Noodler's Ahab (Flex) Vs Lamy Joy? (Calligraphy)

[Cause]

Been on a long time hiatus from this forum but not from fountain pens.

I enjoy fountain pens, they feel luxurious to me. If I was a master carpenter I would want a set of tools to match. As it is I write with a pen every day and a fountain pen brightens up this otherwise monotonous part of my day.

I have also found that people really appreciate old fashioned letters and thank you cards. To this regard I bought a basic Lamy Joy calligraphy kit and practice some basic calligraphy with it. I enjoy it, I enjoy the joy it brings people and I love a chance to play around with some more exciting ink colors. Its still just a side hobby but I enjoy it.

The lamy Joy italic nibs 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9 get the job done. Is a flexible pen the better choice or just another way to accomplish the same mission? Should I invest in a Noodler's Ahab (or one of the other beginner flex pens) or is it a redundant tool?

P.S. Without starting another thread: Is a glass dip pen a good investment? I know the nib wont allow much variation but I like the look of them and I like the idea of being able to jump from ink to ink quickly. They seem advantageous over typical dip pens in that the flutes can catty much more ink?

[Out0Mind]

I can't comment on the Lamy Joy, but I will toss my two cents in about glass dip pens. I use a J. Herbin straight glass dip pen and sincerely enjoy it. While it's - obviously - super stiff, it's a joy to write with, and, once it gets completely smoothe, feels like it sort of just glides across the page. It holds a decent amount of ink, and as it has no moving parts, as long as you don't drop it, will remain basically consistent forever.

 

The J. Herbin is only about $16 from JetPens and I've found it to be a pleasure to write with.

[Noihvo]

[snippety]

 

P.S. Without starting another thread: Is a glass dip pen a good investment? I know the nib wont allow much variation but I like the look of them and I like the idea of being able to jump from ink to ink quickly. They seem advantageous over typical dip pens in that the flutes can catty much more ink?

 

 

[ac12]

A stub/CI/italic pen and a flex nib will give you two different ink lines.

And to the average person, both will look NEAT.

The stub/CI/italic pen is easier to write well.

The flex requires more practice to do well.

 

IMHO, the Noodler's is NOT a good starter pen. You may get a good one, you may get a bad one. Sometimes you have to fuss with the pen pen to get the ink flow to be as you want it. Both of mine were bad, I gave up after spending hours trying to get the ink flow under control.

 

Personally, I would and did go the route of a flex dip pen.

It is much cheaper, and you have so many more choices of nibs.

 

And if you are like me, you will switch to using an oblique dip pen holder, and you will be spoiled.

So while I have a few flexible nib fountain pens, when it comes to doing flex writing, my first choice is my oblique dip pen holder.

 

As for a glass dip pen. Maybe.

My experience is that a glass dip pen will write WET. And depending on the ink and paper, that may not be good.

[shawndp]

Noodles pens are not nearly as reliable as the Lamy, so if you get one expect you will spend as much time setting it up as actually getting writing done. I find that the Lamy 1.X nibs do just fine for me and any form of flex is not my cup of tea...

[dogpoet]

I'll see your "as much time" and raise you "at least twice as much time".