Nakaya Flexible Nib

[Drawing61]

Does Nakaya still manufacture the flexible or "elastic nib" with the cutouts on the shoulders much like the Pilot Falcon?

[Uncial]

They do a 'flexible' nib available through nibs.com. I have one on a long cigar. The nib is soft and very springy but has zero line variation. It doesn't have the cut outs but I think they also have the copperplate or spencerian nib which presumably does but I've never actually seen it. I find the 'flexible' nib very unpleasant in terms of feedback, so much so that I simply cannot enjoy the nib at all.

[Drawing61]

Thanks very much. Is the nib you have from nib.com the one they call "soft"?

[GranTorino25]

On the nakaya site, they have both soft and elastic options, elastic being where they take cut outs.

 

What does the elastic nib write like? It is just a super soft nib, a flex style nib, or ...?

[Drawing61]

Inquiring minds want to know. Unfortunately few of us can afford first person experience.

[Drcollector]

As mentioned, elastic nibs still appear on Nakaya's order form. I have owned one of their soft nibs (wasn't a huge fan), but I can't speak on their elastics. Leigh briefly reviews elastic nibs here, where she describes them as "semi-flexible at best."

[Uncial]

Thanks very much. Is the nib you have from nib.com the one they call "soft"?

I can't answer that accurately because they unfortunately changed the terms, but I would expect the 'flexible' nib to be the same as 'soft' (which is a better description of it).

[oldrifleman]

I have both the soft and the Elastic. The soft is a bit more like a "Flexible" nib, still not really Flexible, but a bit more spring than the standard. John at Nibs will do a "Flex Mod" (have one of these as well)to the soft and it is pretty nice, really nice spring and tine spread. The "Elastic", well they are thing of joy for me, are not a Flex nib. They more accurately act like a paint brush. The nib is very springy, but does not spread to provide line variation. I find it to be a fantastic writing experience and love them.

[GranTorino25]

Finally found the link I was looking for!

This is a review of the Nakaya nibs, in special tester pens. Hopefully this clears things up for all, and I still can't decide between a soft fine and an elastic nib!

[oldrifleman]

In my experience the Soft nib is only slightly less stiff than a nail. The flex mod does a good job and if you want the line variation that is what you want. If you just want a springy nib that bounces, the Elastic really delivers

[GranTorino25]

Awesome mate, thanks! So the elastic adds a little bit of variation with pressure, but the tines mostly stay together and simply write springy? I love my springy broad M1000 nib, it's just inviting that touch of pressure!!

[oldrifleman]

Yeah my "elastic" nibs (I have 3) are springy and just wonderful to write with, they offer very little line variation, but are just nice to as the nib bounces with my hand. The Flex nib from Nibs ( and other nibsmiths offer a line variation by allowing the tines to spread or by adding a stub. The down side is that the nibs become more fragile.

[Drawing61]

Thanks to all fountain pen mavens for your knowledge. If I may ask oldrifleman where did you find the elastic nib? I am very much interested in having one. My favorite Nakaya nib is music, my current love is a Montegrappa double broad, as generous as the Italian grape harvest.

[como]

+1. I know that this is an older thread. From my recent visit to a local shop, the comment below is spot on. "Elastic"=cut out, is bouncy; "Soft" is the same as "Flexible" in terms of labelling, which is less stiff than nail, as oldrifleman said.

In my experience the Soft nib is only slightly less stiff than a nail. The flex mod does a good job and if you want the line variation that is what you want. If you just want a springy nib that bounces, the Elastic really delivers

[Namo]

Just saw Leigh's video and it's so well done and so clever and so beautiful! Many thanks!

[peroride]

Just to flesh out the thread a bit more, one can get the kitchen sink: added flex mod such as the one from John Mottishaw at nibs.com or Gena at Custom Nib Studio who also trained with Mr. Mottishaw in addition to the nib choice:

• http://www.nakaya.org/en/manual/default.aspx?item=pensaki

 

My Nakaya has Elastic (cutouts) on a Soft Medium nib which is soft and bouncy as noted by @como and @oldrifleman

 

It is not "flex" in the conventional sense as say a standard flex mod on standard "hard" nib.

 

I tested the nibs.com flex on Nakaya and was surprised at how well it performed against the JOWO one I have from Linda Kennedy at IndyPenDance I suspect Gena's would be similar.

 

As @como and @oldrifleman noted, if you want flex in Nakaya go for the plain flex and skip the elastic. You could even skip the soft part as in my experience the plain nib was still flexible to produce line variation without much pressure.

 

I have not tested the kitchen sink: elastic + soft + added flex but it is possible at nibs.com with the Nakayas and more affordably Platinums

 

If someone has tested, please share your experience!

Edited November 9, 2019 by peroride