Wahl Flexible Nibs

[dwmatteson]

I'm selling a few pens in the marketplace, and a prospective buyer asked me if the ringtop with a Wahl #2 flexible nib was a wet noodle. I'm selling the pen because I've found that flex doesn't really work for me, so I'm not really in a good position to say how it compares to other flex nibs.

 

So I guess I have two questions:

 

1) Is a #2 flexible a wet noodle; and

2) What is the relative hierarchy of flex among Wahl nibs?

 

Thanks!

 

Don M.

[david i]

Some wahls (not sure all) are marked flex when intended to be flex. The gold seal nibs are so marked, at least.

 

But, i've seen various degrees of flex even on nibs marked flex and certainly just being a #2 is no guarantee of flex. Firm #2's abound.

 

Wet noodlehood is a clinical diagnosis. Try it out. Look at line.

 

regards

 

david

 

[dwmatteson]

Thanks, David.

 

I've tried it out, but my it seems that my ham-handedness coupled with my leftiness leave me no closer to an answer.

 

If I try to write anything with serious line variation, I end up with little spatters of ink everywhere as the tines catch and fling ink all about. Good thing my wife wasn't home last time I tried. I'm also concerned about springing the nib. I'd hate to destroy so beautiful a nib!

 

Perhaps I shall try again. My wife's out at the university right now....

 

Don M.

[david i]

i like the lop eared rabbit.

 

In medschool one of my housmates had one. Weird bunny (the rabbit, not the housemate). At the entire rug in her room during a two year period.

 

d

 

 

[Wahlnut]

Don,

 

While all #2 nibs may look alike to some people who are not real familiar with them, they can be told apart without writing. But of course writing will be the ultimate test.

 

if you go here

 

Wahl Nibs

 

and scroll down to my post (its the second one) you will see the basic variety of # 2 nibs that Wahl made available. If you look cloesely, you will see that while none of the #2 nibs are marked for their characteristics, that they have subtle differences in their shapes. As a rule, the longer the #2 nib and the narrow taper toward the tip are the flexibiles and the ones with the faster/shorter taper to the tip are the less flexible. Of course there were many of these that were made for special purposes other than to be flexible for not. Maybe that will help you and others to try to select what should be a flexible nib from photos or on ebay. Also if you are corresponding with a seller, try to get them to photograph the nib from the side so you can also see the thickness of the nib and if it shows areas where it is reinforced for stiffness. (the Maniford nibs (very stiff) were like that.

 

Hope this helps

 

Syd the Wahlnut

 

PS the text at the post mentioned is pretty good reading to get a feel for the Wahl attitude about their nibs.

Edited February 18, 2007 by Wahlnut

[dwmatteson]

Thanks Syd! Very helpful. It's interesting to see how Wahl approached their nibs.

 

Don M.

[Oldtimer]

What would be a "0" nib size for?

[discopig]

What would be a "0" nib size for?

 

I have a very (very) small gold-filled Wahl ringtop with a size "0" nib. I think those small ringtops are the only pens Wahl put #0 nibs on.

 

Here are two pictures with other pens for size comparison, the smallest is the #0, the other gold ringtops are Wahl #2's:

 

http://i.imgur.com/siSezPM.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/x4LulZK.jpg

 

And here it is showing some flexy lines:

 

http://i.imgur.com/DbloalN.jpg

 

It is one of my favourite vintage pens, mainly because of how tiny it is and because it has a nice wet noodle nib.

Edited August 3, 2014 by discopig

[sidthecat]

I'm writing with a recently-acquired Doric Pocket with an 18k #2 Extra-fine nib. I have tiny hands and a very light touch so I'm probably not utilizing the full resources of the nib, but it's about the most fantastic writer I've ever used - wonderfully smooth despite the needle point. A pen made for drawing.

 

It has what looks like a bite mark on the top of the barrel but the Kashmir color doesn't look like it's losing pigmentation. Maybe the cat got it. The matching pencil has no marks at all. Maybe it's part of a lucky batch. Obviously, if the pen crumbles to dust I'll have to stick the nib into something else. What does the traumatized Doric owner do?