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Recommendations For Flexy/wet Noodle Dip Pens / Vintage?

jameskachan

By jameskachan
in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop

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jameskachan New

jameskachan

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I've seen some vintage Mabie Todd & Co dip pens on ebay, but I cant seem to find any writing samples pens of this sort.

I'm looking for some recommendations for some "wet noodle" / super flex dip nibs, nibs/brands to watch out for.

I'm guessing something gold, and something pretty old.

I'd love to hear from anyone with a good solid background that can link to some examples of how much flex is possible and what to expect when getting into this.

 

Thanks!

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Scrawler Antique

Scrawler

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I use Hunt Imperial 101 for wet noodle work. I have a 1930s Wearever fountain pen I use it in, not a dip holder. This nib will go from a hairline to about 1/10 inch. That is a modern steel nib. It is generally comparable to a Waterman #3 of early 1930s vintage. That is a gold nib and so its hairlines are broader than the steel nib. It is flexier than my #7 Pink, but does not snap back as quickly. I also have a Banks #14 (a huge antique steel nib) mounted into an Esterbrook. That will really flex and snap back, but required much more force than the #7, which requires more force than the #3. The best gold wet noodle I have for certain types of decoration is a 1919 Swan SF1. It starts broad and keeps on putting ink down at almost 1/8 inch. The thing about these nibs is that each one is better than the other for a specific sort of work. I don't know what you want to do with the nib, so I cannot be more specific about your choices. But it is generally a good idea to play with real modern dip pens first.

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Scrawler Antique

Scrawler

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This image shows the flex available in an Imperial 101

 

http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx153/FPWriter/fp1.jpg

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Scrawler Antique

Scrawler

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This is a Waterman #3

http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx153/FPWriter/w3-2_zps4d414b1b.jpg

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jameskachan

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I like the idea of a good nib in a random body!

 

Actually, that reminds me, I have a vintage Waterman Ideal Reg. US Pat. Off #2 Made in USA hanging around, I was originally thinking about about putting it in an Noodlers pen or something but the size wasn't right. Can you recommend any good bodies (modern or vintage) that would fit this nib? Preferably ones easy to come by.

 

Also, I think ill pick up a handfull of modern dip nibs and see whats I can do with them first.

Edited by jameskachan

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Bo Bo Olson Ancient Artifact

Bo Bo Olson

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Great info Scrawler on those Waterman nibs, and wet noodles in General.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Scrawler Antique

Scrawler

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The Waterman #2 is one of my favourite nibs to play with. They are very variable, and the only way to guarantee good flex is to buy one from a merchant who has tested them. People like Mauricio come to mind. The alternative is to do as I have done which is to buy many and pass the lesser ones on. The #2 nib is small, so is difficult to fit to, say, an Esterbrook carrier, though I have done it. You end up with a tiny looking nib that way. If you plan to do surgery and put these kinds on nibs in "random" bodies, you need to consider 3 things. 1) the length of the nib. 2) the curvature of the nib and 3) the feed. A feed that will will supply a simple unflexed nib will very likely starve a flex nib and cause railroading. There are many things you can do here. You can collect feeds and try to fit them, you can open up or cut new channels, or you can buy ebonite and make your own. I have done all of these things in search of nibs, pens and bodies.

 

Fortunately, the #2 size nib was quite common, so you can fit them to many different bodies. Here is a #2 size nib in an Esterbrook SJ

 

http://i751.photobucket.com/albums/xx153/FPWriter/LILY-3.jpg

 

It is a Conklin nib, which is sem-iflex and comparable to many average Ideal #2 nibs.

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Scrawler Antique

Scrawler

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I like the idea of a good nib in a random body!

 

Actually, that reminds me, I have a vintage Waterman Ideal Reg. US Pat. Off #2 Made in USA hanging around, I was originally thinking about about putting it in an Noodlers pen or something but the size wasn't right. Can you recommend any good bodies (modern or vintage) that would fit this nib? Preferably ones easy to come by.

 

Also, I think ill pick up a handfull of modern dip nibs and see whats I can do with them first.

Contact me offline, and I will see what I can send you to encourage you to learn this art. I can probably find a dozen different kinds of dip nibs for you dating from 1930 to modern times. I cannot send any feeds or bodies to play with because I PiFd all the completed pens I made, and my workshop is in disarray because of renovations.

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