First Post / First Gold Nib Advice

[m_osman]

Hello Everyone, apparently this is my first post. I started reading and getting in to fountain pens a couple of months ago. I started with a lamy safari and a pilot metropolitan (Lamy in EF and F , Pilot in F and M). I added a couple of inks, parker quink , pelikan 4001 and pilot namiki.

 

I watched a lot of videos on soft/flex nib and I wanted to add a little bit of line variation and character to my writing. from what I understand gold nibs let alone will give some flexibility to writing than steel nibs. I enjoy my metropolitan more than the safari , I feel the nib is smoother and not as noisy on the paper like the safari (not scratchy). I even like the size of the metropolitan posted or not and mostly i write with it unposted I have fairly small-medium hands.

 

I don't want to make the post long so I will make the points clear. A guy who enjoy his metropolitan size , nib more than a safari. small - medium sized hands. looking for a gold / soft / flex nib , for some line variation and character in my writing.

 

I narrowed my choices to

 

-Pilot Namiki falcon / soft fine nib

-Pilot custom 742 / SF or SFM

-Pelikan M200 /fine or medium

-Sailor 1911 / M

-Pilot custom 74 / Soft fine

-Platinum 3776 / Soft fine

 

my budget is 150$ feel free to suggest any other pens. where I live I can't try these pens as they aren't available. so it is kind of a blind purchase. looking forward for your inputs

 

Thank you

[graystranger]

I really think all of these are great pens. I have the Falcon in soft extra fine and find that if I flex it much, the very thin tips of the nib will dig into the surface of the paper a bit (paper dependent) and cause feathering. I have the Platinum 3776 in medium, which is close to my Metropolitan fine nib. Very nice pen, can stay capped for months without being hard to start. Note that the Pelikan nib in fine will be a bit wider than the Japanese fine nibs, closer to a Japanese M nib.

 

Personally, I find that I don't use the Falcon soft nib for line variation that much, just writing with the pen is a wonderful pleasure. It is a very wet writing pen, so may not be that good for cheaper paper.

 

I suggest you check out Brian Goulet's pen videos which will give you a lot more information than you will get nearly anywhere else. Plus check out the customer reviews on these pens on Goulet Pens web site.

 

http://blog.gouletpens.com/p/pens.html

 

Goulet also has a resource called the "Nib Nook" where you can see how different size pen nibs in different pens write on the same paper using the same ink. Great photos so you can compare the nibs. Note that nibs can differ from nib to nib, from the same manufacturer, but this is as good as you can get without actual writing with a pen before you buy it.

 

https://www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook

 

Goulet Pen Co. sells most of the pens you list, but not the Sailor. Sailor's current distributor in the US insists does not let Goulet Pens sell the Sailor line. But, you can find most of the pens in your list at Goulet Pen Co. and can read a lot of customer reviews of these pens to give you a lot of information relating how they appeal or don't appeal to different people. https://www.gouletpens.com/fountain-pens/c/12

Edited February 18, 2017 by graystranger

[jar]

Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell. But remember, gold nibs will not necessarily give you line variation, even so called soft nibs.

[BillZ]

I don't think you can go wrong with your list. I have several of the pens you listed. Of those listed, given your budget, I would recommend the Falcon with the

SF nib. Remember that Japanese nibs usually run a size smaller that European ones. An F in Pilot usually translates into an EF from Pelican. The Sailr might be above your budget, I can't remember how much I paid for mine. Besides, it has the H-MF nib. Hope I didn't confuse you with TMI! Good luck.

[BillH]

The modern Pelikan M200's won't give you line variation but some of the older ones might. Bo Bo Olson will be along in a bit and he'll suggest the ones that will (I don't look for that so do not remember them). Good luck!

[Gudi]

I'd recommend the Pelikan M200. Although it's a steel nib, it's quite flexible (not flexible as an old pen, though). I have one and I think it's what you're looking for.

 

Most modern nibs, gold ones too, are actually stiff and produce no line variation as their nib tips are rounded. You could have one of these stubbed by a nibmeister. I have a pen with a medium nib that produces slightly thinner side strokes than updown strokes and it's also a pleasure to write with.

[Bo Bo Olson]

With four pens you may be too new for semi-flex.....had one been 'true' regular flex with natural spring of that , like a modern Pelikan 200 or semi-vintage pre'98-82 M400 or a few other pens of that era; I would suggest getting a '50-65 semi-flex..

 

98 1/2% you hare Ham Fisted. I was when I came back to fountain pens even though I learned in the '50-early 60's. I did have regular flex pens that I didn't press like Martel's Hammer.

 

A semi-flex nib can with stand a Ham Fisted writer. My Pelikan 140 semi-flex did.

I don't know if a maxi-semi-flex can with stand such a ham Fisted writer as I was.

 

I was lucky I had three months to lighten my Hand with the 140, before getting my 400nn, which unknown to me was a maxi-semi-flex.

A term I developed in I have 26 semi-flex and 16 maxi-semi-flex nibs.

 

I assume most 140s and '50's 400's are semi-flex. I have combined 5 that are semi-flex and two that are maxi....the 400nn and a 500. There is nothing to say that your 400nn will be maxi or that your 400 will not be.

 

I do suggest buying from folks on this com that might be able to make sure you get a semi-flex instead of a Maxi. Work your way up the flex ladder.

 

Often folks coming over from nails and Lamy is a nail think 'true' regular flex semi-flex in they are not use to tines that can be mashed to 3X a slight down stroke wide, with a bit of tine bend.

 

A Falcon is a 'Springy' nib, is like MB or the new Lamy Imporium 2 X tine spread with nice tine bend. That the nib only spreads 2 X is a great limiter to line variation, that one don't get in a 200 or '80- pre '98 semi-vintage as is.

Once regular flex was normal issue but too many ham fisted Ball Point Barbarian Invaders bent nibs so many companies went over to regular issue in Nail and Semi-nail to reduce repair costs.

 

I call it 'true' regular flex, in out side of the Pelikan 200 and perhaps the Aurora I know of no European company that still makes it. I do not read Japanese pen owners saying their pens are 'true' regular flex...being able to mash the nib out to 3 X a light down stroke.

 

A 'true' regular flex can mash it's tines 3X a light down stroke.

Semi-flex needs half the pressure to do that.

Maxi-semi-flex half of that or 1/4th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex to 3 X.

 

Semi-nail mashes to only 2X. It needs lots more pressure than the 'Springy' nibs mentioned.

Nails are 1 X....unless you are very strong and want a new nib in if one lifts real heavy weights easily....one can make a nail....flex.......once and only once.

 

Now...if you have your nail nib stubbed or made CI you get max line variation at all times.

Semi-flex gives you flare you don't have to work at.

Maxi-semi-flex can and does if you have practiced how to draw letters and decenders a fancier script than semi-flex. Which I find much too hard and work to force fancy script out of it. Some folks do.

 

Now for a fancy script with out having to do anything at all, there is semi-flex oblique. Where as nail/semi-nail Stub or CI is 100% max line variation all the time. Semi or later maxi-semi-flex oblique is line variation 'on demand'.

I was lucky and got that 140 in OB. OB from then is less narrow than modern European nibs by 1/2 a width, so is more like a fat M, so is a writing nib, rather than the fatter modern OB which is a signature nib.

 

I would suggest getting a semi-flex OB and with a 15 degree grind. Later after you have a maxi, you can look for a 30 degree grind which is even a bit more line variation for no effort.

I have OBB, OB, OM and OF in both 15 and 30 degree grinds....in a mix of semi&maxi. That too is something that many don't check, in they don't have as many semi&maxi's as I do.

It was 100% pure luck and I was 2/3s done before I even noticed it.

 

In the beginning when one is still ham fisted one will press harder, write wider. Eventually you will write with less pressure.

 

Right now, try to write with only enough pressure like your pen is a featherless baby bird.

Don't make Baby Bird Paste.

 

Look in our sales section in they would know the difference between semi & maxi, and you get a better pen, than gambling on Ebay.

[ac12]

I suggest you start with a stub or Cursive Italic (CI) nib.

That will give you line variation without the cost and learning curve of a flex nib.

Get a 1.1 italic nib for your Safari and see what it writes like. That is the nib I use for writing Christmas cards.

 

CAUTION: if you over flex a flex nib, you could spring the nib and damage or destroy it. So don't go trying to get a LOT of line variation out of a flex nib. IMHO, many/most of the demos on YouTube are overflexing the nib. Looks good, but the life of the nib is being reduced.

 

Cheaper yet is a dip pen with a Zebra G nib; $4 for a straight holder + $2 for the nib = $6. How much cheaper can you get?

I have flex nib pens, but if I want to write flex, I pull out my dip pens.

 

BTW, where do you live? Kinda hard to make recommendations without some idea of where you live.

Edited February 18, 2017 by ac12

[Bo Bo Olson]

I don't think of semi or maxi-semi-flex as a 'flex' pen ...in a 'flex' pen is superflex. But many can't understand there is a huge difference between semi-flex and superflex. As big a difference up to Wet Noodle as down to Nail.

Normally I warn of folks mistaking a semi-flex nib for a superflex, wet noodle and trying to do Olympic splits with them...on account all they see is the semi- flex..

Please read my signature.

 

AC's suggestion of spending $7 for a Lamy stub or italic nib is best, and cheapest. Do give the feed a few days to set into the new nib...so don't go changing it around that often....according to advice read here on the Com.

[voltron]

First of all welcome to the forum

Having a gold nib doesn't automatically mean it will give you a fair amount of line variation as most modern gold nibs are nails. If you go vintage you then can get good flex steel as well as gold nibs. But since you are still new to fountain pens I will recommend a Pelikan M200/M205 which as Bo Bo pointed out in his terminology has "True Regular Flex". In simple words it is the amount of flex which was standard in vintage nibs. My M200/M205 pens offer more flex than what gold nibs M400 & M600 do. The tipping material is usually the same so a well made & polished steel nib can be as smooth as a gold nib, if not more. Many newbies get misguided by people with limited experience regarding gold nibs. So make sure you don't become a victim of them. I am saying all this with 20 years experience of regularly using fountain pens with multiple models from brands like Parker, Lamy, Sheaffer, Pelikan, Kaweco, Faber Castell etc and many Vintage, Chinese & Subcontinent pens as well. 20 years might sound a lot to someone new to fountain pens but they really are nothing considering there are a few people on this board who have been using them for more than half a century.

 

If you plan to order your next pen online, I advise to do so from a store where testing & tuning before dispatch is a complementary thing so that your new pen works as desired right from the first stroke.

 

To this post I have attached the reply of Sheaffer's Manager of Product Development to a customer's question regarding difference between gold & steel nibs. You should definitely read it.

Sheaffer Targa letter 20150601_11443944.pdf

[Erik Dalton]

Parson's Essential

 

First of all. Welcome to our group. You're one of us now, so feel free to Join in on any conversation. There are no bad questions.

You haven't told us where you are located, so I'm going to share my most recent discovery and hope it helps.

 

Mr Pen, pen sellers in the UK, The brand is Italix. Model: The Parsons Essential costs $40.33 with your choice of quality steel nibs. I have one of these and it is a very nice smooth writer. Being a Jowo steel nib it does not have a lot of flex. You can order a large variety of nibs for the same price. I found it a bit overwhelming. I bought a basic Parsons Essential with a nice medium steel nib. The pen itself is Medium in size, with a lacquered brass body that is very well balanced and fits comfortably in the hand. It is a step up from the Metropolitan, and a very nice everyday writer. I've enjoyed writing wth this pen a lot. As time went on I decided to try my hand at a stub nib. I ordered an Edison 1.1 stub nib unit from Goulet Pens. The nib units are interchangeable they just screw in and out. So, now i have the option of either a nice medium Jowo nib or a stub in the same pen at a very reasonable price.

Or:

If you really want a Gold nib with some flex, you can order the same pen with an 18k gold nib and create something really special. Recently i purchased a Burgundy Parson's Essential with an 18k gold nib for a total of $133.39.

Now, i have a lot of mostly modern pens with gold nibs. This is by far my favorite to write with. I don't know of a modern gold nib with this much character. Being use to modern stiffer nibs, it took me time to adjust, but once i did the pen is nothing short of a delight to write with. It's butter smooth, flexy, and expressive. The Parson's Essential with an 18k gold nib was a special find for me.

 

Hope this helps.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have a late '90's Pelikan Celebry pens, one in gold and one in steel and they are =.

I have vintage Geha nibs in gold and steel, and are =.

Same with Osmia/Osmia-Faber-Castell nibs.

 

There are very good steel nibs and poor ones, just like there are very good gold nibs and poorer ones.

It is not all the material the nib is made of but the shape, geometry, what it was designed to do.

 

I see no reason out side of bling to buy a gold nail, when a steel nail will do the same for lots less. Same with Semi-nail.

I am prejudiced vs those two flexes in they do nothing much out side of not bending.

Many don't like nibs with any spring like the 'true' regular flex....much less the semi-flex. Either of these two give much nicer ride.

 

All sorts of Japanese nibs are supposed to be 'soft' yet I don't read of their owners saying are 'true' regular flex; or even the 'Springy' Falcon as semi-flex. ...It is more called 'soft'.

Regular flex is a 3X tine spread, 'Springy' is a 2 X tine spread and good tine bend. MB and the new Lamy Imporium have that. The Imporium is a very good 'Springy' nib....sigh....so close to semi-flex and missed by a mile.

 

 

There are modified Japanese Falcon nibs that owners say are as good as semi-flex.

If so do look at them, in if you spring the nib it's modern and can be replaced by the company.

 

I prefer 14 K gold to 18 K in outside of nails, 14 K springs back better than 18K and 18K bends and stays bent easier than 14 K....unless the 18 K is a nail.

I had a 18 K nail OB that had no line variation, until it was made Cursive italic.

 

Stub and CI is something to keep in mind for any nail or semi-nail nib be it gold or steel....someday.

 

I'd suggest getting modern steel nibs, and reading up on semi-vintage or vintage pens, with 14 K nibs.....a much better nib than modern.

Well Parker and Lamy are known for making nails.

Edited February 18, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[Runnin_Ute]

Most modern pens - gold, steel or other material are not "flexible". Even those that the manufacturer calls "soft", "springy", or something else. Not like back in the day. ac12 had a great idea - flex is best practiced with a flexible steel dip nib and holder. Do pens with truly flexible nibs exist? Sure, but they are difficult to find and expensive when you do. And mostly vintage.

 

You can make almost any nib "flex" some. At the risk of damaging it, to the point of never being able to use it again.

[pajaro]

If you don't know a lot about pens, and are just familiar with some names others think to be wonderful, why not just buy a Lamy Safari italic nib for the safari you have now, as a first step to jump into line variation. I have one of these with a 1.5 mm nib. It's very nice, with smooth edges that don't dig the paper. It's a cheap way of getting a little experience.

 

Of course, you can jump in and spend all available dollars on a pen esteemed by others. This was my decision a long time ago, picking a Parker 51 in 1970 and Montblanc 146 and 144 in 1983. Those turned out to be great choices, and I still have two of the three. Not every choice might be so lucky, however.

[m_osman]

I really think all of these are great pens. I have the Falcon in soft extra fine and find that if I flex it much, the very thin tips of the nib will dig into the surface of the paper a bit (paper dependent) and cause feathering. I have the Platinum 3776 in medium, which is close to my Metropolitan fine nib. Very nice pen, can stay capped for months without being hard to start. Note that the Pelikan nib in fine will be a bit wider than the Japanese fine nibs, closer to a Japanese M nib.

 

Personally, I find that I don't use the Falcon soft nib for line variation that much, just writing with the pen is a wonderful pleasure. It is a very wet writing pen, so may not be that good for cheaper paper.

 

I suggest you check out Brian Goulet's pen videos which will give you a lot more information than you will get nearly anywhere else. Plus check out the customer reviews on these pens on Goulet Pens web site.

 

http://blog.gouletpens.com/p/pens.html

 

Goulet also has a resource called the "Nib Nook" where you can see how different size pen nibs in different pens write on the same paper using the same ink. Great photos so you can compare the nibs. Note that nibs can differ from nib to nib, from the same manufacturer, but this is as good as you can get without actual writing with a pen before you buy it.

 

https://www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook

 

Goulet Pen Co. sells most of the pens you list, but not the Sailor. Sailor's current distributor in the US insists does not let Goulet Pens sell the Sailor line. But, you can find most of the pens in your list at Goulet Pen Co. and can read a lot of customer reviews of these pens to give you a lot of information relating how they appeal or don't appeal to different people. https://www.gouletpens.com/fountain-pens/c/12

 

Thank you for the useful links and info. will check them out

 

I don't think you can go wrong with your list. I have several of the pens you listed. Of those listed, given your budget, I would recommend the Falcon with the

SF nib. Remember that Japanese nibs usually run a size smaller that European ones. An F in Pilot usually translates into an EF from Pelican. The Sailr might be above your budget, I can't remember how much I paid for mine. Besides, it has the H-MF nib. Hope I didn't confuse you with TMI! Good luck.

Thank you!

 

I'd recommend the Pelikan M200. Although it's a steel nib, it's quite flexible (not flexible as an old pen, though). I have one and I think it's what you're looking for.

 

Most modern nibs, gold ones too, are actually stiff and produce no line variation as their nib tips are rounded. You could have one of these stubbed by a nibmeister. I have a pen with a medium nib that produces slightly thinner side strokes than updown strokes and it's also a pleasure to write with.

 

 

I was leaning towards the Pelikan and the 3776 , thinking of getting both though.

[m_osman]

With four pens you may be too new for semi-flex.....had one been 'true' regular flex with natural spring of that , like a modern Pelikan 200 or semi-vintage pre'98-82 M400 or a few other pens of that era; I would suggest getting a '50-65 semi-flex..

 

98 1/2% you hare Ham Fisted. I was when I came back to fountain pens even though I learned in the '50-early 60's. I did have regular flex pens that I didn't press like Martel's Hammer.

 

A semi-flex nib can with stand a Ham Fisted writer. My Pelikan 140 semi-flex did.

I don't know if a maxi-semi-flex can with stand such a ham Fisted writer as I was.

 

I was lucky I had three months to lighten my Hand with the 140, before getting my 400nn, which unknown to me was a maxi-semi-flex.

A term I developed in I have 26 semi-flex and 16 maxi-semi-flex nibs.

 

I assume most 140s and '50's 400's are semi-flex. I have combined 5 that are semi-flex and two that are maxi....the 400nn and a 500. There is nothing to say that your 400nn will be maxi or that your 400 will not be.

 

I do suggest buying from folks on this com that might be able to make sure you get a semi-flex instead of a Maxi. Work your way up the flex ladder.

 

Often folks coming over from nails and Lamy is a nail think 'true' regular flex semi-flex in they are not use to tines that can be mashed to 3X a slight down stroke wide, with a bit of tine bend.

 

A Falcon is a 'Springy' nib, is like MB or the new Lamy Imporium 2 X tine spread with nice tine bend. That the nib only spreads 2 X is a great limiter to line variation, that one don't get in a 200 or '80- pre '98 semi-vintage as is.

Once regular flex was normal issue but too many ham fisted Ball Point Barbarian Invaders bent nibs so many companies went over to regular issue in Nail and Semi-nail to reduce repair costs.

 

I call it 'true' regular flex, in out side of the Pelikan 200 and perhaps the Aurora I know of no European company that still makes it. I do not read Japanese pen owners saying their pens are 'true' regular flex...being able to mash the nib out to 3 X a light down stroke.

 

A 'true' regular flex can mash it's tines 3X a light down stroke.

Semi-flex needs half the pressure to do that.

Maxi-semi-flex half of that or 1/4th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex to 3 X.

 

Semi-nail mashes to only 2X. It needs lots more pressure than the 'Springy' nibs mentioned.

Nails are 1 X....unless you are very strong and want a new nib in if one lifts real heavy weights easily....one can make a nail....flex.......once and only once.

 

Now...if you have your nail nib stubbed or made CI you get max line variation at all times.

Semi-flex gives you flare you don't have to work at.

Maxi-semi-flex can and does if you have practiced how to draw letters and decenders a fancier script than semi-flex. Which I find much too hard and work to force fancy script out of it. Some folks do.

 

Now for a fancy script with out having to do anything at all, there is semi-flex oblique. Where as nail/semi-nail Stub or CI is 100% max line variation all the time. Semi or later maxi-semi-flex oblique is line variation 'on demand'.

I was lucky and got that 140 in OB. OB from then is less narrow than modern European nibs by 1/2 a width, so is more like a fat M, so is a writing nib, rather than the fatter modern OB which is a signature nib.

 

I would suggest getting a semi-flex OB and with a 15 degree grind. Later after you have a maxi, you can look for a 30 degree grind which is even a bit more line variation for no effort.

I have OBB, OB, OM and OF in both 15 and 30 degree grinds....in a mix of semi&maxi. That too is something that many don't check, in they don't have as many semi&maxi's as I do.

It was 100% pure luck and I was 2/3s done before I even noticed it.

 

In the beginning when one is still ham fisted one will press harder, write wider. Eventually you will write with less pressure.

 

Right now, try to write with only enough pressure like your pen is a featherless baby bird.

Don't make Baby Bird Paste.

 

Look in our sales section in they would know the difference between semi & maxi, and you get a better pen, than gambling on Ebay.

 

 

I don't think of semi or maxi-semi-flex as a 'flex' pen ...in a 'flex' pen is superflex. But many can't understand there is a huge difference between semi-flex and superflex. As big a difference up to Wet Noodle as down to Nail.

Normally I warn of folks mistaking a semi-flex nib for a superflex, wet noodle and trying to do Olympic splits with them...on account all they see is the semi- flex..

Please read my signature.

 

AC's suggestion of spending $7 for a Lamy stub or italic nib is best, and cheapest. Do give the feed a few days to set into the new nib...so don't go changing it around that often....according to advice read here on the Com.

 

 

I have a late '90's Pelikan Celebry pens, one in gold and one in steel and they are =.

I have vintage Geha nibs in gold and steel, and are =.

Same with Osmia/Osmia-Faber-Castell nibs.

 

There are very good steel nibs and poor ones, just like there are very good gold nibs and poorer ones.

It is not all the material the nib is made of but the shape, geometry, what it was designed to do.

 

I see no reason out side of bling to buy a gold nail, when a steel nail will do the same for lots less. Same with Semi-nail.

I am prejudiced vs those two flexes in they do nothing much out side of not bending.

Many don't like nibs with any spring like the 'true' regular flex....much less the semi-flex. Either of these two give much nicer ride.

 

All sorts of Japanese nibs are supposed to be 'soft' yet I don't read of their owners saying are 'true' regular flex; or even the 'Springy' Falcon as semi-flex. ...It is more called 'soft'.

Regular flex is a 3X tine spread, 'Springy' is a 2 X tine spread and good tine bend. MB and the new Lamy Imporium have that. The Imporium is a very good 'Springy' nib....sigh....so close to semi-flex and missed by a mile.

 

 

There are modified Japanese Falcon nibs that owners say are as good as semi-flex.

If so do look at them, in if you spring the nib it's modern and can be replaced by the company.

 

I prefer 14 K gold to 18 K in outside of nails, 14 K springs back better than 18K and 18K bends and stays bent easier than 14 K....unless the 18 K is a nail.

I had a 18 K nail OB that had no line variation, until it was made Cursive italic.

 

Stub and CI is something to keep in mind for any nail or semi-nail nib be it gold or steel....someday.

 

I'd suggest getting modern steel nibs, and reading up on semi-vintage or vintage pens, with 14 K nibs.....a much better nib than modern.

Well Parker and Lamy are known for making nails.

 

WOW , I couldn't have obtained such information anywhere else. Thank you for your contribution and for taking the time for such a detailed explained post. you totally pointed me in an absolute different direction than I had in mind

[m_osman]

I suggest you start with a stub or Cursive Italic (CI) nib.

That will give you line variation without the cost and learning curve of a flex nib.

Get a 1.1 italic nib for your Safari and see what it writes like. That is the nib I use for writing Christmas cards.

 

CAUTION: if you over flex a flex nib, you could spring the nib and damage or destroy it. So don't go trying to get a LOT of line variation out of a flex nib. IMHO, many/most of the demos on YouTube are overflexing the nib. Looks good, but the life of the nib is being reduced.

 

Cheaper yet is a dip pen with a Zebra G nib; $4 for a straight holder + $2 for the nib = $6. How much cheaper can you get?

I have flex nib pens, but if I want to write flex, I pull out my dip pens.

 

BTW, where do you live? Kinda hard to make recommendations without some idea of where you live.

 

 

I live in Egypt. for some reason I can't make my flag appear. there are non of these models or even any other American, Asian or European brands here. I have to order everything online. its a blind purschase , I can't try anything unfortunately before buying.

[m_osman]

The modern Pelikan M200's won't give you line variation but some of the older ones might. Bo Bo Olson will be along in a bit and he'll suggest the ones that will (I don't look for that so do not remember them). Good luck!

 

 

Thank you!

 

First of all welcome to the forum

 

Having a gold nib doesn't automatically mean it will give you a fair amount of line variation as most modern gold nibs are nails. If you go vintage you then can get good flex steel as well as gold nibs. But since you are still new to fountain pens I will recommend a Pelikan M200/M205 which as Bo Bo pointed out in his terminology has "True Regular Flex". In simple words it is the amount of flex which was standard in vintage nibs. My M200/M205 pens offer more flex than what gold nibs M400 & M600 do. The tipping material is usually the same so a well made & polished steel nib can be as smooth as a gold nib, if not more. Many newbies get misguided by people with limited experience regarding gold nibs. So make sure you don't become a victim of them. I am saying all this with 20 years experience of regularly using fountain pens with multiple models from brands like Parker, Lamy, Sheaffer, Pelikan, Kaweco, Faber Castell etc and many Vintage, Chinese & Subcontinent pens as well. 20 years might sound a lot to someone new to fountain pens but they really are nothing considering there are a few people on this board who have been using them for more than half a century.

 

If you plan to order your next pen online, I advise to do so from a store where testing & tuning before dispatch is a complementary thing so that your new pen works as desired right from the first stroke.

 

To this post I have attached the reply of Sheaffer's Manager of Product Development to a customer's question regarding difference between gold & steel nibs. You should definitely read it.

 

Thank you. I was leaning towards the m200 as well. I didn't expect that gold nibs are so comparable to steel ones on modern pens. When you read some articles on the internet people just say how softer modern gold nibs are to steel ones. The letter that dates back to 1982 just proves it further more.

 

Parson's Essential

 

First of all. Welcome to our group. You're one of us now, so feel free to Join in on any conversation. There are no bad questions.

You haven't told us where you are located, so I'm going to share my most recent discovery and hope it helps.

 

Mr Pen, pen sellers in the UK, The brand is Italix. Model: The Parsons Essential costs $40.33 with your choice of quality steel nibs. I have one of these and it is a very nice smooth writer. Being a Jowo steel nib it does not have a lot of flex. You can order a large variety of nibs for the same price. I found it a bit overwhelming. I bought a basic Parsons Essential with a nice medium steel nib. The pen itself is Medium in size, with a lacquered brass body that is very well balanced and fits comfortably in the hand. It is a step up from the Metropolitan, and a very nice everyday writer. I've enjoyed writing wth this pen a lot. As time went on I decided to try my hand at a stub nib. I ordered an Edison 1.1 stub nib unit from Goulet Pens. The nib units are interchangeable they just screw in and out. So, now i have the option of either a nice medium Jowo nib or a stub in the same pen at a very reasonable price.

Or:

If you really want a Gold nib with some flex, you can order the same pen with an 18k gold nib and create something really special. Recently i purchased a Burgundy Parson's Essential with an 18k gold nib for a total of $133.39.

Now, i have a lot of mostly modern pens with gold nibs. This is by far my favorite to write with. I don't know of a modern gold nib with this much character. Being use to modern stiffer nibs, it took me time to adjust, but once i did the pen is nothing short of a delight to write with. It's butter smooth, flexy, and expressive. The Parson's Essential with an 18k gold nib was a special find for me.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I am located in Egypt. Nothing of these are available here. Everything has to be ordered online unfortunately. After several members contributions it looks like modern steel and gold nibs aren't of much of a difference like I thought. I will check the Pasron's essential as it seems like a good writer with some nib options which might be ore economical for me till i know what I want to expand in. thank you

Edited February 19, 2017 by m_osman

[Mech-for-i]

No fountain pen nib AFAIK can match flex and line variation of dip pen nib and those are not having any gold content at all.

 

By now I suppose its fairly evident that the nib design and engineering had more to do with how it would or would not flex. On this I recommend Falcon on your list.

[Flippy]

I heard that the Falcon was designed for better flex, but correct me if I'm wrong.