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Flex nib suggestions?

So, I'm pondering getting another pen, having resisted the AD's for the most part. I'm curious to give a flex nib a try, so I'm looking for the entry level type one I can add to a list and pick up at some point in the next month or three, since I need to get some stationary as well... running low due to letter writing. lol
 
Take note people, it's time to start recruiting nicely suggestion people check out the NIB :)

As for flex, I would suggest dip pens. they're cheap and wonderfully flexy.
 
Just cause I just picked up a bottle of Iroshizuku Asa Gao, looking at a different nib for one of my B&B Franklin Christoph's, a flex nib pen, more stationary, and have more pens currently inked than ever before means nothing at all... I'm sure of it.
 
As James would say, you're doomed :)

I'm interested in your choice of stationary and pens, however, as it directly affects me :biggrin1:
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
A true flex nib for a fountain pen is tough to get outside of a vintage gold nib and they don't come cheap. As suggested though, you can find quite affordable dip pen nibs to try your hand at and see if it's for you. If it is, then maybe a vintage Waterman or Wahl/Eversharp could be found. Otherwise, the modern alternative is what James got, a Namiki Falcon, I think it was SA nib. He'll come along shortly.

I've been meaning to get a dip pen nib hooked up with a vintage feed for a pen like an Esterbrook, there's a Brause rose nib I think ...
 
As someone just starting out, I ordered a Noodler's Creaper with their flex nib. Under $20 and (per Goulet) not as finicky as the Ahab. I also saw a review of Airport as a flex fountain pen.
 
so I'm looking for the entry level type one

That could be an issue. Flex is best had in vintage, and your hit or miss on anything good at a great low price online auction wise. Those that are marked and sold from great online stores usually charge pretty high for flex, and online auctions that can show good flex will usually bring a good dollar as well. As for modern flex, only three fountain pens I know cant get close. A modified Namiki Falcon from Nibs.com... you will be over 200 for the pem, and his mods will run another 110, without the mods though it does have a soft feeling with variation would could call flex, its just less so. the Pilot Custom heritage 912 as well as 743 can be had with a #10 and #15 FA nib which is a bit softer then the falcon nibs with a little more spread to them (Andrew98 has had both, im going off a memory of a conversation about the two, FA is softer then the falcon) but these can be temperamental pens to play with, Ive figured out my 912 and got it working great, but again your looking at 150-200 for the 912 and over 200-250 for the 743, although these are higher end pens in the Pilot line and are very nice, I would hardly call them entry level

The Noodlers pens have a bit of give to them, but they are a long way off from being called flex, my Pelikan M205 (100 bucks) has more give once I broke the nib in a bit


If you want to play with real flex without spending much money my suggestions would be to go to
Paperinkarts.com and pick up the following

Nib holder (Oblique is better but a straight will work too and wont feel as awkward but will wear a nib out faster) the plastic ones are fine they will cost you about 2.00

Tachikawa G nib, about 2.00 each, get 5 or so

And a bottle of McCaffery's penmans ink,... lots of flex for under 20 bucks, and you wont get anywhere near that kind of price to quality ration in a fountain pen, outside of a good score at a pen show maybe (That I know of, hold out for other peoples opinions as well), the dip pens will help teach you some good habits too, like what light pressure really is, and they can make beautiful variations quickly and easily on the fly

Flex is a quest lol best of luck to you on your journey, and I hope you do find a great matching pen for what your looking for
 
the modern alternative is what James got, a Namiki Falcon, I think it was SA nib. He'll come along shortly.

I've been meaning to get a dip pen nib hooked up with a vintage feed for a pen like an Esterbrook, there's a Brause rose nib I think ...
Btw I have the Pilot 912 with a soft FA nib (I have a review in the review sticky on this pen, and the difference in the nibs), not the falcon, Andy has that one, and has owned both. He was driven batty with the flow issues of the FA nib, but I think i found a few ways around that (A different converter for one, the con70 has issues, i now use a con20 and it fixed most of my problems right off the bat) and I played with the nib alignment a little, closing the gap a bit at the tips.

but that is a very soft nib, if you get it you need a very light touch, and make sure you dont flex on any angle but straight back, or you will mess up the alignment of the nib, or roll a tine. It I think would be a good idea to teach yourself on a dip pen, blow a few 1-2 dollar dip nibs out during your learning curve rather then a 100 dollar gold nib

Not to mention, my dips stuff can out perform my 200 dollar fountain pen, any day of the week
 
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For vintage fountain pens with flexible nibs, how do you tell which ones flex (and to what degree)? (Waterman, Eversharp, et cetera)
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
For vintage fountain pens with flexible nibs, how do you tell which ones flex (and to what degree)? (Waterman, Eversharp, et cetera)

My well developed sense of feel after many years of practice gently pushing the pen's nib down on the middle of my left thumbnail. Really. You need to have the pen in hand, of course.

Seriously, many nibs, once you understand the brand are identifiable by markings and shape. Eversharp is one you can gauge fairly well even on lousy eBay pics (shape of the shoulders, banner, length of nib slit). Parker is a tough one to tell from looking, as is Pelikan.

Another problem is that what one person thinks is flexy may only be semi-flex to another as it really isn't quantifiable or hasn't been made so yet.
 
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once in a while you will see pictures on ebay of the pens written lines, then you see the person say "They dont know much about pens" lol that gets kind of scary as well as to how much pressure they put onto the nib,

and the pens from pen guys who will show off mega flex, usually fetch above 200 bucks, I know, I stalk the heck out of them trying to find a good deal, after over a year I have yet to find one.

Pen shows are really where its at, no auction to force prices up, you can get a good pen, in a room of many good pens, for a good price while having a chance to feel it out in person. Unfortunately I dont have any pen shows near me to do this, as many of us dont. hence the dip pens, I am still looking for a good FP with soem great flex that has really nice snap back to it though.... maybe one day
 
I'm no flex expert compared to James and others on the board, but I'll second his Pelikan suggestion. I have a 205 as well and it is by far my most nimble writer/flexer. My Ahab is a nice pen that can throw a heavy line, but takes more force than I like to do so.

The Pelikan makes great lines for decent cost point
 
OK then. Lots of info, and thanks to everyone that chimed in. The gist is sadly what I was hoping to find or hear about doesn't really exist. That's OK I guess, I didn't really need another pen. lol
 
OK then. Lots of info, and thanks to everyone that chimed in. The gist is sadly what I was hoping to find or hear about doesn't really exist. That's OK I guess, I didn't really need another pen. lol

Yeah, well, now *ive* got the hots for that cheap dip pen setup described below. Been playing with a Barnes and noble set for a couple years, maybe I can upgrade.
 
Yeah, well, now *ive* got the hots for that cheap dip pen setup described below.

Awesome. While I may not have been enabled, at least I helped get some info out there for others with my question. lol

I've played with dip pens before, and in the end they were just too much hassle and too messy for me. I also am lacking a good writing space that is large and stable enough to keep a dip inkwell on safely. If I tried them, odds are my cats would end up in the same club as James's. lol
 
It's possible to find one for cheap, but it's like trying to find a bottom dial at a garage sale :)

Well, in my case, it would be like trying to find a bottom dial at a garage sale while having barely the vaguest idea of what I was looking for in the end. lol
 
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