A Classy Daily-Writer Pen With Some Flex? Any Recommendations?

[schin00]

I'm looking for a good-looking pen to use as a daily writer, with the ability to produce some line variations (nothing like vintage flex though). I'm currently considering between Pilot Falcon Soft fine, Justus 95 F, and Custom 743 SF (I heard the FA nib isn't suitable to be used for daily writing). Which one would you recommend?

Please understand that I'm NOT looking for a full-flex pen, most of the time I'll use this pen for notes taking and general writings, every once in a while I might want to add some flairs to my writing with slight line variations.

Feel free to suggest another pen altogether if you want, but nothing more expensive than the Justus please:)

Thanks!

[FOUR X FOUR]

The 2 pens you mentioned are the 2 pens I was thinking of😀

[ParkerDuofold]

Hi Schin00,

 

I have both the Pilot Falcon with a Soft Medium Falcon nib and the Custom 74 with a standard Soft Medium nib.

 

The standard soft nib on the 74 is an excellent daily writer that gives your writing something like a "cushioned ride," but I wouldn't use it for any kind of flex writing.

 

I would recommend you go with a FA nib for any kind of flex writing, even just light, occasional use as you suggest. I use my Pilot Falcon as one of my daily pens and it's great for adding a little flex to a signature, etc., but still writes perfectly normal when using a relaxed hand.

 

I also like the way the Falcon feels in my hand. It's a little back-heavy when posted b/c the barrel is ultra-light, but I still like it; posted or un-posted, I think it feels good in the hand... mine at any rate.

 

Hope this helps and in the words of the Immortal Scoob... rots a ruck (making your final decision).

 

- Anthony

Edited May 21, 2017 by ParkerDuofold

[Bo Bo Olson]

I like semi-flex..............I've never thought of wasting any money to see if any of the so called Japanese soft nib pens are more than old 'true' regular flex. I understand those nibs with the half moons cut out are = to semi-flex.

Please read my signature as to what semi-flex nibs are good for.

 

 

The following are semi-flex nibbed pens. IMO most semi-flex nibs are German vintage.

'50-65 Pelikan 400-400NN. Pelikan 140.

The Best Buy.....The standard sized Geha 790 is cheapest (Up from E30 to E60+...do hunt hard on German Ebay, it can be had cheap for hunters).

Geha 760 was the flag ship before the 725 goldwing, it is medium-small like the 140. Medium-small was real IN, back when folks wrote all day with a fountain pen. The last flag ship of Geha was the medium long very classy inlaid nib rolled gold trim 725...

...If one finds a Geha 790 with a steel nib, buy it, steel = gold, and both are grand nibs.

 

I have a grand KOB semi-flex nib on my MB 234 1/2 Deluxe. I have one between semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex on rolled gold 742, and a maxi-semi-flex on a medium large '50-60's 146. That is a smaller better balanced with a better nib vintage 146. There are other semi-flex nibs in the 2xx and could be there are some 3xx semi-flex, one would have to check the MB section. (I have a 3xx nail, also. My Large '70s-80 146 has a 'true' regular flex nib instead of the vintage semi-flex or the modern 'Springy' nib.) I find the medium-large 146 having better balance besides nib than it's later brother the Large 146.

 

Osmia/Osmia-Faber-Castell gives you choice of semi-flex with it's number in the Diamond on the nib....or maxi-semi-flex of it's Supra nibs. That is the only company that does that.

The others seem to run un-marked to if semi/maxi at one maxi for 4-5 semi-flex nibs.

I have some 26 semi-flex and 13-15 maxi-semi-flex.....some of which are Osmia.

 

Osmia may need a new cork but would be well worth it.....and it too has perfect steel nibs = to their grand gold nibs...................they sold their nib factory to Degussa in 1932....so Degussa nibs can be great....if the company who bought them wanted that. Just like Bock today, with best or cheaper made nibs as the company buying desires. Osmia nibs are grand.

 

I brag the Geha 790 often as the best buy...to bad it only comes in black and gold. I have 3 and a 760 (costs more than the 790 by @ E20-30 or so) (gray striped) and a 725.

Edited May 21, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[cellmatrix]

pilot 912 with FA nib or a nice vintage waterman with flex would be both good choices

[ENewton]

I have not written with the FA nib but do not understand why it would be unsuitable as a daily writer.

 

For the past few weeks, I have been using a vintage flexible nib as a daily writer. If one applies no pressure--which is how I prefer to write in any case--the pen simply writes a smooth, wet line.

[Arkanabar]

FPR's flex #5.5 nibs might suit; they are available across most of FPR's line, and always highly praised in reviews on the site, even when the pens they're put into are not. I am pleased with my ebonite Himalaya, in spite of the 1mm stub (a very different critter from their flex nibs), which has almost no line variation, and the variable finish (different parts of the pen were bakul, glossy, and had faint lathe lines).

[georgeb]

Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with SF nib.

[FarmBoy]

If a nib is truly flexible you can not turn it off and write normal. A flexible nib will naturally yield during normal writing and produce line variation. If you need to actively generate line variation by applying increasing pressure you don't have a flexible nib.