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Looking For A Wet Noodle


zanimal

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So I'm looking for a wet noodle, or a fountain pen with a great deal of flex. I will be using it for calligraphy, as well as an everyday pen. I want one that is under $100 and will ship to CANADA. I have recently bought a vintage waterman 518?, or something similar that claimed to have a flex nib. I think it's more of a semi-flex. I have attached 2 files, small writing samples of my namiki falcon, and one of my waterman. I would like to know what these would be classified as in terms of flexibility. As well as where I could find a wet noodle.

 

Lastly, I'm 13 and use fountain pens only. Is this normal?

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Although I do have wet noodles from time to time, trying to acquire one for $100 is a bit unrealistic. You're only way of getting a wet noodle for that price is if you get lucky and pick one out from the wild. But chances are you'll use up that $100 before you hit one. I think you should aim for Superflex since that'll be closer to your price range.

 

And thanks Boll for the plug. Much appreciated. How that Sterling Waterman been for you? My girlfriend almost stopped that pen from going on sale haha.

Pen blog of current inventory

 

Enjoy life, and keep on writing!

-Tommy

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And thanks Boll for the plug. Much appreciated. How that Sterling Waterman been for you? My girlfriend almost stopped that pen from going on sale haha.

 

The Waterman has been absolutely wonderful - one of my favorite pens. Thanks!

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Be careful when you are buying, there are folks out there who consider anything that flexes even a little, or puts out a lot of ink to be a wet noodle. The term is often misused. Make sure whoever you buy from has a return policy. I agree with Pokermon that that you will have to be very lucky to find one in your desired price range if the dealer knows what he/she has, and advertises it as such.

"Life is like an analogy" -Anon-

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Lastly, I'm 13 and use fountain pens only. Is this normal?

 

It's perfectly healthy and reasonable! If that's what you mean by normal, then you're normal.

 

If what you mean by "normal" is "exactly like every other 13 year old out there," then I think you know the answer already. And it's a good answer. Because there is no reason preferring one writing instrument over another is a bad thing, and because it means you are defining yourself for yourself, instead of letting TV commercials do it for you.

 

T

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That Good Service pen is only Full Flex, and yes I'm Tommy the owner of that blog. It is a great deal for its condition and writing ability, but it is only Full Flex. The term Wet Noodle for many experienced FP users is a term of softness. Softness and Line Variation are two different things and should not be confused one for the other. While some Semi-flex pens may write from a F-BB it takes much more pressure than a Wet Noodle. There are Wet Noodles that are soft, but won't have huge line variation. And it is hard to tell just from a writing like in your writing samples we can see the line variation, but we can't feel what amount of force was used to achieve those lines.

 

If your goal is a wet noodle, and you're sure you want to skip the other degrees of flexiness then I suggest to save up for what you want. Most people advise to work your way up the flex ladder, and this is good advice as many people find out they don't need a wet noodle to do what they want. Alot of people are just looking for line variation that will give them nice thin lines to thick swells for certain styles of script, and a wet noodle in alot of these instances are not needed, but if you know what you want I say go for it.

Pen blog of current inventory

 

Enjoy life, and keep on writing!

-Tommy

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I don't think I'd ever take my wet noodles on an adventure out of the house. Too many "oops" waiting to happen to a very valuable nib. Furthermore, most of mine are on the very fine side, so they're a bit impractical for daily use (for me anyways).

 

I do, however, carry my N. Falcon as my main pen quite often.

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That Good Service pen is only Full Flex, and yes I'm Tommy the owner of that blog. It is a great deal for its condition and writing ability, but it is only Full Flex. The term Wet Noodle for many experienced FP users is a term of softness. Softness and Line Variation are two different things and should not be confused one for the other. While some Semi-flex pens may write from a F-BB it takes much more pressure than a Wet Noodle. There are Wet Noodles that are soft, but won't have huge line variation. And it is hard to tell just from a writing like in your writing samples we can see the line variation, but we can't feel what amount of force was used to achieve those lines.

 

If your goal is a wet noodle, and you're sure you want to skip the other degrees of flexiness then I suggest to save up for what you want. Most people advise to work your way up the flex ladder, and this is good advice as many people find out they don't need a wet noodle to do what they want. Alot of people are just looking for line variation that will give them nice thin lines to thick swells for certain styles of script, and a wet noodle in alot of these instances are not needed, but if you know what you want I say go for it.

 

Now that i think about it, when i said "wet noodle" i actually meant a pen that is very soft and has lots of line variation. I also think i'll go with your statement about going up the flex ladder. I already started off with a Namiki Falcon which people refer to as "semi-flex," and i'll move on to a full flex pen. I'm still thinking about the Good Service pen, do you think this will be good for me, in my state? I am unexperienced, and when i think about it, a wet noodle won't be good for me, as i want something that I can control. What do you think about me buying a waterman 52 or something and restoring it myself? Would this be efficient, or should i go with a pre-restored one? I also might have to wait a while because i have to clear this with my parents first.

 

Also, how do i change the member tag above my profile picture?

Edited by zanimal
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Restoring a pen yourself depends on how much of a tinker you are. For some people its not worth the hassle and time, but for others breathing life into pen themselves bring alot of joy. If you do decide to grab a 52 from the wild the flex will be a mystery unless the seller knows what he is talking about and discloses it.

Pen blog of current inventory

 

Enjoy life, and keep on writing!

-Tommy

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I already started off with a Namiki Falcon which people refer to as "semi-flex,"

 

That's a good way to bring forth the wrath of Bo Bo.

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That's a good way to bring forth the wrath of Bo Bo.

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