Like many other German stationery brands, Faber-Castell excels across many price points. The fancier, more expensive, products tend to get most of the press, but if you are a general stationery lover, their lower-priced office and school pens are well worth checking out. The Faber-Castell Poly Flow Fountain Pen is a perfect example.
A basic box, with a sticker on the end that matches the pen color.
The Poly series of pens features a lightly-textured, but firm, exterior barrel material, and yes, some wild colors that spoke to me. I had to have this Purple and Orange gradient model, named Punchy Melon, because look at it! Ok, don’t run away because I love the vibrant colors - there is Black, too!
Crazy colors or not, the Poly Flow has been a blast to use, and not just because of the aesthetic. For starters, the nib is excellent. I shouldn’t be surprised, because nearly every basic beginner nib I’ve used from big companies like LAMY, Pelikan, Pilot, Platinum, etc. are all excellent. They know how to treat first time users right.
This goes for experienced users, too, because while the Poly Flow is only available in Medium, I find it wonderful to write with. It doesn’t have purely round tipping, but rather a slightly square style that works well with my handwriting. It’s controllable, which on a wider nib feels great.
The ink flow has been perfect through the #5 sized nib and feed. It uses international cartridges and converters, so I grabbed one of my standard converters (it does not come with one,) and inked it up with Montblanc Bram Stoker Purple because matchy-matchy. Perfect, right? Like I said before, I should stop being surprised at how well a nib like this can perform.
It’s a bit of an optical illusion, but there is a “shape” to the barrel and grip section.
The main consideration for the Poly Flow is that it has a rounded-edge triangle shape throughout the barrel, which also appears in the grip section. This is for ergonomic reasons, but only if your grip is already ergonomic, or you want to learn are more traditional writing grip. It’s not as extreme as something like a LAMY Safari, but you will want your fingers to align to be comfortable.
Another note on the shape: to cap the pen, you need to line up the cap and barrel ridges to snap tight. It’s simple, but if you aren’t paying attention, you will find resistance until you rotate it to close.
For $22, I’m thrilled with what the Faber-Castell Poly Flow brings to the table. It’s as fun to look at as it is to use, and the nib is a real standout. I can see it getting a lot of use at home, or tossed in a bag and used on the go. There are plenty of colors, and even some Ballpoint and Gift Set options as well. Well done Faber-Castell!
(This product was purchased from Goldspot at a discounted price.)
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