Notebook Review: Stifflexible Notebooks

At this year's Atlanta Pen Show (way back in April, yes I know) I had the opportunity to check out Italian brand Stifflexible's updated line of notebooks. The primary selling point of Stifflexible Notebooks is the cover: it's a hardcover notebook that "flexes," making it easier to cram into an overstuffed briefcase or backpack without permanently damaging the cover. Not a major selling point for everybody, but I can see where it could come in handy for certain people. Stifflexible notebooks are made by the same company as Giuliano Mazzuoli pens, and are distributed by Luxury Brands USA, who regularly attend pen shows with a full display of these notebooks in tow. 

Stifflexible Notebooks contain 192 pages of 80g ivory paper, which handles fountain pen ink quite well. 144 of those pages are lined, 32 are blank, and 16 are perforated graph. If you don't like lined paper, you're out of luck: I've not seen any all-blank or all-graph versions, but I can only assume that may be in the works at some point down the line. I'd personally love to see a notebook full of perforated graph paper. If you've tried Stifflexible notebooks in the past and did not have a great experience with fountain pens, the paper has recently been upgraded in response to customer feedback. The paper in my notebook handled pretty much any nib and ink combo I was able to throw at it, including a very wet medium loaded with Colorverse. (I don't typically write with anything much broader on a daily basis.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

These are very nice notebooks with good paper; my one quibble being the lack of all-graph or all-blank options. The flexible cover isn't something that I necessarily need, but I can see how it would come in handy for students or road warriors who have to lug around an overstuffed bag. The cover art on these books is extremely well done, and I love the gold Paris Metro Map cover that I chose. A wide range of other designs are also available, as you can see from the Luxury Brands pen show display below. I may very well pick up a couple more this coming weekend in D.C.! 

Distributor Luxury Brands brings a wide array of Stifflexible notebooks to pen shows. 

Anderson Pens carries the full line of Stifflexible notebooks in a range of sizes from extra large all the way to small/pocket. (The notebook pictured here is the "medium" size, which is A5-ish and measures 5" x 8 1/4".) Pricing is $29 for the extra large, $18 for the large, $16.50 for the medium, and $11.50 for the small, all of which is a fairly standard price point for notebooks of this quality.

Disclaimer: I received the notebook featured in this review from Luxury Brands USA, the Stifflexible Distributor, free of charge for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this review.  

Pen Review: Giuliano Mazzuoli Moka Fountain Pen

It’s rare that you find a product that embodies three of your favorite things - coffee, fountain pens, and unique design - but Giuliano Mazzuoli has done it with the Moka, an attractive, pocketable fountain pen inspired by the iconic Bialetti “Moka Pot” stovetop coffee/espresso maker. You may recall my review of the Mazzuoli “Officina” series from last year, in which I looked at both the fountain pen and the ballpoint/clutch pencil combo. While I won’t repeat myself too much here, Giuliano Mazzuoli is a line of Italian-made pens from the eponymous designer. The brand has been around for some time, but recently has become more visible in the United States with both the Officina and Moka series receiving a lot of attention.

Consistent with how much coffee I drink ("too much"), I don't have the smaller, faceted version of the Bialetti that inspired the pen. I own the larger ten-cup model, pictured here. 

While the Moka is a beautiful pen, and I absolutely love the design, the section is too narrow for me and I therefore couldn’t use it for more than the shortest of notes. That said, on a pen of this size, short note-taking is likely it’s intended purpose. If you have smaller hands, or are looking for a pocket fountain pen that doesn’t sport the admittedly banal design of many “pocket pens", the Moka might be a great option for you. The medium nib on my pen was smooth and well-tuned, reminiscent of high-quality German steel nibs from Faber-Castell and Otto Hutt.

There is no scrollwork or adornment on the stainless nib, lending the pen a very clean look that doesn't distract from the faceted body and hourglass shape. 

As with the Officina series, Mazzuoli’s packaging and presentation are top-notch. The Moka comes with a small rubber “grip sheet” (sort of like a jar opener) to help unscrew the section, which has an extremely tight fit.  Also, while the Moka does allow you to post the cap onto threads recessed into the back of the pen - a nice design touch - I didn't really like the look and preferred to use this one unposted. (Note: my photograph of the pen posted came out blurred, which I didn't notice until after I had already returned the pen. Pen Chalet has some shots of the pen with the cap posted on the back.) 

What I referred to as the "jar opener" that was included with the pen to help you open the section. Note that the section has less girth than a standard international cartridge. It's that skinny.

I'd purchase a full-size version of this pen in a heartbeat. Think Lamy Aion with the Bialetti styling! Brushed black aluminum and chrome trim form a great combination, reminiscent of my Otto Hutt Design 06. 

The Moka comes in both aluminum and resin models. The pen featured in this review is crafted from brushed aluminum, and is available in black, ivory, and red. The resin version, dubbed the “Moka Chiaroscuro”, is available in red, black, blue, orange, and white. While one of the various mini converters might fit this pen, I've never found a good one. Therefore, I'd consider the Moka to be cartridge-only.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Since this pen was a loaner, I didn’t test it extensively “in the wild,” but from what I've seen so far I continue to be impressed with the quality of Mazzuoli pens. As I mentioned, given the slim section, whether this pen could serve as a comfortable daily writer depends on hand size. The nib, however, is quite nice, and having this pen on your desk at work would be quite the conversation-starter.

The Mazzuoli Moka has a MSRP of $156, with most retailers listing the pen for somewhere around $125, such as our site sponsor Pen Chalet. This price seems fair to me, given the quality of both the build and the design. Many thanks to Carol and the team at Luxury Brands for loaning me this pen for review!

Disclaimer: Luxury Brands loaned me the pen featured in this review free of charge, for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

Pen Review: Giuliano Mazzuoli Officina Ballpoint and Fountain Pen

Giuliano Mazzuoli is one of those brands that’s come on and off my radar over the past few years. I recall reading about one of their pens on the now-dormant FPGeeks website four or five years ago, but then they seemed to have dropped out of sight until this year’s D.C. Pen Show, when I noticed them at the table for distributor Luxury Brands. A month or so later, Carol from Luxury Brands reached out and asked whether I would be interested in borrowing some pens for review.

A Bit About Mazzuoli, the Company

Mazzuoli pens are the product of their eponymous designer, and are sold as part of his 3.6.5 sub-brand that focuses on writing instruments. (Giuliano Mazzuoli also designs a line of wristwatches.) Per the company, the pens are made in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy, and the website references a design partnership with motorcycle company Ducati. 

While I have a few different Mazzuoli models to review, I figured that I would start with the most classic design, the “Officina,” which Luxury Brands sent me in both a fountain pen and ballpoint version. Capped, the fountain pen and ballpoint look the same: a medium-sized, semi-cigar shaped metal pen (but for a flat back-end), featuring different patterns of knurling on the barrel. The first thing I noticed was the weight: these are very light metal pens, made from aluminum, yet they don’t feel insubstantial. The pens were a touch short for me to use unposted, but posting the cap did not affect the weight and balance at all.    

Officina “CassetTa” Ballpoint

The Officina "Cassetta" includes a leather pen sleeve. 

The Officina ballpoint (dubbed the “Cassetta”) is my favorite of these two pens. And it’s not just a ballpoint - it’s a convertible clutch pencil! While not a true “multi pen,” the option to swap in a pencil scratches that itch for me, and I love how Mazzuoli includes all of the necessary accessories in the box, so you don’t have to go searching for a lead pointer, etc.

Under the "false bottom" of the box, you'll find three additional Schmidt Easyflow Refills, the clutch pencil insert with multicolor leads, a lead pointer, and an eraser.

One note on the ballpoint’s design: I had to adjust my grip a bit to account for the lack of a smooth section on the Cassetta. In order to avoid holding the pen by the somewhat sharp threads, I had to either slide my grip back higher than I normally would, or move it down almost to the tip. Since I don’t use ballpoints for longer writing sessions, but rather only for shorter notes, this didn’t end up being that big of a deal, but it warrants mentioning here.

Officina Fountain Pen

The fountain pen version of the Officina that I received sported a different design, called “Micrometer Chrome.” While the pen kept the same shape, it featured three “bands” of knurling on an otherwise smooth metal pen. (Note, the fountain pen is also available in the “End Mill” and “Knurler Chrome” designs, if you prefer a completely textured barrel.)

Giuliano Mazzuoli fountain pens feature stock Schmidt stainless steel nibs. Not particularly exciting, but quality and reliable.

The fountain pen does not have the same section as the ballpoint. It instead sports a polished metal section that offers more room to grip the pen, and as a result the Officina fountain pen ended up being quite comfortable during my limited test. Mazzuoli chose to go with a Schmidt stainless steel nib - a reliable German workhorse that is relatively inexpensive, and has the added benefit of keeping the price of the pen down. The Officina uses a cartridge/converter filling system.    

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The Mazzuoli Officina collection is a fun set of writing instruments all around, but if I had to choose, I’d probably go with the Cassetta ballpoint. For starters, it’s a good value, considering what is included in the package. In the box, you receive the pen, three Schmidt Easyflow refills (red, black, and blue), a swappable clutch pencil mechanism, a set of clutch pencil leads, and eraser, lead pointer, and a leather pen sleeve. I love the presentation, and the Officina Cassetta would make a great gift idea for a ballpoint fan who also draws or enjoys writing with pencils. MSRP on the Cassetta ranges from $172-183, depending on the model, with the retailer "street" price typically coming in lower. MSRP on the Officina fountain pen ranges from $103-112 (again, typically with a lower price at actual retail) and also represents good value, but for some reason the uniqueness of the Cassetta "system" really drew me in - I've never seen anything like it on the market.       

While more retailers are starting to stock Giuliano Mazzuoli writing instruments, the pens are still relatively difficult to find. Currently, you can purchase them from our sponsor Pen Chalet, who carries both of the Officina pens reviewed here (the fountain pen and the “Cassetta” ballpoint) as well as other available models. Stay tuned for additional reviews!

Disclaimer: These two pens were sent to me on loan by Luxury Brands, the U.S. distributor for Giuliano Mazzuoli writing instruments, as well as Platinum, Noodler’s Ink, and others. Many thanks to Carol for making this review possible. This post contains affiliate links. 

EDIT: This post has been modified to clarify some information on pricing.