New Estie flex nib

[Mags]

A new nib came for me to try out. 14551

[brewsky]

Writing sample!!!

[Farmboy]

I guess you have the wrong box?

[pajaro]

I would edit that OP, delete pic and substitute a pic with card name covered.

Medium manifold. Most likely the wrong box.

[Mags]

The box is incorrect. I think my signature says Rob Maguire so no worries.

[Mags]

Writing sample!!!

I will try to upload one Sunday.

[Mags]

I would edit that OP, delete pic and substitute a pic with card name covered.

Medium manifold. Most likely the wrong box.

I think you sent me a Red SJ Estie a few years ago. I will try the nib in it.

[Mags]

Left handed and my epic fail of an attempt to illustrate flex writing with this nib. I need a left handed flex nib cursive coach. 14570

[Jon Szanto]

Mags, I'm left-handed. I have a 9788. I think you'll find that no matter what you do, this is pretty far from what most any pen person would consider a "flex" nib. It flexes more than their other steel nibs, but not by a whole heck of a lot.

You refer to a bigger question: left-handed cursive/flex style writing. Not easy, as the design of the letters is 180 degrees away from the way you are holding your pen. One can mimic it, but not easily. I hope you are an 'underwriter', because I think it would be virtually impossible to approximate standard cursive from a overwriter/hook position.

[Mags]

Well Jon I am a hooker but I forced myself to underwrite above with quite a horrible result. I think the nib is a fabulous springy nib though so I do like the 9788. I may have to force myself to try the pens with a flex nib in my right hand.

I need to think through the cursive flex writing overwriter style. I turn the nib an odd angle so need to try to visualize how to square it up on the paper.

[reprieve]

Well Jon I am a hooker

Me, too. How do you think I fund my pen habit??

[Jon Szanto]

I need to think through the cursive flex writing overwriter style. I turn the nib an odd angle so need to try to visualize how to square it up on the paper.

You might want to look into "Left-Handed Calligraphy" by Vance Studley. The good people at nibs.com sell it (can probably be sourced elsewhere) and I got a copy from them at the LA Pen Show last year. Some helpful ideas for the various left-handed styles. FWIW, I spent a couple of months learning to write right-handed, but it may be more fruitful for you to train your left to write under - you'll still be more coordinated with it, and it might make your writing closer to your ideal.


Me, too. How do you think I fund my pen habit??

How you doin'? ;)

[Mags]

I have been playing with under writing....long and difficult experiment for me trying to change and adapt my cursive. Thanks Jon for the suggestions.

[manoeuver]

I had to learn to swing under to have any luck with flex. I'm lefty but I don't write fromunda or over- just sideways.

My first forays into flex were abominable. After practicing for 2-3 years it's pretty good.

If that seems like a long time, remember the 2-3 years are going to pass anyhow. You can do other stuff in addition to practicing flexwriting also. I'm glad I did it.

I've also found my right-handed flex writing is much better after I've had 4 or 5 servings of alcohol. No kidding. (I do not recommend increasing your alcohol consumption for handwriting purposes.)

[pajaro]

I am a left handed over writer but I can write under or side from need. I have the Estie 9128 and 9048 "extra flexible" nibs, but found the effort level to flex them in a straight line to be overpowering. Too hard to do it. I also have Watermans, a Conway Stewart and a Wahl with flexy nibs, but I just couldn't do it. I can't get my mind around it, and I have tried it over several years. I concluded that flexible writing is a plot instigated by right handed hippie-commies to destabilize left handed people who think in their right minds. I seriously wonder if it's possible to do flexible writing left handed.

I threw in the towel and just used italic nibs like the 9312 and 2312 to get a little line variation. At that it seems to be bass-ackwards done left handed.

Lately I have come to like fine and extra fine nibs much better.

Blessed are the Big Wheels for they shall go around in circles.