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I have a nice all black Goulet #6 nib that I like a lot. For the past few years it's been living in a Jinhao 159. The jinhao 159 wasn't that lovely to begin with, and, as expected, the "enamel" is starting to chip off, so I think it's time to find a new home for my nib. I'd like something that's a bit of an upgrade from the 159, nice looking, but not too expensive. Not a Duragraph, because I already did this project with a Goulet 1.1mm stub and a Duragraph. While that turned out just fine, I don't want another one. I was thinking the Jinhao 100 might be nice - a classic Duofold look. One thing I want to try and avoid is getting a pen that's *too* nice... one with a nib that, after swapping with the Goulet nib, I'll feel like I need to find its own home! (It's a vicious cycle! ) Tell me about your Goulet #6 nib rehoming projects!

To followers of Ahab threads, Over the past two days, I have turned two unusable dogs into excellent writers. Because I did three things, I can't say that all three are essential, but two of the three definitely are. However, it has raised a question I would love to kick around with you. Here is what I did, which all came from advice from Drone and Brian Goulet: 1. Cleaned the channel with the BACK, not the blade, of an Exacto knife. 2. Cleaned the entire feed with a grease cutting dish soap (blue Dawn). 3. Heat set the nib (thanks to Brian Goulet for his excellent how-to video). 4. Tested with a well behaved ink (Waterman Mysterious Blue). I've actually done three, but I have not yet inked up the third. The first two write perfectly. One has the Ahab stock nib, the other has a Goulet nib. Here is my issue: The Goulet nib is a #6 nail, but is beautiful to look at. The stock Ahab nib is at best plain, possibly ugly as sin. The Goulet also has a hole in it which allows using a straightened paper clip to make sure the slit in the nib is perfectly aligned with the channel. The Ahab nib does not. The Ahab with the Goulet nib went from a $20 waste of money to a $35 dollar pen that writes perfectly and is stunning to look at. But it is not a flex nib. But is the Ahab a flex nib? Yes, you can flex it, but it takes plenty of pressure to get real line variation. My best pen has a JinHo semi- flex Binderized nib, and it is far more flexible that the Ahab nib. The experience of using the Ahab nib is far closer to writing with a nail, unless you really bear down to get some flex. So, is the Ahab nib a flex nib, or is it an nib that can be flexed, given enough effort? The Ahab I have not yet inked in now set up with the stock nib. I'll probably try it that way first. The second Ahab I did is not particularly beautiful, and I'll leave the stock nib in it. But I am seriously thinking about that third Ahab, which is also gorgeous, topping it off with another Goulet nib I have, and giving up the ability to flex it in favor of a truly striking pen that really performs. So I'm curious about other's opinions on the designation of the Ahab as a flex pen. To me, that means I should get a bit of flex as I write, not have to decide "now I want it to flex" and bear down to make it do so. So what say you? Is "flex pen" an apt description of the Ahab, or a bit of a stretch? Ben

I like the look of the Duke 600 Fountain Pen I found on ebay. But I am not sure if the nib is good quality or not. I was thinking I could replace it with a Goulet nib if it will fit. Does anyone have any idea if this pen will take a #6 nib? I have contacted several different ebay sellers of this pen and they don't understand my question or they just don't answer. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you! Here is a pic: http://i1309.photobucket.com/albums/s630/HUANGCHAODUKE/1_zps808b2b69.jpg Here is a link to the pen on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251448244284&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123 Thank you again for any help!

Are there any pens (other than Noodler's) that have pretty colors and will fit the Goulet #6 nib? I have an Ahab and I do like it, but it is a bit too thick for me. I LOVE my Goulet 1.1 Italic stub nib in it though! Noodler's doesn't really offer very many pastel color pens that appeal to me (and I don't really like the demonstrators), and while they have an impressive color collection, I really want a pastel blue, pink or purple pen. I love the feminine and light pastel blue, pink and lavender Plaisir pens, and how delicate and thin they are. I prefer writing with a thinner pen, it is more comfortable in my hands. Will a Goulet #6 nib fit in a Platinum Plaisir Fountain Pen? I am guessing it won't as the pen is Japanese and the nib is German, but I thought I would ask some people who actually know instead of me just guessing. I don't consider myself very picky about pens (yet) as I am still learning a lot, but aesthetics matters to me a lot. I would pay more to have a pretty pen in a color that is appealing to me and then purchase a better nib to go with the pen. Also the pen has to be able to use bottled ink, and I don't mind buying a converter if necessary. My price range is under $50. Any suggestions?