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View Full Version : Vintage Wet Noodle 3mm Wahl Gold Filled Ringtop Fountain Pen



Vintage-Nibs
August 18th, 2017, 01:13 PM
This little beauty of a pen is amazing. Normally many ringtop fountain pens that I see have no stopper, yet this one does and a beauty crest it is. It is in beautiful restored condition with no personilizations. The nib is super soft and capable of huge lines. It writes normally like an italic medium. While not a paintbrush wet noodle, it is hard to write normally and easy to reach 3mm without pushing too far. However it has a tiny crack on the left of the heart on the nib. It was also sprung before I got it, but it fixed up nicely as you can see from the pictures. I have tested the nib's durability for the past month to ensure that it will not crack on any new owners. However I can understand any concern and the price has reflected that. The nib is amazing and the uniqueness of the crest of arms on the pen invoke the deepest sense of history of this pen.
Discount - 150 NOT the 230 below
I'm asking for 230 for this pen and please go through my Ebay page as it provides securities for both seller and buyer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/202025516359?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

Vintage-Nibs
August 20th, 2017, 05:59 PM
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Vintage-Nibs
August 21st, 2017, 03:51 PM
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Vintage-Nibs
August 22nd, 2017, 04:41 PM
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Vintage-Nibs
August 24th, 2017, 09:22 AM
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Vintage-Nibs
August 24th, 2017, 10:15 PM
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EMQG
August 25th, 2017, 02:19 AM
You shouldn't push a flex nib to 2 mm, let alone 3. Doing that, and advertising that it can/should be done will wear out the nib over time and cause a lot of irreversible damage. Vintage flex nibs are a limited commodity - there's only so many of them out there. Let's preserve them and quit pushing them further than they were ever meant to be pushed.

For reference, I'm sure you've heard of the famous Waterman Artist's Nib? If not, it's widely touted as one of the most flexible nibs ever produced (for mass production, that is), and one of the finest needlepoints. In the original advertisements for it, it was advertised as being capable of writing as thin as a hair, and flexing to 1/32" (0.8 mm) "or more". Of course, the "or more" could certainly entail maybe a 1.0 mm flex, or even a 1.2, but certainly not 2, and certainly not 3.

Now of course this is an italic medium, so that adds a bit of line width - but the majority of this is still coming from flex. Same goes for all your other listings. I have no doubt that they're fine pens, of course. I love these little Wahls, and that mother of pearl pen is beyond beautiful. The amount of flex being advertised, however, is just unsafe for the nib.

Vintage-Nibs
August 25th, 2017, 12:00 PM
To prove that this nib is truly flexible and at least close to the "wet noodle" classification is to show how far it can be pushed without being too uncomfortable. The people who read my posts and look at my Ebay posting don't know me from anywhere, so my first hurdle is to show them that my claim is true, that this nib is truly flexible. By showing I can go 3mm, that means anything below that can be easily done with smaller lines being progressively easier. Now as i said it took some pressure to get to 3mm, but to write with that much pressure constantly I think would be a huge literal pain. However what the person does with the pen when they purchase it is their own business, mine is simply to provide them with the information necessary to make an educated purchase without being here in person.

As to softness of the nib, I personally subscribe to the belief that over time the gold softens and becomes more flexible over time. I've used a Namiki SM nib for a year and throughout I've noticed that it got progressively easier to flex and flex wider without springing. Now for pens many decades old and even a century old their level of flexibility has become what it is nowadays. While they have become softer, they can take more before springing, of course I'm not saying let's flex our vintage pens till they shatter on us, but their flexibility has come a long way from what was advertised back in the day.

However thank you very much for your comment, it certainly helps to know what people think of my postings, even if they don't wish to purchase it. I'll be sure to account for this point in future listings.

Pterodactylus
August 26th, 2017, 11:51 AM
With all respect, but "nibs getting softer/more flexible" is imho complete nonsense.
Exactly the same as the "Break in myth"

What can happen is that you (your hand) get used to write with more pressure and you get the impression that it get easier (while torturing the nib until it begs for mercy).

What also can happen is material fatigue (the begin of the end) which will lead into destruction of the nib.

Imho these extreme flex width pictures have mainly only one reason: Flex sells and this is only done to maximize the profit. (No matter if this lead at least in the mid term to the destruction of these nibs)

mmd
August 26th, 2017, 12:53 PM
With all respect, I just want to mention that the nib writes ~1mm on the vertical strokes even with "normal" pressure. Flexing a XXXF nib to BBBB will probably destroy even the most flexible nib but a music nib just need to be slightly soft to reach 3mm or more so I don't really think the Waterman comparison is valid here. Flexing the nib to 3mm probably will not destroy the nib. Whether it's a wet noodle depends on how one defines wet noodle but I feel like the seller has given out good details of what the nib is capable doing for one to make judgement. I just want to add though it is true that "what the person does with the pen when they purchase it is their own business", if I were selling the pen, I would not feel comfortable if the buyer sprung the nib by flexing it as much as I were advertising.

The "nibs getting softer/more flexible over time" thing has been there for a while, and I remember Goulet also said this in one of their videos. I'm not completely convinced but I don't think it's very relevant to this sale. As for the "material fatigue", personally, I think it's pretty clear for a previously sprung nib with a crack on the breather hole. Again, the seller is pretty honest on this for one to make judgement. It's a nice repair IMHO and good luck with the sale.