Nib Flex

[Kuscer]

how much flex do you like? what's your most flexible nib? share your thoughts!

[PabloAU]

For me, a lack of fine manual dexterity means that flex is a novelty that makes my handwriting untidy.

 

I do like springy nibs though; not for line variation, but for road feel.

[ANM]

For the first ten years I used a fountain pen, it was a Pelikan 120 with gold plated steel nib. It had a little spring to it. I thought they were all supposed to be like that but when it broke and they didn't make that one any more I found all the other pens I got with stiff nibs were unpleasant and boring. I later found a Waterman Hundred Year pen with a much more flexible nib and I enjoyed it as a drawing pen but didn't write with it much. After i retired I started trying copperplate style cursive with a very fine pointed and very flexible Sheaffers that is a lot of fun but seldom use it for anything except to play with and to address Christmas cards.

Edited September 17, 2014 by ANM

[pendexter]

When I first started using fountain pens, I was really interested in flex because I wanted line variation and expression in my writing. As I've been writing more, I've started to prefer cursive italics. They give my writing a little bit of style, but are easier for me to use because I don't have to worry about a super wet line bleeding through standard paper.

 

I have a Pilot Falcon soft fine, a Noodler's Ahab, and an Ackerman Pump pen.

 

* The Pilot is great to use as a daily writer, it provides a bit of flex but it's not noticeable unless I'm really trying, and even then it's only going from Fine to Broad.

 

* The Ahab flexes out a little bit more, and because it isn't as expensive, I push it more. It is by no means a 'wet noodle', and I don't really find occasion to use it that much. But it does write well for me, and i have no problem using it as a regular writer.

 

* If I wanted to do some fancy flexy writing, my go-to pen is the Acerman Pump with a Manga G nib. It's sort of a hybrid fountain/dip pen. There's a pump mechanism that holds ink in the barrel, but the design could still use some tweaking. I would not fill it with ink and take it outside. So I'm still tethered to a desk, next to a bottle of ink as if using a dip pen. But that nib... I can go from XF to BBB and not have to worry about springing the nib, as they are only a buck or two to replace. The swirls I can make rival any of those found on vintage wet noodle flex pens.

 

I'll probably get a vintage wet noodle one of these days if I come across a great deal, but as of now I get to play around with flexy nibs at my desk for a fraction of the cost.

[bardiir]

My nib with the most flex is a Degussa Vintage nib.

My nib with the nicest flex is my Lamy flex nib - it's softer than all others and its got a finer hairline than any of the others - now that I shortened the feed a bit it doesn't touch down anymore like in the samples below so that is solved too.

 

I've also got a Penkala vintage flex which is quite nice.

 

What I didn't like so far:

 

Noodlers "Flex" - not really flex, too hard, even when modded.

FPR Flex - nib isn't really a fine writer and modding it didn't work very nice.

Pilot Falcon - to hard to flex.

Edited September 17, 2014 by bardiir

[Wolverine1]

I ama guy who has suffered a number of strokes, and that has affected the way I write, and the pens with stiff to slightly springy nibs seem to work best for my present needs. For example- I have a Metal Pilot Falcon with a flex nib, customised by John Mottishaw. I find that I rarely even ink it up, the flexy nib makes it almost impossible to write with.

I agree with PabloAU's comments, I feel the same way.

[tonybelding]

For much of my everyday writing, I like a nail. Something that writes like a rollerball is ideal. Firm nibs became more popular over time for a reason, because they are less delicate and not so wet, and better suited to writing tasks on the go.

 

However... I really do enjoy writing with my vintage flex pens once in a while. The most flexible I've got is a tiny Waterman Thorobred. It's a joy to use, and it lends subtle flair to my handwriting. My Wahl Monitor is nearly as good, and is actually a nicer pen (bigger, better looking) in other respects.

 

What irks me are the modern pens advertised as flex or semi-flex that don't really flex with anything like normal handwriting. Youtube is full of videos of guys bearing down on them with a Gorilla Hand and gushing, "Look how wide it spreads!" To me that's a stunt, it's useless.

 

[iveyman]

how much flex do you like? what's your most flexible nib? share your thoughts!

 

I like wet noodles. My favourite one is a Waterman 7 with pink nib. I use it daily for the joy of flexing.

[Kataphract]

There's line variation and there's ease of flex. I like line variation when I draw, but a stub pen doesn't do it for me in an ideal way, while at the same time while writing with a stub (or any type of italic nib) it probably is an easier thing to get these days than a highly flexible nib. My Ahab gets enough line variation, but doesn't have as fine a start point as I would like. I just finished a flex-mod on it (as in, just before I posted here and I'm still trying to adjust the ink flow) and I found that has put the ease of flex to a more acceptable level (not really interested in a "wet noodle").

Edited September 17, 2014 by Kataphract

[Bo Bo Olson]

My "Hand" is not really good enough for the Super-flex nibs I have...I sort of write regular mostly with them.

Out side of a fancy L every once in a while. Too lazy to do any work.

 

Please look at my signature.

I have 26 semi-flex that is the next step up the flex ladder after true regular flex. Lately I've been calling springy semi-vintage and vintage regular flex....true. In many modern companies make semi-nail instead of regular flex, in the ball point cross overs bend even regular flex too easy. Semi-nail, like a P-75 nib.

True springy regular flex as nice as it is not semi-flex, which is half again eaisier to flex.

 

I have 14-'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

Amoung both of those flexs, I have some 13 oblique nibbed pen, in @15 degree and 30 degree grind. OBB, OB, OM & OF.

I think OEF would be too narrow for me.

 

True springy regular flex like that vintage 120 that was spoken about, or a slightest tad better '90's 400 or Pelikan Celebry pens, in both M&F often are nice nibs for shading inks....depending on the inks.

 

Semi-flex&'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex are mostly (but always) wetter nibs because of ease of tine spread.

 

As soon as one has a mix of Nails& true regular flex, in B, M, F and EF....it is time to get a semi-flex.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[kidde]

While I do not yet posses the hand to take full advantage, I enjoy using flexible nibs. For everyday use I prefer springy/semi-flex pens, like my Pelikan 120. I have a Blackbird and a Desiderata w/ZebraG, but they are for occasional use vs. everyday for my 120. Bo Bo Olsen and Tony Belding have much to say on this subject. It has paid for me to listen. While ZebraG and dip nibs are easily replaceable, old Pelikan and Mabie Todd nibs aren't. Fatigue eventually sets in with metal pushed constantly to its limits, buy backing off a step or two you expand the life of the nib exponentially.

If you want constant widths go stub or italic. For variation caused by pressure, try a soft or springy nib. Like cars, nibs can sometimes get you in trouble. Few can handle a 750hp car. That number shrinks for those who can get the most from a noodle.

Remember, the heart of vintage flex is in the nib. Sprung or broken, replacement wet noodle nibs are hard to find, and there are fewer repairmen who can restore it.

Take your time if vintage is your goal. For modern, nothing I have touches the Desiderata. Hopefully he gets production ramped up because there is a demand. The nibs require very frequent cleanings (to last) do wear out, but made easy to replace and easy to find.

Good luck in your search.

 

Paul

[Bo Bo Olson]

Kidde for about 4 years I thought the very nice vintage 120 nib was = to my semi-vintage '90's 400. Then I got two semi-vintage Celebry pens with nibs as good as 200's. I pushed my '90's 400 to match....and those three were a bit better than the 120.

The 120 is not semi-flex...but it is a real nice springy regular flex nib. I had it in rotation for almost four years.

The only reason it's out is I'm trying and failing at getting down to 5 pens.

The 120 is still a pen one should have in one's 'collection'. The black and gold Geha school pen with the serial numbers is as good.

They had to be good, they were in the same City, Hannover and compeating against each other.

 

The 200's nibs surprised me. I trans-mailed 5 because some German idiots won't ship to England. 2 were as good as my 120, 3 as good as the '90's 400& Celebry nibs.

The Celebry gold nib is as good as the steel one. Very nice springy regular flex nibs.

 

It's a shame it seems one needs to go semi-vintage or vintage to get a nib with a bit of life to it.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Polanova]

How much flex do you like?

 

The more the better! Well, truth is, it depends: For calligraphic writing it can`t be flexible enough for me, but semi-flex is better for sketching.

The only nails I can stand for regular writing are cursive & stub nibs & sometimes XF for sketching

[ac12]

A HARD nib is just fine for my normal writing, as I write with very little to no pressure on the pen.

On the other hand, my dip pens will vary based on how much flex I want to put in the writing, and I select the appropriate pen/nib for that.

[PrestoTenebroso]

A HARD nib is just fine for my normal writing, as I write with very little to no pressure on the pen.

On the other hand, my dip pens will vary based on how much flex I want to put in the writing, and I select the appropriate pen/nib for that.

Now, if only someone had a pen that could use flex and firm nibs all at the same time...Hmm.....

[PrestoTenebroso]

how much flex do you like? what's your most flexible nib? share your thoughts!

I actually don't like to use flex all that much. I love me a Zebra G or a Gillott303 or Leonhardt Principal EF, but 90% of my writing is done with an EF firm, or a .8mm italic.

[discopig]

I love flex nibs, especially for doodling, flourishing or doing some (bad) fancy flex writing. Most of the time I'll use a nail or slightly soft nib if I'm at work or in class, but I still love flex nibs for home use and drawing/sketching.

 

My most flexible nib is a Wahl "0" gold-filled ringtop with a wet noodle nib. There is simply no other nib I've tried that compares to it.

 

Edited November 4, 2014 by discopig

[ac12]

 

Now, if only someone had a pen that could use flex and firm nibs all at the same time...Hmm.....

 

Be careful, there is the concept of "jack of all trades, master of none."

Or you compromise to such a degree that either nib is not pleasant to write wtih.

 

In my case it would be close to impossible.

My daily nails are "normal" fountain pens, but my flex nibs are used in an oblique holder. That gives me better control of the flex on the down-stroke.

I found that an oblique holder is easier for me to write with flex than a straight pen holder, when using a pointed nib. However, when using a bowl or stub nib, I use a straight holder.

[PrestoTenebroso]

 

Edited November 5, 2014 by PrestoTenebroso

[Redbarchettayyz]

I love springy and semi-flex nibs as a rule, but I do have two pens at opposite ends of the spectrum I love writing with, my modern Sailor 1911m F nib, which is a nail but with very satisfying feedback, and my most flexy pen my late 50s Montblanc 234 1/2G, which is so flexy and fun to write with, although not terribly practical.