Modern Flex Pens

[BookCat]

I recently received a flex pen which doesn't write. I've emailed the seller regarding this, but in the meantime I'm looking for a modern, inexpensive fountain pen with which I can practise flex. I'm thinking of spending no more than about £20 which is $33.2 usd.

 

I've read that Noodler's pens are for tinkerers, I'd rather have one which works straight out of the box and doesn't need lots of work to get it to write. And after what I've read on this site regarding US customs practice, a pen I can purchase within Europe, or even Asia would be prefered.

Thanks.

 

Catherine

Edited August 28, 2014 by BookCat

[ac12]

Why not a dip pen?

Much cheaper to learn with, and you can get different nibs with different amounts of flex.

A nib is less than $2USD and the holder less than $3USD.

And some of the flex nibs are made in the UK, so should be even cheaper for you.

 

BTW that is what I did.

I now use a flex nib in an oblique holder to get writing that I cannot do with a fountain pen.

Edited August 28, 2014 by ac12

[Icywolfe]

Serwex pens are Indian Flex nibbed pens.

[BookCat]

The flex fountain pen which I have is effectively a dip pen now. I would really like one which I don't have to dip. Thanks anyway.

 

Does anyone know of another modern brand which carries flex pens?

 

Please note that the £20 is for pounds sterling, which is about $33.2 us.

Edited August 28, 2014 by BookCat

[globetrotterjon]

Wow, tall order. You might want to poke around the vintage sites and see if you can find a nice old Waterman or Conklin, but I think you're gonna be pretty hard pressed to find something in your budget. The Namiki Falcon is a great flexy pen, but it's nowhere near $32. I haven't been overly impressed with the Noodlers' pens - I've found them to be a gimmick to sell ink more than actually great bargain writing instruments. Perhaps one of the Chinese Hero pens might fit the bill?

[Polanova]

Based on a video review of SRBRBrown (?), the ideal pen for you would be:

_Serwex MB with flex nib

from: fountainpenrevolution.com

circa 20 EUR incl. shipping from India (takes about a month)

Brown says that there is hardly any rail roading

The nib is very similar to Noodler`s flex nib!

 

The ONLY alternative within your budget limits would be a Noodler`s pen from pure pens.co.uk

Edited September 1, 2014 by Polanova

[Nick13]

I must agree with Globetrotterjon, vintage is a great option, but take a little time to research the pen to see how much it is worth, and whether the pen is in working order etc.

 

Noodler's pens are not only for tinkerers... I got my Ahab in perfect working order, no tinkering necessary!

 

 

 

 

Nicholas

[andymcc]

For a modern pen FountainPenRevolution flex pens are probably your only option for under £20, I tried the Serwex MB months ago and hated it but I haven't tried the newer pens and flex nibs yet(I keep talking myself out of buying one),

 

I have a couple of Parker Slimfolds that have soft nibs, you can get them for around £10 on ebay, although not modern(new) or really flex pens they're easy to use and maintain and have 14k nibs. The Slimfold writes with a medium line that can flex to a bold so not a huge line variation but there's always plenty of them on ebay.

 

I have a few Kaweco pens with EF nibs and find they have some spring, if you set them up to be dry writers you can get a bit of line variation out of them, a new Kaweco Sport costs around £17 from Cultpens and nibs are only £7 if you want to try different sizes.

[SuperNib44]

I recently received a flex pen which doesn't write. I've emailed the seller regarding this, but in the meantime I'm looking for a modern, inexpensive fountain pen with which I can practise flex. I'm thinking of spending no more than about £20 which is $33.2 usd.

 

I've read that Noodler's pens are for tinkerers, I'd rather have one which works straight out of the box and doesn't need lots of work to get it to write. And after what I've read on this site regarding US customs practice, a pen I can purchase within Europe, or even Asia would be prefered.

Thanks.

 

Catherine

I don't think what you are looking for exists .

[TeaHive]

I must agree with Globetrotterjon, vintage is a great option, but take a little time to research the pen to see how much it is worth, and whether the pen is in working order etc.

 

Noodler's pens are not only for tinkerers... I got my Ahab in perfect working order, no tinkering necessary!

 

 

 

 

Nicholas

 

I agree about the Noodler's. My Ahab worked just fine upon arrival. It needed a couple days of flexing the nib to make it easier to do said flexing, but now it's a flex-master!

 

And I also agree about vintage pens being a good place to look for flex, but none that I know of fall that fall into the budget, aside from cheap, cheap "junkers," and even then, it's hit or miss with the nibs. Some might flex, some might not.

 

For modern pens that I know of closer to your budget, my Kaweco Classic Sport in fine has a bit of flex. Not much, but it goes from fine to bold with a little pressure. Some Parker Vectors have a bit of flex as well without breaking the bank. Neither of these are considered to be "flex pens," though. And of course, Noodler's. I would say to try one, but I might be a bit biased, haha. And if you do end up needing to tinker, they're easy to pull apart and put back together, so it shouldn't be that much of a fiddly experience.

 

Unfortunately, I don't know of any Asian pens with flex. All the ones I own are hard as nails. But I'll have to look into the Serwex myself!

[BookCat]

Several weeks ago I bought a Dilli with flex from FPR. It didn't work at all. I contacted the company and have only just received a response: they're sending a new pen, but I'm not holding my breath. I watch most of sbre brown's vids which is why I ordered the Dilli in the first place.

 

In the meantime I've ordered a Noodler's Konrad: the discussion about Noodler's pens is in the thread called something like Which is the best Noodler's? I'll edit and link to it. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/273103-which-noodlers-flex-pen/

 

I'd love a vintage pen, but all of the ones I've seen on ebay which work are outside my price range, the only ones I can afford are the ones being sold for parts. Luckily, one of the members of FPN is kindly sending me a vintage pen.

 

I have a Kaweco Sport with a medium nib which has a bit of bounce but doesn't really flex.

 

I have a couple of Parker Slimfolds that have soft nibs, you can get them for around £10 on ebay, although not modern(new) or really flex pens they're easy to use and maintain and have 14k nibs. The Slimfold writes with a medium line that can flex to a bold so not a huge line variation but there's always plenty of them on ebay.

 

 

If you have a link to any listing, please let me know.

 

Thanks everybody.

Edited September 2, 2014 by BookCat

[andymcc]

Several weeks ago I bought a Dilli with flex from FPR. It didn't work at all. I contacted the company and have only just received a response: they're sending a new pen, but I'm not holding my breath. I watch most of sbre brown's vids which is why I ordered the Dilli in the first place.

 

In the meantime I've ordered a Noodler's Konrad: the discussion about Noodler's pens is in the thread called something like Which is the best Noodler's? I'll edit and link to it. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/273103-which-noodlers-flex-pen/

 

I'd love a vintage pen, but all of the ones I've seen on ebay which work are outside my price range, the only ones I can afford are the ones being sold for parts. Luckily, one of the members of FPN is kindly sending me a vintage pen.

 

I have a Kaweco Sport with a medium nib which has a bit of bounce but doesn't really flex.

 

 

If you have a link to any listing, please let me know.

 

Thanks everybody.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-MID-20th-CENTURY-PARKER-SLIMFOLD-FOUNTAIN-PEN-marked-14K-on-nib-/291229712281?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item43cea4bf99

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-parker-slimfold-fountain-pen-14-ct-nib-/161409403374?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item2594c009ee

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-Slimfold-/291232540242?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item43cecfe652

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-Slimfold-Superb-14-K-gold-nib-/121422391171?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item1c4556a783

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parker-Slimfold-Fountain-Pen-1960s-Maroon-GP-Trim-and-14-Ct-Gold-Nib-/271593501893?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item3f3c3bf4c5

 

Here's a few links to get you going

If you search ebay for Parker Slimfold or Parker Slimfold fountian pen you'll get loads of results, there's always plenty for sale in various conditions but the average price seems to be around £10.

[Hardcase]

In the meantime I've ordered a Noodler's Konrad: the discussion about Noodler's pens is in the thread called something like Which is the best Noodler's? I'll edit and link to it. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/273103-which-noodlers-flex-pen/

 

I have a Konrad and like it a lot - it's one of my daily pens. I wouldn't call it a flex, though, no matter what is advertised. It takes a pretty heavy hand to flex it, enough so that it's difficult for me to control it. On the other hand, it's an excellent fine point that is very smooth and just the right size for my fat fingers. It also looks pretty good.

 

-Drew

Edited September 2, 2014 by Hardcase

[BookCat]

Thanks for the links, I took a look at them but the 'prices' are just where the bidding is currently at, not a 'buy now' price. I imagine that the actual sale price for these pens will be much higher than their current low prices as they still have several days left in the auctions. Usually the bids increase steeply towards the end especially with bidders snatching the items in the final few seconds.

 

This is why I usually purchase the 'buy now' items rather than those in an auction.

 

If you can find any which aren't in an auction, please let me know. Meanwhile I'll do a search for Parker Slimfolds myself.

 

Have done a search; only looked at those for under £25, found some but none of them had flex nibs, in fact a couple had nibs which were damaged.

 

I might try to fit a flexy dip nib on the Konrad.

Edited September 3, 2014 by BookCat

[andymcc]

The buy it now price seems to be around £20 but the actual final sale price for Slimfolds on auctions is £10-15, I've bought(won?) two Slimfolds in the past and both were under £15. Keep you eye on a few and you will find a bargain, some finish as low as £5

 

This one is buy it now £12

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/parker-slimfold-fountain-pen-/141393216500?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item20ebb143f4

 

This one in £23

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c1960-Parker-Duofold-Slimfold-Fountain-Pen-Black-GPT-GD-VGWO-/111451817939?pt=UK_BOI_Office_Office_Supplies_Stationery_ET&hash=item19f30bc7d3

[KBeezie]

Serwex pens are Indian Flex nibbed pens.

Not all are, the Serwex Eye droppers I had both were rigid stiff nibs.

 

Though there are these... with the cheapest being $9 with flex.

 

http://www.fountainpenrevolution.com/fpr_collection.html

Edited September 3, 2014 by KBeezie

[BookCat]

The buy it now price seems to be around £20 but the actual final sale price for Slimfolds on auctions is £10-15, I've bought(won?) two Slimfolds in the past and both were under £15. Keep you eye on a few and you will find a bargain, some finish as low as £5

 

This one is buy it now £12

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/parker-slimfold-fountain-pen-/141393216500?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PensPencils_WritingEquipment_SM&hash=item20ebb143f4

 

This one in £23

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/c1960-Parker-Duofold-Slimfold-Fountain-Pen-Black-GPT-GD-VGWO-/111451817939?pt=UK_BOI_Office_Office_Supplies_Stationery_ET&hash=item19f30bc7d3

 

Are these flex nibs? The writing sample on the £12 listing shows no sign of flex, and the other listing makes no mention of the nib being a flex nib.

 

KBeezie: As mentioned, I have a Dilli with flex nib which doesn't write at all (unless I dip it). FPR are sending me another one. It won't even write unflexed. I've flushed it etc, but I still can't get it to write.

[KBeezie]

 

Are these flex nibs? The writing sample on the £12 listing shows no sign of flex, and the other listing makes no mention of the nib being a flex nib.

 

KBeezie: As mentioned, I have a Dilli with flex nib which doesn't write at all (unless I dip it). FPR are sending me another one. It won't even write unflexed. I've flushed it etc, but I still can't get it to write.

 

Those are flex, by default the prices reflect regular round nib, you have to select the dropdown and choose "Flex" for $3 more.

 

But other than FPR and Noodler's I can't think of any modern flex fountain pens for under 50$ let alone under 30$ without maybe getting lucky in finding a vintage pen with a flex nib. You can get a flex, just probably won't be that great depending on how you write with it.

 

Maybe see if a dip pen performs the same or worse for you, since assuming you master flex with a dip pen you can do pretty well with the cheap options in fountain pens.

 

Was the one you are replacing your first flexible one?

 

By the way this is what you can get with a Zebra-G flex nib (bout $13 for a box of 10 nibs, and maybe around $3 for the nib holder).

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/desiderata_flex/sunset.jpg

 

*PS: The 'scratch' comment is more or less on me based on how I was holding it, it takes a bit of an art to use a full flex nib smoothly. Goes from like a japanese XXF up to around 3mm thickness.

Edited September 3, 2014 by KBeezie

[BookCat]

KBeezie, thank you for the help and advice but I think my previous comment may have been unclear, sorry. The first part of the comment:

Are these flex nibs? The writing sample on the £12 listing shows no sign of flex, and the other listing makes no mention of the nib being a flex nib.

was addressing andymcc's ebay suggestions.

 

The second part:

KBeezie: As mentioned, I have a Dilli with flex nib which doesn't write at all (unless I dip it). FPR are sending me another one. It won't even write unflexed.

was in regard to your recommendation of the FPR pen. Sorry for the confusion.

 

The Konrad will be my first flex pen, and I was considering replacing the Konrad's standard nib with a flexy dip nib, as shown here:

[KBeezie]

KBeezie, thank you for the help and advice but I think my previous comment may have been unclear, sorry. The first part of the comment:

was addressing andymcc's ebay suggestions.

 

The second part:

was in regard to your recommendation of the FPR pen. Sorry for the confusion.

 

The Konrad will be my first flex pen, and I was considering replacing the Konrad's standard nib with a flexy dip nib, as shown here:

 

I don't know too much about replacing them with a nib designed for dip pens, but from what I seen that requires quite a bit more tinkering than you'd have to deal with on their standard made-for-the-pen flex nibs.