I Want A Wet Noodle, Don't Want To Lose My Noodle Over The Price.

[Abner C. Kemp]

Hey Guys,

 

Recently I have been finding myself doing a lot more "flexy" writing. However the Noodler's Ahab I have isn't doing it for me. I find I have to apply way too much pressure to achieve flex and my pen has difficulties with railroading and burping. I considered looking into modifying the nib but I think I'd like to move away from the Ahab and into something a bit nicer.

 

My knowledge of vintage pens is very limited but from what I've heard vintage flex is much preferable to some of the more modern options. The problem is most of the vintage flex pens I've heard of (Watermans, Marbie Todd, exc) are going for $300+ on ebay. Is there anything out there that can get the job done for under $100?? I'm not expecting something the same as one of the higher priced pens but at least something that is a step up from an Ahab when it comes to flexible writing.

 

Thanks!!

[Jerry Adair]

Watch for Waterman 52 or 54 in BHR or BCHR Frequently <$100. The pens are usually discolored but who cares. Unlike to find one with gold filled furniture however, it will usually be nickel. Make sure the lever box is not cracked and the cap is uncracked as well. Be patient one will fall your way OR...best choice get thee to a pen show. Rick Krantz is nearby hit him up you will find him on the FPB as well as here.

Luck

Jerry

[Abner C. Kemp]

Watch for Waterman 52 or 54 in BHR or BCHR Frequently <$100. The pens are usually discolored but who cares. Unlike to find one with gold filled furniture however, it will usually be nickel. Make sure the lever box is not cracked and the cap is uncracked as well. Be patient one will fall your way OR...best choice get thee to a pen show. Rick Krantz is nearby hit him up you will find him on the FPB as well as here.

Luck

Jerry

 

Thanks. I will be on the lookout.

 

Just another question. Is there any reason why no one has taken the nib and feed out of an old waterman pen and put it in a newer pen. I have a very cheap eyedropper Airmail pen that holds a ton of ink and is very easy to clean. It seems to me if a company would offer a pen that could house the nib and feed of these old Watermans that inking/maintenance would be much much easier.

[Uncle Red]

There is a range of flexibility between an Ahab and a wet noodle.

I'd keep my eye out for a Waterman 52v or a 3v, these are short but standard width pens and tend to be cheaper than the full length models. The 52 1/2 and 52 1/2v are thin pens and I've adjusted to using them but I have small hands.

A Mabie Todd Swan can be pricey but look for a Blackbird.

Also, some of the better second tier pens may work for you. Look for Morrison in hard rubber, Moore, even the higher end Salz pens have good nibs.

This is a good site for research

 

http://www.richardspens.com/

[Uncle Red]

 

Thanks. I will be on the lookout.

 

Just another question. Is there any reason why no one has taken the nib and feed out of an old waterman pen and put it in a newer pen. I have a very cheap eyedropper Airmail pen that holds a ton of ink and is very easy to clean. It seems to me if a company would offer a pen that could house the nib and feed of these old Watermans that inking/maintenance would be much much easier.

Since I collect and use Waterman pens perhaps you could look at something else

[perth]

Greg Minuskin's website often has flex pens in user grade, which, from my observation, tends to cost about $100.

[donwinn]

I have several Diamond Point pens, all flex, and none of them cost over $60. My first flex was a Diamond Point bulb filler; a very short pen. Still have it. Diamond Points show up on fleaBay all the time, or at pen shows.

[ac12]

Or, do what I did.

Go the route of a dip pen.

$2 nib + $3 nib holder = $5 total cost

You probably want a few spare nibs of different types.

You can get varying amounts of flex with different nibs and experiment to find what you like w/o spending a ton of $$$.

[Icywolfe]

Well if you are still looking for a modern pen that can do some flexy writing. The Justus95 is good choice. (Maybe the Pilot Falcon too, but I don't own one.) The Justus95 has the same line variation to the Ahab, but it feels like I need the half the pressure compared to the Ahab. And how the feed is I can get it lower on the paper without hitting the feed. Also imo the Justus95 recovers from rail roading much faster that the Ahab. Also I can do some fast flexy writing without rail roading.*

 

*I used Konpeki for that fast flexy.

 

You can do the Dip Pen GNib option:

 

http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1fe1/83qdl1j9ycxcydo6g.jpg

Edited August 19, 2014 by Icywolfe

[BookCat]

Perhaps take a look at the Fountain Pen Revolution site pens. They have many with flex nibs as an option. I have a Dilli on order because I've watched flex nibs from this company on youtube. They seem to railroad far less than the noodler's pens. Worth taking a look anyway.

http://www.fountainpenrevolution.com/fpr_collection.html

[bitterwonder]

The Desiderata Pen Company. Not a wet noodle but flexible if you want go write with flex.

And you can change the nib. Might be good to practice with.

[Icywolfe]

Perhaps take a look at the Fountain Pen Revolution site pens. They have many with flex nibs as an option. I have a Dilli on order because I've watched flex nibs from this company on youtube. They seem to railroad far less than the noodler's pens. Worth taking a look anyway.

http://www.fountainpenrevolution.com/fpr_collection.html

I heard you need the same pressure as the Noodler's though.

[BookCat]

No, they're not wet noodles but are superior imho to Noodlers because the feeds keep up with demand; better ink flow. And they're very inexpensive so may serve as an interim pen until the OP finds a vintage wet noodle.

 

(Groans as goes to put the rubbish out!)

Edited August 20, 2014 by BookCat

[kidde]

At the moment I'd suggest a Desiderata Daedalus. While keeping it dry and clean is needed to prolong nib life, at about $2 each they aren't difficult to replace. While Zebra G's aren't the flexiest dip nibs, they are head and shoulders above any modern fountain pen and most vintage. Heaven forbid you spring the nib, but if so it's $2 and available through the mail. I have no stake in that company but was/am a beta tester and really like mine!

 

Paul

[brewsky]

I agree that the ahab is not really ideal. I currently own an autofiller eyedropper (third tier form the 1920's) with a 14k full flex nib. Keep an eye on the classifieds here and on fpgeeks. People usually unload them for cheap (third tier flex nibbed pens). i got mine for $70 or something close. I would definitely purchase it again. The only downside I see to the pen is that now I want another, and another. They are truely awesome. I dont really think a true "wet noodle" would be enjoyable to write with. Mine is however, quite easy to flex.. especially compared to the Ahab.

[Garageboy]

Since I collect and use Waterman pens perhaps you could look at something else

+1

[BookCat]

Since I collect and use Waterman pens perhaps you could look at something else

I giggled on reading this.

 

Subtext: Leave my Watermans ALONE!

Edited August 20, 2014 by BookCat

[ziptrickhead]

There are lots of vintage pens with very flexy nibs that can be had for around $100 and even less depending on what condition the body is in. In all honestly, you probably don't want a wet noodle but a flexy nib that doesn't require much pressure to spread the tines. I had ground a Pelikan M200 nib into a very soft flexy nib and then within 10 mins proceeded to spring the tines. On the other hand I have 2 vintage pens that offer me more than enough line variation but while not completely soft, offers just enough resistance when I flex the tines to let me know that maybe I shouldn't push the nib any harder. As as result I've yet to spring either of the nibs.

 

One of the pens is a Waterman 92 that had a small chip at the tail end of the pen. Only paid $135 for it completely restored from a FPN member off the classifieds. The other was pure chance when I was looking for a cheap hard rubber eyedropper pen off ebay. Only cost me all of $32. After playing around with the pen I found out it could manage this:

 

[balson]

 

Thanks. I will be on the lookout.

 

Just another question. Is there any reason why no one has taken the nib and feed out of an old waterman pen and put it in a newer pen. I have a very cheap eyedropper Airmail pen that holds a ton of ink and is very easy to clean. It seems to me if a company would offer a pen that could house the nib and feed of these old Watermans that inking/maintenance would be much much easier.

 

its definitely doable. the biggest issue is that with a beaten up waterman pen you can sell the nib feed and section for at least as much as you could sell the pen for as a parts pen.

 

the other problem everyone faces when trying to find their first vintage flexible nib is if the seller knows enough about pens to note that the nib is flexible and to attempt to rate it, they also know that those nibs command a premium price.

 

user grade pens are probably the way to go.

[kidde]

Here are some quick photos. In each pic is Daedalus, Blackbird, Pel 120 and FPR Dilli. I did not flex any as far as possible, and the order was set by pressure required to get these lines. From first to last I'd say it takes a pretty light hand to get fine lines on the first three, MT and Pel running pretty close. I hope this helps at least some. For whatever reason I cannot get the second pic to rotate, but it isn't hard to tell which is which.

 

Paul