After getting great advice with regards to the right pen for the job,
I'm now at the stage where I'm ready to bid on a pen or two on eBay.

I'm looking specifically at Waterman's Ideal No. 52

I'd like a FULL-flex nib, but I see that there's a risk of getting semi-flex as well.

For example, this person has one advertised as "semi-flexible":
http://global.ebay.com/gbh/viItem?ItemId=230237593141

Is this perhaps a case of false facts, or are there both full and semi nib Waterman 52 models?

What should be printed on the nib to be sure that it'll be FULL-flex?

-Henry

As far as I know, nibs aren't actually marked as such. I BELIEVE there was a colour-coding method at one time (see Richard Binder's site for details), which allocated a specific COLOUR to each nib. For example blue meant this and red meant this and yellow or green meant something else.

Other than that, I'm not sure. You'd have to take your chances, pretty-much.

Hi Henry,

The only way you'll "know" without actually test driving a pen is to buy from a trusted seller that understands what you're searching for.

Some things to consider:

What nib size do you want? (Flex nibs come in all widths and they all write a little differently.)

How heavy is your hand? (If you tend to write with more than just slight pressure, a wet noodle may not be your cup of tea - then again it might be...)

Are you willing to buy and sell to find what you want? (If so, ebay "gambling" is not a terrible way to go, especially if you can restore your own pens.)

To answer your questions:

Q: "Is this perhaps a case of false facts, or are there both full and semi nib Waterman 52 models?"
A: There are several different levels of flex, and no fully defined, quantifiable system to describe them. Some people will use terms like "full flex" and "semi flex", while others use different terminology. Also, you have to rely on the person describing the nib, and their scope of exposure to flexible nibs. Not a case of false facts - just one person's judgement in an ebay listing...

Q: "What should be printed on the nib to be sure that it'll be FULL-flex?"
A: On the Waterman 52, there is no system of identifying marks on nibs to designate the amount of flexibility.

Hope this helps,


Cheers,
Tom

Right. And there's another angle: used (as opposed to NIB) pens of this vintage are never guaranteed to possess their original nibs. Who knows if this one does. So you'd be chasing ghosts anyway.

If this guy says it's a semi-flex, then it's a semi-flex. If it were a full-flex, he'd say so, because he could get more $$$ for the pen.

I can understand why you want a full-flex Waterman. They're pretty impressive.

You could buy this pen, then send it to Mottishaw (nibs.com) and have him swap out the semi for a full flex. But I'd do that only if you really have your heart set on this particular 52. Remember, that cap has no clip!

I've got 9 prospect Waterman's 52 pens bookmarked on eBay, bu not this one since they say that it's semi.
I've emailed all 9, asking if they're full flex.
I'll consider the nibs.com option as reserve.

Whereas before I thought a pen was a pen, now I feel like a tiny dingy boat floating in an ink bottle the size of the universe. However large or infinite the universe may be (42 seems a plausible answer).

Thanks for shedding light on the complexities of pens and their respective nibs!

-Henry

Flex is so subjective. I have bought a pen described as full flex and consider it just a semi-flex. Good luck in your quest.

I am partial to flexible nib pens and will buy a plain, old BHR with a flexible nib before a more attractive pen with a stiff nib. Hence, I seldom buy Sheaffers, though I've seen a few, and bought one, with very flexible nibs. Two visual clues to flex are the length of the tines and the degree of curve from the widest part of the nib to the point. The more flexible nibs seem to have long tines and less curve. Another clue is a slight separation between the tines from the vent hole to the point. The tines should come together at the point but a slight space between them above the point, for me, has proven to be a sign of flexibility.

The best way to find a flexible nib is to try it or, second best, to see a writing sample, though I've bought pens based on the writing sample and found they need a bit of pressure to achieve the result in the writing sample. This brings up the next aspect of flex: hardness/softness of the nib. I prefer a soft flex to hard flex, though a harder pen, one with a "snappy" feeling can be a delight to use. I found a Waterman 3 with a lovely snappy, flex nib that is just wonderful and one of my neatest writers is an old Eezee Fill BCHR (anyone ever hear of that brand?) that has a horizontal crack at the vent hole; a delight to write with.

I have tested uninked nib flex using the press it on the thumbnail technique and then, on filling the pen, found it responded poorly regarding flexibility. Also, nibs respond differently when dipped and when the pen is properly filled. I have begun testing uninked nibs by making a few trials on plain paper while watching how the tines separated as I pressed and drew the pen along the paper. This has worked for me.