How To Identify A Fex Nib?

[Oldtimer]

Other than when they say it, can you identify a flex nib by a photo on ebay? I sometimes read t he descriptions and some say slight flex, but I don't belive that. Maybe it is just a thin and long nib someone has forced a bit down.

 

What say you? I want a cheap flex, but not an Ahab, could pay a bit more like $50-60. Is that possible?

[balson]

you can't really tell if a nib will be flexible by looking at it. certain brands have a better chance of being flexible, the older a pen is the more likely it will be flexible especially pre 1910, and the smaller pens also seem to have a higher probability of being flexible.

 

its possible you could get really lucky just guessing on a poorly marked pen or beaten up user grade pen that just happens to be flexible on ebay but if you're wrong you are are out the money for a pen that is not what you are looking for.

 

the only way you are going to find a flex nib at that price range that you know is flexible is by going to garage sales, flea markets and antique stores and restoring the pen yourself. if you find the pen in person you can test it on site and see if its flexible. just be sure to have a light hand when you are testing it so you do not break the pen. i personally recommend starting out with one of the affordable modern flex pen or a dip pen so you can practice using the flexible nib without damaging a hard to replace vintage nib.

[linearM]

you can't really tell a flex nib by just looking at it. If you can't try it out you will have to rely on the seller. There are some good information on flex nibs at: http://www.vintagepen.net/ and http://www.richardspens.com/. Both sites are reliable and a good source of information when you are starting out. I own over 70 pens and the majority are flex nib. I've purchased from FPN members here on the classifieds and found the descriptions to be reliable. I have also had good luck with Tommy's Vintage Pens and Greg Minuskin's site, Vintage Pen, and Peyton Street Pen as a satisfied customer.

 

You can get flex nib pens at Tommy's Vintage Pens and Greg Minuskin's site in your price range, but you will have to watch their offerings. If you want a flex nib in your price range most likely they will be vintage user pens rather than collectable pens. That means they will have brassing of the clip and cap bands and perhaps not look the newest but will be refurbished and in working order. If the nib is the thing you may find just what you are looking for. A good 14K flex nib on a vintage pen can be a wonderful experience. Good luck.

Edited July 13, 2014 by linearM

[Oldtimer]

Yes! As you said, linearM:

" If the nib is the thing you may find just what you are looking for."

BTW: I don't bid on eBay because I will never be sure of what I will get. The feeling of uncertainty and a vision of dollars with wings is awful!

 

Greg Minuskin's Site?

Edited July 13, 2014 by Oldtimer

[discopig]

You can never tell with 100% accuracy if a nib might be flexible, but you can generally narrow it down a lot. I usually look for pens from the 1900s up to early 30s, usually Waterman, Wahl, Moore or Mabie Todd. Then I look at the nib itself and see if it has long and narrow tines, what size the tipping might be, etc. I've bought maybe a dozen pens this way, and each time I got something that was at least halfway between semi-flex and full flex, though more often I would get a full flex nib, and I even got lucky enough to end up with a wet noodle for about $40 once, because it was not marked as flexible and nobody bid on it.

 

It's a pure gamble, and any of the times I've bid on one of those dozen pens, I was ready to have a hard nail, although each time I was pleasantly surprised.

 

The only sure way to know if a nib is flexible is asking a trustworthy seller or trying out the nib before buying, anything else is just luck.

Edited July 13, 2014 by discopig

[linearM]

Greg (http://gregminuskin.com/) has flex nib pens for sale in the $65-$70.00 range. There are a lot of lurkers waiting to pounce on a good offering so just watch. Many of his pens are from the $90-$150 range but once in a while he has a less expensive offering.

 

When you are first starting out with flex I would suggest a semi-flex or full flex. Don't try to start with a wet noodle, first of all they will be too expensive secondly you need some flex experience to use one. Take it easy, just because a nib will flex, you don't have to push it as far as it will go. Basically a flex nib will give you nice line variation. I use mine for general correspondence and once you get on to it your handwriting will have sort of a cadence where you automatically use just a bit more pressure on the downstroke.

Edited July 13, 2014 by linearM

[lahlahlaw]

Ask the seller. I do so often, I ask them: "with the engraving on the gold writing tip facing up and the pen parallel with the floor, push down gently onto your fingernail with the tip." If it's a true flex nib then they'll tell you that the "tips" split apart.

[Bo Bo Olson]

What rate of "Flex" do you wish?

What rate are you ready for?

 

I assume you don't want nibs that only spread their tines 3 X a light down stroke like these.

Semi-flex is not a "Flex" nib rate, but a nice springy ++ nib. Uses half the pressure of a semi-vintage or vintage regular flex to spread it's tines 3 X a light down stroke.

'Flexi'/maxi-semi-flex needs 1/4th of a regular flex.

Stay way from vintage German pens. They are not out side of some of the '30's nibs; superflex.

 

I assume you want superflex; 4-5-6 or 7 X a light down stroke......I do suggest getting an Ahab with the Ahab Mod which is that, instead of the Semi-flex of it's normal nib.

Actually, I suggest you get some superflex dip nibs to learn with, so you don't spring an irreplaceable superflex nib.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Oldtimer]

you can't really tell a flex nib by just looking at it. If you can't try it out you will have to rely on the seller. There are some good information on flex nibs at: http://www.vintagepen.net/ and http://www.richardspens.com/. Both sites are reliable and a good source of information when you are starting out. I own over 70 pens and the majority are flex nib. I've purchased from FPN members here on the classifieds and found the descriptions to be reliable. I have also had good luck with Tommy's Vintage Pens and Greg Minuskin's site, Vintage Pen, and Peyton Street Pen as a satisfied customer.

 

You can get flex nib pens at Tommy's Vintage Pens and Greg Minuskin's site in your price range, but you will have to watch their offerings. If you want a flex nib in your price range most likely they will be vintage user pens rather than collectable pens. That means they will have brassing of the clip and cap bands and perhaps not look the newest but will be refurbished and in working order. If the nib is the thing you may find just what you are looking for. A good 14K flex nib on a vintage pen can be a wonderful experience. Good luck.

 

Good morning, LINEARM

I took your advice and visited both sites. I was impressed with the beauty and condition of those pens. Of course the above $300 pens are above my means in terms of what I would be willing to pay! They are a beauty but as well as I admire a Ferrari but can't buy it, that remains the case. I would have to desist on buying lens for my Canons to buy pens,but photography lets me walk around and enjoy nature. But I am diggressing.

 

See the dollars with wings, they flew away in earnest from me last night! -- I knew it and I tried resisting but, what can a gal do when presented with a beautiful pen? I ended up buying a Waterman Brown No. 5116 - Flexible Keyhole Nib from the first site quoted... Looking at the writing sample, that is what I wanted, Bo Bo I did not a broad flex nib with which you have to write bigger and fatter letters that look so odd to me. I wanted something where the widest does not spread that much and I could write normally in a fine nib. I am more of a fine nib person so I hope that I chose well. Of course I cannot disclose at home that I bought another FP when I have a dozen of "cheapies" lying around so I will have to disguise it for a while and pick the moment topick it up at the mailbox.

 

I also discovered http://www.iampeth.com web site and today I plan to spend a long time looking around. Anyway... Does anyone need a 100-400 EF Canon lens? I think I will have to dispose of it to get some more pens or a nice ink stand. Seriously!

 

BTW, lovely places. I can go there just to relax and have a good time without buying. The second site I couldn't understand first because all the pens had gone, so... It seems he puts pens for sale now and then, they are not always available? I just so pens that had already GONE. I looked again this morning and it is the same, but had a good look at beautiful pens.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Oldtimer

[Beckwith]

Sometimes you can get a clue from the slit between the tines. If it goes all the way up to meet the section that likely indicates a more flexible nib like this Ahab: http://www.gouletpens.com/v/vspfiles/photos/N15021-10.jpg

 

There may also be a piece cut out of the nib on each side. I believe the purpose of that alteration is to make the nib a little thinner lengthwise so it can flex more easily:

 

http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/marlen-aleph-fountain-pen-nib.png

Edited July 14, 2014 by Beckwith

[discopig]

Sometimes you can get a clue from the slit between the tines. If it goes all the way up to meet the section that likely indicates a more flexible nib like this Ahab: http://www.gouletpens.com/v/vspfiles/photos/N15021-10.jpg

 

There may also be a piece cut out of the nib on each side. I believe the purpose of that alteration is to make the nib a little thinner lengthwise so it can flex more easily:

 

http://fpgeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/marlen-aleph-fountain-pen-nib.png

 

I think the slit thing is pretty much only true for Noodler's nibs and FPR flex nibs. I have yet to see a vintage flex nib that has a slit that extends into the section. All vintage nibs I've seen have a regular breather hole a long way from the section, and usually what they had was long and narrow tines to increase flexibility.

 

The cut outs on the sides of a nib are also only found on threemodern pens that I know of (Pilot 742 and 743 with FA nib and Marlen Aleph), and I have never really seen it on a vintage nib at all, as it would be unnecessary due to the way they made gold nibs back then.

Edited July 14, 2014 by discopig

[Sridhar]

Other than when they say it, can you identify a flex nib by a photo on ebay? I sometimes read t he descriptions and some say slight flex, but I don't belive that. Maybe it is just a thin and long nib someone has forced a bit down.

 

What say you? I want a cheap flex, but not an Ahab, could pay a bit more like $50-60. Is that possible?

 

Greg Minuskin is very good. At great risk to my own bids - try cheepjeep on ebay: he is a flex lover. Today morning I missed a skyline flex which went for $41

[Oldtimer]

 

Greg Minuskin is very good. At great risk to my own bids - try cheepjeep on ebay: he is a flex lover. Today morning I missed a skyline flex which went for $41

 

How many flx nibs you have? Which do you prefer?