Inexpensive Semi/full Flex Fp Suggestions?

[SPark9625]

I've seen a video on FP - it was a Namiki Falcon resin with extra flex done by mr. Mottishaw. The writing was so beautiful I became very interested and did some basic search on pens and their history yesterday.

 

Now I would like to get a FP myself to practice writing, and I don't want a pen for everyday usage - I mean I am a high school student and I don't need it for taking notes etc. But I want to own one in case I need to write a letter or sign signatures and so on. So, I would like a pen that has some flex to it.

 

The Namiki Falcon resin with extra flex looked very classic and it looked very flexible, so I really wanted to get that one before I realised it was about $200 with the extra flex. Although I am able to buy it, $200 is still a huge investment for a high school student. Plus, this is my first purchase, so I want to first experiment with an inexpensive one, before I get more into this hobby.

 

However, I don't want a stub, or any other inflexible FPs. The whole purpose is to write beautifully, so inflexible nibs wouldn't help a bit.

 

Therefore, I want a pen that has a semi or full flex nib and that is inexpensive. I live in Germany and I am thinking of < €50, but I can go up to €75 if need be. The design is better if it looks classy, but since at the moment all I want is to try flex pens, so the design doesn't matter at all at this stage. I just want a flex nib pen that is inexpensive.

 

Quite a lot of people seem to like Lamy Safari, but reading reviews and watching videos on it being written, I don't know if it is flexible or not. Another suggestion was Noodler's Abab Flex Nib FP, and I thought it would be very flexible as it said "Noodler's", but again the amazon 1 star reviews told me that they weren't that flexible after all.

 

Flex nib is something highly subjective, so I think the 1 star reviewers just were more familiar with even more flexible pens, so I want to ask you all if they are flexible at all. If they can be even considered as semi flex, I am willing to give it a try.

 

But if you have any other suggestions, please let me know. I have only started looking since yesterday, but this looks really interesting!

[JonSzanto]

Since you are in Germany, I would think a Pelikan pen from the 1950s-60s, when the nibs were often quite flexible, might be a good choice. It is a used pen, of course, but the lower models like the 140 could very well suit your needs. I don't know how often they might occur in an area near you, but a pen show - where you could try them out - would be a great thing.

 

I would also caution you on your statement "The whole purpose is to write beautifully, so inflexible nibs wouldn't help a bit." You should be aware that lovely penmanship can come from cursive italic nibs, which thought they don't (usually) exhibit flex, allow line variation by virtue of the grind of the nib - sideways lends a narrow line, and up/down strokes draw a broader line. These can also be utilized for very artistic effect, and should be something to consider. Many people find the Italix Parson's Essential with an italic nib to be a very good value, a high quality pen for not a lot of money. Might be worth taking a look at. Here is a video review that is well worth watching. Good luck with your pen hunting!

[ShallowJam]

Just because a nib isn't flexible, does not mean its writing isn't beautiful. Stub nibs produce line variation, just like flex nibs, and are much easier to use. Especially for a beginner such as yourself I would go with a stub nib.

 

The only cheap flex pens you're going to find are:

 

1) Noodler's (Ahab, Konrad, Creeper)

2) Some india pen (Serwex?) from fountain pen paradise, I think.

3) vintage pen in need of repair.

 

Neither of the first two flex particularly well and the third requires knowledge and money to fix.

[Pterodactylus]

Hi,

 

first of all, a flex nib does not make your writing look beautiful only by using it (or trying to use it).

 

I suggest you do some further investigation reading here on FPN, there are a lot of threads regarding flex and flex pens with a lot of information.

 

Then I suggest to try a flexible dip nib first to make first contact with flexible nibs.

This is the cheapest way to try it out (flexible nib, holder, bottle of India ink (Tusche)).

 

But be warned, to master flexible nibs is not as easy as it might look.

It need a lot of practice (daily).

 

I don't know your writing, but it will definitely not bypass the hard way of practicing if you are currently not satisfied with your writing.

Flex nibs does not improve your writing substantially, in the beginning it is most likely that your writing even look worser!

 

If you just want to add some character with line variations to your writing, then using an italic nib will be the easier way.

 

You wrote you don't want a FP for daily use, but this is the best way to practice and get used to it.

 

These days no manufacturer produces full flex fountain pens.

Your best modern (cheap) option is to get a Noodlers pen ( www.missing-pen.de is a source in Germany) or a pen with a flex nib from www.fountainpenrevolution.com.

[Pterodactylus]

If you decide to go for an italic nib then a Rotring Artpen or a Lamy Safari are a good and cheap way to go.

The Artpen has perfect italic nibs.

[RuiFromUK]

Although posted upside down (I must be loosing it) please check this practice I did on cheap paper and using a fountain pen:

 

http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/3853-Copperplate-script-using-Swan-3160-fine-flexible-nib

[Pterodactylus]

http://imageshack.us/a/img443/5264/hf6a.jpg

(Noodler´s Ahab EMF ..... Diamine Twilight)

 

Btw. on an iPad it is not upside down, so it depends what you are using to view it.

The root cause why it is upside down is that the metadata of the picture contains a 180° rotation information tag.

On platforms which take the metadata into account it is shown rotated.

Remove the Metadata and it will be shown correctly on all platforms.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Pterodactylus

[SPark9625]

Thank you all for your replies!

 

I was surprised by the kindness of this forum haha

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions, and honestly I think I was being ignorant when I said that stub and inflex pens cannot write beautifully.

 

However, the style I am persuing is best performed with a flex pen I believe (after watching videos on how they write), so I would still want a flex nib.

 

After seeing Pterodactylus's Noodler's Ahab, I think I will first try that one as a starter.

Are you from the UK Pterodactylus? Because your location is set to Austria, and you also used the German type of quoting

[Pterodactylus]

http://imageshack.us/a/img836/6898/u5p8.jpg

(TWSBI Mini 1.5 CI ..... Noodler´s Navy)

 

The Ahab is not the right selection if you expect it to work well out of the box as a flex pen.

The materials are cheap, they smell awful the first months (surprisingly some even like it),and you have to tinker arround with it to work well.

 

But if you are not afraid to modify and tune it you can get a nice flex pen cheaply.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

 

From my experience, I suggest starting with a flexible dip pen nib before going to a flex FP.

 

In my case, I have to learn a new set of 'mechanics' to handle the pen properly, and should really learn a new hand / style to get the most from a flex nib. I am finding that to be quite a challenge.

 

Also, be aware that having a flex nib is not enough - the nib+feed set-up needs to be correct to get the best from a great nib. Should you eventually decide to purchase a more high-end [vintage] flex nib pen, be sure to purchase from a Vendor who specialises in restoration of such pens.

 

I believe Member Bo Bo Olson has discussed various flex nib FPs available in Germany, so you may wish to search his content for those nuggets of knowledge.

 

Bye,

S1

[Gloucesterman]

Check out Brian Goulet's review of the Platinum Cool - YouTube I think. It's a new pen and, as Brian demonstrates, the fine nib has a nice (imho) amount of flex to it. he sells it for $42.50 here in the U.S. so the cost in Euros would probably be around 30-35.

 

No affiliation.

[Pterodactylus]

Check out Brian Goulet's review of the Platinum Cool - YouTube I think. It's a new pen and, as Brian demonstrates, the fine nib has a nice (imho) amount of flex to it. he sells it for $42.50 here in the U.S. so the cost in Euros would probably be around 30-35.

 

No affiliation.

Hmmm, the pen looks nice, but I'm not convinced.

I watched Brian's video, but when you look closer when he flexes it I have the impression that he needs a lot of force (look at his knuckles and fingers closely), and the feed is also touching the paper (and smears on it).

So I guess at least the force needed to flex an Ahab is also needed here, which is way to much when you write more than a few words.

 

Also the latest comment of a customer on their site goes into this direction.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Pterodactylus

[heymatthew]

Hmmm, the pen looks nice, but I'm not convinced.

I watched Brian's video, but when you look closer when he flexes it I have the impression that he needs a lot of force (look at his knuckles and fingers closely), and the feed is also touching the paper (and smears on it).

So I guess at least the force needed to flex an Ahab is also needed here, which is way to much when you write more than a few words.

 

Also the latest comment of a customer on their site goes into this direction.

 

This is exactly right. I have the Platinum Cool and it takes more force to flex it than it does to flex any pen Noodler's has ever made. Also, it's more of a semi-soft steel nib. Far less "flex" than a Pelikan steel nib and requiring a significant amount of pressure. Also, the feed is so close to the end of the nib that, unless you're holding the pen almost vertically, you'll get rub marks from the feed on your paper.

 

I'd recommend the Cool as a decent demonstrator with a nice nib, but never as a flex nib. I love the Goulets and all they offer, but I really wish Brian hadn't said the Cool had "flex" as that is a pretty far stretch, in my opinion.

[akustyk]

 

This is exactly right. I have the Platinum Cool and it takes more force to flex it than it does to flex any pen Noodler's has ever made. Also, it's more of a semi-soft steel nib. Far less "flex" than a Pelikan steel nib and requiring a significant amount of pressure. Also, the feed is so close to the end of the nib that, unless you're holding the pen almost vertically, you'll get rub marks from the feed on your paper.

 

I'd recommend the Cool as a decent demonstrator with a nice nib, but never as a flex nib. I love the Goulets and all they offer, but I really wish Brian hadn't said the Cool had "flex" as that is a pretty far stretch, in my opinion.

I could not agree more! I have the 18k version of this nib, and it IS NOT FLEXY at all. Brian's video, although cool, is a bit misleading.

[SPark9625]

Oh no!!!

 

I have deleted my post two times now!!

 

I have the tendency to do cmd+left arrow, which should bring me back to the beginning of that sentence, but for some reason, it goes back a page when I do it on this forum I lost two whole posts because of this ((

 

To summarize, I have seen the Platinum Pen, but I think I would rather go for Noodler's Ahab since it is considered to be more flexible.

 

Regarding the EMF thing, I did check it out (in fact right after my last post!), but I have no idea how to do it what is the orange tool called? Where can I get it? Also, how much should I cut off of the nib? Is there a line or anything that marks the point where I should cut the nib up to?

 

There was a youtube video which did the same thing with a Konrad, and here's the link:

 

 

This guy is thanking you, Pterodactylus, so just letting you know just in case you haven't seen it

 

 

 

One more thing. I decided to broaden my options and to include dip pens as well.

To be honest, this video is what got me so hooked up with fountain pens.

 

 

 

Watch 2:15 ~ and 3:00 ~

I really liked the way (s)he wrote, and I would like to get a dip pen or a fountain pen and practice it so that I could use it when I have to write a letter to someone or sign signatures and so on. But the thing is, I am not planning to use the pen everyday. I prefer other gel-ink based pens on daily life, as it writes much faster, so I am only intending to use the fountain or dip pen when I have to write something sophisticated.

 

In this case then, do you think I should get a fountain pen or a dip pen? Also, could you be so kind to tell me where I could get those pens in Europe? There are a lot of good shops and websites in the US, but international shipping charge is about the same as the price of the pen itself, so it doesn't really make sense at the moment for me to order a pen from the US.

 

Thank you all for your wonderful replies again!

[smk]

The video with the Namiki Falcon was painful to watch. I can't say that this pen is best (or even properly) used in the way shown.

 

Please do not use that pen as shown in this video. I don't know why the owner wanted to make some of the sideways and upwards strokes so quickly - such strokes on flexible nibs this fine should have the minimal amount of pressure and should be made smoothly. This video made me cringe a number of times.

 

Salman

[Pterodactylus]

Hi Spark,

 

yes I know this great video from Qwicksilver.

 

The Tool is a normal round grinding stone.

 

You can find my original description with an explanation at:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/240492-noodlers-ahab-ease-my-flex-mod/?p=2607667

 

 

I already mentioned where you can buy a Noodler´s Ahab in Germany

Drop Rolf Thiel from http://www.missing-pen.de a mail (his Online shop is currently down but he has Noodler´s pens)

 

As mentioned, a dip pen with India ink (Zeichentusche) is not a bad idea to get used to flex nibs.

 

http://www.kallipos.de is a good source for dip pens in Germany.

A Brause 76 Rosenfeder might be a good start with a lot of flex (buy more than one, you will probably need it ).

 

I don´t want to demotivate you, but it will take a lot amount of practice to write similar as shown in the video.

But it´s worth the effort.

Flex pens are a lot of fun :-)

 

Another option would be (as also mentioned) to go vintage and buy a pen from the 50s (will be more expensive).

E.g. a Pelikan pen, all 50s Pelikans as the 100,100N, 140, 400, 400N, 400NN are semi-flex pens.

I love them, they are fantastic.

If you get a good exemplar you don´t have to tinker arround with them, they simply work.

 

On the other hand you can achieve with an modified Ahab more flex than these pens have, but it´s not for free, you should be prepared to put a lot of time into it (and you should have a high frustration tolerance level )

 

Finally I would suggest, get a dip pen first and see if you like this type of writing.

Don´t forget to get a suitable ink for dip pens, normal fountain pen ink won´t work well (too wet).

If you want to use fountain pen ink with dip pens you have to add gum arabic (Gummi Arabicum) to make it more sticky.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Pterodactylus

[Christi0469]

You could also take a look at the Dilli from fountainpenrevolution.com. From the reviews it looks like you would have a better chance getting one that works out of the box.

[Pterodactylus]

I also suggest to dig into the Penmanship Subforum, to get an impression of the technique, Salman is an artist , take a look at his posts.

[SPark9625]

I also suggest to dig into the Penmanship Subforum, to get an impression of the technique, Salman is an artist , take a look at his posts.

 

Haha alright

 

I think I will just get two Noodler's Ahab and try to do the grinding. Two just in case I mess up. If both turns out successful, I might just use them both for different colours.

 

I also would like to ask you how long you have been practicing writing? Your cursive writing looks darn amazing!

 

By the way, Ich bin Süd Koreaner, und wohne in Hamburg, Germany seit drei und ein halb Jahren

Edited September 3, 2013 by SPark9625