Am I making the best use of my Namiki falcon

[limesally]

About a month ago I got a Namiki Falcon in a fine nib that I love, love using. It's my main pen for my pocket moleskine, and I've also been experimenting with using it as a drawing pen. When I read posts here about how it's a soft nib, springy, semi-flex, etc, I can't help wondering - is mine? Now that I also have a Sapporo to compare it to, I honestly can't say I feel the difference between these two fine points. One's supposed to be soft and the other hard, but they feel about the same to me. Or maybe I'm not sensitive to know what it should feel like.

 

I also wonder if I'm getting the line variation people talk about. What I do see, myself, is a variation in shading, but not necessarily in width. I don't write in "flex" styles, but use my normal handwriting without any attempt to exert additional pressure. To tell the truth I'd be a little afraid to. Anyway, I just started wondering if I'm using the pen as I should. Writing sample is at normal speed, no attempt to slow down for extra prettiness, pressure, or whatever.

 

eta: I apologize in advance for the sappy Roger Daltrey lyrics, which I googled for after coming across a fragment of them elsewhere. Sorry about that.

Edited November 21, 2007 by limesally

[blak000]

Well, limesally, the Falcon has a semi-flex nib. It might feel the same as your Sapporo when writing with a light touch, but opens up much more if you write with a little pressure. Your Sapporo might bend a little, but nothing close to what the Falcon can do. I own the Falcon, and I must say it's interesting to see the line thickness change when you press a little on it. I don't do it much, though -- I like using it like a regular pen.

 

You should try flexing it sometime. Don't go crazy; it's not a true flex pen, but it will bend significantly more than most modern pens on the market without being damaged.

 

By the way, I think you've got great handwriting.

Edited November 26, 2007 by blak000

[bgray]

Yeah...I agree.

 

Great handwriting, but don't be too afraid to press a little more to get the line variation. Not a lot, becuase the Falcon is not as flexible as a 'true' flex nib, but you can get more line variation that what you are above, if you want.

[Lloyd]

The Falcons I've tried felt like firm nibs BUT they could safely flex until the tip of the feed touched the page (when writing with the pen at an ~45° angle). If you tried this with your Sailor, the nib would probably become sprung, i.e. not spring back to its original condition.

[limesally]

wow, thanks for the replies (and the nice comments)! That's exactly the information I was looking for. I haven't seen too many samples of writing using the Falcon (except one very lovely one with a nib modified for extra flex). Since I have no idea how any sort of semi-flex thing should feel and since the point is so fine, I was really very hesitant about applying any more pressure. I will play with it a bit and proceed with caution - thanks again.

Edited November 26, 2007 by limesally

[caliken]

wow, thanks for the replies (and the nice comments)! That's exactly the information I was looking for. I haven't seen too many samples of writing using the Falcon (except one very lovely one with a nib modified for extra flex). Since I have no idea how any sort of semi-flex thing should feel and since the point is so fine, I was really very hesitant about applying any more pressure. I will play with it a bit and proceed with caution - thanks again.

I too, have a Namiki Falcon with a fine nib. As a semi-flex nib it does respond to pressure to a certain extent, but I'm afraid of damaging it. In fact, it writes so well normally, I use it as my nib of choice for fine writing and leave flex nib styles to my oblique penholder and my trusty Gillott 303 nibs.

 

BTW I like your writing very much. Italic with a lot of personality and just a touch of Spencerian influence, if I'm not mistaken (?)

 

caliken

Edited November 26, 2007 by caliken

[limesally]

I too, have a Namiki Falcon with a fine nib. As a semi-flex nib it does respond to pressure to a certain extent, but I'm afraid of damaging it. In fact, it writes so well normally, I use it as my nib of choice for fine writing and leave flex nib styles to my oblique penholder and my trusty Gillott 303 nibs.

 

BTW I like your writing very much. Italic with a lot of personality and just a touch of Spencerian influence, if I'm not mistaken (?)

 

caliken

 

Thanks Caliken, I did learn italic when I was younger from my 8th grade English teacher, but really haven't used it much in the last few decades. It probably does influence my current writing style, and I'm trying to get back into it again (Christmas is coming after all).

Spencerian - I'm still trying to figure out what that word means. Any influence would be sheer coincidence.

 

Anyway, I gave it a try. Hoo boy! I had no idea it could flex like this at all. For a while I just made some wooshy thick and thin lines. I didn't even go as far as Lloyd suggested, with the tip of the feed almost touching the paper - I lost my nerve long before that . Afterwards I just about had to lie down in a dark room with a cool washcloth on my forehead.

 

I might just keep it for fine pointed writing as Caliken said above. Or maybe after I recover a bit I'll try again.

 

[alvarez57]

Hi limesally!

I have a Falcon too and I have seen it's flex; now, I do not know Spencerian writing technique (it is gorgeous) nor flex nib styles but I own two other Japanese pens that do write with beautiful line variation without applying the [forced and unfamiliar] pressure I have to apply to the Falcon. Unfortunately these two pens are very, very expensive. You will find comments all around the forum about these two: the Nakata and the DaniTrio, being the latter the most flexible of all. Now you can do as caliken suggests and with cheaper especialized pens.

And you do have a beautiful and legible handwriting!

[caliken]

I thought that the ligatures leading from above into 'a' and 'd' was peculiar to Spencerian script and I just assumed that you must have studied it at some time.....my mistake!

 

If you're interested, look at the topic 'flex nib writing instructions' at the top of 'Penmanship' and you'll see why I made the assumption.

 

The Namiki Falcon is my favourite pen and I keep returning to it - absolutely beautiful, with or without flex.

 

caliken

Edited November 26, 2007 by caliken

[wvbeetlebug]

You have wonderful handwriting. Thank you for sharing!

[limesally]

Thanks again!

 

Caliken, I had a look at the link you provided and see what you mean about the a and d connections. It really is just a coincidence - I think it's from an effort to keep those letterforms open and wedge-shaped, otherwise they get quite squashed.

 

I've had the chance to try flexing it a bit more, following some of the suggestions on the page Caliken linked to. I found it quite challenging, not least because I discovered I have the tendency to hold my pen as if it were an italic nib, so the tines are not aligned favorably for a real flex style. I know this can be relearned, but wow - that's a lot of muscle memory to overcome - I didn't realize till now that I habitually hold my pens this way.

 

I learned a lot about this pen from everyone's comments, though. Many thanks!