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... looking for Flexy F or EF ...

TMLee

By TMLee
in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop

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sonia_simone Collectors Item

sonia_simone

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Depends on your budget. You thinking vintage or modern?

 

If modern, get a Namiki Falcon F and have it modified for additional flex--you can get one from either Richard Binder or John Mottishaw. Sweeeeeeet.

Isn't sanity really a one-trick pony, anyway? I mean, all you get is one trick, rational thinking! But when you're good and crazy . . . ooh hoo hoo hoo! . . . the sky's the limit!

--The Tick

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umenohana Vintage

umenohana

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If you're going to go flex, you should definitely get a vintage, IMHO. I do love my (inhale) 1925 Mabie Todd & Co. 'Swan' No. 2 nib with R. Binder's "super needlepoint". (exhale) :)9 :wub: :D

 

-Hana

<center>My little website of illustrations<p><img src="http://home.earthlink.net/~umenohana/images/thumbnails/thameline.jpg">

Last updated Saturday, 24 Feb. 2007.<br>(Two new H. P. Lovecraft links have been added.)<br>Wow-- I've 2000 hits, thanks to all the wonderful visitors from over 30 different countries!</center>

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Lloyd Donor Pen

Lloyd

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If you're going to go flex, you should definitely get a vintage, IMHO. I do love my (inhale) 1925 Mabie Todd & Co. 'Swan' No. 2 nib with R. Binder's "super needlepoint". (exhale) :)9  :wub:  :D

 

-Hana

We love seeing your gorgeous writing from your 1925 Mabie Todd & Co. 'Swan' No. 2 nib with R. Binder's "super needlepoint". :blush:

"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination."

Oscar Wilde

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Betty Vintage

Betty

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Which is a cheaper alternative just to try out flex first? I was at the art store and saw a bunch of cheap "speedball" brand nibs, but I couldn't tell which was flex and which was calligraphy or something else.

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sonia_simone Collectors Item

sonia_simone

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Cheapest is a flexy nib for a dip pen, but I still can't get the hang of those.

 

Second cheapest, as far as I can see, is a user grade vintage pen with flex nib that has a discolored barrel, chewed up cap, or whatever, but a good nib. They show up on the Green Board and in the catalogs of the various vintage pen restorers, and sometimes you find them in Marketplace. A WTB in Marketplace will often turn something up.

Isn't sanity really a one-trick pony, anyway? I mean, all you get is one trick, rational thinking! But when you're good and crazy . . . ooh hoo hoo hoo! . . . the sky's the limit!

--The Tick

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BillTheEditor Collectors Item

BillTheEditor

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Which is a cheaper alternative just to try out flex first? I was at the art store and saw a bunch of cheap "speedball" brand nibs, but I couldn't tell which was flex and which was calligraphy or something else.

About dip pens:

 

The closest you will get to "flexy" with a Speedball is a C-6. However, I wouldn't recommend it -- you'll just get frustrated. Better would be one of the classic dip nibs by Esterbrook (for a straight pen holder) or by Gillot (for an oblique pen holder). The Gillot - oblique combination is really only if you want to learn copperplate style, which is a long, long process for most people (actually, most people give up because their expectations are impossibly high).

 

If you want to try something "close" to a flexy fountain pen, get the dip nib assortment from Pendemonium and a staight pen holder, plus a bottle of a thicker black or gray ink (Noodler Zhivago or El Lawrence have worked well for me). Talk to Sam at Pendemonium -- she can give you good advice about which pen holder would fit your hand best (some are very large diameter) and possibly about which dip nib out of the assortment to start with. I'm partial to the Esterbrook Radio nibs and to the Jackson Stubs (note: not flexy), but everyone is different in what they find they can work with.

 

Good luck, relax, and have fun! :)

BillTheEditor

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blueshadow_33 Mint

blueshadow_33

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Another modern option is one of Kevin Cheng (winedoc)'s DaniTrio Raw Ebonite Denshos. I don't know if he has any instock...They run about $175.

 

I just got a flexy fine from him for Christmas....Nice simple looking pen, eyedropper (holds a ton of ink), great nib - even though I don't use the benefits of flex yet.

 

Mike

Edited by blueshadow_33
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Betty Vintage

Betty

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Is there going to be a blue Namiki Falcon soon? I saw it on FP Hospital website, but it's not available yet. It looks like a pretty pen, but also a very large pen too.

 

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com/images/namikipilot_images/60253.jpg

Edited by Betty
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BillTheEditor Collectors Item

BillTheEditor

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Is there going to be a blue Namiki Falcon soon?  I saw it on FP Hospital website, but it's not available yet.  It looks like a pretty pen, but also a very large pen too.

 

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com/images/namikipilot_images/60253.jpg

From the picture, it looks like it is the same size as the current black Namiki Falcon, which is the same length as a Parker "51". The body diameter is a bit larger than other pens of similar length, and the cap diameter is larger still. This, plus the gold band on the cap and at the end of the grip, makes it look bigger than it is. The pen is very light, nontheless.

 

I don't think that a person with small hands will have any trouble with it. It's not like it's the size of a Duofold or a Danitrio Densho.

Edited by BillTheEditor

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Dan Carmell Collectors Item

Dan Carmell

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The blue model is actually a discontinued version, Betty. I think they stopped selling it 2-3 years ago. Not that it or other colors could return!

 

I went over to Ujuku's website to see if the Falcon is offered in other colors in Japan. Although he has a very extensive line of Pilot/Namiki pens, he does not offer the Falcon at all--I wonder why?

 

Dan

Edited by dcarmell
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Ruaidhri Antique

Ruaidhri

Posted
Posted

I solved a similar problem by picking up a Swan Leverless.

 

Purely by accident :rolleyes: I sent it to a young lad called Richard Binder who did things to it :o

 

When it came back I found all my prayers had been answered :)

 

Regards,

Ruaidhrí

BTW - he totally failed to improve my scrawl, just did the pen :angry:

When I have more cash I may send him my right hand & see if he can do anything

Administrator and Proprietor of Murphy Towers

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Johnny Appleseed Antique

Johnny Appleseed

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When I have more cash I may send him my right hand & see if he can do anything

 

You may want to pay his expidited price - or you will be waiting 11-12 weeks plus overseas mail time to get your hand back. . .

 

John

Edited by Johnny Appleseed

So if you have a lot of ink,

You should get a Yink, I think.

 

- Dr Suess

 

Always looking for pens by Baird-North, Charles Ingersoll, and nibs marked "CHI"

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KCat Museum Piece

KCat

Posted
Posted
The blue model is actually a discontinued version, Betty. I think they stopped selling it 2-3 years ago. Not that it or other colors could return!

Dan is correct, it is discontinued. And the picture you have makes it look much more striking than it is. I have a blue Falcon - it is exactly the same size as the black. it is also more of a navy blue than what i am seeing on my monitor in that image.

 

I'm still glad I have it rather than the black Falcon. :) I think it's been discontinued a bit longer though - more like 5 or 6 years.

KCat
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umenohana Vintage

umenohana

Posted
Posted (edited)

The most flexible dip pen I've ever come across is the D. Leonardt Principal EF. (I get it from Scribblers) It may be difficult to wield if you're not used to needle-sharp tips, though.

 

-Hana

 

edit: added pic & link

post-4-1169687338_thumb.jpg

Edited by umenohana

<center>My little website of illustrations<p><img src="http://home.earthlink.net/~umenohana/images/thumbnails/thameline.jpg">

Last updated Saturday, 24 Feb. 2007.<br>(Two new H. P. Lovecraft links have been added.)<br>Wow-- I've 2000 hits, thanks to all the wonderful visitors from over 30 different countries!</center>

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sonia_simone Collectors Item

sonia_simone

Posted
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The Danitrio raw ebonite flex is a nice pen, but it's not what I would recommend if you really want *flex*. It's just a nice softness with a slight variation.

 

Richard Binder also creates flex nibs for Pelikans, that's a bit pricy if you don't already know you enjoy flex, but one of these days I'm gonna try one. They're all custom made to order, I believe.

Isn't sanity really a one-trick pony, anyway? I mean, all you get is one trick, rational thinking! But when you're good and crazy . . . ooh hoo hoo hoo! . . . the sky's the limit!

--The Tick

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Betty Vintage

Betty

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Posted

If I decide to get a Namiki Falcon, does the nib usually work perfectly right out of the box or does it mostly require some treaking for it to perform its best like Pelikan nibs?

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TMLee Antique

TMLee

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The Danitrio raw ebonite flex is a nice pen, but it's not what I would recommend if you really want *flex*.  It's just a nice softness with a slight variation.

Hi SS (and all) ...

Can you further elaborate why you don't recommend the RE Densho ?

 

I am looking for FPs , not dip pens. (I have quite a few of the dip nibs with the oblique holder)

 

Looking at

- Densho RE ED

- Binder's Pelikan made to order nibs

- Falcon - but they are semi-flex - not true flexes from what I read from Binder's site?

 

what else is available out there? I am not familiar with vintage pens and seems they are hard to find.

 

I haven't considered budget yet. More like finding out whats a good flex FP then narrow down the choices to find the best that does the job.

... 671 crafted ... one at a time ... ☺️

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TMLee Antique

TMLee

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Another modern option is one of Kevin Cheng (winedoc)'s DaniTrio Raw Ebonite Denshos. I don't know if he has any instock...They run about $175.

 

I just got a flexy fine from him for Christmas....Nice simple looking pen, eyedropper (holds a ton of ink), great nib - even though I don't use the benefits of flex yet.

 

Mike

Dear Mike...

Can U show some writing samples with the Densho? I need to see the strokewidths for comparison purposes. Great if u can write some notes and swirls on gridded paper. Much obliged.

TMLee

... 671 crafted ... one at a time ... ☺️

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umenohana Vintage

umenohana

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I am looking for FPs , not dip pens. (I have quite a few of the dip nibs with the oblique holder)

 

Looking at

- Densho RE ED

- Binder's Pelikan made to order nibs

- Falcon - but they are semi-flex - not true flexes from what I read from Binder's site?

 

what else is available out there? I am not familiar with vintage pens and seems they are hard to find.

 

I haven't considered budget yet. More like finding out whats a good flex FP then narrow down the choices to find the best that does the job.

Then I would strongly recommend buying a vintage pen. I've heard vintage Waterman & Wahl-Eversharp have excellent flex, and I can personally vouch for Mabie Todd & Co. ;)

 

Are you looking for a super-flex or a regular flex?

 

-Hana

<center>My little website of illustrations<p><img src="http://home.earthlink.net/~umenohana/images/thumbnails/thameline.jpg">

Last updated Saturday, 24 Feb. 2007.<br>(Two new H. P. Lovecraft links have been added.)<br>Wow-- I've 2000 hits, thanks to all the wonderful visitors from over 30 different countries!</center>

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