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Thread: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Aurora had models of this pen to try at the LA pens show. They also had staff present to answer questions and the evening was fun.

    We learned that the pen will be released in mid-March, and there will be 188 pens in each of the six colors offered (red, orange, yellow, blue, gold, and silver, I think).

    The good points:
    + beautiful long thin tines
    + feed made out of ebonite and designed for this new nib. In my testing I didn't experience railroading
    + of the modern pens that get the label of "flex or soft" (e.g. Namiki flacon SF or Platinum soft) I'd say this is one of the best ones
    + pretty good responsiveness in terms of the tines closing back up after making a shade
    + nice smooth writing behavior

    The downsides:
    - The feed was great at keeping up, but after a shade as the tines would closed up you'd still have quite a sizable amount of ink which resulted in a slightly thicker line. In effect almost the opposite problem of no railroading. I suspect most people won't mind this, I just personally like a more vintage-flex style of behavior of thin line, swell, and then rapidly returning to a thin line again
    - The amount of flex was good, but it wasn't huge. You'll often see 3mm+ swells that crazy people show as the over stress vintage flex nibs to sell them. Don't do that to this nib. In short this nib was good but it isn't a Waterman pink style nib.

    I was happy with what the've created and plan to get one. I'm also very hopeful that people like John Mottishaw can use this nib as a fantastic base for modification. I suspect changing the tip to an xf or xxf will result in a tool that I'd love to use for slower more ornamental styles of script. For everyday fast writing with an occasional shade for expression I think this new nib has real potential.

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    Senior Member grainweevil's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    BTW: at the show, I heard talk (can't remember who) of JoWo actually making a flexible nib now. This was news to me, can anyone shed any light?
    Is the British Bespoke Pens "Flag" flexible nib made by JoWo, perhaps?

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by grainweevil View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    BTW: at the show, I heard talk (can't remember who) of JoWo actually making a flexible nib now. This was news to me, can anyone shed any light?
    Is the British Bespoke Pens "Flag" flexible nib made by JoWo, perhaps?
    That, I don't know. I've found "semi-flex" examples on fpnibs.com, but I think they do some work on the nib themselves. My reference was to actual flex nibs coming right from one of the main nib suppliers - I thought it was JoWo, but maybe Schmidt? Can't find reliable info...
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Senior Member grainweevil's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by grainweevil View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    BTW: at the show, I heard talk (can't remember who) of JoWo actually making a flexible nib now. This was news to me, can anyone shed any light?
    Is the British Bespoke Pens "Flag" flexible nib made by JoWo, perhaps?
    That, I don't know. I've found "semi-flex" examples on fpnibs.com, but I think they do some work on the nib themselves. My reference was to actual flex nibs coming right from one of the main nib suppliers - I thought it was JoWo, but maybe Schmidt? Can't find reliable info...
    Yes, I got the impression the fpnibs ones were customised too. BBP's appears to be an off-the-shelf flexible (as far as I can tell), compatible with their other nib units, so presumably must have come from one of the main nib suppliers, albeit with a custom paint job. My thinking was, if they're making them with someone else's branding, maybe they're making them with their own too. If they're sticking with the CS choice, I think, on reflection, that it might actually be Bock. Really not sure. Interesting times, or tines, tho'.

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    Senior Member ethernautrix's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    I was able to test this pen on two separate occasions at the show. I was guardedly optimistic, but I feel that there is going to be a case of... overselling what the nib really is.

    Upsides: nib is nice to look at, feels comfortable to write with (no catches, etc), and most notably had very good snap-back. For the most part, the feed kept up, and railroading was an issue only if you tried to race with the thing.

    Downsides: flex is such a loose term, but this nib feels more like a step beyond a soft nib, with just a bit more splaying of the tines. Unless you get a grind, there is no needle line, just a European fine, maybe XF. The range is not dramatic, and I felt the nib was definitely saying "Don't push me too far." I think John's Spencerian treatments, especially on the Falcon nibs, go further.

    However, this may be a harbinger of things to come, and be the potential beginning of new entries of nib making with more flexible characteristics. In this, I think it is a very positive move. I found the colors, even the ones beyond the initial two offerings, to be very underwhelming, certainly on a pen of this price point. There were also two metal-bodied pens, (possibly) silver- and gold-plated, that added a little heft and certainly a step up in looks. Again, I'm assuming these first iterations are a sensible way for the company to test a new area of development, and that is a very good thing.

    BTW: at the show, I heard talk (can't remember who) of JoWo actually making a flexible nib now. This was news to me, can anyone shed any light?

    I don't know if Fountain Pen Revolution is selling JoWo nibs, but I recently bought a steel #6 flex nib. On the drat side, the base of the nib is a tad too thick to fit into either of my Danitrios. On the not-drat side, it fits in my F-C 01 ("Diamondback"). It's an interesting nib. It does "flex," maybe more of a semi-flex/flex (hahaha, curse you, Bobo Olson!). Worked great with Pelikan Brown ink, but tends to railroad a bit with Noodler's Black+OMB.

    Great price on it, too. Can't remember exactly, but I bought 3 #6 EF nibs and this one flex nib for $21, + $3 worldwide shipping.

    If the Aurora nib writes like this #6 -- I should stop kidding myself, anyway. The steel one will be fun for drawing, but if I want a nib for my Aurora Optima, I want a Pilot PO nib ooooor a simple EF.






    Come to think of it, the EF nibs were a bit of a tight fit. I was able to pair one with the Danitrio Fellowship, and it works great. BTW, this EF and the flex? Very smooth! I recommend giving them a try!
    _____________
    To Miasto

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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post

    BTW: at the show, I heard talk (can't remember who) of JoWo actually making a flexible nib now. This was news to me, can anyone shed any light?
    That is interesting! I know Brian Goulet said fairly recently (a few months ago) that JoWo didn't make flex nibs, so this must be something they've just recently made public. I'd be curious to hear more too.

    I suspect the British Bespoke Pens flex nibs are made by Bock -- it seems Bock has been the maker of other flex nibs that have been offered by the bigger pen companies companies, like the Omas Extra Flessibile and the #6-size Danitrio 'soft' nibs. Conway Stewart used Bock nibs as well so it must have made sense for them to arrange to get nibs from Bock when they made their own versions of Conway Stewart pens.

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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    BTW: at the show, I heard talk (can't remember who) of JoWo actually making a flexible nib now. This was news to me, can anyone shed any light?
    I've heard from a Franklin-Christoph employee that they should have new flex nibs by ~June.

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    Senior Member SIR's Avatar
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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    Quote Originally Posted by rpsyed View Post
    it seems Bock has been the maker of other flex nibs that have been offered by the bigger pen companies companies, like the Omas Extra Flessibile and the #6-size Danitrio 'soft' nibs.
    Really?!

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    Default Re: Aurora 88 FLEX nib in action ~ VIDEO

    I'm keen on the same thing!

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