Newbie Asks Vol.1: Flex

[missuslovett]

@Gimme Flex - I said I didn't have anything that wet but I just bought a jade green Swan flat-top flex that pours ink like it's bleeding out. I may have to tinker a bit. Though it's a broad nib, it has a reasonable amount of snap-back but, oh, gawd, you certainly couldn't leave a legible note for the milkman with it. On the other hand my Apache Sunset looks stunning!

[sidthecat]

Would this make one a flex maniac?

[missuslovett]

Absolutely!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Actually back in the day......1870's-and up, in the dip pen days, basic Business script was used for business. (similar to a Palmer system) Clerks stood at a tall sloped desk for 12 hours a day six days a week, writing clearly. Three days off a year, 4th, Christmas and New Year.

 

Spenserian was more for letters between the more educated, those well enough off, with enough time to spare to learn it....or the willingness to do home study, which was real big back then.

 

There is always a desire to have a beautiful script....in it's place by those who 'counted'.

 

Something one might have a pen holder with a very flexible pen (nib) on it for signatures. A boss had a desk at which he sat.

 

They had good single sided carbon paper since the late 1860's. And nibs hard enough to press through 5 carbon copies like for train orders.

The Captain of the Train, the Conductor who was paid $5.00 a day, got the first original copy. He was not just a ticket puncher as movies show. Eagle Eye...the engineer making $4.00 a day got the first carbon copy. The fireman, who was not some old guy with a back, but an apprentice engineer, got the next. The next two the Conductor gave to his two break men who were hoping to become a conductor. The last and least readable was kept by the Station Agent/manager.

 

There were many odd ways of making business copies before that...and even later.

 

I'm writing a 'city slicker' western, so of course it has to describe an up to the minute 1881 office, with the brand new on the market Clip Boards and how to pin papers together....pre-stapler. Filing systems were just coming in. Some folks could type quickly with two fingers on each hand! I use Eagle, Gillette and Esterbrook pens/nibs, in various flex rates. This or that penholder, and a variety of inkwells.

 

Can't have a western with out Opera, fine shaken cocktails....great French buffet saloon 'Free Lunch' and an up to the minute office.

In the West...Eastern was In.

 

Outside the saloon, the dusty cowboy, dusts himself off, opens the batwings, walks up to the the assistant bartender wearing a white coat, and asks "What sherries do you have?"

OK, someone wanting to remain or pass for an Easterner would. Any good bar would have sherry, scotch, cognac and cocktails.

Boy, has Hollywood ever given us the wrong idea.

 

 

So one of the reasons why there are so few Wet Noodles, was it was always small market.

 

A good poster had great info, showing from the '30's, when Waterman was still making superflex nibs.

They seemed to be pushing the basic 3X tine spread, with wet noodle pressure ....instead of how wide can you spread the tines of today. They still had a number of very flexible nibs in the '30's like the fabled Pink.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[Mauricio]

Thanks for you great last post BoBo. Very delightful!