Is A Namiki Falcon Right For Me?

[papabear16]

I very much plan to give Wolverine's a test-drive if at all possible. We're already in touch. Worst-case, I'll order from someplace where I can return it if need be. But I'd rather test it. The point about the Metal Falcon is well-taken—I might like the weight better. It would just mean saving longer.

[mhphoto]

All arguments about nib categorization aside, I loved my metal medium tip Falcon. It was definitely an easy pen to write with for extended periods of time.

[papabear16]

All arguments about nib categorization aside, I loved my metal medium tip Falcon. It was definitely an easy pen to write with for extended periods of time.

 

If I may ask, why the past tense? If you chose to part with the pen, why did you do so?

[ubuntolaio]

for a long writing session maybe it's better a stiff and smooth nib rather than a soft or springy nib.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Semi-flex does not slow you down at all.

Semi-flex is not a 'flex' pen.

You would have to get a vintage pen, a Pelikan 140 or a Geha 790 as stated before.

Semi-flex gives you exactly from what I read, what you want.

 

A bit of flare with no work. A more springy ride. It is a mostly a bit wetter in the nib spreads it's tines and flexes them easier.

 

Do take some time and look up my semi-flex rants before buying a 'springy' only Falcon.

You can of course after you buy the Falcon send it off to Pendelton Brown and get more flex ground into it.

[proton007]

 

Given all the advice, I think I am going to wait and check it out.

 

But I should note I'm not looking for much line variation here. In fact, line variation is probably a poor term. I have some stubs that I use for that, which I enjoy. But instead, when I've seen Falcon writing samples, I've noticed slight accents—such as in the bottom of a script y or g—that I think add very subtle character. That is what appeals to me.

 

I do want to get a nice Pelikan at some point, too. Hell, I have a lot of pens I want to get at some point!

 

 

Just don't hold the pen at too high an angle, and the springiness will result in some line variation.

[apkayle]

I'm thinking of getting a pen to use predominantly for my personal writing (short stories, essays, letters, etc.). It would be something I would write with for long periods, potentially. I'd like it to be pretty fine but have the potential for some character in the handwriting. I mostly write in a cursive script.

 

I'm thinking of going with a Namiki Falcon. I've read that it's like, a very comfortable writer for long periods, and classic. I also suspect that with the soft nib, I'd get some rather slight variation in my script that would add interest without being overpowering. After all, I know it's not a true flex pen, nor do I know how to use a true flex pen. I would just write in my normal handwriting.

 

Does it sound as if this would be a good pen for this purpose, and that my expectations of what the Falcon is match it appropriately?

 

Also, I'd be tempted to use Noodler's Black with this, just because of the water resistance. (I do this kind of writing on the porch a lot, and have been ambushed more than once by my kids with water pistols.) So long as I flushed the pen every few fills, is there any reason to be concerned about using a bulletproof ink with this pen?

 

 

 

I own a Namiki Falcon but don't use it as a daily pen. Compared to my other pens, the Falcon works fine as a semi-flex pen for bits of line variation in your writing although you consciously have to push the nib to attain noticeable line variation. I don't use this pen as a daily user since its converters hold pitiful amounts of ink.

 

If you're looking for a daily user flex pen with good ink capacity then I highly recommend the ebonite Konrads by Noodlers. The nib has a greater range of flex than the Falcon and writes a very fine line when unflexed. Some people complain about the Noodler flex nibs as being rigid, but compared to my flexy vintage warranted 14k nibs the Noodler flex nibs don't require a WHOLE lot of extra pressure for flex. To be honest, I prefer the slightly more rigid Noodler's flex nibs over the Falcon soft nib and most vintage flex nibs since I only want my nib to flex on demand and not throughout all of my writing.

[mhphoto]

 

Semi-flex is not a 'flex' pen.

 

Easy kiddo, you're gonna give yourself an aneurism one of these days with all that head smashing that shows up when someone mentions flex.

 

 

If I may ask, why the past tense? If you chose to part with the pen, why did you do so?

 

Profit mostly. At the time I was looking to get a vintage Waterman with a larger nib. I ended up getting a nice woodgrain W56.

[WaskiSquirrel]

Noodler's Black is a nice, very safe ink. The only possible trouble you will have with it is if the converter in the Falcon is narrow: sometimes air bubbles get trapped and don't drift up properly in a narrow tube. I do a lot of writing in a lot of different pens with this ink. You might consider trying a sample and also a sample of Noodler's Heart of Darkness. I have found that this latter performs better in pens with narrow ink reservoirs, though with a tiny bit of feathering on lower quality paper.

 

As for the Falcon: I've thought about this pen. At the moment, I own a Pilot Custom 823 (inked with Heart of Darkness) that is a great pen with just enough flex to be fun.

[papabear16]

Noodler's Black is a nice, very safe ink. The only possible trouble you will have with it is if the converter in the Falcon is narrow: sometimes air bubbles get trapped and don't drift up properly in a narrow tube. I do a lot of writing in a lot of different pens with this ink. You might consider trying a sample and also a sample of Noodler's Heart of Darkness. I have found that this latter performs better in pens with narrow ink reservoirs, though with a tiny bit of feathering on lower quality paper.

 

As for the Falcon: I've thought about this pen. At the moment, I own a Pilot Custom 823 (inked with Heart of Darkness) that is a great pen with just enough flex to be fun.

 

I use the Black regularly in a Safari, and love it, particularly when dealing with cheap paper at the office. That paper is actually what led me to the Black instead of Heart of Darkness. But I want to try the latter sometime, too—at least in part because Heart of Darkness is one of my favorite books.

 

Profit mostly. At the time I was looking to get a vintage Waterman with a larger nib. I ended up getting a nice woodgrain W56.

 

Can't quibble with that!

[papabear16]

A bit of flare with no work. A more springy ride. It is a mostly a bit wetter in the nib spreads it's tines and flexes them easier.

 

Do take some time and look up my semi-flex rants before buying a 'springy' only Falcon.

You can of course after you buy the Falcon send it off to Pendelton Brown and get more flex ground into it.

 

"Flare" is a perfect word! And I'll be sure to look those up. I think I've seen a few.

[papabear16]

Actually, is there a way to search for those rants easily? In general, can you search for posts by particular users with certain keywords? I've never done that level of searching on a message board before.

[papabear16]

It appears that the Pelikan M215 and the Falcon are quite comparable in size. From those who've used both, is that fair?

[mhphoto]

It appears that the Pelikan M215 and the Falcon are quite comparable in size. From those who've used both, is that fair?

 

I was going to say the M215 was smaller, but then I compared my resin Falcon to my M405 (nearly the same size) and once up-capped or posted, the lengths become very similar.

 

http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t595/fivecatpenagerie/2926BD50-D591-4D9E-9F62-D0843971E672-7825-0000012C514294F9_zps0ca5e330.jpg

 

http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t595/fivecatpenagerie/C55E004D-46E8-4FD3-A759-FD1766B43EBB-7825-0000012C4C410024_zpsc479104b.jpg

 

http://i1315.photobucket.com/albums/t595/fivecatpenagerie/D33AEECB-BE1C-4CB6-B418-BB8C7BA8CFC5-7825-0000012C4440C97D_zpsd4f92265.jpg

[Bo Bo Olson]

Pappabear,

go to advanced search 'semi-flex' or 'semi flex' and poster Bo Bo Olson. That should give years of rants.

 

mphoto, you were so right. I read your comment and I changed my signature and have not ranted , since.

I just didn't want them buying a nice semi-flex nib and being disappointed it bent when they tried to make it act like a 'flex' pen.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Bo Bo Olson

[papabear16]

Thanks, Bo Bo. I think I've learned two things from your rants.

 

1. Don't buy a Falcon or any other soft or semi-flex nib and expect anything approaching some of the amazing flex you see in real Copperplate or Spencerian work. (I don't, so I should be safe here.)

 

2. While a Falcon is soft, you'd actually recommend something like a Pelikan 140, which has more of what you consider a flexible nib.

 

Do I have that right? How does the 140 compare in size to the 215? If it's similar, and I wanted to go larger with a semi-flex nib for daily cursive writing with some character, what might you recommend I look for?

 

Mhphoto, thank you so much for posting that. That gives me more confidence in choosing a Falcon, as I think it would be small but still comfortable for me. (I still plan on trying one first.) And you have beautiful penmanship!

[papabear16]

To give you an idea of what I'm hoping for, here's something of an example from my office. Unfortunately, it's under glass, so there's some reflection. But this is a letter (probably a reproduction, but with my boss, you never know) from Teddy Roosevelt. You can see the writing is just his natural writing—this isn't a formal penmanship script like Spencerian—with the flexible nature of his pen adding a few flares here and there for character. I really like this, although is handwriting looks nothing like mine.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7428/10310732606_c71a43790e_c.jpg

Untitled by papabear163, on Flickr

[New_Falcon]

I've been using the Falcon for about two or three years now, with the first 18months or so exclusively and everyday at work.

 

For me, the Falcon under normal writing conditions produces a line no different from my Lamy 2000. It is a straight monoline, without variation.

 

Where the difference comes in is in the feel of the writing. When writing with the Falcon it feels like a softer ride. It also has a much smoother nib.

 

As I said the output of the two is the same, I can't tell with a cursory glance in my notebook which pen I used, but the feel of the pens is completely different. Lamy 2000, just get the job done, a real workhorse. Falcon, take your time and enjoy the experience.