How Can I Get The Most Out Of The Nib On A Namiki Falcon?

May 27, 2012

I bought a Namiki Falcon yesterday and love it. I want to take advantage of the flexy properties of the nib, but I don't know how. Whenever I try to write using flex, my already questionable handwriting takes a turn for the worse. I've seen scans of other FPN users doing really amazing things with the Noodler Flex pens and other similar writing instruments, so I know it's possible. How can I harness the awesome flex potential of my Namiki Falcon?

May 28, 2012

First, having a pen capable of flex writing is just one part of the equation. Knowing how to use such a pen is probably more important. Unlike an italic nib, the user has to do something to get the line variation. The whole point of a flex nib is that the tines spread with pressure so that the written line widens. More importantly, a true flex nib will respond quickly when pressure is relieved to narrow the line. It is the dramatic line variation that gives spectacular results. This requires learning how to vary the pressure when writing and requires a very light touch to create the spiderweb like fine lines. There is a rhythm that one has to develop.

I suggest heading over to the penmanship forum for advice. What you need to learn depends on whether you just want simple line variation or full blown Spencerian or Copperplate script. This is a skill one has to learn. It might come easily or it might require a lot of practice.

The second major point is perhaps something the OP will not want to hear. The Namiki Falcon (aka Pilot Elabo) does not have a flex nib. The fact that a nib will widen with pressure does not make the nib a flex nib. It makes it soft. i.e. the feel when writing is soft. Pilot does not market the Falcon or the 742/743 FA nib as flex and the feeds are not designed for flex. It is the people on the net (mainly FPN) that keep insisting that these pens are flex. That is not to say you cannot get writing that has line variation. It is just very difficult and limited. The nib on the Falcon like most modern 'flex' nibs do not spring back fast enough to give control.

This is further complicated by the fact that because of the Falcon's nib design, a modified Falcon nib can approximate a vintage flex nib. The stock Falcon nib is very stiff. A stiff nib leads one to use too much pressure to get a broad line on a downstroke and the lack of quick spring back means it is very hard to go from thick to thin.

The Falcon or the Noodler's pens are very poor pens to learn flex from. They require too much pressure to get a broad line. This encourages a heavy hand and rather than the light touch needed. I've written with the Noodler's pen and some examples are more useful for flex writing than ohers. I can get decent results from such a pen but I already know how to use a flex nib. I have to go slower with such a modern 'flex' nib and the results are not as good with a vintage pen.

I understand that many people look to the Falcon or a Noodler's pen for their first 'flex' pen. This is because these pens are readily available and many have the idea that a vintage pen with true flex is expensive. It is true that one cannot just click 'add to cart' to get a vintage pen with a flex nib but price can be comparable to the Noodler's pen. My advice for people wanting to learn is to buy a dip pen. It is the cheapest and most readily available solution and gives the best results.

May 28, 2012

Let me emphasize what Altecgreen said. The Falcon is not remotely in the same league as vintage flexible nibbed pens. Even modified, they are not all that flexible. They will spread, but they do not have the snap back for serious use and the feeds are not up to the task of keeping them in ink. They railroad. That said, they're pretty decent pens for all their limitations.

If you're interested in true flex, try dip pens. That's where the real action is, and at a bargain price. A Hunt 101 nib ($1.39) and a Speedball holder ($1.39) can give you hairlines you can barely see, shades in the 2 mm range, and everything in between. If you are seriously considering a flexible FP, it would be better to earn your spur with disposable dip nibs, rather than risking an irreplaceable vintage FP nib.

May 29, 2012

On 5/27/2012 at 11:20 PM, CalvaryMaid said:
I bought a Namiki Falcon yesterday and love it. I want to take advantage of the flexy properties of the nib, but I don't know how. Whenever I try to write using flex, my already questionable handwriting takes a turn for the worse. I've seen scans of other FPN users doing really amazing things with the Noodler Flex pens and other similar writing instruments, so I know it's possible. How can I harness the awesome flex potential of my Namiki Falcon?

I am not sure exactly what you mean by "take advantage of" or "harness the awesome flex potential". Do you mean you want to learn how to write in the Spencerian style? If so, you might look into the various learning tools that John Neal has to offer, particularly the practice kits and pads.

The other tip I can offer is: go slowly. Don't rush. This isn't your every-day handwriting.

May 30, 2012

You could try taking a look at these two copperplate handwriting manuals from the 19th century, in pdf form, that have lightly shaded writing, which I imagine the Falcon could produce:

http://tinyurl.com/7mgkscd

http://tinyurl.com/7gx75yz

Here are 2 plates from "The art of writing" by John Cooper:

http://i.imgur.com/vl9iZ.jpg

^

You start off with simple exercises

http://i.imgur.com/iWQMd.jpg

^

And it builds in complexity until you're writing sentences with capital letters, and finally an note.

There are written instructions too, which cover things such as how to sit and how to hold the pen.

Shades don't need to be thick. Indeed, thin shades can be some of the most elegant. It's all about the shape of the shade. Good clean consistent shades are the thing.

On 5/28/2012 at 4:17 AM, AltecGreen said:
The fact that a nib will widen with pressure does not make the nib a flex nib. It makes it soft. i.e. the feel when writing is soft. Pilot does not market the Falcon or the 742/743 FA nib as flex and the feeds are not designed for flex. It is the people on the net (mainly FPN) that keep insisting that these pens are flex. That is not to say you cannot get writing that has line variation.

I'm rather confused as to what utility the term "true flex" has, since if a nib will produce line variation with pressure (i.e it has some elasticity) then its good enough for some degree of shaded writing.

The term people used in the 19th and early 20th century to describe pressure on a nib producing line variation was "elastic" and "elasticity"; perhaps that is more flexible terminology than the absolutism of "true flex".

Edited May 30, 2012 by Columba Livia

May 30, 2012

On 5/30/2012 at 1:55 AM, Columba Livia said:

On 5/28/2012 at 4:17 AM, AltecGreen said:
The fact that a nib will widen with pressure does not make the nib a flex nib. It makes it soft. i.e. the feel when writing is soft. Pilot does not market the Falcon or the 742/743 FA nib as flex and the feeds are not designed for flex. It is the people on the net (mainly FPN) that keep insisting that these pens are flex. That is not to say you cannot get writing that has line variation.

I'm rather confused as to what utility the term "true flex" has, since if a nib will produce line variation with pressure (i.e it has some elasticity) then its good enough for some degree of shaded writing.

The term people used in the 19th and early 20th century to describe pressure on a nib producing line variation was "elastic" and "elasticity"; perhaps that is more flexible terminology than the absolutism of "true flex".

Quote
The nib on the Falcon like most modern 'flex' nibs do not spring back fast enough to give control.

Control for what?

I don't know if you have ever written with the Falcon or many of the other modern pens that are touted as 'flex' on FPN. The Falcon requires a lot of pressure to achieve any semblance of line variation. It requires much more pressure than even say a Noodler's flex pen and I don't really think of that pen as having a flex nib. You really have to press down hard. The pressure you need to get line variation out of a Falcon is enough to spring some vintage flex nibs. I did concede the point that you will be able to get some form of line variation but it will be very hard for someone who has never used a flex nib to perform the exercises you pointed out.

When I talk about 'true flex', I mean not only the fact that the nib spreads with pressure but springs back quickly so the the line narrows quickly to get line variation. Many of the modern 'flex' nibs will spread with pressure to give a broad line but do not spring back at all so that even if you release pressure, the line remains broad for a longer period of time than a vintage flex nib or a dip pen nib. Thus it is hard to 'control' the line variation. The nibs are more soft than 'elastic'.

Secondly, the Pilots pens (i.e. the Falcon, the 742/743 FA) do not have feeds designed for flex writing. Even if you get the tines to spread (this is much easier on the 742/743), the nib will railroad. You can search the Japanese forum for a number of threads on the 742/743 and Falcon feeds and railroading. Usually, people take to hacking the feed to increase flow. These pens work perfectly for normal writing but not so much for flex. They were not designed for it.

I'm coming as probably very negative. I fully admit that. I guess I'm of the opinion that just because a nib will spread due to pressure does not make it a flex nib. I accept that the results on the paper is what counts and many of these modern pens can produce sufficient line variation to give decent results. But, it is much harder.

Sure, writing with a pen like this in the hands of someone like Leigh Reyes will look spectacular. I can get useable results from many of my modern pens. However, I learned on vintage flex nibs and dip pens so I've internalized the technique. I think the Falcon as stock is a very poor choice to learn from for a beginner. Among the modern pens touted as being flexy, it required the most pressure to achieve line variation. We did a test at a Pen Posse and the stock Falcon was really stiff. On the otherhand, it seemed be fine with that much force applied. A modified Falcon is a totally different beast and much more suitable.

June 1, 2012

On 5/30/2012 at 2:41 AM, AltecGreen said:
When I talk about 'true flex', I mean not only the fact that the nib spreads with pressure but springs back quickly so the the line narrows quickly to get line variation. Many of the modern 'flex' nibs will spread with pressure to give a broad line but do not spring back at all so that even if you release pressure, the line remains broad for a longer period of time than a vintage flex nib or a dip pen nib. Thus it is hard to 'control' the line variation. The nibs are more soft than 'elastic'.

I'm not convinced that has anything to do with the nibs, but it is more a property of how they're being held and used: I've used and owned a Namiki Falcon and currently own a Noodler's Ahab and they they do and did not noticeably close any slower than dip pens.

The first thing is that from the examples I've seen on here some people are trying to make very very thick shades that the nib/feed was never intended for: a lot of pressure is being used to attempt to produce very thick lines, the nib is forced off the feed and it rail roads.

The second thing is the pen hold. This, judging from youtube and pictures on the web, seems to be a common hold:

http://i.imgur.com/yX76e.jpg

but it is a bad hold for shaded writing because it forces excessive use of the fingers for pressure and moving the pen & keeps it at a very high angle making you bear down on it. Raising the pen is made much harder and slower resulting in lack of control over line variation. A light springy touch is very important and this hold precludes it. Everything about this hold will contribute to being unable to produce good line variation.

A penhold recommended by Victorian writing manuals is this:

http://i.imgur.com/WrJmj.jpg

It allows you to use your arm to glide the hand back and forth and left and right, with your hand propped up with the little finger. You can hold the pen at a much lower angle, your thumb and forefinger can form letters and you can use the forearm to exert pressure with better control and endurance than fingers alone and it makes drawing the pen towards yourself much easier.

Here is some of my handwriting with a stock Noodlers Ahab (ignore the blue lines):

http://i.imgur.com/J38Rt.jpg

you can write like that without any rail-roading, skipping and no excessive pressure if you use the right pen hold and don't try and make the shades too thick. It's certainly not engravers or engrossers script, but its a fun little diversion.

Quote
I think the Falcon as stock is a very poor choice to learn from for a beginner.

I wouldn't use it if I was serious about penmanship and calligraphy, and I'd try a dip-pen before buying a Falcon, but I don't think there is any harm if someone just wants it for some fun and to give some interest to their handwriting. A little bit of careful reading and practice over a few weeks will produce good enough results for that.

Quote
I guess I'm of the opinion that just because a nib will spread due to pressure does not make it a flex nib.

Maybe "flex" and "true flex" are more marketing terms, like "premium" and "Luxury".

Edited June 1, 2012 by Columba Livia

June 2, 2012

The problem with the "bad grip" is that the entire hand is rotated to far clockwise. I think you should be able to see the first knuckle of the index, middle, and ring fingers when you write. (Rolling the palm almost flat to the page will usually lower the pen angle, often dramatically.) With a flexible nib FP, I can see the knuckles of all 4 fingers, even leaning back from the desk a bit. I'm not crazy about the "Victorian grip" either, but that may be the photo. I agree the angle needs to be around 45 degrees, with some pens even lower..

As for shades (flexing the nib), my sensation is of the entire hand applying the shade through a combination of the wrist bending and turning, leaving my fingers as inert as possible. (This is very much a whole arm approach.) The hand is "pulled" into the page. Since my fingers are not very active, my grip remains relaxed. I also think this technique is less prone to springing nibs.

June 2, 2012

On 6/2/2012 at 12:12 AM, Mickey said:
I'm not crazy about the "Victorian grip" either, but that may be the photo. I agree the angle needs to be around 45 degrees, with some pens even lower..

It is pretty hard to take a good photograph of right hand, with your left, when you're right handed. I think these better represent how I hold a pen, than the first photograph:

http://i.imgur.com/Bs3mw.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/U2FCl.jpg

The Noodlers pen is a bit awkward to hold (I'm holding it too close to the nib!) since it is, for me, an extremely thick and short pen, but this is the hold I find best works with fountain pens with flexible/elastic nibs, inc. the Falcon.

The sensation of pulling the hand into the paper sounds like good description to me.

Here is a photograph from a Victorian handwriting manual (published in 1900, so just about):

http://i.imgur.com/zvrQc.jpg

From Sykes Manual of Penmanship, find it on the IAMPETH website.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Columba Livia

August 26, 2013

No one has yet mentioned pen & ink drawing as a suitable use for the Falcon, but I'm here to tell you my Falcon is my favorite drawing pen. There is no way to describe how it glides. I use mine for both drawing and my sad little attempts at Spencerian, and I love it for both, actually.