock about,compact utility pen. Smooth writer.
I think I would like a non wooden version of the ondoro more. I liked the looks & idea for the wood, but just not into it so much. The orange one really catches my eye!
Thanks for the video. Does the HEXO write as smooth and the Lamy Safari etc..? they say that to writes really smooth. I just started my fountain pen journey, and purchased the HongDian Black Forest Fountain pen and I like it. I was looking to get another pen, would you recommend this pen? I noticed that many talk about the Lamy, yet there are so many pens out there that as you said don't get enough attention...why is that?
I had a Hexo once. My experience was not good at all. It was sold "as new" but when I got it, I uncapped it and ink went everywhere. Both cartridges were in the pen and open. The nib was scratchy, but it did write consistently. Maybe I'll give it another shot from a reputable dealer. I do like the brand in general.
1. This guy has some nice, new engineering. Kudos to Faber-Castell for moving forward. 2. I agree with you that it is a mystery why F-C is not more popular. They make the best steel nibs, folks! Buy one already. 3.Lately I have been using my Faber-Castell Neo Slims, with delight. Slim suits me, but they have a whole range of girths to satisfy everybody.
This pen I saw in Baroda in Preeti Pen stores, look and feel is very sober and as well balance while you post, the nib has a a definite character and feels different to that of any GER brand, MOC is very superior , clip is very strong but doesnt go with the barrel and finial, but I think the nib can be better designed for continuous writing. I hope FC hears this, they need to appoint more dealers in India.However Lamy is still upper crest.
Make a video on Platinum Prefonte and Platinum carbon ink dryness and put in drawer for couple of months and test same ink with parker vector pens as well
Mine just arrived today. Rose with broad nib. This is my first broad nib and it is slick! On Tomoe River especially. Before I gave it away my smoothest pen was a medium Pilot Explorer. This has a sweet spot - and weirdly it likes to be a bit more vertical to be smoothest - but I can write fast with it no problems. It doesn't take much of a roll to become scratchy and skippy. I don't see this as my EDC because the nib size isn't ideal for my handwriting. This is more of a fun pen to try out inks with shading and sheen. It would be fun to use at work on white post-its though. My only regret is that I forgot to buy a converter to go along with it. I'm stuck with the blue (more like purple) cartridge it came with for now. I got mine from Faber-Castell quite cheap. Cheaper than a Lamy Safari.
@@Doodlebud I know. I have a few pens that suffer from dry out. Some are put out to pasture, but some could use ink that doesn't dry out easily. Still no competition with well sealed caps that can be left for weeks, or months, and yet write well. If translucent you can see the condensation in the cap as proof that there is no dry out.
It would take a lot to prise me off my beloved Pilot78g’s but this I might just try tho’ not a big fan of isc’s: Pilot convertors are better for ink flow, imho:) - very interested in that infinity ink(not that I need it with my Pilots)
I do like those F-C nibs -- among the best (if not THE best) steel nibs. I have and like the Loom, the E-Motion etc...maybe they need some company? Their nibs are far better (IMO) than any Lamy.
Faber castel and diplomat makes one of the finest steel nibs out there. So i agree this is a Lamy killer as i would pick this one over the Lamy Safari/Alstar everytime.
I love F-C steel nibs so I don't know why I hesitated buying this pen. Maybe because it's the same nib on some of the other F-C I already have?? I don't know lol. Your video might have tipped the scales though. Thanks as always for the detailed review (and thank you -- and Blesket -- for the discount code!)
Yeah its a pretty good little pen. I know you're a big Safari fan so might be why. Seems to be a pretty good quality/price pen and a good alternative for those that really don't like the Safari/Al Star style pens.
@@Doodlebud Ah....now I know why I hesitated to buy a Hexo -- the colour range doesn't include bright colours! I'll have to see one in person. I believe Nikaido stocks them :)
Faber Castells are underrated pens. People know of the pens, but don't make too much noise about them. Shame really, because I think they have some of the best nibs. I recently tried a gold Graf von Faber Castell nib, and it was just a delight.
I agree. They work well and look unique. Maybe the one thing they don't do well is marketing. I'd imagine that a bit more effort astroturfing reddit and TH-cam and Instagram would pay some dividends. People want that social proof.
@@azzgunther Some look unique, some look drop dead boring. The Loom which is a fantastic pen, I find very plain. I love the E-Motion though. That is one classy pen. Hate to say this, but people got to get into a pen shop more if all they're going to be basing on social media. Of course there has to be a shop to go too. After all, a pen is a tactile experience.
Got this for 10 euros on Amazon, the only things Lamy has over it are the ink window and the swappable nibs, otherwise the Hexo blows Lamy completely out of the water, the nibs in particular are great.
Excellent review as usual! I recently got this pen as a gift in a fine nib and I love it! - the lines are just a little too broad for my taste and I was looking for an extra fine nib I could swap it with. Does anyone know if the nib on a FC Grip would be compatible with the Hexo?
The Hexo is in my five favourite fountain pens under US$50. The Lamy is not. Because favourite, not most popular. And I love my Rose Hexo, inked with Colorverse Sea Europa it’s perfection.
Issues with Faber-Castell is that it never includes a converter, so you have to search for one. My experience with their pens, other international converters are compatible, but their own branded ones work best with their pens.
It's not hard to find a FC converter. When I bought the E-Motion it did come with a converter, but the Schulfuller did not, but that was a $10 pen. Now that's a great pen for beginners.
Hexo is a decent pen for sure (I have a couple of them). And there is a pretty serious issue with the design! After a month or two the front plastic part comes a bit loose. And because of the hexagonal shape you can't twist it enough to tighten it up. It is still a decent pen, and never came too loose even after a year of daily use.
Oh interesting. I haven't had that happen yet but will keep my eye out for it. Wonder if its an inherent design flaw or just a flaw that creeps up with the odd pen if its out of spec just a touch?
@@Doodlebud I'm pretty sure it's a general design issue. Because my two pens are bought about 2 months apart from different retailers (even from different countries) and both became loose in time. I'm pretty sure it's because the front part can't rotate the last "segment" in the hexagonal barrel. I've tried forcing it, disassembling and assembling it again and sometimes feels a bit tighter. And maybe the issue is not the time of usage, but the number of times I disassemble it to fill up with ink.
Enjoyed and appreciate your review. Thanks. Crap pen. Who cares. Just ordered the Moonman......Majong.......Majohn Ti500 Titanium which is going to kick L2K out of the ballgame. Look forward to your, as usual, inciteful review.
had one.... Loved it, great nib, great cap, great looks, great feel ... and then the plastic cracked after 2 weeks ... got it replaced, great replacement ... then exchanging the cartridge while screwing it ... plastic cracked again ... WHY!!!!! its great but built of a absolute crap plastic, garbage bags have better plastics ... moved up got a faber castel e-motion ... happy ever since ... just bite the bullet spend more in faber castell or they use crap plastic, such a shame why put superb nib in a trash can plastic body???
Oh wow that's odd. I wonder if you have a bit of firm pressure when writing? I've never heard of that happening before. Glad you're enjoying the e-motion. Its one of my favs!
@@Doodlebud i fidget a lot with my pens... cap on .. off... roll ...etc. the plastic is just cheap and if you fidget those pens they crack... its a shame the nib is as good as emotion
I think Hexo is ok, I like the way it writes, but the difference between it and other pens from Faber Castell is quite big, for example Loom is far superior to this pen as a writing experience.
I tried the loom and just wasnt a fan (wasn't comfortable for me), but love this one. Good thing they have several offerings to let folks pick a winner for them
Hexagons are the bestagons
Nice one!
@@Doodlebud it’s a CGP Grey reference. It’s a great video! I recommend it.
😂
Why is nobody talking about that unboxing? That was one of the most satisfying things I've seen in *weeks*
Glad you enjoyed it, was my favorite part in doing the video 😆
Bought a Hexo at a local pen store last year, completely unaware that it existed and was willing to give it a shot. Very quickly became one of my favorite pens.
I have Lamys and a lot of pens some would call “comfortable” writers for workhorse sessions. The Hexo hands down has one of the most comfortable feels for long writing sessions. Unassuming pen with amazing performance. Can’t compliment it enough. Left it untouched for a couple months and came back to it, writes well!
Only complaints I would have is that
1) the capping mechanism (not the seal but the notch thing) can get worn down easy.
2) the body feels- maybe not flimsy, but a little thin. Can at times feel a little too light.
Otherwise, a top 10 pen for me.
The world needs more unboxings like that!😋
Those 6 seconds took surprisingly longer than I expected!
It was: Wow! I actually don't have to speed through this! THANK YOU!
Faber Castell makes great nibs. They're way underated. Not many youtubers talk about them. The F and EF nibs write the smoother than anything else I've tried.
I bought a lot of FC pens for cheap when I last traveled to Germany. You can never have enough good pens.
Very solid brand and great nibs. I would love to travel to Germany!
IA. I love all my Faber pens
But easy to dry out IMHO.
I'll be there in May so will be on the look out for stationary stores!
Yes, Hexo’s are great and under represented. The Faber-Castell nibs are fabulous right out of the box! That’s so rare these days. Thanks for the video!
That looks like a really good pen, thanks! I am a big Lamy and Kaweco fan and this one could be a nice addition to my collection. Cheers.
I was just looking into this pen, this review is right on time! Thanks again doodlebud!!
Great pen review DB! Indeed, it is a good Lamy AL Star alternative. May have to try one out. Love that it is a snap cap, and not a screw cap. Faber castell is a brand that few review. I wonder why? Most of the TH-cam reviews are on the latest Chinese fountain pens. I kind of get tired of those reviews.
I don't know why they don't get as much love, but they are some of my favorite and more reliable.
Every unboxing should be this speedy! THANK YOU!
Yup, thats about all there is to see LOL
got this pen as an graduation gift to myself since I didn't have a good pen that took SI cartridges and I am very pleased with it. I pair it with the al star usually and they are both some of my favs
The best part about your reviews (I think) is the humor. That un-boxing cracks me up.
Was a random thought that came into my mind as I was talking LOL. Was thinking let's have some fun!
I got the naurdwaur reference doodle bud. I said "Doot Doot" out loud for you. I didn't leave you hanging
I have three of these pens and I think they're great! They deserve more attention, definitely. Thanks for bringing more attention to these underrated pens!
Love the Bronze & Rose colors 😍
@@Doodlebud Agreed. The dark blue is nice, too.
I just love your delivery, so entertaining and funny, that unboxing part gave me a good chuckle. Big dad joke energy 😆
Im not much of an unboxing guy so thought I might as well get it done fast
That’s one of the many reasons I follow you with such entusiasm: You always review pens I love.
I have the Hexo Bronze! Currently inked with Diamine Salamander
Salamander!!! That just sounds like a fun ink!
@@Doodlebud it is!!
I had a hexo ballpoint. Loved it until someone else liked it better than me...
Will certainly consider buying this pen.
Thanks for the review.
Yeah I have no idea why FC is not popular, really solid pens. I think the most likely thing is that they haven't found a niche like Lamy or TWSBI in the fountain pen corner. I love their nibs a lot.
Really really like this pen. Absolutely brilliant. I have 2 Faber Castell pens the E-motion and the Loom. They’re both brilliant. Lamy pens generally leave me cold. Not so Faber Castell. Very underrated. Brilliant video and pretty much a flawless pen.
Its such a great little pen
I would like to see more of that wooden - metal Faber castell Andorra that you had there. Have you reviewed it? How it feels on the hand?
Its the Ondoro. I actually think its the very FIRST review I ever did. If you can stomach the video, give it a watch LOL
th-cam.com/video/ZlrY7wlcUls/w-d-xo.html
This was my first Faber-Castell. It means a lot to me as I found it in a small but amazing stationery in Italy. Awesome to see that you gave it a solid review!
The Loom is, if not criminally underrated (because I've never met anyone who has a bad word to say about it), then criminally underused anyway. Superb pen. The Hexo nib is lovely but the pen feels a bit pricey overall to me. But I can definitely see the appeal.
i bought one and its a bit scratchy with low ink flow sadly
F-C pens all seem pricy to me, except the beginner pens. Stopped me from buying the Ondoro and the E-Motion, both of which I covet. Nice German pens are just not cheap.
@@ichirofakename I bought my loom for $25
@@yannisl8259 That's a bargain.
@@ichirofakename yes but the nib will need some tweaking
in the art and trad art communitie faber catell I a super highly renowned for their excellent quality pen, pencil, ink, etc. was complatly unaware that they sold fountain pens, ill defo be looking into those now!
I own 2 F-C Looms and 1 Grip, with a mixture of fine and medium nibs. All three have the soothist nibs of all the many pens I own. If I were to dispose of all my pens I'd keep only the F-C. Thanks for this review.
Trust me when I say, I'm critical of Lamy's current choices in the market and don't feel the Safari is as good a pen as it used to be way back when.
And yet: no thanks, FC. Your color choices are astoundingly uninspired! black, blue, grey and 2 very faint metal hues? effin' golf clap, bois! You did it, truly revolutionary, chef's kiss!
Your Logo is way too big, and there's apparently no option I can turn it to the bottom (a thing I enjoy on the Safari), and of course on the Lamy it's all the way at the butt end of the barrel also, not right in the middle.
Coated clips are dumb; that's not future proof. It will eventually chip, won't it? There's no way the clip can flex and glide over rough materials without damaging the coating, is there?
Personally, I also think the nib looks way undersized on the pen. However, the EF writing sample shown here looks good. For a German EF it's good; that's because Lamy and Kaweco are both bloody terrible with the EF width, IMO.
I've bought cheap, no name knockoffs with better extra fine nibs than Lamy! The nib lottery is ridiculous from a supposedly top sale brand, at least their italics are great, love my 1.1 stub.
That unboxing was prime stuff dood!
I was about to peel off the sticker then had a quick idea!
Since this looked interesting enough and affordable I went looking for one. Here in Australia it's very hard to find a vendor who has stock. I found only one which is the same as the one you have - rose gold in EF. It also seems to be a fairly new offering from FC. I think they might have just seriously underestimated how much interest a good pen in this price range (In between Lamy Al-star and the LX) would generate. UK and US does appear to have some limited stock. I eventually found a UK Amazon listing with a free promotional shipping, so I do finally have one on the way. Dark Blue with M nib. Yes the available colours are a bit conservative - silver, blue, black, and rose gold.
Thanks for showing us
Used Faber Castell Neo Slim FP for years (i have two of them), great nib. The only problem i have is the cap loosened after al those years of use. If they upgrade to screw caps, its a perfect pen for me.
Bought one and it’s crazy good - for me so much better than the Lamy grip. I got the fine nib in silver and I’m totally impressed. No drying out it’s fantastic.
Great to hear
As a devout Kakuno fan, I was excited when the Hexo was announced, and was then puzzled and disappointed when it turned out that FC had decided to give their hexagon-themed pen a round grip instead of a hexagonal one. Sounds like I might need to give it a try anyway, though.
Great nibs, but the Kakuno itself has issues. Still a nice cheap source of good quality nibs to put in better nib holders. :)
@@martinlebl631 I have around a dozen more expensive pens, including a Pilot 823 and Lamy 2000, but I still use my cracked, stained Kakuno more than any other pen. Reliable, lightweight, clean thin line, satisfying tactile scritching on the page without being unpleasantly scratchy or tearing the paper-just a fantastic pen 🙃
How do the nib sizes of your Kakuno and your Hexo compare? (Do you have both pens in the same size?)
@@SmasherBunny I don't have a Hexo, but the F nib on my F-C Grip, which I expect is the same nib, is about the same width as the Pilot M nibs on my Kakunos. The Pilot F is finer than any European or Chinese EF I've used, and the Pilot EF that came on my Kakuno (I moved it to a Plumix) is amazingly fine and yet still a lovely smooth writer. The Pilot F and EF are my nibs of choice for writing small editing comments in the margins of papers printed on copier paper, or for inks like Noodler's 54th Mass. that spread out too much with other nibs.
@@karlpmueller Thanks! This helps. More pens should have triangular / hexagonal grip sections, and more pens should offer excellent super-fine nibs :)
Yes, I'm not a fan of the triangular grip or the look of the LAMY. So this is a great option to know about. I have a Faber-Castell Ambition and it is a great pen. Looking forward to your Infinity Ink review.
I agree. Lamy may be a wonderful pen, but aesthetics are a big factor too. I can't stand the looks of virtually the entire Lamy line.
I picked up one of these because I had heard good things about Faber Castell nibs and also because it came in Rose (I love pink pens!) But, I mistakenly neglected to select the nib size and wound up with an Extra Fine when I am a fan of Medium and Broad nibs! I was going to exchange it, but then I thought that since I have never tried an Extra Fine nib, I might as well keep it, just out of curiosity! I loved it! I even went back and purchased one in Bronze with a Broad Nib and 2 different models with Medium and Fine nibs. So now my Faber Castell collection is "complete" (pens with nibs in every size!) I really like brands that offer affordable pens that are not only nice to look at, but that are great writers! I especially like the long grip section--that is actually a feature I look for these days before choosing to buy a pen.
Sometimes is good to try out a different nib point size, and looks like it turned out like a good "mistake." Good to hear the pens are working out for you
@@Doodlebud I recognized that sometimes there is a need for small handwriting, so having a fine or extra fine helps me accomplish that! A pen for every purpose, right?
Even if the purpose is just having fun
Do you notice any difference between the nibs that have a breather hole and the ones that don't?
The nibs on the hexo and e motion are different by the way. The hexo (along with other pens like the grip) have breather holes and the e motion (along with pens like the loom or ambition ) don't. I've found their higher end nibs to be slightly smoother and much stiffer, however that may just be my experience.
I think it's because you cannot inter change the nib like a Lamy
The fact it has a rounded grip might make me get one to replace my Lamy. I really hate grips that cannot be reversed (I draw with my pens so the reverse thinner marks are very important for me)
Blesket is in my backyard. See if you can get them to send you the Schulfuller to review. FC nib, $10, soft rubberized tripod grip ( much better than the Safari). I think you'll enjoy it, and you can pass it down to your daughter. Or grid it.
I'll see what I can do ;)
I loved the unboxing 😂 and I love this pen. Great video!
Nice review, thanks. I purchased this pen a few months ago because I read very positive reviews about its nib, actually about all Faber-Castell nibs. When I first used it I liked the pen for reasons you’ve talked about in this video, except for the nib. The tines were way misaligned and even after aligning them, the nib was somewhat a little scratchy. It needed some work with micro-mesh. Now it writes smoothly and I may buy another FC again, but can’t be very enthusiastic.
If you ever run into nib issues with a new pen, whichever the brand, contact the retailer and let them know. Typically they will take care of you really well and remedy your issues
@@Doodlebud Thanks for the advice. I have actually done that (I'm doing with a very faulty Pelikan M805 replacement nib). Maybe I didn't do it this time because it seemed too much trouble (I live in Mexico City and bought it from Cult Pens with a good discount) for something I thought I could solve.
Comes with a converter too?! I just bought an ambition and it doesn't even come with a converter for double the price. I'm gonna head back to my local pen store tomorrow and take a look at this to compare it to the Lamy al star. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
3:13 The nib on the E-motion is different from the Hexo. The E-motion does not have a breather hole, whilst this does.
It is the Grip Fountain Pen that has the same nib as the Hexo.
Good point. Love their standard nib in the Essentio, and their little curved nib in the Neo Slim, and the beginner nib in their 3 beginner pens. I haven't tried the Grip/Hexo nib personally, but my best guess is that I would like it.
And the Grip also is a good writer & well balanced pen ! FC makes good out of the box nibs generally but unfortunately,the higher end pens have steel sections. Uncomfortable for dry hands.
That fountain pen sounds like a winner. I wonder what those Private Reserve Infinity Inks have in them. Perhaps you could run a chemical composition?.
Just need a $30K piece of equipment and I can do that 😁
@@Doodlebud You are right. I don't want you to be DoodlePoor or DoodleBroke.
I wonder why Nathan hasn't put out an ink in this category.
Been wanting to try this out. I have the rollerball and really like the feel of the body. It feels more substantial than the Lamy.
I’ve yet to ever purchase a Faber-Castell fountain pen. I believe I had some ball point or roller ball many years ago. The kind you could just buy in a corner drugstore her in the states. I really like this pen. It’s seems simple, unassuming, yet gracious in its appearance. It’s a good price as well. Like you said in your review, it seems to hit all the bells and whistles. Wait, did you say that or did I think it? 🤔
Anyway. I will be purchasing one of these as soon as I can.
I can see this being an everyday writer and carrying it around with me everywhere. If I went anywhere that is. Got to do something about that. Lol.
Thanks much for the review.
Cheers
Its solid all the way around. Good for the office, business, school, EDC, etc. Just simple, reliable, writes well, and looks pretty good 👍
@@Doodlebud thanks to your review. Otherwise I think this little girl would have gone unnoticed for a long while. 👍
This is a great pen -- mine is also the bronze, with a converter, but with the F nib. Much better look and feel than the Lamy Safari, I think. And the slightly bouncy nib is far nicer than a Safari or anything in this class. Thanks for this video.
I have two Faber-Castell pens, both like the Hexo, precision engineered and manufactured. Best $50 pens in the world.
I prefer the FC nib feel to Lamy nibs. To most gold nibs for that matter. Faber Castel grinds their nibs for a "pencil like" feel. A perfect amount of smooth feedback. Not like other brands.
I like the design buy Faber Castell did a weird thing where their converters fit loosely on their own pens and gave me issues with this pen. I’ll have to pull it out and compare to yours. Maybe they tweaked it since then?
Thats odd, I've never heard of that before. I use their converters in many other pens since I find they fit really well
Is this the same nib that’s on the loom? I like the look of this one.
As far as I know its the same nib. The Hexo has a breather hole but Loom doesn't I believe. But same sized nibs
This looks like a very good budget pen.
I like to have a couple of budget pens just living in my shoulder bag.
What sank Lamy Al-Star for me is that they dry out and that most nibs I get from them needs polishing up to reduce scratchiness.
F.B. nibs are very good.
Great review - Thank you.
Great review. I feel that it is the entry level pens that will bring in the new users, and help the old folks enjoy a renaissance and the innovation that may result. I also love the tip about the ink for pens that dry out. I adore my Noodler's charlie pen, but it is not always ready for taking notes at short notice... Same issue it seems - a pen you love but with one flaw that limits its potential.
A very good pen. With the Lamy you get a better rang of nibs. Both great pens . The Ondoro is a really nicely weighted,knock about,compact utility pen. Smooth writer.
I think I would like a non wooden version of the ondoro more. I liked the looks & idea for the wood, but just not into it so much. The orange one really catches my eye!
Thanks for the video. Does the HEXO write as smooth and the Lamy Safari etc..? they say that to writes really smooth. I just started my fountain pen journey, and purchased the HongDian Black Forest Fountain pen and I like it. I was looking to get another pen, would you recommend this pen? I noticed that many talk about the Lamy, yet there are so many pens out there that as you said don't get enough attention...why is that?
I'm a fc big fan ✌️
Thank you 🌹❤️
The grip is like the safari, and this must be the lx. The loom is somewhere on this continuum too. It’s in more color options but I hate the caps.
Loom snap cap is way too stiff
Does this replace the Loom? I haven’t been able to find the Loom even tho everyone loves it
I don't think they are making the Loom any longer
Can you see the remaining ink though the section?
Its pretty dark to be able to see that
Would you recommend this over the Lamy?
It all depends on what you like / don't like. Both are great pens. I do the videos so people have the info they need to help make their decisions
Yikes! My brand new hexo (f) will not write - flushed, gvfc converter, gvfc cartridge 😭
@@pepperpath I always recommend you reach out to the retailer if you run into an issue
I had a Hexo once. My experience was not good at all. It was sold "as new" but when I got it, I uncapped it and ink went everywhere. Both cartridges were in the pen and open. The nib was scratchy, but it did write consistently. Maybe I'll give it another shot from a reputable dealer. I do like the brand in general.
Sounds like there was some sorta funny business going on before you got the pen
@@Doodlebud that's what I get for ordering from Amazon
Bad luck. You might want to consider trying again, from a pen store.
@@ichirofakename I probably will. I thought it said it was shipped from Goldspot, but I was wrong. Only Faber-Castell I've ever had any issues with.
Great review. I keep eyeballing these for a bag pen. Is the cap plastic or aluminum? I might have missed if you said.
Full exterior shell is aluminum with a plastic liner on the inside
@@Doodlebud Thanks!
Best unboxing EVER!!! EPIC!
I like 'em a little bit shorter.
Last minute idea as I was doing the video. I thought it was fun & glad others enjoyed it too
1. This guy has some nice, new engineering. Kudos to Faber-Castell for moving forward.
2. I agree with you that it is a mystery why F-C is not more popular. They make the best steel nibs, folks! Buy one already.
3.Lately I have been using my Faber-Castell Neo Slims, with delight. Slim suits me, but they have a whole range of girths to satisfy everybody.
3) heh heh GIRTH....heh heh... SATISFY... heh heh
They labor in the shadows of Lamy, and I always wonder why. Makes no sense really. Must be the cult of Safari, and their annual new colors.
@@Doodlebud Oh you saucy boy!
Have you tried Diplomat steel nibs !
This pen I saw in Baroda in Preeti Pen stores, look and feel is very sober and as well balance while you post, the nib has a a definite character and feels different to that of any GER brand, MOC is very superior , clip is very strong but doesnt go with the barrel and finial, but I think the nib can be better designed for continuous writing. I hope FC hears this, they need to appoint more dealers in India.However Lamy is still upper crest.
Can you replace the nib?
Yup, it pulls out and you can swap in different nibs that are of the same nib size
Make a video on Platinum Prefonte and Platinum carbon ink dryness and put in drawer for couple of months and test same ink with parker vector pens as well
Mine just arrived today. Rose with broad nib. This is my first broad nib and it is slick! On Tomoe River especially. Before I gave it away my smoothest pen was a medium Pilot Explorer. This has a sweet spot - and weirdly it likes to be a bit more vertical to be smoothest - but I can write fast with it no problems. It doesn't take much of a roll to become scratchy and skippy. I don't see this as my EDC because the nib size isn't ideal for my handwriting. This is more of a fun pen to try out inks with shading and sheen. It would be fun to use at work on white post-its though. My only regret is that I forgot to buy a converter to go along with it. I'm stuck with the blue (more like purple) cartridge it came with for now. I got mine from Faber-Castell quite cheap. Cheaper than a Lamy Safari.
Interesting ink. Might give it a try. Although still prefer a pen that seals well, so it can use any old ink.
I prefer a proper design too. But at least it's a way to be able to use the pen now.
@@Doodlebud I know. I have a few pens that suffer from dry out. Some are put out to pasture, but some could use ink that doesn't dry out easily. Still no competition with well sealed caps that can be left for weeks, or months, and yet write well. If translucent you can see the condensation in the cap as proof that there is no dry out.
It would take a lot to prise me off my beloved Pilot78g’s but this I might just try tho’ not a big fan of isc’s: Pilot convertors are better for ink flow, imho:) - very interested in that infinity ink(not that I need it with my Pilots)
Hello, would you be so kind to tell me if this pen uses international cartridges please?
Yup it takes standard international cartridges
@@Doodlebud Thank you very much sir, it was a nice review, I'm gonna add one of these to my collection :)
I do like those F-C nibs -- among the best (if not THE best) steel nibs. I have and like the Loom, the E-Motion etc...maybe they need some company? Their nibs are far better (IMO) than any Lamy.
Faber castel and diplomat makes one of the finest steel nibs out there. So i agree this is a Lamy killer as i would pick this one over the Lamy Safari/Alstar everytime.
I love F-C steel nibs so I don't know why I hesitated buying this pen. Maybe because it's the same nib on some of the other F-C I already have?? I don't know lol. Your video might have tipped the scales though. Thanks as always for the detailed review (and thank you -- and Blesket -- for the discount code!)
Yeah its a pretty good little pen. I know you're a big Safari fan so might be why. Seems to be a pretty good quality/price pen and a good alternative for those that really don't like the Safari/Al Star style pens.
@@Doodlebud Ah....now I know why I hesitated to buy a Hexo -- the colour range doesn't include bright colours! I'll have to see one in person. I believe Nikaido stocks them :)
Ahhh yes, the colours are a bit bland.
@@Doodlebud Or "conservative" 😉
Best unboxing ever! 😂
Love the Hexo (I have the fine) and is a great writer.
Faber Castells are underrated pens. People know of the pens, but don't make too much noise about them. Shame really, because I think they have some of the best nibs. I recently tried a gold Graf von Faber Castell nib, and it was just a delight.
I agree. They work well and look unique. Maybe the one thing they don't do well is marketing. I'd imagine that a bit more effort astroturfing reddit and TH-cam and Instagram would pay some dividends. People want that social proof.
@@azzgunther Good point.
@@azzgunther Some look unique, some look drop dead boring. The Loom which is a fantastic pen, I find very plain. I love the E-Motion though. That is one classy pen. Hate to say this, but people got to get into a pen shop more if all they're going to be basing on social media. Of course there has to be a shop to go too. After all, a pen is a tactile experience.
Got this for 10 euros on Amazon, the only things Lamy has over it are the ink window and the swappable nibs, otherwise the Hexo blows Lamy completely out of the water, the nibs in particular are great.
That's a great deal!
@@Doodlebud Amazon has been giving some good deals this year, the best I got so far was a Pelikan 200 for 76 euros, never saw it this cheap.
Also, I loved that nardwuar reference at the end.
Finally somebody got that!
@@Doodlebud after you, he is one of the greatest Canadians out there!
You mean waaaaaaay before me he's one of the greatest Canadians out there!
Best unboxing ever.
Excellent review as usual! I recently got this pen as a gift in a fine nib and I love it! - the lines are just a little too broad for my taste and I was looking for an extra fine nib I could swap it with. Does anyone know if the nib on a FC Grip would be compatible with the Hexo?
I quickly stopped using mine because the nib dries out very quickly (sealing problem) and the cap comes off too easily.
I have 3 Hexos, they work well. The international long cart adds to the usefulness. FC is the 2nd oldest pencil maker,
The Hexo is in my five favourite fountain pens under US$50. The Lamy is not. Because favourite, not most popular. And I love my Rose Hexo, inked with Colorverse Sea Europa it’s perfection.
I like the looks of that.
Its a beauty!
I've had really bad experiences with the QA of Faber Castell. Glad if that's improved.
Oh wow, if you ever run into issues I always recommend to contact the seller you bought it from. Generally they take care of you pretty good
That's a beauty! 😍👍
Everybody talking about the unboxing, but what about the epic nardwuar ending????
😉
Issues with Faber-Castell is that it never includes a converter, so you have to search for one. My experience with their pens, other international converters are compatible, but their own branded ones work best with their pens.
That's odd, all mine including this have come with a converter
Never got converters with fountain pens.
It's not hard to find a FC converter. When I bought the E-Motion it did come with a converter, but the Schulfuller did not, but that was a $10 pen. Now that's a great pen for beginners.
Maybe they include one on pens above a certain price point?
@@Doodlebud Europe is a cartridge area.
Cool pen indeed!!! P.R. makes really nice inks.
This infinity ink can do crazy stuff!
Lamykiller? ISWYDT, Professor Marcus! 🤣😂🤣
Just bought it as an Xmas gift for my daughter. About €37 🙂
Oh nice hope she likes it
You are really growing
Slowly but surely
Hexo is a decent pen for sure (I have a couple of them). And there is a pretty serious issue with the design! After a month or two the front plastic part comes a bit loose. And because of the hexagonal shape you can't twist it enough to tighten it up. It is still a decent pen, and never came too loose even after a year of daily use.
Oh interesting. I haven't had that happen yet but will keep my eye out for it. Wonder if its an inherent design flaw or just a flaw that creeps up with the odd pen if its out of spec just a touch?
@@Doodlebud I'm pretty sure it's a general design issue. Because my two pens are bought about 2 months apart from different retailers (even from different countries) and both became loose in time. I'm pretty sure it's because the front part can't rotate the last "segment" in the hexagonal barrel. I've tried forcing it, disassembling and assembling it again and sometimes feels a bit tighter. And maybe the issue is not the time of usage, but the number of times I disassemble it to fill up with ink.
Cool pen!
Just because it's NOT a LAMY, it gets my interest. 😁
Yes for some, LAMY gets no love 💔
Made in Slovenia. Isn't FC a German maker?
They are but they also have production sites in 10 different countries
But aren’t they more expensive than Lamys? So it would be like comparing a 100usd pen vs a 5usd pen.
It's not 20X the cost
Enjoyed and appreciate your review. Thanks. Crap pen. Who cares. Just ordered the Moonman......Majong.......Majohn Ti500 Titanium which is going to kick L2K out of the ballgame. Look forward to your, as usual, inciteful review.
had one.... Loved it, great nib, great cap, great looks, great feel ... and then the plastic cracked after 2 weeks ... got it replaced, great replacement ... then exchanging the cartridge while screwing it ... plastic cracked again ... WHY!!!!! its great but built of a absolute crap plastic, garbage bags have better plastics ... moved up got a faber castel e-motion ... happy ever since ... just bite the bullet spend more in faber castell or they use crap plastic, such a shame why put superb nib in a trash can plastic body???
Oh wow that's odd. I wonder if you have a bit of firm pressure when writing? I've never heard of that happening before. Glad you're enjoying the e-motion. Its one of my favs!
@@Doodlebud i fidget a lot with my pens... cap on .. off... roll ...etc. the plastic is just cheap and if you fidget those pens they crack... its a shame the nib is as good as emotion
I think Hexo is ok, I like the way it writes, but the difference between it and other pens from Faber Castell is quite big, for example Loom is far superior to this pen as a writing experience.
I tried the loom and just wasnt a fan (wasn't comfortable for me), but love this one. Good thing they have several offerings to let folks pick a winner for them