How useful is flex in a fine nib?

[Pterodactylus]

(Montblanc 149 - Calligraphy ..... Montblanc Midnight Blue IG, Serwex MB - flex EMF ..... Rohrer & Klingner Salix)

[arrow]

I have been thinking about the various factors involved in flexible nibs and I came a cross this post by Ole last year. My comparison is generally fine tip, or even sharp tip dip nibs. I have yet to find anything close to it in a fountain pen, but I know there are some very close to them out there. There are a few among the modern Japanese pens, a few hard to find European. I have been searching for vintage gold nibs, that full flex and wet noodle I see some have found; Waterman, Mabie Todd, Eversharp and I have found a referance to Degussa nibs that looked very promising. The problem is to identify the very flexy ones.

[Robalone]

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[Robalone]

I have been thinking about the various factors involved in flexible nibs and I came a cross this post by Ole last year. My comparison is generally fine tip, or even sharp tip dip nibs. I have yet to find anything close to it in a fountain pen, but I know there are some very close to them out there. There are a few among the modern Japanese pens, a few hard to find European. I have been searching for vintage gold nibs, that full flex and wet noodle I see some have found; Waterman, Mabie Todd, Eversharp and I have found a referance to Degussa nibs that looked very promising. The problem is to identify the very flexy ones.

Arrow. All you can really do is look out for a seller that designates a certain pen as having a flexible nib….however, it helps to be able to intuit whether the seller seems to be just banging the word 'flex' in to cash in as it were on the current ‘fashion' , or whether they sound as if they are being honest !…..this takes a bit of experience and trust and …magic
If money isn’t too much of an issue, then Mauricio at Vintage Pens sells some mighty fine superflex nibbed pens, but be prepared to sell your firstborn to acquire one !!
I have many many (many !) flexible nibbed pens , mostly all vintage , and all were bought online, so it’s quite easy to do 👍🏻.
Actual 'wet noodle' nibs….and some folk do object to this name, are difficult to come by as I suspect that there just wasn’t really that many of them made…..largely because they do take care and practice to use, not to mention being quite easily damaged.
Also…when they do turn up these days, sellers seem to triple their prices …
However a nice soft semiflex nibbed pen is relatively common in the 'vintage' realm… and can be got for very reasonable prices usually, and, these are great to use , as they can be used as one would a normal nib, but pushed a little , will give attractive line variation.

[bunnspecial]

Just to answer the original question-

I don't mind a bit of bounce in a broad/stubbed/oblique stub pen but I find full blown flex a lot less useful in those than I do in finer nibs.

I can't imagine, for example, buying a vintage flex Waterman(yes I know not all are flexible, or at best only slightly flexible) in anything wider than a fine. I do sure love a 60s MB B/BB/OB/OBB, though!

BTW, my 146 calligraphy, unflexed, is probably the finest modern German nib I've used. It also shows a nice amount of flex with not a ton of pressure, but needs just enough that it's very controllable for someone who's not well practiced with flex nibs. That's one of many nibs that proves that single idiot, rambling loudmouth "flex authority" who thinks that if it's not a 50s German pen it's junk on FPN wrong.

[Yazeh]

Another thing with wet noodle pens (in my limited experience) is that you have limited choice of inks. Forget wet inks. I tried using Diamine ink and it was like a firehouse. Hence my opting for IG inks, which are best suited to these types of pens....

[Robalone]

Without meaning to sound flippant, the original question begs the answer …..as useful as a piece of string. !!

If one is after line variation in the style of say 'the old English roundhand' or like 'the founding constitution of some country', then a flexible fine nib is pretty much a must.

If one has no interest or ability in that style of writing then flex could be a distinct disadvantage !

Personally I adore flex nibs, …….some folk use only fine firm ones … I avoid them

[Cyril]

Although it is hard to find fineFlex nibs ( in vintage pens there are soft type namely Medium Flex nibs ).
Fine flexible nib is my favourite and I know they are the only nibs that suits my cursive writing. Even my normal wiring is cursive influenced writing. I can't support M or Broad. If they are broad at least they should be cursive italic. I am not talking about CALLIGRAPHY COPPERPLATE OR ANY SPECIFIC STYLE. If I do that I use a dip pen with a fine flex nib.
If someone is looking for a gold Flex nib in a Vintage pen if is a diamond and that has big value to pay to get it.
I am hunting for one of them and I have not come across any yet. I have a big collection of Vintage and antique pens already.
I already know Mont Blanc Calligraphy is a special pen but I don't want to go for that.
Perhaps I prefer Waterman's No 5 "Purple pen" and it is an exceptional nib. It is not for calligraphy but for some cursive writing.

[bunnspecial]

Although it is hard to find fineFlex nibs ( in vintage pens there are soft type namely Medium Flex nibs ).

This does not mirror my experience in the least.

Outside of 1950s German pens, flex nibs that are in the range of F to XXF when unflexed are quite common. Take the stereotypical Waterman #2 as you'd find on a 52-some are very stiff, some are wet noodles, a lot are somewhere in-between. I've not handled a ton of Watermans, but a #2 nib in larger than F seems uncommon to me. Even in German pens, F and EF are not difficult to find.

[FredRydr]

After 16 months, I'll just add my 2¢. Flex is best served in fine nibs; make that extra fine.