Newbie Asks Vol.1: Flex

[PaperQueen]

The wettest nib I've come across was on a Waterman 52 ripple.

 

Do you recall which nib was used? I have a Waterman 52 1/2V Red Ripple donning a Canada Ideal #2 on the way and am dying to try it out (guess who will be bouncing on her toes at the end of the driveway when the mailman pulls up this week?),

[Meltemi]

Well... Yes. But really, it was a jinhao, the shipping and the posting was the cheapest it could get. It worked tolerably the lasg days but I just wanted more. And more.

[Cryptos]

Meltemi, hope you don't mind the question but what exactly do you want this flexible nib for? Is there a specific use that you have for it?

 

And here's a possibly interesting point - how many people have you noticed who say that they actually use a highly flexible fountain pen as a daily writing tool? How many calligraphers for that matter prefer to use a flexible fountain pen instead of a good dip pen? This is something that has bothered EoC for quite some time.

[missuslovett]

 

Do you recall which nib was used? I have a Waterman 52 1/2V Red Ripple donning a Canada Ideal #2 on the way and am dying to try it out (guess who will be bouncing on her toes at the end of the driveway when the mailman pulls up this week?),

 

Yes. It was a Waterman New York No. 2. Yummy!

[missuslovett]

...

 

And here's a possibly interesting point - how many people have you noticed who say that they actually use a highly flexible fountain pen as a daily writing tool? How many calligraphers for that matter prefer to use a flexible fountain pen instead of a good dip pen? This is something that has bothered EoC for quite some time.

 

I regularly use flexible nibs for daily writing. I'm a writer and my longhand notes are interspersed with 'doodles' of calligraphy practice. I used to use dip pens when I wrote in round hand/Fraktur etc when I did more illustration but I use fountain pens now for script just because I love fountain pens! Maybe I'm not taking it as seriously as I used to? I think these days I'm only practising calligraphy again because I love the pens so much!

[Meltemi]

I have a very specific project in mind that does include a flexible nib fountain pen. I use dip nibs for an other purpose and I do use them at other times. As for daily writting I use a Reform iridium point fountain pen.

[Pterodactylus]

 

(Waterman 12 1/2 BCHR ..... Diamine Ancient Copper)

[Cryptos]

That wasn't what was suggested. In fact, EoC would also be in that group of people who would use a flexible nib daily, and actually does (although only dip pens). The point was that it seems to be a very small group.

 

If people do use real wet noodles for their daily work then please can you tell us about the experience! What is it like as a workhorse? Are there specific issues that come up often?

 

Sorry if it seemed that EoC was saying it wasn't a good idea. He actually thinks it would be great if MORE people did it! :D

[missuslovett]

Maybe we should define what we mean by 'wet noodle'? I have many pens that are semi flex and flexy without (in my feeble opinion) wandering right into wet noodle territory. If I ask them nicely, my pens routinely lay down lines from ef - bb+ without becoming unmanageable. All my journals are 120gsm paper, as I've found even 100gsm is occasionally too thin to avert bleed through. Incidentally these are NU Elite A4 soft casebound things and I got 12 of them for £20!!!!

 

The only thing I have I'd consider a wet noodle, as opposed to a nicely flexing pen is a Konrad I recently fitted with a Zebra G. I don't use it for handwriting because it has a very wide turning circle and the point is eeef.

 

I'd be really interested in other people's thoughts on this as I've probably formed an erroneous opinion based on a good deal less practice than most.

[Pterodactylus]

I think there are 2 reasons why there is only a small group.

 

1. Only very few people can master flex nibs anymore, (we are surrounded by ballpoint barbarians)

2. Flex nib pens are not easy and widly available anymore.

 

 

I only have one Superflex/Wet noodle pen, a Mabie Todd Swan, but it is a real gusher, much too wet to use it daily, no chance to use it on different paper than high quality paper, additionally you have to write really huge with it.

Also it runs out of ink very quickly as it lay down seas of ink (and I really mean seas), no chance to use this pen as a daily writer.

 

Here you can see a writing sample (the grid is 5 mm a square)

 

[missuslovett]

That's a lovely green My Konrad needs a lot of room too. As did my Waterman 52. I guess there's flex; superflex & wet noodle. And all my nicest flex pens are Mabie Todds.

 

Edit: Blimey! That's a No.6!

Edited December 6, 2015 by missuslovett

[Cryptos]

Yes, EoC's only flexible fountain pens are the Mabie Todds, but all four are medium or stubs and will be gone before long.

 

That is an astonishing shade of green there, Ptero!

 

For writing in a kind of Spencerian hand, how much variation do you think is required? EoC was thinking of from hairline (or close to it) to a 1.5mm line. Not talking about real ornamental stuff or copperplate, EoC has dip pens that are better suited for that.

[vorpal]

What green is it?

[Pterodactylus]

This is P.W. Akkerman Hofkwartier Groen a amazing shading ink, it's very vivid, the Swan there was too wet to show its full shading capabilities.

Normally I don't really like green inks, but this one is great.

[JonSzanto]

This reply, from Mauricio, is so spot-on that it requires full quotation. I was just trying to tell another new pen user the same information elsewhere, and didn't come close to this. Bravo, Mauricio!

 

The Pilot Pen Company makes "soft" nibs for some of their pen models. They do not call their nibs flex for a reason: They are not flexible nibs. They are soft nibs specifically designed and manufactured for Kanji, the Japanese script made with very short traces to form characters. Some of these traces have line variation. Pilot soft nibs are wonderful for Kanji script, but if you want to use them for any form of Western flex calligraphy, those nibs will not be able to keep up with the required demands. Remember those forms of script require the writing of complete words with flex strokes throughout the word and without releasing the nib from paper throughout the writing of the entire word.

 

Noodlers: They are considered the most inconsistent and unreliable pens in the market place at the moment. I gave up on them a long time ago. I am used to high quality writing instruments. I repair fountain pens and have come up with some of the most sophisticated pen body/flex nib setups in fountain pens. However, the quality and inconsistency of the manufacture of Noodlers components will never allow for consistent and reliable flex writing, regardless of what is done to those pens or regardless of the nibs installed in those pens. I would never recommend a problematic pen to anyone, even less to someone new to fountain pens and/or flex writing. If you are looking for budget flex go with dip pens and dip nibs penholders. They have proven themselves for centuries for be very reliable and true flex writers!

 

Vintage Wahl Eversharp: This and many other brands and models or vintage pens were designed and manufactured for flex purposes. They are not a gimmick, substandard product or simply using the term "flex" to be luring customers and join the bandwagon of more fountain enthusiast wanting to venture with flexible nibs. They are the real deal. If one of this pen has been professionally restored and its nib has been professionally installed to offer ideal ink flow and performance flex writing, you will not look back. You will be better off investing your money into one high quality writing instrument that waste your time and money with gimmicks and substandard product.

 

Just because a manufacturer calls a nib flex does not imply that nib is really a flexible one. There is lots of misrepresentation and misinformation when it comes to flexible nibs in the marketplace. Be very aware of this.

 

Please refer to the two following articles in my website. They thoroughly explain your concerns about flexible nibs:

 

Performance Flex

 

Grading Flex Nibs

[PaperQueen]

This reply, from Mauricio, is so spot-on that it requires full quotation. I was just trying to tell another new pen user the same information elsewhere, and didn't come close to this. Bravo, Mauricio!

 

 

So glad you shared this, JonSzanto. What a wonderful tutorial, from someone who's left me completely in awe (bravo, Mauricio, indeed).

[missuslovett]

Yes, EoC's only flexible fountain pens are the Mabie Todds, but all four are medium or stubs and will be gone before long.

 

That is an astonishing shade of green there, Ptero!

 

For writing in a kind of Spencerian hand, how much variation do you think is required? EoC was thinking of from hairline (or close to it) to a 1.5mm line. Not talking about real ornamental stuff or copperplate, EoC has dip pens that are better suited for that.

 

 

This is a Swan SF 130/ Frankenswan that's my workhorse. It's not a hairline but it's pretty fine. (soz about bad pic)

 

 

[missuslovett]

This is P.W. Akkerman Hofkwartier Groen a amazing shading ink, it's very vivid, the Swan there was too wet to show its full shading capabilities.

Normally I don't really like green inks, but this one is great.

 

I've just been on their website. Oh, help! Oh, no! Money. Vanishing. Towards. Holland...

[Pterodactylus]

 

(Waterman 12 1/2 ..... Diamine Ancient Copper)

[sidthecat]

So YOU'RE the one I've been bidding against, PaperQueen!

 

Do you throw caution to the winds and hang your ringtops about your neck?