Is It Ok To Flex Non-Flex Nibs?

[Pactagon]

I noticed in some fp review vids that the reviewer purposely applied pressure on a standard nib to get some line variation. Is this ok to do or could it potentially damage the nib?

[playtime]

no, not a good idea. stiff nibs are not designed to flex - doing so will stress the tines......

[jar]

It's down right dumb in most cases. In fact there are several folk showing "flex pens" that I would avoid even if they were paying folk to take the pens.

[katerchen]

No it's not.

 

You can actually see Sbrebrown ruin a Titanium CONID nib that he had on loan to review. He kept pushing it real hard, then looks at it sideways:

 

"Hmm, are these tines supposed to bend up like this? Oh yeah, I think they totally should. Carry on then."

 

Obviously I'm parapharasing a little, but that basically sums up his commentary.

 

-k

[Pactagon]

Thanks a lot! Good thing I asked before trying it out.

[Ted A]

I shattered a section once doing that.

[Bo Bo Olson]

In many are coming in to 'true' regular flex from nail & Semi-nail, they think the regular flex nibs....mostly semi-vintage and vintage, have flex and over flex a nib....$pringing it.

 

Even semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex are not "Flex/superflex" nibs. Regular flex, semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex spread their tines only 3 X a light down stroke.

Got to really mash a true regular flex to do that....so it shouldn't be done much. Semi-flex takes half that pressure, 'maxi' 1/4th.

 

Semi-nail (& Springy) nibs spreads the tines @ 2X a light down stroke. That is the nib flex that is now made by most companies instead of the regular flex of @ 20 years ago. It's harder for a Ball Point Barbarian to bend a semi-nail nib, than a true regular flex one. So they stopped making them like Pelikan's regular flex pre '98 nib vs the modern post '97 fat blobby semi-nail.

 

It is fat and blobby because it's a double kugal/ball. .... A long time ago in the '50's or so, the Germans made a Kugal (ball nib) for pencil users. It was for those who hold a pen before the big knuckle. They had the normal flatt & stubbish bottom, but a ball on top of the nib.

 

The modern Pelikan nib is a double Kugal....the thicker tip and the ball on the top of the nib to go with the American Bump under the nib. It is the super ball point nib...being round at the tip allows lazy holding....on a fountain pen.

 

As you see, I do not like modern nibs, but really like semi-vintage and vintage nibs.

Soon, after you get three or four pens it's time to look at semi-flex.

I believe in working up the flex ladder, instead of jumping into the deep end of the pool.

 

If you want a 'Flex' nib try dip pens first, they are so much cheaper. Many who jump into the deep end of the pool too soon with a "Flex/superflex" nib.....run back to being nails.....and even avoid the semi-flex, a real fun nib....all it does is add a touch of flair to your writing.....not for real fancy stuff.

 

I have 30. They are fun, gives you that flare with out having to invest time in how to manipulate your hand and nib that a "Flex" nib demands.

 

In you are asking a proper question, but showing your experience level, IMO you should not even worry about Super flex for a year, until you have developed a light hand and experience.

 

Richard Binder's site is the basics of fountain pens, nib, filling systems and good advice on ink. Should take some 3 days to read.

In his site is an article on how easy it is to spring a nib.....= big time $$$$$. That is a 100% need to read article.

[Pactagon]

In many are coming in to 'true' regular flex from nail & Semi-nail, they think the regular flex nibs....mostly semi-vintage and vintage, have flex and over flex a nib....$pringing it.

 

Even semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex are not "Flex/superflex" nibs. Regular flex, semi-flex and 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex spread their tines only 3 X a light down stroke.

Got to really mash a true regular flex to do that....so it shouldn't be done much. Semi-flex takes half that pressure, 'maxi' 1/4th.

 

Semi-nail (& Springy) nibs spreads the tines @ 2X a light down stroke. That is the nib flex that is now made by most companies instead of the regular flex of @ 20 years ago. It's harder for a Ball Point Barbarian to bend a semi-nail nib, than a true regular flex one. So they stopped making them like Pelikan's regular flex pre '98 nib vs the modern post '97 fat blobby semi-nail.

 

It is fat and blobby because it's a double kugal/ball. .... A long time ago in the '50's or so, the Germans made a Kugal (ball nib) for pencil users. It was for those who hold a pen before the big knuckle. They had the normal flatt & stubbish bottom, but a ball on top of the nib.

 

The modern Pelikan nib is a double Kugal....the thicker tip and the ball on the top of the nib to go with the American Bump under the nib. It is the super ball point nib...being round at the tip allows lazy holding....on a fountain pen.

 

As you see, I do not like modern nibs, but really like semi-vintage and vintage nibs.

Soon, after you get three or four pens it's time to look at semi-flex.

I believe in working up the flex ladder, instead of jumping into the deep end of the pool.

 

If you want a 'Flex' nib try dip pens first, they are so much cheaper. Many who jump into the deep end of the pool too soon with a "Flex/superflex" nib.....run back to being nails.....and even avoid the semi-flex, a real fun nib....all it does is add a touch of flair to your writing.....not for real fancy stuff.

 

I have 30. They are fun, gives you that flare with out having to invest time in how to manipulate your hand and nib that a "Flex" nib demands.

 

In you are asking a proper question, but showing your experience level, IMO you should not even worry about Super flex for a year, until you have developed a light hand and experience.

 

Richard Binder's site is the basics of fountain pens, nib, filling systems and good advice on ink. Should take some 3 days to read.

In his site is an article on how easy it is to spring a nib.....= big time $$$$$. That is a 100% need to read article.

Thanks for the info! I recently got an Ahab and am currently practicing with it. I enjoy the ability to write with line variation but its a bit hard for me to get a smooth curve when easing off pressure. Hopefully with time I'll be able to master it. Also, I borrowed some Hunt 99 nibs from my sister and tried them out. They were super easy to flex and fun to use even though they were quite scratchy and used ink quickly. The little force it took to flex it also made me wary of springing it so maybe this will give me the experience I need springing a nib.

[Dronak]

I'm sure others have more experience that I do with this sort of thing, but if a nib is not designed to be flexible, you probably don't want to try to flex it on purpose. I would expect that the nib will withstand the sort of pressure changes that can happen naturally when writing without any serious damage, but intentionally trying to flex a nib that isn't meant to flex seems like it could cause damage. Bo Bo Olsen noted that there are varying degrees of flex available in nibs made to flex, and the info in that post could help you find one suitable for how you want to write.

[ac12]

Someone told me "every nib will flex at least once."

But the tines on some won't ever come back together. Where the nib has been sprung and damaged/destroyed.

As others have said, if it is NOT a flex nib, don't try to flex it.

 

I went the way that BoBo suggested, dip pens. They are CHEAP, less than $2 a nib, and if I ruin one, I can replace it for $2.

[Goudy]

And even if it is a flex nib, flex with restraint.

 

I feel sad for the nib in this Youtube video.

 

 

[PingleiHe]

You'd have to push really hard to get it to flex and won't be able to write properly.

And it is possible to bent the nib.

 

Some pens are not advertised as a flex nib but do have some flexibility.Like the pelikan M400,600 and 1000, pilot 74 823 etc.

But normally a flex pen has a feed that is capable to provide better ink flow when you're flexing the nib.

[Dronak]

And even if it is a flex nib, flex with restraint.

 

I feel sad for the nib in this Youtube video.

 

I'm not that familiar with flex nibs, so at first, the amount of line width variation in that video was kind of impressive. But towards the end, the nib was being flexed so much and the tines spread so far apart that the pen no longer wrote with a single wide line of ink. There were two very thin lines at the tine tips instead. I'm pretty sure that's an indication that the nib was being over-flexed, and yeah, I don't think you want to push a pen nib that far.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Dronak

[Goudy]

The "railroading" effect of two thin lines instead of a single wide one can happen with even minimal flex, if the feed can't sustain a sufficient flow of ink.

 

What I find more alarming is where he's writing with the nib mashed almost flat against the paper. You can even see the thin lines beneath each downstroke where the underfeed is dragging on the page. When he stops writing with the feed touching the paper, he starts getting the railroading.

 

http://i.imgur.com/8mn4Qck.jpg

[Yehenara]

No it's not.

 

You can actually see Sbrebrown ruin a Titanium CONID nib that he had on loan to review. He kept pushing it real hard, then looks at it sideways:

 

"Hmm, are these tines supposed to bend up like this? Oh yeah, I think they totally should. Carry on then."

 

Obviously I'm parapharasing a little, but that basically sums up his commentary.

 

-k

That almost physically hurt to watch.

[mirosc]

If you ever made a split in gymnastics by accident you know how such a nib must feel :-)

[Pactagon]

A moment of silence for all the sprung nibs.

[tinta]

In a word, ...no.

[sidthecat]

It may be possible but I imagine it will be disappointing.

[Kaffeineman]

Good to know... I am new to the fountain pen world. It inherently seems wrong to try and flex a non-flex nib, but when I saw a you tube video of spencerian modification on a falcon I had to try. Fortunately it was just on a pilot metro, I immediately knew that it was not right... and as Sid said, it was dissapointing. The pen was not damaged in my brief attempt thankfully, and now I know!