Inks That Are Amazing With Flex?

[TheAkwardNinja]

So my Noodler's Konrad Flex will be arriving soon, and I was wondering what inks, preferably darker inks, look great with the flex nib? I have both Parker Black and Blue/Black and Diamine Ancient Copper. I plan to order some better quality paper, which is my next question. What is an economical paper, preferably from gouletpens (No affiliation), that I can use for just sending some letters?

 

Thanks for the help!!!

 

-Franky

[linearM]

It is not a terribly dark in but gives excellent shading and it is called Noodler's Golden Brown.

 

My writing paper isn't from Goulet's Pens it is from my local print shop. I just purchased my second ream of Wausau Paper's Astroparche (8 1/2 X 11"). It is 60lb creamy off-white with a nice parchment like texture. I make up my own letterhead designs and print it on my inkjet printer. Since I use mostly flex nibs and cursive italic nibs the paper has to be fountain pen friendly. It is also translucent enough so that I can see a guide sheet through it. It is also heavy enough so that I can write on both sides, nice since my letters are usually 4-8 pages long.

 

The Noodler's Golden Brown gives a sort of antique flavor to the correspondence on the Astroparche.

 

I hope you find and ink and paper that you enjoy using.

[Sandy1]

Hi,

 

Off-the-cuff, I'll suggest the iron-gall inks R&K Salix & Scabiosa, and ESSRI. Sailor sei-boku when diluted a bit is stunning.

 

A flexi Waterman's 52 1/2 V was [mis]used in my Review of Ancient Copper, which I thought was really quite a good match.

 

In general terms, I'd look for inks that are of moderate saturation, good lubricity, high line quality and reluctant to give a wooly line or bleed-through.

 

Inks with a high dye-load might be tried diluted, though dilution will lower lubricity and increase likelihood of railroading (train tracks.)

 

I haven't had much success with members of Noodler's family of bulletproof inks when paired with a flexi nib, though I am tempted to give diluted N54M a whirl with a Waterman's W2 + W2B nib.

 

For a reliable FP-friendly paper, I think Rhodia (Bloc 18) is a great starting point. I use HP B&W laserjet 90gsm (~24lb) as a utility paper.

 

I look forward to updates of your adventures!

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

 

DAC with 52 1/2 V on Rhodia:

 

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20Diamine%20Ancient%20Copper/e5d9da32.jpg

Edited December 6, 2013 by Sandy1

[Bo Bo Olson]

I don't know the nib of the Konrad.

I have an Ahab....it was flex with semi-flex pressure which is real hard when doing flex.

A nice poster made my nib much more flexible by adding Angel Wings...that made the nib Easy Full Flex which is a good pressure for a flex pen.

Pendleton Brown can do that to your nib...could be you can just order an Ahab nib from him that has been so modified; so you are not with out your pen.

 

Laser over combo and defiantly Ink Jet paper; that because it is designed to soak up ink super fast...destroys shading.

 

Paper is more important than the ink....HP laser...but which one? I've read that Fugi-Xerox is better.

 

In that I have 90g+ in my printer just in case I do have to make notes on the back...90g is my minimum for printer paper (I have a failed 100g in there right now)...I like heavier paper 100g, 120, 160g.

It's going to be a long struggle....in with 25 and more papers...I'm still Real 'Noobie' with paper.

To understand paper is for me harder than understanding inks.

 

Noodler's Golden Brown sure shades....and takes for ever to dry....if you don't need to write on the back...a real fun ink.

R&K Alt Goldgreen...is a very odd ink...that one needs...it is it's very own color...and shades.

R&K Salix & Scabiosa, and ESSRI are also good inks as mentioned. R&K Verdura (green) is a grand green ink....I don't know how it is in flex nibs...but in regular flex/semi-flex nibs, it's a nose in front of MB Irish and neck in front Pelikan 4001 Green.

Many/all of the Herbin inks are good shading inks....do look them up to see if anyone was using a 'flex' nib on them.

 

Do go to Ink Reviews and see what differences nibs and paper can make on an ink. Sandy1 has great reviews.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

[Centopar]

Most of my pens are vintage flex, and these are the best shading inks I own, the Noodler's ones being the most dramatic - I'm sure there are many more out there.

 

Noodler's Golden Brown, Noodler's Habanero, Noodler's Apache Sunset, Noodler's Black Swan Australian Roses. J Herbin Hematite, J Herbin Rouille d'Ancre, J Herbin Bouquet d'Antan (shades but you may find it disappointingly pale). Diamine Handel (shades even in a Japanese fine nib), Diamine Meadow, Diamine China Blue, Noodler's Ancient Copper. Iroshizuku Fuyu Syogun. Papier Plume Pecan.

[Masque]

Apache Sunset is the ink which I choose every time to demonstrate the magic (majick?) of Waterman's Ideal. Black Swan in [your choice of] Roses is decent, as well, but Apache Sunset impresses every time.

 

And yes, if used on vellum, it can take hours to dry if your flex is a bit firehose-ish. Don't worry. Just leave it and move on.

[TheAkwardNinja]

I heard that the flex pens are for tinkerers, what does that mean? Will I have to be adjusting the nib and feed for flow?

[lahlahlaw]

I just got a bottle of Private Reserve Ebony Blue and it is amazing. I've used it in my Sailor 1911 Naginata Togi and in my Visconti Homo Sapiens and the sheen effect is totally awesome. Pictures don't do it justice, but this one is really accurate in my opinion. It is a freer flowing ink than my Pelikan inks, but it doesn't feather, which is surprising with my HS that is "wetter than a bucket of fish". In a drier pen, you will get more of the teal color.

[Bo Bo Olson]

The Ahab is made for tinkering. It really teaches how important the feed is...and what one can do to a feed to 'cure' problems. How to set a nib in a feed, which can be used when one has a problem with another pen....and one can see the nib needs to be set further in....you would know how to do so.

 

Some like mine worked great right out the box...works better with the Angel Wings...was no problem tinkering with it. It did work better with out the breathing tube, with the more flexible nib.

 

Normal 'flex' pens...ie pens made in the '30-20-teens and before, are not for tinkering.

Neither are pens with some flex.....semi-flex or 'flexi' 30s'-60's are also not made for tinkering.

 

Sac pens eventually after 20-60 years need a new rubber sac. You can learn to re-sac your self...but that is not tinkering.

[kiavonne]

For some simple letters, maybe start with a small pad of Clairefontaine Triomphe ($5) and one package of Clairefontaine small envelopes ($5). Not bad for Clairefontaine and not breaking the bank to start. Should hold up to lots of ink. How well it will allow shading, that I cannot say, as most of my inks are not of the shading variety. I'm not a flex person, either, but experimenting is half the fun!

[Sandy1]

I heard that the flex pens are for tinkerers, what does that mean? Will I have to be adjusting the nib and feed for flow?

 

Hi,

 

From my very limited experience with flexi nibs, there does seem to be greater than usual emphasis on the nib+feed relationship, and how they are mounted in the section.

 

I've had good fortune to have most of my vintage pens restored by those who knew how to get things 'just right' for flex, and the ones that weren't restored & re-assembled so well just aren't used for flexi writing. I'm not sure if I have the patience to undertake that task myself, and fear that my OCD will take-over - turning a ten minute task into weeks of toil peppered by *naughty_words*

 

In earlier threads there was much discussion about set-up of Noodler's Ahab, so those should be relevant to your exploration of the Konrad. Also, I would expect there to be a bit of a learning curve as to grip, writing angle (attitude), rate of travel, pressure, feedback, etc.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited December 8, 2013 by Sandy1

[Fabienne]

From my very limited experience with flexi nibs, there does seem to be greater than usual emphasis on the nib+feed relationship, and how they are mounted in the section.

 

 

 

[Oh how true! and grind of the nib, and breathing tube, and heat set of the feed, and channels in the feed and...]

 

I've had good fortune to have most of my vintage pens restored by those who knew how to get things 'just right' for flex, and the ones that weren't restored & re-assembled so well just aren't used for flexi writing. I'm not sure if I have the patience to undertake that task myself, and fear that my OCD will take-over - turning a ten minute task into weeks of toil peppered by *naughty_words*

 

[Good grief, 'naughty words'? Hell, I have peeled the wallpaper off the wall by my experiments with the Noodler's Ahab. Much &^$#(@ phun]

 

... Also, I would expect there to be a bit of a learning curve as to grip, writing angle (attitude), rate of travel, pressure, feedback, etc.

 

[Right O, much learning curve; but it's fun all the way]

[prettypink]

In my Ahab, I found Diamine was too wet and so caused some problems when going from flex to the finer line. I found Pelikan 4001 works well.

[jptech]

J. Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite looks amazing in my flex.

 

So does Diamine Majestic Blue and Noodler's Apache Sunset.

[bogiesan]

J. Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite looks amazing in my flex.

Second that opinion. I do not have an engineered flex pen but I have some Sheaffer nibs that give a bit on downstrokes, a couple of Sheaffer italic nibs, and a Sheaffer broad that is very wet. The shading of the 1670 Rouge is fascinating.

 

Any discussion of the 1670 Rouge can lead to whether or not the metallic particles exist or were removed from later batches.