"blind" Comparison Of 5 Different Pens Using Noodler's Golden Brown

[PrestoTenebroso]

In a panicked, nervous state and unable to sleep, I thought I'd calm myself by trying out a few pens.

 

I've been torn with the idea of which pens I want to keep and which I want to sell. I have a few vintage pens and though they are all nice in their own ways, I've been looking for a low cost, high quality way of getting the most out of the inks I love. I like an ink that gives strong shading characteristics. So, the ideal pen for me is a flex pen that actually doesn't write too wetly. My Noodler's Ahab (which I've modified as described here) gives nice flex, but it doesn't really "do" anything like hairlines, returns are a bit slow for my tastes, and it writes so wetly that you don't get a chance to really do any shading. You just get a fat, wet line.

 

Anyhow, these are 5 different samples I did with Noodler's Golden Brown (sample 1 must have had a little leftover blue in it). I'd like to know what you think of each pen and why specifically.

 

Note: Please excuse the overall sad quality of the scan and the handwriting. This is my first post! I think I'll take a note from everybody else and just do a photograph in the future for this sort of thing.

 

[apkayle]

Nice handwriting, and the golden brown's shading looks beautiful. You make a good point on the Ahab being a wet writer, I don't get much shading from my flexes either. Then again, I'm using Lexington Gray.

 

Perhaps there is a nib/feed adjustment to somehow constrict the flow of ink?

[PrestoTenebroso]

I'm getting a new feed from Goulet. I tried filling in some of the air channels with wax, even, and I got the thing almost completely filled. It still writes too wetly, it just stops more often! For good quality flex, I'm still looking for other options. I have an Ackerman pump pen with a Zebra G nib in it that's great, but last night I found an ink that won't flow in it! De Atramentis Dianthus. Damn.

[TSherbs]

I think that #2, the Serwex, looks pretty good here.