Pilot Falcon Nib

[DNC]

I would like to try a Pilot Falcon nib. I see it is offered as an option with several of there models. Having little exposure to Pilot pens I would be interested to hear from those of you who are before making a decision. Thank you.

[Maurizio]

I have 3 Pilot Falcons so I'll weigh in. First though you've got to distinguish between the Falcon nibs available on the resin (plastic)-bodied Falcons, and the metal-bodied Falcon available in the U.S., and the "FA" nib which is generally not available in the U.S., although Nibs.com in California does offer the "FA" nib as an option for a Pilot Custom Heritage 912.

 

The "FA" nib is available as an option on the Pilot Custom 823 and the Pilot Custom 845 (as well as on the CH 912) from some Japenese sellers.

 

I have not experienced the "FA" nib, but it is reputed to be a little more flexible than the Falcon nibs.

 

As for the Falcon nibs I like them enough that I've bought 1 each in fine, medium and broad. They are not however "wet noodle" nibs are even very flexible nibs. I think they can best be described as soft and somewhat flexible nibs which will give minor line variation with moderate pressure. I use my Falcons for ordinary writing because they all flow quite well. The broad writes almost like a paintbrush and I use a "dry" ink like Pelikan Royal Blue to reduce its line width, and am waiting for a bottle of Roher & Klinger Salix (thanks Sandy1) to try to reduce the line width a bit more.

 

I love my Falcons as great daily writers and usually carry the broad in my shirt pocket and the 2 others in my briefcase daily. They are also great pens for sketching because of their modest flexibility. But if you're looking for pens to let you do Spencerian style writing, without any modification, the Falcon nibs are not it; nor, as I understand it, but don't know first hand, is the FA useful for that style either.

 

That famous YouTube video of a Falcon writing is after someone paid the nibmeister at Nibs.com for a customized addition of flexibility to the nib and even that video does not display Spencerian script.

 

Hope this helps a bit.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Maurizio

[jpierson]

FA nibs are readily available now. I got mine from the Andersons. The FA is the most flexible modern nib that I have experienced. If you are looking for a true flex experience, I recommend you look for a vintage Waterman or Pelikan. For the same price as a new Falcon or FA equipped pen, you will get much more flex if that's what you desire.

[DNC]

Maurizio, Thank you for replying to my post. According to your posting I am completely confused on the Falcon nib. I had read an article stating the FA nib and the Falcon nib were one in the same. Guess I need to double check information for myself when reading Internet articles. I wish my post now read, "Pilot FA Nib", but I have no way to edit it. Again, thank you for the information!

[jpierson]

See my post above...

 

Also... A Falcon is a pen model with a very soft nib. Other series in the Pilot lineup have a FA nib which some people call the Falcon Nib. They are very different in design and functionality.

[Bounce792]

The pen named the Pilot/Namiki Falcon is called the Elabo in Japan. It is available in resin or metal (there are slight differences in dimensions but use the same nib type) and they only take the Falcon/Elabo type Soft nibs. The pen below is the Pilot/Namiki Falcon/Elabo. Elabo is the domestic name, Falcon is the export name.

 

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4VbSRQgEbys/UGXdfbMKSxI/AAAAAAAABsE/ynCCAoBF8jY/s1600/PN-MetalFalcon-Burgundy-5.jpg

 

 

 

 

Pilot also use the FA nib, one of their specialty nibs intended originally for domestic use only. It is available on certain Custom and Custom Heritage model pens. FA is short for Falcon as I believe it is modeled after vintage Falcon-type nibs.

 

http://engeika.ocnk.biz/data/engeika/product/20130321_53f41c.jpg

 

The Elabo was marketed overseas as the Falcon long before Pilot decided to allow the FA nib to be sold overseas. These are not the same nibs though they perform similar functions. For clarity's sake, most people call the pen the Falcon and the nib by its abbreviated "FA"

Edited June 2, 2016 by Bounce792

[rafapa]

You can read Leigh Reyes opinios here

http://www.leighreyes.com/?p=1233

[DNC]

This is getting confusing. Some say FA and Falcon nibs are one in the same, others say they are two different nibs. Can someone set the record straight?

[jpierson]

For what you are asking...

A Falcon is a Pen model that has its own proprietary nib.

A FA nib will be part of a Heritage/Custom Heritage Pen. Some people will call this a Falcon Nib due to the history of "Falcon" nibs. Falcon Nibs date back to dip pens.

[Bluey]

This is getting confusing. Some say FA and Falcon nibs are one in the same, others say they are two different nibs. Can someone set the record straight?

Ok I'll try.

There is a Pilot Falcon pen which is this (see red pen in the pic )

This does not have a Falcon nib.

 

The Falcon nib is otherwise known as the FA nib and is fitted on a range of different Pilot pens in the Custom series (see the black pen in the picture for an example. You can see where it says "FA" on the nib), but this Falcon nib is NOT fitted on the Falcon pen(the red pen). Notice that the FA/Falcon nib(on the black pen) is not the same as the nib on the Falcon pen (the red pen)

 

 

 

 

Hope that helps.

Edited June 2, 2016 by Bluey

[Gofixmix]

I recently got CH 912 with FA nib and Pelican 100N as well.

 

Both are great pens.

 

FA nib is awesome...BUT, perhaps you've seen video reviews displaying some erratic behaviour. Mine did the same, until I realised that it works perfectly, but it's totally tuned for Japanese writing. Hold it at right angle and make slow, short strokes, no problem.

 

Try to write normally and it won't even start half of the time. Few seconds on the micromesh at normal writing angle resolved that.

 

Still, trying to flex, Spencerian style, even using Iroshizuku ink, at anything else than snail speed and it railroads. Tiniest amount of dishwashing liquid (or some more intelligent lubricant) added to the ink will help that. Or possibly modifying the feed... Anybody done that?

 

Still, you could grind the nib bit more to get finer hairline, otherwise the flex is very nice.

 

Or have it done.

 

Or get the Pelican 100N that does all that out of the box, with any ink on any paper, never skips, never railroads, for bit less $$$...but perhaps I was lucky.

 

So it's a bit of tinkering vs bit of luck buying vintage pen. But personally I'm happy with both.

[DNC]

The conflicts of reports on this pen, together with the confusing Falcon pen, Falcon nib, FA nib; I think I am just going to pass on the purchase of the Pilot. I find if something is usually this confusing out of the gate it has always proven best for me to leave it alone.

[Gofixmix]

Simply FA nib is the most flexible modern nib you can just buy and make work without having it modified by nib Meister.

 

Works like this:

(Notice little railroading, I was writing fast with Iroshizuku ink WITHOUT any lubricant.)

[DNC]

Simply FA nib is the most flexible modern nib you can just buy and make work without having it modified by nib Meister.

 

Works like this:

(Notice little railroading, I was writing fast with Iroshizuku ink WITHOUT any lubricant.)IMG_20160603_011533.jpg

 

Yes, I find those comparisons very discouraging for the Pilot. Thank you.

[jpierson]

The FA was never intended to be a flex nib for western writing. When I write with it I find it quite enjoyable. Very soft and almost bouncy. You get some natural line variation. I have no issues with mine railroading. I will only flex it out when I sign my name.

Edited June 3, 2016 by jpierson

[Cryptos]

Me too. Mine works just fine for normal Western writing. It's not good for copperplate, but then again it's not designed for it.

[jpierson]

Like I said above, if you really want flexible, you need to go vintage. Older Pelikans and Watermans are they way to go. I restored this cheap Waterman that I found at an antique store. No modern pen can write like this.

[Gofixmix]

The FA was never intended to be a flex nib for western writing. When I write with it I find it quite enjoyable. Very soft and almost bouncy. You get some natural line variation. I have no issues with mine railroading. I will only flex it out when I sign my name.

I agree, I really like mine and would recommend it to anybody that know exactly what they are getting. It's unfortunate that there are so many misleading reviews.

[cellmatrix]

I have a Spencerian modified FA nib in a pilot 912. While I have some vintage flex pens that may flex a little better the FA nib does quite well and none of my vintage nibs can produce as thin hairlines as the Spencerian FA. I would say if you are going for copperplate then vintage flex is best but if you are writing Spencerian and want to use a fountain pen, the Spencerian modified pilot FA is your best bet.

 

Just to add: Spencerian modification by Mottishaw or Minuskin invokes widening the feed channel so railroading is not a problem for me especially when I use certain inks. I've found that montblanc permanent blue is great in that it is both dry and gives fine lines but is very resistant to railroading compared to many other inks I've tried.

[nekomuffchu]

I have the Pilot 742 and 823 with FA nibs. The 742 has the size 10 nib and as others have pointed out, skips unless you write slowly. The 823 has the size 15 nib and rarely skips, you can also increase ink flow through the blind cap. The 742 has more flexible tines than the 823, so while it has more line variation and a softer writing feel than the 823, it also probably contributes to the skipping issue. I would recommend the 823 hands down. Hope this is helpful.

Edited June 3, 2016 by nekomuffchu