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Flex fountain pen
Zoso:
Hello,
lately I've been thinking about buying a flex fountain pen, that could be used both for everyday writing and short calligraphic texts in scripts like coppepplate or spencerian. I know that differences in strokes are not as big as in dip pen nibs, and that it's hard to find super flexible fountain pen these days, but I'd like it to be as flexible as possible and in resonable price (let's say up to 50$, but hopefully something cheaper). What can you recommend me? Is Noodler's Ahab good? What's better that Noodlers, but still not super expensive?
AussieCalligrapherAlex:
a few people modify fountain pens and can put dip pen nibs in them.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFUgEbHqJy9/?taken-by=possibly_nikp
Nik who is Entropy on the forum does them. I'm not sure on price though
Entropy:
Heyo! I am making a bunch and am bringing them to IAMPETH. I ask $30. Feel free to PM me, I have a video I can forward you.
AndyT:
Hello Zosia. :)
Assuming that you don't want to bother with the manifold problems which arise from using a dip nib in a fountain pen, here are a few options:
If you shop around, $50 should get you an unglamorous but serviceable vintage pen - chances are it will take a bit of searching to find it though. The advantage of this is that you'll get a feed which is matched to the nib. Fine points are fairly common; extra fine are not. Waterman and Mabie Todd nibs are both names worth looking out for, but there are less well known brands which work just as well. Since you are within the EU, you might want to have a look at Goodwriters and Write Time, both of whom I've had dealings with and can recommend. Especially Goodwriters: if you send Deb an email she'll probably be able to sort out something suitable within your budget.
Secondly, instead of an Ahab, get a Noodler's Nib Creaper and search for an old Waterman #2 nib. The smaller nibs can be had much more cheaply than the #6 which fits the Ahab. The thinking here is that you get an adequate pen body with an excellent nib which will definitely fit, although you will need to do a little bit of work on the feed. That isn't as bad as it sounds ... well, all right, you'll get covered in ink and ebonite dust, so it's pretty bad.
Thirdly: buy a Noodler pen, or have a look at Fountain Pen Revolution. Either way you'll get decent value for money. Some people are really down on these cheap pens, but I've had a few and they all worked okay without modification, and really rather well after a bit of work on the feed. The nibs are by no means fully flexible or even close, but they do have enough spring to get some worthwhile contrast into your writing. Of course, if you go for the Nib Creaper you can always keep your eye out for that Waterman #2 and still have a functioning pen in the meantime.
In the end, vintage flexible fountain pen nibs beat new ones hands down every single time, regardless of price. If you can possibly budget for one, that's the way to go.
InkyFingers:
Stephen BreBrown? SBreBrown on YouTube swapped without mod to feed an Ahab with a dip nib Brause? It looked nightly easy.
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