Demand For Flex Nibs: Do People Want Them?

[BorisoftheStars]

I don't have a fanboyness. It's just, I'm not used to buying fountain pens, despite how I'm currently wanting most of the fountain pens. I know buying from any other store isn't buying from the black market, but I'm just hesitant is all because I'm mostly inexperienced with fountain pens, especially with places selling them.

 

I never heard of Vannes before.

[woleizihan]

As long as you use Paypal, you don't really have to worry that much. You can almost always get your money back.

[strelnikoff]

I have my stock of vintage flexy nibs. And I love them and the pens these came with. MT Swan, Eversharp Skyline, Waterman 52s, vintage Pelikans and Osmia pens. Hence, have no interest in so-called modern flex nibs.

 

Eventually "modern flex" will become just - a pen with a flexible nib. And manufacturers are on a good path to achieve this. I have (currently) 4 Aurora pens, three 88s and one Optima - limited editions with - what people call "modern flex". I don't think this is right - nibs on these pens are properly manufactured, by using the same technique as in 1930s or so. Design is extremely similar and slightly adjusted to the fact that people (now) will buy the pen but may not have the sufficient skills to use them. In any case, one of mine Aurora 88 nibs is on par with a good Waterman Yellow or Brown nib and - dare I say it - pink nib. Only difference is - the tip is not that fine, I could had it grind down, but I'm ok for now.

 

Now - I have to clarify - I had thought the same as you: if I have good number of vintage flexible nibs, I would not need to think about anything modern. But secretly, I was hoping that someone will manufacture new pen with such nib, one with piston filler mechanism, brand new pen, so I don't have to fiddle with sacs and levers and so on. If there are modern pens with excellent flex nibs, readily available - I would stop buying vintage pens.

 

From what I know and what I've heard, Stipula is coming up with a nib made by using a machine from 1930s. Also, SCRIBO has a 14K flexible nib - made the same way and from same material as vintage flex nibs (these are ex-Omas employees who could not buy back the company name, but bought back assets - and among them casts a dies for flex nibs. I'd say Aurora is already there, perhaps the design is just slightly suited for people who may not have good penmanship, but it's a matter of adjusting the tip and feed to get exactly what you have in vintage nibs.

 

This is me saying - you may be surprised one day - and end up buying a "modern" flex

[strelnikoff]

I don't have a fanboyness. It's just, I'm not used to buying fountain pens, despite how I'm currently wanting most of the fountain pens. I know buying from any other store isn't buying from the black market, but I'm just hesitant is all because I'm mostly inexperienced with fountain pens, especially with places selling them.

 

I never heard of Vannes before.

 

You may want to check www.nibs.com too.

They are smaller than Goulet and they do look at their pens a bit closer. I.e. chances are you can demand from them to try and adjust the pen - before shipping. The owner also restores vintage pens (I have bought two from him) so they know this part of the business. Goulet does not offer this, they are too big to look at each pen individually.

But by far the best way to buy a pen is - in the pen store. However, this may not be possible everywhere.

 

There's also fountainpenhospital.com - long tradition there.

[strelnikoff]

 

https://www.firenze1903.it/un-pennino-dantan-stiflex-la-stilografica-alessandro-manzoni/

 

there are various mentions of a Stiflex nib which is being developed by Stipula, on this florentine web site, already since mid 2017.

What slightly concerns is the fact that there seems to be no mention elsewhere of this.

A new LE Stipula pen named after Alessandro Manzoni is supposedly out with such nib.

 

 

 

I've tried to find it online... only few photos, no pens on offer.

[zslane]

I have a Waterman with a flex nib--the exact year/model I can't determine, but it has a 14KT gold IDEAL nib--and it flexes to produce a 1.5-1.6mm stroke with modest pressure. My Conklin Duraflex pens (I have two of them) feel almost exactly the same to me (maybe a hair smoother), and produce the same thick lines with the same modest pressure.

 

Of course these pens aren't wet noodles by any means, but they are really good for the kind of "calligraphy" I need them for. As far as I'm concerned, the Duraflex is a legitimate "modern flex" pen, and with a price point south of $75 (when it was available), I feel it is an excellent value.

[Professor Plume]

Dante is calling it a soft nib not a flex nib. At least in the interview with Goulet.

I like the look of this nib so much that I just purchased the pen in Tiger Yellow. There's a post on Instagram showing a close-up of the nib flexing with some Diamine Meadow ink highlighting the agility of the "quill" and that sealed the deal for me !!

[sansenri]

Can you describe the perceived behaviour of this nib in more detail?

Thank you

[Honeybadgers]

I don't have a fanboyness. It's just, I'm not used to buying fountain pens, despite how I'm currently wanting most of the fountain pens. I know buying from any other store isn't buying from the black market, but I'm just hesitant is all because I'm mostly inexperienced with fountain pens, especially with places selling them.

 

I never heard of Vannes before.

 

If you want vintage flex and want to be sure your purchase will be both not bank-breaking and reliable, Greg minuskin is a giant jerk but he sells VERY well restored pens at VERY reasonable prices, almost every one of them with a flex nib ground to an extra fine or needlepoint. You have to check his website every day though as his pens sell the day he posts them.

 

Goulet, anderson pens and vanness are all excellent sellers. Vanness took a LOT of time to correct a nib issue I had with a bexley, Anderson's communication regarding something they accidentally sold out of was excellent, and Goulet has been hands down one of the best retailers I've ever met, they go above and beyond in every way, to degrees that some people would call absurd (like giving me a free $80 visconti pen case. Just because Coles of london wouldn't replace my visconti's nib. And Goulet replaced the pen. For free.)

 

I also like to buy my vintage pens from Nathaniel Cerf at Thepenmarket.com . Nathaniel is a damn fine person and he sells vintage pens restored as well as they can be for very reasonable prices. He doesn't often have flex nib stuff, but his prices are nearly impossible to beat. I got my first mont blanc 149 from him for $400 in like-new shape, and have probably spent about a grand with him.

 

Ebay is a gamble. The good stuff tends to go for a massive premium. There are a few awesome chinese sellers, in particular bobby with office supplies pen, who speaks great english, his shipping times are seemingly impossible (under 2 weeks to the US no matter what) and he's a real enthusiast himself.

 

I've gotten scores from ebay and been burned. I advise anyone stay away from ebay until they're really familiar with what they're looking at buying. Never buy your first of anything from ebay.

[Honeybadgers]

 

Eventually "modern flex" will become just - a pen with a flexible nib. And manufacturers are on a good path to achieve this. I have (currently) 4 Aurora pens, three 88s and one Optima - limited editions with - what people call "modern flex". I don't think this is right - nibs on these pens are properly manufactured, by using the same technique as in 1930s or so. Design is extremely similar and slightly adjusted to the fact that people (now) will buy the pen but may not have the sufficient skills to use them. In any case, one of mine Aurora 88 nibs is on par with a good Waterman Yellow or Brown nib and - dare I say it - pink nib. Only difference is - the tip is not that fine, I could had it grind down, but I'm ok for now.

 

That's really interesting to hear. I have not had the chance to try the aurora flex or the omas flessible, but I've heard they're either really mushy or really firm, and neither really spreads out that much. Some of it comes down to the alloys, too. Old makers made their own alloys, and there were 14k alloys made specifically for fountain pens. Most modern makers buy stock 14k sheet gold and form it from there, which that sheet is never optimized for fountain pens. We genuinely don't have the alloy recipes anymore for the original flex nibs, and that's why a lot of modern flexy stuff doesn't have that snap back.

 

I have a "modern flex" nib made by pablo over at FPnibs.com that is like a damned paintbrush in terms of softness. it spreads the tines using nothing but the power of suggestion and goes to 3mm no problem, but it doesn't have the snap back of my vintage flex nibs. Though it does go broader.

 

The more I get into this hobby, the more I find myself using flexible and soft nibs. I usually have a firm nib or two, also usually filled with an iron gall or other cheap-paper friendly ink in my pouch, and my breast pocket pen will be a delike alpha brass pen until the day I no longer work in emergency medicine (I popped a window with it a few weeks ago when my glass breaker failed, it saved a patient's life.) But when I'm taking notes in class, I really like needlepoint flex nibs.

 

 

[TSherbs]

... and my breast pocket pen will be a delike alpha brass pen until the day I no longer work in emergency medicine (I popped a window with it a few weeks ago when my glass breaker failed, it saved a patient's life.)

That is very cool. Nice work!

[catapult1]

I'm one of those people who is new to fountain pens, and bought a Noodler's Nib Creaper flexpen. And yes, I was disappointed to find out that I wasn't able to use it for both regular writing, and calligraphy, which was what I bought it for (to do both). They say the pen is for "tinkerers" and I am a "tinkerer." But I did learn some things about pens and ink and how to achieve the old-fashioned line variation of dip pens. It has a lot to do with the ink, and not just the amount of flex in the nib. Calligraphy dip pens use thicker, pigmented ink, which would clog a fountain pen. So, for calligraphy, I use a dip pen, with calligraphy dip pen ink, and the writing goes a lot slower, but it looks much better, more like artwork. For long writing sessions and for everyday writing I use a refillable fountain pen. I also figured out that you can get some interesting line variation, similar to flexpens, just by using an italic nib on a fountain pen. So in short, I'm still interested in modern flex nib fountain pens, but I haven't found one, at a decent price, that actually works the way I'm expecting. And it might have more to do with the ink, and the fact that fountain pens can clog easily, than the ability to manufacture flexible nibs.

[Honeybadgers]

I'm one of those people who is new to fountain pens, and bought a Noodler's Nib Creaper flexpen. And yes, I was disappointed to find out that I wasn't able to use it for both regular writing, and calligraphy, which was what I bought it for (to do both). They say the pen is for "tinkerers" and I am a "tinkerer." But I did learn some things about pens and ink and how to achieve the old-fashioned line variation of dip pens. It has a lot to do with the ink, and not just the amount of flex in the nib. Calligraphy dip pens use thicker, pigmented ink, which would clog a fountain pen. So, for calligraphy, I use a dip pen, with calligraphy dip pen ink, and the writing goes a lot slower, but it looks much better, more like artwork. For long writing sessions and for everyday writing I use a refillable fountain pen. I also figured out that you can get some interesting line variation, similar to flexpens, just by using an italic nib on a fountain pen. So in short, I'm still interested in modern flex nib fountain pens, but I haven't found one, at a decent price, that actually works the way I'm expecting. And it might have more to do with the ink, and the fact that fountain pens can clog easily, than the ability to manufacture flexible nibs.

 

Easiest way to get your toe into the flex game (and show you that the ink isn't the limiting factor) is to get a noodlers konrad or ahab and a pack of zebra comic G nibs. Use pliers to flatten out the base of the zebra nib until it fits decently onto the noodlers feed, and then heat set the feed to the nib (lots of youtube channels to show you how) properly heat set, that nib will do what you want, though the nibs must be cleaned regularly and only last about 2 months, so you will spend about $10/year on nibs, but that pen is in a league of its own. Think of it like replacing the expensive tires on a ferrari.

[PenBuyer1796]

 

If you want vintage flex and want to be sure your purchase will be both not bank-breaking and reliable, Greg minuskin is a giant jerk but he sells VERY well restored pens at VERY reasonable prices, almost every one of them with a flex nib ground to an extra fine or needlepoint. You have to check his website every day though as his pens sell the day he posts them.

 

Goulet, anderson pens and vanness are all excellent sellers. Vanness took a LOT of time to correct a nib issue I had with a bexley, Anderson's communication regarding something they accidentally sold out of was excellent, and Goulet has been hands down one of the best retailers I've ever met, they go above and beyond in every way, to degrees that some people would call absurd (like giving me a free $80 visconti pen case. Just because Coles of london wouldn't replace my visconti's nib. And Goulet replaced the pen. For free.)

 

I also like to buy my vintage pens from Nathaniel Cerf at Thepenmarket.com . Nathaniel is a damn fine person and he sells vintage pens restored as well as they can be for very reasonable prices. He doesn't often have flex nib stuff, but his prices are nearly impossible to beat. I got my first mont blanc 149 from him for $400 in like-new shape, and have probably spent about a grand with him.

 

Ebay is a gamble. The good stuff tends to go for a massive premium. There are a few awesome chinese sellers, in particular bobby with office supplies pen, who speaks great english, his shipping times are seemingly impossible (under 2 weeks to the US no matter what) and he's a real enthusiast himself.

 

I've gotten scores from ebay and been burned. I advise anyone stay away from ebay until they're really familiar with what they're looking at buying. Never buy your first of anything from ebay.

 

Wow, you mention alot of big time marketing companies. I'm not going to argue with your opinions, but I have nothing but respect for Greg Minuskin and have had great interactions with him in the past. Also if it wasn't for my first pen being on eBay, I probably wouldn't be here. So it goes to show how different our opinions really are.

 

 

That's really interesting to hear. I have not had the chance to try the aurora flex or the omas flessible, but I've heard they're either really mushy or really firm, and neither really spreads out that much. Some of it comes down to the alloys, too. Old makers made their own alloys, and there were 14k alloys made specifically for fountain pens. Most modern makers buy stock 14k sheet gold and form it from there, which that sheet is never optimized for fountain pens. We genuinely don't have the alloy recipes anymore for the original flex nibs, and that's why a lot of modern flexy stuff doesn't have that snap back.

 

I have a "modern flex" nib made by pablo over at FPnibs.com that is like a damned paintbrush in terms of softness. it spreads the tines using nothing but the power of suggestion and goes to 3mm no problem, but it doesn't have the snap back of my vintage flex nibs. Though it does go broader.

 

The more I get into this hobby, the more I find myself using flexible and soft nibs. I usually have a firm nib or two, also usually filled with an iron gall or other cheap-paper friendly ink in my pouch, and my breast pocket pen will be a delike alpha brass pen until the day I no longer work in emergency medicine (I popped a window with it a few weeks ago when my glass breaker failed, it saved a patient's life.) But when I'm taking notes in class, I really like needlepoint flex nibs.

 

 

 

Waterman doesn't have the recipe for their keyhole nibs? Really? Do you have documentation for this?

[amberleadavis]

Remember I'm an ink girl and please be kind. Do the Noodler's Neopenset Music nibs flex?

[catapult1]

 

Easiest way to get your toe into the flex game (and show you that the ink isn't the limiting factor) is to get a noodlers konrad or ahab and a pack of zebra comic G nibs. Use pliers to flatten out the base of the zebra nib until it fits decently onto the noodlers feed, and then heat set the feed to the nib (lots of youtube channels to show you how) properly heat set, that nib will do what you want, though the nibs must be cleaned regularly and only last about 2 months, so you will spend about $10/year on nibs, but that pen is in a league of its own. Think of it like replacing the expensive tires on a ferrari.

 

Wow, that sounds great, and not too expensive either. Why don't manufacturers make those, if clearly people do want them? I thought about making my own, but haven' taken the plunge for that yet.

 

What inks and papers do you use, to get your flex nib Ferrari-type ZebraG-Konrad pen to work at its best?

[ReadyFireAim]

Remember I'm an ink girl and please be kind. Do the Noodler's Neopenset Music nibs flex?

 

They sort of do but they are a setup nightmare.

Even after you manage to get it right, it won't stay that way if you switch inks.

I had more luck doing an wing cutout on a Ahab nib and stuffing it into the Neoponset.

 

My best, non hybrid, flex pen is still the Creaper ground between XXF & XF.

It be beats FPR, all Noodler's #6 nibs & all but the best gold ($500+)

 

If you want a real flex experience for next to nothing, try a Creaper in a FPR Himalayan.

It's still my favorite setup except for hybrids.

[amberleadavis]

Thank you!

[BlueJ]

I might add that the stock Neponset nib will flex to about BBB (if you go slow to avoid railroading) but it takes some force, and the nib will not do XF or even F when not applying pressure (minimum about M horizontally or a little wider vertically, as it is slightly stubby.) I did not find mine difficult to set up, or desire to try a different nib in it, but I don't use it much.

[AAAndrew]

It’s this having to go so slowly to avoid railroading that drives me so crazy about modern flex nibs. I guess I’m just spoiled by dip nibs.