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Flexible Nibs And Global Market Trend


strelnikoff

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Hello all,

 

I'll start this post - or thought excersize - with a question:

 

- Do you feel that current fountain pen industry is slowly moving toward re-introduction of proper flexible nibs?

 

It occurred to me, while watching fp reviews online, reading etc - that in each one of them there is at least one segment dedicated to "line variation" (ex. Stephen Brown, Matt ...etc) or "Flexibility". Also, a lot of excitement is raised around any pen/nib claimed to have "that vintage flex feel". As my comment on one Aurora 88 review by sbrebrown on YouTube states:

"Maybe I am an idealist with unrealistically positive (maybe hopeful) expectations of future days, maybe I'm noticing some "shifts" or "ripples" in fountain pen manufacturing trends or maybe I'm just imagining and lying to myself - but... it seems to me that more (and more) flexible nibs are on offer.

Whether they are quasi-flexible, sort-of-flexible, vintage-wannabe-flexible, or really flexible with "modern" or "vintage" feel - there's new Wahl Eversharp, Franklin Cristophs, Pilot, Platinum, even this Aurora 88... perhaps I can include Romillo (?) and Visconti... maybe even modern M1000 by Pelikan (?? it is soft, F or EF feel flexy)... in any case, it seems like industry is (very) slowly moving in the right direction.

Fountain pen sales are up year-on-year, and with more fp users - demand for semi-flex or flex nibs is growing. Aurora is maybe playing on that card, testing the market - whatever they are trying to do - they are doing us (fountain pen users) a favor. And your (Stephen) reviews, with few others here on YouTube or there on the web - are helping this as well. Having that "what about line variation" question drives some people to think about that, want to have that...

 

One of these days (my dream says) I will click on Pelikan's web page and find Pelikan M805 special edition... flexible :) or Montblanc... Parker... Lamy :))))) "

 

What are you thoughts on this? Are there any insider-information or rumors that more flexible nibs are coming? Or I'm not seeing it right.

 

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I agree we are seeing more nibs offered which is a very good thing & hopefully we will also develop a better understanding about these nibs, which will make their use more enjoyable. I would be very happy to see them offered as a "choice" in the future, instead of the trend, noticed in the past couple of years for some of the companies to offer LESS choice of nib styles.

 

Whatever broadens the market appeal for fountain pens can only be a good thing for the future of fountain pens. I applaud each company for their efforts to make the writing experience more enjoyable & available.

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I agree we are seeing more nibs offered which is a very good thing & hopefully we will also develop a better understanding about these nibs, which will make their use more enjoyable. I would be very happy to see them offered as a "choice" in the future, instead of the trend, noticed in the past couple of years for some of the companies to offer LESS choice of nib styles.

 

Whatever broadens the market appeal for fountain pens can only be a good thing for the future of fountain pens. I applaud each company for their efforts to make the writing experience more enjoyable & available.

True, I've forgot about the recent ... 10 yrs perhaps - trend of offering less choice. Pelikan all but removed the OM, OB, OBB, even BB are rare.

Only thing is - oblique nib (for an example) or sharp italic or stub - do require some skill. Flexible nib - while it does require skill, can be fun to use to unskilled user just by offering that line variation. Oblique can be frustrating if one keeps missing the angle. Flexible nib - well, just stop applying pressure :)

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I don't think it will be anything other than 1 or 2 companies offering a flex nib for a limited time because there's no future in flex nibs for the long term. Currently it's just a phase where some companies are picking up on it but I doubt it will be anything more.

Edited by Bluey
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If I remember correctly, the technology that did in the flex nib was carbon paper. To sign multiple copies with a fountain pen, you suddenly needed a sturdy, rigid nib.

All these technologies are now as obsolete as the flint arrowhead, but I imagine that the makers of fountain pens pay some attention to the lunatics who buy them and write about it in forums not unlike this one. If enough people desire flexible nibs, somebody will make one.

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In many online modern flex nib reviews, I often see that the modern nibs are great but they are definitely not like vintage flex nibs.

 

I wonder if vintage flex nibs feel or write better, or that's just a myth. If modern nibs are actually great, I think there is a future, but if vintage flex nibs are better, I would probably get vintage pens with flex nib instead...

 

What do you think?

Dream, take one step at a time and achieve. :)

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For a flex nib I would go the vintage route. Modern flex nibs just don't attract me and I somehow, perhaps wrongly, believe these are just kind of soft and springy nibs. But I would add that full flex and the wet nooddle nibs are not for everyone to use and enjoy. One has to have certain controls to enjoy using/writing with such nibs.

Khan M. Ilyas

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In many online modern flex nib reviews, I often see that the modern nibs are great but they are definitely not like vintage flex nibs.

 

I wonder if vintage flex nibs feel or write better, or that's just a myth. If modern nibs are actually great, I think there is a future, but if vintage flex nibs are better, I would probably get vintage pens with flex nib instead...

 

What do you think?

 

It's not a myth. Vintage flex nibs feel and write differently than modern nibs. Some of the best ones can rival a dip nib, but still offer smooth normal writing (when not flexed).

 

Now, are all vintage nibs flexible? Not at all, you have to look to find ones that offer you a good flex capability. Add to this, the fact that each vintage nibs has gone through different conditions over the decades, so there are wide variance even among nibs of the same brand, model, size or look.

- Will
Restored Pens and Sketches on Instagram @redeempens

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CR@P. I lost my post 2x :angry:

 

 

NO, it is unlikely that you will see a new FLEX nib.

 

There is NOT sufficient demand for a manufacturer to invest the $$$$$$ in making a flex nib.

 

The enthusiasts on FPN are but a SMALL fraction of the fountain pen market.

Thus statistically irrelevant.

 

The other problem is, while there are MANY on FPN who want a new flex nib, almost no one is willing to PAY the cost of a newly manufactured flex nib. So then, why should a manufacturer make a flex nib.

 

In discussions with someone, they determined that a newly manufactured flex nib would sell for $250+ EACH.

Put it into a pen, and the price of the pen goes up by that amount, or more.

 

But that is to a pen manufacturer who would buy thousands of nibs.

For the nib manufacturer to deal with individuals will be a PiA. Individuals will need to work through a distributor who would consolidate all the individual orders into a larger package, to place the consolidated order with the nib manufacturer. Of course the distributor will have to be paid for his efforts and a profit, so I maybe the distributors selling price would be $350+ for EACH nib.

 

And because of the cost of making the die, this would be for only ONE size nib.

Want another size, add the cost of another die to the cost and spread the cost out. The accounting is the distributed cost of 2 dies will be 4x the distributed cost of 1 die. So that $350+ nib might be at $400+.

 

The thing that people ignore is manufacturing economics/accounting.

It costs $X to make the nibs. And this X is a BIG number.

Therefore you have to sell enough nibs to cover the manufacturing costs + overhead + profit.

If they can’t sell enough nibs, they loose money. And no one will make nibs to loose money.

The number of nibs that have to be sold is in the THOUSANDS of nibs.

The only people that will buy enough nibs will be the pen manufacturers.

Individuals will buy one or two, and most will NOT commit the $$$.

 

Because of the HUGE costs involved, there will likely be the need for upfront payment of a significant portion or all of the contracted price.

 

This is a one shot deal; make the nibs and sell it.

Holding inventory of these nibs to sell over a period of years will entail an inventory carrying cost, which will require the cost the nibs to be even higher. Because there is no guarantee of being able to sell the nibs in the future, they may be stuck with unsold inventory, which is another cost to be factored in.

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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In stock form the nib listed below is about as good as any $500.00 gold flex pen (0.4 - 1.5 mm w/ moderate pressure)

Modified, it can be a lot better. (0.1 - 2 mm w/ light pressure)

 

https://www.gouletpens.com/noodler-s-nib-creaper-2-steel-nib-flex/p/N18090

 

To answer your question, these nibs already exist and they cost about $5

 

So far as gold nibs as flexible as the ones made years ago, I seriously doubt anyone will ever make those again.

The invention of stainless steel made them obsolete.

Steel is just a better material to make pointed pens out of.

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For a flex nib I would go the vintage route. Modern flex nibs just don't attract me and I somehow, perhaps wrongly, believe these are just kind of soft and springy nibs. But I would add that full flex and the wet nooddle nibs are not for everyone to use and enjoy. One has to have certain controls to enjoy using/writing with such nibs.

In that case, I am glad I didn't pursue on getting a modern pen with soft nib :)

I will be looking for vintage pens.

Dream, take one step at a time and achieve. :)

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It's not a myth. Vintage flex nibs feel and write differently than modern nibs. Some of the best ones can rival a dip nib, but still offer smooth normal writing (when not flexed).

 

Now, are all vintage nibs flexible? Not at all, you have to look to find ones that offer you a good flex capability. Add to this, the fact that each vintage nibs has gone through different conditions over the decades, so there are wide variance even among nibs of the same brand, model, size or look.

Great point. Every vintage pen will have different conditions.

I guess I will have to go to a pen show :)

Dream, take one step at a time and achieve. :)

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CR@P. I lost my post 2x :angry:

 

 

NO, it is unlikely that you will see a new FLEX nib.

 

There is NOT sufficient demand for a manufacturer to invest the $$$$$$ in making a flex nib.

 

The enthusiasts on FPN are but a SMALL fraction of the fountain pen market.

Thus statistically irrelevant.

 

The other problem is, while there are MANY on FPN who want a new flex nib, almost no one is willing to PAY the cost of a newly manufactured flex nib. So then, why should a manufacturer make a flex nib.

 

In discussions with someone, they determined that a newly manufactured flex nib would sell for $250+ EACH.

Put it into a pen, and the price of the pen goes up by that amount, or more.

 

But that is to a pen manufacturer who would buy thousands of nibs.

For the nib manufacturer to deal with individuals will be a PiA. Individuals will need to work through a distributor who would consolidate all the individual orders into a larger package, to place the consolidated order with the nib manufacturer. Of course the distributor will have to be paid for his efforts and a profit, so I maybe the distributors selling price would be $350+ for EACH nib.

 

And because of the cost of making the die, this would be for only ONE size nib.

Want another size, add the cost of another die to the cost and spread the cost out. The accounting is the distributed cost of 2 dies will be 4x the distributed cost of 1 die. So that $350+ nib might be at $400+.

 

The thing that people ignore is manufacturing economics/accounting.

It costs $X to make the nibs. And this X is a BIG number.

Therefore you have to sell enough nibs to cover the manufacturing costs + overhead + profit.

If they can’t sell enough nibs, they loose money. And no one will make nibs to loose money.

The number of nibs that have to be sold is in the THOUSANDS of nibs.

The only people that will buy enough nibs will be the pen manufacturers.

Individuals will buy one or two, and most will NOT commit the $$$.

 

Because of the HUGE costs involved, there will likely be the need for upfront payment of a significant portion or all of the contracted price.

 

This is a one shot deal; make the nibs and sell it.

Holding inventory of these nibs to sell over a period of years will entail an inventory carrying cost, which will require the cost the nibs to be even higher. Because there is no guarantee of being able to sell the nibs in the future, they may be stuck with unsold inventory, which is another cost to be factored in.

So...some of the nice newly made flex-nib pen like Aurora 88 is actually a good deal, considering that the nib itself costs that much to make (regardless of how it compares with vintage pens) :)

Dream, take one step at a time and achieve. :)

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So...some of the nice newly made flex-nib pen like Aurora 88 is actually a good deal, considering that the nib itself costs that much to make (regardless of how it compares with vintage pens) :)

 

 

I have two Aurora 88s Aniversario. One Blue and one Red. I - and by "I" I mean my nibmeister friend with tools, had to open up the feed ink channel so that feed can keep up with the nib flex. My older blue pen had "opened up" and started flexing a bit more.

In any case, I'd be pressed to call Aurora 88 Aniversario nibs - vintage flex. So... I'm not really sure how much effort have Aurora put into the nib design, but I'm thinking - not enough. Or - enough for marketing purposes.

 

Btw - i LOVE my Aurora 88 Aniversario :) once the feed got taken cared of - it's one of my favorite pens.

 

And bellow is my main vintage Waterman collection as of today:

 

post-136832-0-74923000-1500526034_thumb.jpg

 

 

and what's the point of attaching this? Well, perhaps I'm in minority, but I've paid 1,200 USD approximately for my two Aurora's - and considerably more for my vintage pens. Speaking of economics... I doubt pen manufacturers are completely out of tune with current ... long lasting trends.

I don't mind paying 400 USD for a nib obviously, even if the attached plastics are 200 USD more... or 20... :)

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I have two Aurora 88s Aniversario. One Blue and one Red. I - and by "I" I mean my nibmeister friend with tools, had to open up the feed ink channel so that feed can keep up with the nib flex. My older blue pen had "opened up" and started flexing a bit more.

In any case, I'd be pressed to call Aurora 88 Aniversario nibs - vintage flex. So... I'm not really sure how much effort have Aurora put into the nib design, but I'm thinking - not enough. Or - enough for marketing purposes.

 

Btw - i LOVE my Aurora 88 Aniversario :) once the feed got taken cared of - it's one of my favorite pens.

 

And bellow is my main vintage Waterman collection as of today:

 

attachicon.gifIMG_5031-1.jpg

 

 

and what's the point of attaching this? Well, perhaps I'm in minority, but I've paid 1,200 USD approximately for my two Aurora's - and considerably more for my vintage pens. Speaking of economics... I doubt pen manufacturers are completely out of tune with current ... long lasting trends.

I don't mind paying 400 USD for a nib obviously, even if the attached plastics are 200 USD more... or 20... :)

Nice Waterman collection you have there...

 

I have been trying to get a Waterman eyedropper on auction site, but never been able to win...

Someday...

Dream, take one step at a time and achieve. :)

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"""""f I remember correctly, the technology that did in the flex nib was carbon paper. To sign multiple copies with a fountain pen, you suddenly needed a sturdy, rigid nib.""""

 

 

I'm writing a City Slicker Western saga, taking place in 1881-2. Single sided Carbon paper came in replacing double sided.....where as the carbon got sent, and the other sheet with the carbon on the back as proof, on the back was kept by the business.

Single sided carbon paper came in in the late 1860's. Six sheet carbon paper was used for all Train Orders. The Capetian of Train, the $5.00 a day conductor got the first sheet, the Eagle Eye the second, the apprentice engineer .... the fireman the next.......and he was not like movies some old back shoveling coal. Then the two breakmen. The last copy was kept by the Station agent/manager. ...............The Conductor worked his way off the tracks to breakman, to freight and then passenger Conductor....and was not a soft man, having learned to use his 'Staff of Ignorance' on free loading Hobos, as break man. Engineers worked their way out of the Yard.....Station managers were often once telegraphers or needed to know how..........Carpal tunnel syndrome...was normal for telegraphers....so sooner or later they had to find a new job.....so the old guy telegrapher is usually wrong....in they were the High Tec Geeks of the day.

There were women telegraphers, mostly stuck in whistle stops far from saloons, in men didn't take that dry job. Men would ride a full day just to look at those 'sensual' women....who had no man to tell them what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That made them sensual.

 

So there was stiff nibbed dip pens, and I'm sure what 'little' carbon paper....more than likely only one sheet thick had been in place for a long time.

 

I think the bosses and others who wrote letters, slowly lost Spenserian script, which was a status thing.....slowly died out. The old fogies got replaced or retired.

A business script....fast and clean to read....somewhat similar to the later Palmer was in place by the 1870's. The stand up at a sloped desk 12 hours a day clerks had to churn out clean work. The only person who sat down on the job was the boss, and he might well have used his 'signature' flexible nibbed dip pen....or later fountain pen to sign a fancy name.

There is a wonderful Office Museum to be found on the net. Much was just about in place by 1880 for a near modern office.

 

Good filing systems was coming in in the 1880's.........so many things we still have in offices, like clipboards were there by 1880........even the rubber stamp. :lticaptd: There were many copy machines, the mimeograph was new. There was a set the type, and single sheet copy with a small office printing press.

 

The second and better typewriter from Remington was out.....but you typed blind, seeing the work when done. Two finger typing was still in.

That would end by the end of the decade....by the end of the decade women would be working in an office.....very risque..................normally the middle class daughters who's parents had paid to send them to a 8-12 week business collage.....depended on how fast you could learn, the faster the cheaper.

 

Before, being a HS graduate meant getting a job as a business clerk so the middle class and above made sure their kids went to one. Skilled workers kids became apprentices.....farmers kids who went to the city became ditch diggers or such. Or teamsters.

 

The first job regular women had where they could support them selves was a Telephone operator.

Men had been late to work, rude, and gossiped for a drink the business they overheard.

Women were on time, cheerful at having finally a job where they could support themselves instead of having $0.50 a 12 hour day starvation wages...which if alone could lead to wrong career choices. ............and best of all no woman telephone operator would be caught dead in a saloon, giving away business secrets.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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In that case, I am glad I didn't pursue on getting a modern pen with soft nib :)

I will be looking for vintage pens.

If I were you I would still consider modern soft nibs. If you buy vintage you don't know if you're buying a sick man with cancer but who looks healthy. At a pen show I once wrote with a vintage Pelikan flex nib with the view of buying it. After a few minutes of writing, the damn tipping crumbled underneath which made it useless. At least if you buy modern you know it has a clean bill of health.

 

Admittedly I've not heard about such things happening frequently, but be aware that flexing stresses the nib over time.

Edited by Bluey
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Right now if you really wanted one you can get an Edison pen with a Richard Binder flex nib, or go to John Mattishaw and get his Spencerian modification on a #10 Pilot FA nib. For the Spencerian you are looking at $274 just for the nib with his mods and still have to buy a Pilot 912 pen to put it in. Both of these options have been around for a while. Both are low volume options and high labor that a company like Boch or Jowo are not ready to do.

 

I bet if enough 3rd party nibs were bought the big companies would take notice and maybe make the investment in taking over that market. It could also be that enough people buy the Jowo flex (Edison/F-C) and the market does well enough for Aurora to prove there is a demand more flexible offerings could happen in the future. If the current options don't show a big increase in sales I expect they will die out and companies will just focus on F/M/B standard nibs :(

 

I know for me when it came time to put my money where my mouth was I bought a new F-C Pocket 66 (with M Stub) instead of spending the money on their flex nib to go into a pen I already had. I did not have the cash right now to buy the pen with the flex nib so it was one or the other. Maybe I will try their flex nib later but not this time.

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Nice Waterman collection you have there...

 

I have been trying to get a Waterman eyedropper on auction site, but never been able to win...

Someday...

Which eyedropper? Any - or some specific model?

There are quite a few around, eBay, web stores... 42 safety (eyedropper) is quite common, in several incarnations, 42, 42-1/2, 42-1/2V... 42V I haven't see that often. Also - 12 and 13... I see few 16's right now.

I'd advise - if you're to go for eyedropper specifically - to buy it from some web shop/store. And go for less flexible nibs - whole pen is at least 50% less than one with "extra flexible" nib.

Eyedroppers are fun to use, and I really like them. Simple pens, easy to take care of, easy to change the nib. So you may get better nib later...

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"""""f I remember correctly, the technology that did in the flex nib was carbon paper. To sign multiple copies with a fountain pen, you suddenly needed a sturdy, rigid nib.""""

 

 

I'm writing a City Slicker Western saga, taking place in 1881-2. Single sided Carbon paper came in replacing double sided.....where as the carbon got sent, and the other sheet with the carbon on the back as proof, on the back was kept by the business.

Single sided carbon paper came in in the late 1860's. Six sheet carbon paper was used for all Train Orders. The Capetian of Train, the $5.00 a day conductor got the first sheet, the Eagle Eye the second, the apprentice engineer .... the fireman the next.......and he was not like movies some old back shoveling coal. Then the two breakmen. The last copy was kept by the Station agent/manager. ...............The Conductor worked his way off the tracks to breakman, to freight and then passenger Conductor....and was not a soft man, having learned to use his 'Staff of Ignorance' on free loading Hobos, as break man. Engineers worked their way out of the Yard.....Station managers were often once telegraphers or needed to know how..........Carpal tunnel syndrome...was normal for telegraphers....so sooner or later they had to find a new job.....so the old guy telegrapher is usually wrong....in they were the High Tec Geeks of the day.

There were women telegraphers, mostly stuck in whistle stops far from saloons, in men didn't take that dry job. Men would ride a full day just to look at those 'sensual' women....who had no man to tell them what to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That made them sensual.

 

So there was stiff nibbed dip pens, and I'm sure what 'little' carbon paper....more than likely only one sheet thick had been in place for a long time.

 

I think the bosses and others who wrote letters, slowly lost Spenserian script, which was a status thing.....slowly died out. The old fogies got replaced or retired.

A business script....fast and clean to read....somewhat similar to the later Palmer was in place by the 1870's. The stand up at a sloped desk 12 hours a day clerks had to churn out clean work. The only person who sat down on the job was the boss, and he might well have used his 'signature' flexible nibbed dip pen....or later fountain pen to sign a fancy name.

There is a wonderful Office Museum to be found on the net. Much was just about in place by 1880 for a near modern office.

 

Good filing systems was coming in in the 1880's.........so many things we still have in offices, like clipboards were there by 1880........even the rubber stamp. :lticaptd: There were many copy machines, the mimeograph was new. There was a set the type, and single sheet copy with a small office printing press.

 

The second and better typewriter from Remington was out.....but you typed blind, seeing the work when done. Two finger typing was still in.

That would end by the end of the decade....by the end of the decade women would be working in an office.....very risque..................normally the middle class daughters who's parents had paid to send them to a 8-12 week business collage.....depended on how fast you could learn, the faster the cheaper.

 

Before, being a HS graduate meant getting a job as a business clerk so the middle class and above made sure their kids went to one. Skilled workers kids became apprentices.....farmers kids who went to the city became ditch diggers or such. Or teamsters.

 

The first job regular women had where they could support them selves was a Telephone operator.

Men had been late to work, rude, and gossiped for a drink the business they overheard.

Women were on time, cheerful at having finally a job where they could support themselves instead of having $0.50 a 12 hour day starvation wages...which if alone could lead to wrong career choices. ............and best of all no woman telephone operator would be caught dead in a saloon, giving away business secrets.

How's that novel coming along? I'm waiting to read it :)

 

Ok, I agree that economics and well... demographic distribution of skills, has changed several times over - in last 100 years. Using a pen in 21'st century essentially is nearly obsolete. Pens - especially fountain pens - have long ago lost the definition of "necessary tool for work". These days it's the... whatever the definition may be - passion, status symbol, hobby... or one of the optional tools to do some work with.

Apart from ink cartridges - it's accepted fact that effort is higher - in order to use fountain pens for any reason.

 

But still - fountain pen sales are rising, slowly but steadily. People like them. While I don't expect everyone to re-learn how to work the land and grow crops - I can expect (and see already) many people wanting to re-learn cursive writing. It is attainable, reachable goal and it is a nice and satisfying skill.

So, you are right about the lost economic reasons for fountain pens - and especially for vintage type flexible nibs - but I would argue that general interest is rising.

 

I would give/exchange my three MB 149's for one modern pen with real vintage feel flexible nib.

 

I'm bored with modern pens. They all write the same. Few differences here and there, but essentially it's all the same... expression is needed :)

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