Affordable (Under $80) With Soft/semi Flex Nib?

June 6, 2013

The falcon is not semi-flex...It is a "soft" or springy nib. There is a difference, or I'd not harp on it all the time.

I do have @26 semi-flex pens. If it was semi-flex I'd be on it's bandwagon. It's not. Myths and rumors can not be stopped by facts.

The Geha School pen can have a semi-flex...I do have one, I also had four nibs that fit a different model of the Geha School Pen that were a nice German Vintage springy regular flex like a Pelikan 120, which is the reason I recommend the 790; you are more sure of a semi-flex nib. Two 790's I have are semi-flex, the other is a 'flexi".
Most folks I've talked to with 790's thought it to have nice semi-flex nibs.

Both it and the Pelikan 140 have plastic gaskets so you don't have to worry about dead cork.

What would the main difference be? Is it line variation? Springback when releasing a nib from pressure?

I looked at the Namiki Falcon and saw a good amount of line variation with a little pressure, if that is not a characteristic that makes it a semiflex then what does make a nib semiflex?

June 8, 2013

What would the main difference be? Is it line variation? Springback when releasing a nib from pressure?

I looked at the Namiki Falcon and saw a good amount of line variation with a little pressure, if that is not a characteristic that makes it a semiflex then what does make a nib semiflex?

Here's a good link.

June 9, 2013

I only have a couple of 'springy' nibbed pens...and from some 4 years of reading, 'springy' nibs bend, but don't flex their tines much, not three times a light down stroke like a semi-flex.

G-clef's link is pretty good. I have my own way of grading. Regular flex well mashed, will flex 3X a light down stroke. Semi-flex takes half that pressure, and some 22 of 25 nibs are close together 'in the middle' of that flex stage. Three were from harder but still much easier than regular flex.

In "flexi'/maxi-semi-flex..., I had an Easy Full flex nib before I had one of these, so I knew it was not Easy Full flex. It sure was a maxi-semi-flex...I wandered around in a daze for three days saying, that sure is maxi-semi-flex... :eureka: Ah Ha, that is one of those 'flexi' nibs folks speak about and don't explain.

IMO 'maxi-semi-flex' explains 'flexi'.

Any nib over semi-flex has more variations in the flex set than with my experience with semi-flex.

In I think a 'flexi' nib needs 1/2 the pressure of a semi-flex, with more variation of the nib in that nib set, for my own personal use, in that I have 12, I had 9 at "F-1" =needs 1/2 the pressure to tine spread than a semi-flex.

2 or 3 nibs, were a bit more 'flexi' than the others, F-1 1/4th. That first nib...turned out to be a F-1 1/2...but still noticeably harder to flex than an Easy Full Flex.

I don't 'use' that system any more...becoming more sloppy....yep..."flexi" is good enough now.

There is the same flex set variation in the Easy Full flex set as in the Flexi...though if I was to call the 'basic' Easy Full flex F-2, I've a couple of nibs a tad lighter to flex...a F-2 1/4...again I've gotten less AR on that...

I don't have many Easy Full Flex pens...which flex 4-5-6 X a light down stroke.

If I was to call a Wet Noodle/Super Flex F-3...with only one, I can just say mine spreads the same-5-6 X but with half the pressure of the Easy Full Flex.

There is from my reading and seeing posts were folks measure on electronic scales...there is a lot of variation in the more flexible nibs.

I do have some 17 or so dip pen nibs...some are flexible.

I am not ready for the real flexible nibs yet...

When one is still unsure what a semi-flex really is, should stay away from flex sets higher than that until you have one and gotten some experience....and Do Not...try to do Olympic splits with a semi-flex is is Not A Flex nib.

It is a nib that spreads it's tine up to 3 X a light down stroke, that is fun to write with. giving you some flare, with out having to do any thing fancy.

Do go to Richard Binder's com, and read the article on how easy it is to spring a nib. No problem if you got $$$$

Trying dip pens can give you from nail on up to and past Weak Kneed Wet Noodles, like a Hunt 99-100-101, not counting the fabled Gillette 303 which I don't have...yet..

If you work your way up the flex chain, you can develop a natural light hand. Had I grabbed hold of a 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex or an Easy Full flex, before getting my Pelikan 140....I'd not been ready for them.

I had a bit of luck...in knowing I wasn't ready for Easy Full Flex, left it alone, until I was ready with a much lighter than the Ham Fisted hand I had starting out with semi-flex.

In my scale is not understandable until you have a semi-flex....go get a Geha 790 off German Ebay...or your local Ebay if you can find it for under $80. In Germany the Pelikan 140 prices have jumped from €50-70 to 70-90 with in the last year. Geha 790 from @ 25-30 to 30-35-40...though if you take your time and hunt for six weeks, you can still get them for €20-25. I saw one go for €12 when checking past auctions.

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I grumble I don't need a 4th Geha 790 even when I see them go for that price.....Stripped and colored Geha 760/760's are in my future...they will cost €50-75-99; in that colorful Geha's are rare and expensive.

The 760 is a tad higher in class because of the gold ring under the piston cap, but is 140 size. The 790 is a standard sized pen like the M400 Pelikan.

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Edited June 9, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

June 9, 2013

Any nib that doesn't say 'soft' or 'flex' should not be flexed. Period.

I'm sorry but this is just wrong. Many, many vintage and modern nibs are flexible or semi-flexible and do not say 'soft' or 'flex' on them.

June 9, 2013

I have 95% Vintage European (40), and only a few vintage American pens. On none are there 'soft' or 'semi-flex or Flex labeled on any of the nibs.

Same goes for my 25 dip pen nibs.

Unfortunately, no shortcuts, you have to do it either of two ways....buy and learn, or learn and buy. The latter allows you to buy the pens you want.

June 9, 2013

Check out the Eversharp Symphony, models 713, 913 or 'lined band." You will get genuine flex, a 14k nib, on a brand new pen that's over 50 years old.

Teri

June 10, 2013

I have an Wahl Eversharp Doric with an extra fine flex nib that is labeled "flexible".

January 6, 2014

Many people consider the Namiki Falcon's semi-flex. On the other Pilot pens that offer the FA nib (aka Falcon nib) are full Flex.

But for the price, just get a Noodler's pen.

January 6, 2014

I bought a Serweb MB ($20) from fp revolution and it worked decently for 1 month until something happened to the screw section of the body. Can't screw it together now... Can't say I recommend it.

Same thing happened to me. The flex nib was better than the noodler's flex nibs though.

Namiki Falcon is pretty nice and responsive. I find that the noodlers just don't spring back and its just hard to get it back to a thin line after flexing it.