Aurora 88 Flex Nib

[Gracie]

Well, I must say that you have made me feel much better about my two dozen FPs!

 

That is an incredible site - new to me - and will take me many evenings to get into it. Not to mention that I now know where some of the missing nibs are, although I'm still looking for the Esterbrook Probate 313.

 

Thank you for your offer of sharing the workbook, and I'll get back to you on that after I have a chance to mull through the books and see what I don't already have in some form or another. First I think I have to go back and rethink my pens, sort out which ones suit which purposes, and make friends with them again, this time with more serious work on my part, after doing some practise with pencils.

 

And thanks so much for clearing out my old bad habits. Now I'll clean up my workspace so as not to continue those old bad habits, and set it up for a better method. Nothing like new beginnings!

[Inky.Fingers]

Wow! You inspired me to do the same.

[AAAndrew]

inky fingers asked me to comment on the flexible steel pens from earlier in the 20th-century. I may have something to say about that.

 

The Gillott 303 is a wonderful pen, especially the old ones, but it also can be quite sharp and delicate. Until you've developed the very light touch necessary, it may be better to start with something a little less flexible and xxfine.

 

Traditionally, students would start out in school using fairly inflexible pens until they gained a certain amount of control. Just about all nibs marked as "Elementary" or "Primary" are fairly stiff. Now, that's relative to the flexible ones. Even an Esterbrook 556 School Medium Firm puts down a firmer and more flexible line than a Pilot Falcon EF. Once you get up to the 303 or the Esterbrook 453 Business and College, you're using a nib closer to the super-wet-noodle gold nibs, but much, much finer line. No gold pen can approach how fine the extra fine steel nibs can write.

 

Some good guidelines for vintage pens with medium flex (more than a Pilot Falcon) include:

1. Look for any pen marked Vertical or Vertical Writing. This was a penmanship fad around the turn of the 20th-century and continued for some time. These are usually what I call firm-flex, with a smooth tip and quite durable.

2. Anything marked College will be more flexible and usually smaller. (except the 453, which is a moderately large nib)

3. "Modified" or "Natural" Slant pens are also good. Another penmanship fad. Similar to the Vertical pens.

 

Then there are the more advanced pens, like the Esterbrook 357, 358, and 128. These are extra fine and very flexible pens. And of course, the Gillott 303 and even the 404 and 292 are very nice and flexible steel pens that are not uncommon.

 

If you're having trouble getting your pens to write or to hold ink, then you may want to prep them better, or change inks. I'm surprised at how well Pelikan 4001 ink works with dip pens. Iron gall inks also work quite well with dip pens. You'll want to make sure you paper can handle the extra flow of ink for a dip pen as well.

 

Basically, I've written down all of my tips and tricks on my web site about steel pens.

 

Basic Supplies

Choosing the Right Pen (Nib)

Holding Your Pen

Ink and Paper

Pen Prep and Bits & Pieces

Any questions, feel free to PM me. I have no problem talking about dip pens, as InkyFingers well knows.

[teeitup418holes]

Here's a writing sample of a few of the Modern Flex Pens that I have. This may help showcase the flex that is available in some of these modern wonders.

[Gracie]

Lovely work, teeitup! I didn't know that the Platinum #3776 could flex that much. I've never pushed mine, as it wasn't categorized as "flex" when I purchased it. Do you have a recommendation for choosing an Omas Paragon extra-flessible nib, such as year of production? Another question I have is re. the Wahl Eversharp Decoband - yours is a "superflex", but mine is a desk set with an adjustable nib, and I haven't noticed much snap back with it at any of the settings, but maybe I'm just afraid to push it enough. That is such a fine balance, and I'm wondering if you have any experience with that nib? Is your Wahl a new one or vintage?

[teeitup418holes]

Hey Gracie,

 

Thanks! I enjoy these amazing pens, and my feeble attempt at nice handwriting is a work in progress. The Platinum #3776 I have is a Soft Medium-Fine. The non-soft nibs are not flexible, and are stiff.

 

As far as recommending an Omas Extra Flessible, I don’t have a specific year of production I’d recommend as much as I’d recommend getting one. I love mine!

 

The Wall Eversharp Decoband is a modern “SuperFlex” and is the perfect modern flex nib in my opinion. It has great snap back and is very forgiving. I don’t have any experience with the Wahl adjustable nib.

 

Hope this helps!

[Gracie]

Thanks again Teeitup, it does help. For one thing, my Platinum #3776 is also a Soft Medium-Fine, which means that I now know that I can safely push it more than I have been. I'll keep watching for an affordable Omas Extra Flessible, although that may be a contradiction in terms. Sometimes I get lucky at auction houses here, which is how I got the desk set Wahl Eversharp. Have you tried the new Aurora flex pen back at the start of this conversation? I'd love to know how it compares with the modern "SuperFlex" Wahl Eversharp Decoband. I like the Aurora - it's a lovely pen to write with - but I find that I have to write quite large to really get any effect with that amount of snap back.

 

And going back to dip flex pens, and AAAndrew's informative posting above - I've been pouring through all your links and I'm captivated by this one that you mention:

 

"And no discussion of stubs would be complete without mentioning the extraordinary Spencerian 28 Congressional. A medium-broad long stub pen, but what makes it so amazing is that it’s a fully flexible stub. Not everyone’s cup of tea, and not necessarily practical for everyday writing, but soooo much fun to write with."

 

So where do I find one of those?

[teeitup418holes]

Yes, I love the Aurora Fine Flex nib. I had mind ground down one step to give a bit more line variation. It’s a great modern flex nib. It it a little more tooth than the Wahl, and is a little bit thinner of a line.

[AAAndrew]

The Spencerian Congressionals show up on eBay periodically. You can also order them from Pendemonium. I have no connection to them except as a satisfied customer.

 

http://pendemonium.com/dippennibs.htm

 

The England one ps are better quality than the New York ones, but both are good.

[strelnikoff]

Since this topic is still fresh and alive - I thought to back up my comments (from the beginning of the topic) with photos of three nibs - from Aurora 88.

My Red pen has the stiffest nib, one I'd call semi-flex. Then, my Blue pen has a more flexible nib, I'd call it flexible and finally my Orange pen has a nib which is easily extra-flexible or fully flexible. This definition depends on benchmark, and I'd say a pretty good one would be Waterman's #2 nib line-up.

 

I apologize for not putting some effort in the writing, I did this in the office, quickly...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My point here is - as with the vintage nibs, it seems to me that Aurora issued different batches. Or - they issued first one, then listened to feed-back(s) from users, issued another one (more flexible) and so on.

[strelnikoff]

To clarify more - these just my pens - in Blue, Red and Orange, and "luck has it" they all have nibs with different flexibility. I've seen stiffer blue pens, stiffer orange pens, more flexible brown pens ... so it has nothing to do with date of issue or color of the pen - but with the batch.

 

My nibmeister friend bought one Orange pen at the same time when I bought mine, same flexibility (very flexible) and grinded it to EF - current nibs are F. It is really nice, line variation is significant.

 

Also - one piece of information. Recently I've posted a question on instagram - on Aurora pen official page - under one photo showing new Optima's with flexible nibs. And question was something like "Have you sorted out issues with the feed?"

I was surprised to receive an answer - asking "have you had problems with the feed?" and then I explained what we had to do in order to open up the ink channel and flow.

They (Aurora person) said:" We will talk to our technicians to check this issue".... I am not sure if they have really talked to anyone, but I've heard from Aurora representative that they had indeed opened up feeds with flexible nibs.

 

Until I try new Optima with flexible nib, I will not know if that is true. I doubt, but who knows.

 

It is funny, I love their Optima's Auroloide (I have 3) but these new pastel colors with chrome/rhodium trims are ... not that pretty

[strelnikoff]

Yes, I love the Aurora Fine Flex nib. I had mind ground down one step to give a bit more line variation. It’s a great modern flex nib. It it a little more tooth than the Wahl, and is a little bit thinner of a line.

 

Do that!

 

I'm actually looking for another (4th) Aurora 88 with more flexible nib (like mine Orange above) - and I'll have it narrowed to EF or EEF. I've seen it before, line variation is excellent.

[Gracie]

I think your writing is very good, and I am shocked by the difference in what should be identical pens. I posted an alphabet with my "flex" Aniversario back on page one of this topic, but that is done considerably larger than I usually write, because otherwise I don't get any discernible variation at all. I don't think mine is a problem with the feed, because when I write my usual size, it loses its variation in all the ink (unless my problem is that there is too much getting through the feed.) I bought mine from CFP, so maybe I'll ask them and get the nib taken down from a Fine to an EF or EEF as you suggest, but doing that from Canada is a slow and expensive process.

[strelnikoff]

I think your writing is very good, and I am shocked by the difference in what should be identical pens. I posted an alphabet with my "flex" Aniversario back on page one of this topic, but that is done considerably larger than I usually write, because otherwise I don't get any discernible variation at all. I don't think mine is a problem with the feed, because when I write my usual size, it loses its variation in all the ink (unless my problem is that there is too much getting through the feed.) I bought mine from CFP, so maybe I'll ask them and get the nib taken down from a Fine to an EF or EEF as you suggest, but doing that from Canada is a slow and expensive process.

 

 

If your goal is to have spencerian nib with modern pen/flex, then Aurora 88 Aniversario Flex must be taken down to EF at least. Currently - it is claimed F but it's too wide for expressive cursive script.

My problem was - for my writing the nib would railroad, so I had more issue with ink flow than with the nib point width.

 

I truly hope that this flexible nib experiment paid off to Aurora and they've learned that people do want to see flexible nibs. And I hope that other manufacturers see that too.

[PrestoTenebroso]

Hey I really appreciate the gorgeous work I'm seeing so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring.

[teeitup418holes]

I had a chance to try the Optima Flex at the LA Pen Show this year and was VERY impressed with how the Optima flex nib performed. It seemed to me like they had improved the feed and flex from an already good nib on the 88 flex.

[AAAndrew]

Hey I really appreciate the gorgeous work I'm seeing so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring. Burst_Cover_GIF_Action_20180322230135.gif

Can’t beat a dip nib. And when it’s attached to a “fountain” of ink...

[Gracie]

Hey Presto - that is gorgeous writing! Is that with the Anniversario Flex? And somehow the new Optima Flex had gotten past me completely. How does it differ to the Anniversario? Are they being produced in a consistent manner now? Would an Optima Flex with a fine nib write in a nice Spencerian flex style without having to write huge letters?

[teeitup418holes]

The Optima body is different than the Anniversario Flex, and it features rhodium trim instead of gold. It is similar width to the Anniversario Flex, so without some adjustments and grinding, it wouldn’t produce the super thin lines when not flexed.

 

I got much better line variation when I had my Anniversario Flex ground down. The flex on it is excellent, so just the minor adjustment grind helped immensely.

[strelnikoff]

The Optima body is different than the Anniversario Flex, and it features rhodium trim instead of gold. It is similar width to the Anniversario Flex, so without some adjustments and grinding, it wouldn’t produce the super thin lines when not flexed.

 

I got much better line variation when I had my Anniversario Flex ground down. The flex on it is excellent, so just the minor adjustment grind helped immensely.

 

Just bought (yesterday) one Optima with flexible nib. I've tried two - one light blue the other one dark blue, and noticed that one had a slightly finer tip (plus a touch more flexibility).

So far, I'm not experiencing much of railroading as with my three 88s. It seems like they have opened up the channel in the feed, but it's also possible that I'm still not flexing the nib much.

 

As for the shape - especially for writing cursive and maybe spencerian - 88 seems more comfortable.