Namiki Falcon

[GClef]

Don't be fooled with the sample. This is not a flex nib...it's hardly even a semi-flex, but like the nib marking shows, it's a "soft" nib, with the ability to open with the right pressure.

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/DSC00388.jpg

Edited June 21, 2011 by GClef

[JohnM]

Thanks for the nice review and picture. Were all of the words written with the Fine nib? If so, I'm amazed at the line width with heavier pressure. I just ordered a Falcon with Medium nib and am now wondering if I should have gone Fine!

John

[GClef]

Thanks for the nice review and picture. Were all of the words written with the Fine nib? If so, I'm amazed at the line width with heavier pressure. I just ordered a Falcon with Medium nib and am now wondering if I should have gone Fine!

John

The entire page is from the soft fine.

I have not tried the soft medium, but I did read somewhere that it is much smoother than this fine, which is toothy if you don't find the sweet spot, which in my case took a lot of practice. And I still misplace it sometimes.

Edited June 21, 2011 by GClef

[watch_art]

my falcon nib, SF, is VERY smooth, with or without pressure. luck of the draw, I guess.

[Ghost Plane]

Love my BB, which feels like a wet F until I smush on it

[Lloyd]

My Fine Falcon (which I sold) was too stiff to even be called a semiflex. I could flex it without fear of damaging it (Falcons and FA nibs are mounted to feeds that are "long"; the feed hits the paper before the nib gets sprung) but it was like doing one-armed pushups.

I bought a second hand medium Falcon that I'll never sell. It's on the verge of being a noodle (a semi-noodle?). It doesn't snap back as quickly as my modified FA but its really easy to go from very fine out to very broad and back (I use dry inks in it).

[PinarelloOnly]

I found, as a previous poster described, a sweet spot that I happened to notice

only if the nib was rotated too much while writing, or with some types of writing,

not rotated correctly.

 

I also found you have to use the correct inks with the Falcon to get what you want

out of the pen. Aurora inks really seemed to make the Falcon glide in normal everyday

writing but if you were someone who wrote with a lot of flair, you would want a drier ink.

[young.1429]

Thanks, that is beautiful hand writing! I see that some people describe the fine nib as toothy, while others say it is smooth. Maybe its a case of different people having different tastes, but is there a great deal of variation in the nibs? I've always found my Japanese nibs to be very consistent...

[PinarelloOnly]

Nice review by the way.

 

AND

 

I think the Namiki Falcon right now owns the best pen for the money crown.

 

Not many pens with a true 14k nib of that caliber and performance can be had

cheaper or even better than that pen.

[Inkstain]

I have the all metal Falcon and the standard resin pen. I am really impressed by the review and think it is right on target. I wish I could write as well, but I'm now ashamed to put up a sample! :-) My metal falcon writes with a nearly perfect fine line. It is scratchy, but somehow this does not detract from the writing. It is a good everyday writer (skips sometimes, but is still relatively new and could use a flush or two), and feels really solid. The nib is soft not flexi, but is great for keeping within the lines in finer work. Not a flashy pen but a solid one. Not sure if I'll keep it as I have so many others that do the job and also render a lot of visual satisfaction. But for now, I'll keep it for at least another filling.

 

I also have the resin falcon with soft nib which I got from Pendleton after he worked on it and got it down to a .70mm. (NOTE: no association with Pendledton). The work on the nib was excellent and it flexes more with plenty of variation in the line. I may sell it as I am not that concerned with my style and this pen is all about style. I think someone else could really put it to good use. It is fun to write with and for me, I'd be pulling it out every so often for the fun factor.

 

in any case, the Falcon pens are definitely good value, fun, solid writers, and in the hands of a good penman (as you can see) a real treasure!

 

Thanks for the review! Please post more!!!!!

[handwriter]

Very nice review and handwriting. I concur is a good idea to use a NF for a while if one get serious about using a flex nib further than for a isolated florishing, at least this is what I did. The bad part is, now that I have vintage pens with the "real thing", my Namiki rests in a drawer unused

[Alexandra]

My Falcon seems to get better with age and I just love your handwriting.

[lamder]

Don't be fooled with the sample. This is not a flex nib...it's hardly even a semi-flex, but like the nib marking shows, it's a "soft" nib, with the ability to open with the right pressure.

 

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/DSC00388.jpg

 

Thanks for the review. Showing writing using different amounts of pressure on a 5mm grid is very illuminating. Given how many have said the Falcon cannot compare to vintage flex, I am surprised that there is noticeable line variation even under low pressure (like!). Even more of a surprise is that among the small letters ("Here's a review..."), presumably done under the lightest of pressure, there still appear to be variation in line widths and ink flow (not sure I quite like that).

 

Sam