Six steel flexible nibs: a comparison and ranking
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- čas přidán 24. 02. 2021
- In this video I will comparing six steel flex nibs.
Noodlers #6 nib with tipping
Noodlers #6 without tipping
Fountain Pen Revolution #6 ultraflex nib
Fountain Pen Revolution #5.5 ultraflex nib
Flexible Nib Factory #6 flex nib with Jowo housing
Franklin-Christoph #6 Steel flex nib with Jowo housing
Steel flex nibs offer a number of advantages over gold nibs. They're much more affordable, and can be put into a very large number of pens. They're generally stiffer than gold, which makes them easier to control. Furthermore the risk of springing the tines is very low, so you can put quite a bit of pressure into them without fear.
Here are link to my videos on The FPR #6 and 5.5 nibs
• A cheap and effective ...
• 5.5 Ultraflex nib from...
Here's my overview of Noodlers fountain pens:
• Noodler's Fountain Pen...
This video has been needed for such a long time. You, sir, are a legend.
An overuse of the word legend (and of sir), but thank you!
Excellent comparison. Thank you.
Thanks, John!
Beautiful review!
great in depth video as usual!
Thank you!
Soooo useful, thank you so much!
You’re welcome!
I watched this video a bit ago, but felt a comment was due… . Just can’t shut me up! Very nice Marc, very informative as usual, and for me, you make it enjoyable. Thank you, sincerely 🤗👍😎
Thank you again! These things are getting harder to make with the new baby, and the start of the semester. Your encouragement is much appreciated.
@@mkompan Well, those new babies take some taking care of for sure. But look on the bright side, you only have to take care of em the REST OF YOUR LIFE! Well, maybe not take care of, but they will be with you till your time is over, and that's a good thing I think :-) Get rest when you can ...
Great video! I'm just getting started using fountain pens for art, so this is very helpful.
Thanks! I'm glad to help you get started in your fountain pen journey. The second part of the video (at around 14:30) actually shows all of the nibs.
@@mkompan /facepalm/ And I would have known that if I had watched all the way to the end! Oops!
@@kdcthelioness It was a test to see who's watching. :)
Great comparison! You might like Noodlers triple tail. It’s similar to the FPR 6, but it’s a little broader. It’s useful if you like the reloadable cartridges, and the feed is pretty generous compared to an unmodded ahab. (Which might not be optimal, but it’s pretty fun)
I have one, but forgot to include it! It's a very interesting pen, that I'l have to do a review of. I find that the geometry of the nib allows you put down a very thin line if you hold it at a certain angle ( I guess with just two of the tines touching the paper). And then the flex is just crazy, though so is the flow.
Quite interesting and useful, thanks. I have a Creaper, an FPR Ultra that is probably 5.5, and a Triple Tail. The latter is my favorite because it is extremely wet. I suspect that my end results are better with drier pens, but wetter pens provide a more pleasant experience. A conundrum.
That is a conundrum. I guess that's why I accumulate pens. Nothing is ever perfect, and I'm always on the hunt for just the right balance of everything. And I suspect that even if I find it, I'll find some reason to be slightly dissatisfied, in order to keep feeding my habit.
The FPR's ultraflexes are tough to beat for flex, but the biggest problem I have with them is the feed. It railroads under flex and a bit too wet when writing regular, at least this is the case for my ultraflex.
I agree. It's hard to find a pen/feed combination that works well with the #6 FPR nib. This is why I rank the FPR #5.5 higher. It works well with a larger range of pens.
Old vid but FPR has their own line of pens that fit the 6 and its ebonite feed and have no issues keeping up with flow. I have a few of them and they are all great pens, especially for the price.
Sadly I don't share your experience with FPR pens. I've bought two Himalaya V2s, both with supposedly improved feeds, and no luck. I've been hearing recently that the problems have been resolved, so I think it's time to reevaluate.
Nice that your Noodlers untipped "flex" nib actually flexes. The two I have don't flex without enough pressure to actually bend the tips of the tines up.
Based on my experience with them, beyond dead last, Even the "no flex" Noodlers tipped Medium and untipped no flex Fines flex better ... in the rare instances they actually work. I'll try some of their inks (they are an ink company first and foremost, maybe they can get their inks right? I'll never buy a Noodlers pen or another of their nibs.
Noodlers products seems to elicit strong emotions, people either love them or hate them. I think the Ahab is a useful, versatile pen tat works great with the FRP ultraflex. I also like the Triple tail and the Boston Safety. Many have mentioned that their products have QC issues, but I've never experienced problems.
What about the Noodlers Tripple Tail nibs, mine seems very smooth and have lot of flex. Great with the Ebonite feed it comes with. Would you rank it above the FPR tipped ultra flex nib?
The Tripletail is not quite as flexible as the #6 FPR, and also put down a slightly wider line. The main advantage of the Tripletail is that its feed provides adequate flow, whereas the performance of the FPR #6 varies greatly defending on the pen you're using it with.
Woah you can put that FPR nib in the TWSBI 580? Does it take a lot of work? Also, maybe a long shot, but any chance it will fit in the TWSBI Eco? I don't know the difference between those two pens as I only have the Eco. Thanks for this video comparison, I've been looking for just this very topic.
It doesn't take in any work at all. Here's a video that shows how it works:
czcams.com/video/mTS5imJq3NE/video.html
And yes, it also fits the eco, with a little tinkering. Here's how to do it:
czcams.com/video/4iBHTNjq2cI/video.html
And here is my overview of TWSBI pens:
czcams.com/video/ZN1mCcAnQQw/video.html
Thank you for your video. Sorry I'm new to this. So could you insert a FPR #6 EF Ultra Flex nib and 6.3mm Ebonite Flex feed combi inside a Twsbi VAC 700?
You're welcome! The FPR feed will not go into a VAC-700. The nib itself will fit, but the plastic feed on the VAC-700 does a poor job keeping up with ink demands of this very thirsty flex nib, so the pen will railroad.
This is so helpful! Is it easy to just screw in the feed and nib of the Franklin Christoph into a TWSBI 580? I want to find a flex nib with an ebonite feed that I can easily screw into my 580 without having to pull out the feed and risk breaking it. I love your videos!
Thanks! The Franklin Christoph #6 nib won't fit into a TWSBI 580, which uses a #5 nib. The good news is that the Fountain Pen Revolution 5.5 nib does, and works perfectly with the plastic TWSBI feed. I have a link to a video on it below. The feed on the 580 is friction fit, and doesn't have a housing. Just pull out the TWSBI nib and stick the flex nib in, and it's ready to go. No risk of breaking anything.
@@mkompan Thank you so much! I'm new to fountain pens. Your original video about flex nibs is what inspired me to get a 580 instead of an eco, because I love the idea of putting a flex nib on it. I also have a noodler's ahab, I'm really enjoying it even though it's finicky and I often have to adjust the nibs. I really appreciate your videos, they're exactly what I'm looking for.
New subscriber here.
I'm curious why you do not use the FPR pen bodies along with the nibs?
Good question. I had a very bad experience with the FPR Himalaya V2. The pen railroaded like crazy, and I couldn’t get it to work with heat-setting or any other adjustment. Kevin was kind enough to send me another one with an improved feed, and it didn’t work much better. Besides the performance, I found the quality control on the pens was poor, with a cap that was always cross-threading. Many people have told me that the performance of the pens and the QC had improved and I’m willing to give them another shot. I just haven’t got to it yet.
Thank you for these videos. I would like a flex nib. How does the FPR 5.5 compare to the FPNib 14k Jowo #5 that was tested in a different video of yours?
You’re welcome! The FPR nib is stiffer, has less line variation, and puts down a thicker line, (medium fine) line when unflexed. The Fp nibs is xf unflexed and is much softer, but still has excellent snapback. Considering the 100 dollar price difference, it’s not really a fair comparison. The FPR nib works great, so unless you’re flex obsessed (which sadly I am), the price is difficult to justify.
@@mkompan Thanks for the reply! I'll probably go for the gold then. I do really want the flex and finer line.
My pen uses a Bock 250, so I'll have to use the JoWo #6 from FP Nibs. I think I'll ask for a full flex because I love the line variation from the #5.
I've read that JoWo #6 nibs are compatible in Bock 250 housings. Is that true?
@@clayhannah907 FP nibs actually actually does the same flex customization on 14K Bock nibs.
I have no personal experience with how Jowo nibs perform in Bock housings, but I've read that even though the nib fits, the curvature of the feeds differ slightly impeding optimal ink flow. However, a company called Flexible Nib Factory sells ebonite feeds for Jowo nibs that fit inside Bock housing. Again, no personal experience with them, but it might a great way to fit Jowo nibs into your Bock pen.
@@mkompan I found the feed and housing your talking about on Flexible Nib Factory.
I asked FP Nibs about customization on Bock 14k nibs, and he said he unfortunately does not offer flex customization.
Does anyone make a Fude Nib in as small a point as the G or Hunt 102 nibs or do you have to have it custom ground. After mentioning G nibs; what is the difference between Tachinkawa, Nikko, & Zebra G nibs please? Thank you, that last one has me stumped.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can weigh in here, but I haven't heard of anyone turning the G or Hunt nibs into fudes. My guess is the flexible, un-tipped, needlepoint nature of such nibs would make them unsuitable for the conversion. Fudes work by putting down side strokes at different angles. Doing so with a pointy flex nib would result in the tines catching and splattering ink everywhere.
As for the Tachikawa, Nikko and Zebra G: all three are very similar with slight (I would even say negligible) variations in flex, line width and smoothness. There are a number of blogs that go into detailed comparisons with writing samples, etc.
The biggest difference (for my purposes) is that only the Zebra G is easily fitted into a fountain pen, with the other two requiring significantly more adjustment.
@@mkompan Thank you, I think I get it. The G nib conversion into a fountain pen has not worked for me, I can't seem to line it up properly & I have the Osprey G nib which for me is not good even with the Noodlers ink they recommend. For me I am going with the De Mannen 40degree nib(upside down) & Lamy Safari EF nib; my G & Hunt 102 when at my desk. Thank you very much for your videos & your chock full of information answers. 😀
I haven't considered the Kanwright fountain pen with ultra flex nib. Many of your fountain pens use the said Kanwright ultra flex nib.
It’s a fantastic nib, but I don’t care for most of the pens they come with. Hopefully this will change someday.
Where can I purchase the noodler on tiped nombe six nibs ? couldn't really find it online :/
Noodler’s #6 untipped nibs can be found here:
goldspot.com/products/noodlers-ink-ahab-konrad-untipped-flex-replacement-nib
Very nice. All fountain pens should have durable easy to flex nibs (no pressure almost at all).
Does the TWISB 580 have an ebonite/rubber feed or it's also plastic (not a fan of plastic)? There's no need to buy the FPR ebonite feed for FPR #5.5 Ultra Flex for the 580? Or if one needs to buy the ebonite feed, what's the best millimeter size for the #5.5 Ultra Flex (they have different ebonite feed sizes for the #5.5)?
God bless, Rev. 21:4
Thanks! The feeds on the 580's are plastic, but they work fine with the #5.5 FPR nibs. Sadly the FPR feeds won't fit the 580. Ebonite feeds that fit the TWBI 580 do exist. I got one by ordering a custom steel flex nib from FPnibs.com. Where they source theirs is a mystery that I'm looking into.
@@mkompan Thanks. FPR I believe is made in India. It must be one of these cool (who usually have ebonite and as materials but is way cheaper, not much a fan of plastic and plastic like stuff like cellulose or wood that much, unless the wood is an accent or inlay the textures on the FPR pen though, they're more for older people I think but they're classic): Ratnam, Ratnamson, Guider, Deccan, Sultan, Gama, Penco, Wilson Krishnaveni, Horse/Camel and Sulekha.
I wonder if you can heat the FPR ebonite feeds so it fits the TWSBIs.
@@SevenDeMagnus Thank you for your subscription! You must have a lot of experience with Indian pens. I don't own many, but love the warmth and substantial feel of ebonite, and it's nice to see so many well made pens coming out of India made with this beautiful, sturdy material.
Thanks 🙂 Will the TWBI 580 work with FPR #6? Just ordered it as my first pen and will order the nibs next.
You're welcome! The TWSBI 580 fits #5.5 FPR nibs, and works absolutely great with them.
@@mkompan thanks! 🙂
5.5 fpr ultra flex, will it work on jinhao x450?
No, but the #6 fits the Jinhao X450 and works very well.
@@mkompan thanks for your prompt reply, any suggestions for a pen that fits 5.5 fpr?
@@mkompan i mean other than twsbi
@@gilangdhanianto945 the FPR #5.5 seems to fit any pen that uses a #5 Jowo nib. So far the only non-TWSBI pen I've put this nib into is an Opus 88 Picnic. Here's my review of this nib czcams.com/video/mTS5imJq3NE/video.html
Hi! I like your videos, they are very informative. But could you please speak a little slower? I´m sure we are many non-native out here who enjoy your channel, but feel it´s a little hard to take in all that flood of information. :)
Thanks! I'll try to keep you non-native speakers in mind. I recently upgraded to a better microphone, so that might also help with comprehension.
Thank you for this comment. I can’t keep up.
@@lcritter Sorry to hear that! I'll try to slow it down. It's better for my native speaker audience, as well.
I listen at 1.75 speed. If you go to the CZcams control settings, you can slow it down a great deal--as slow as .25 speed.
The best flex nib has always been the Waterman 52V. Why can't they re-create the 52V.
I’ve read some articles on this in the pen forums. Apparently making flex nibs is a complex mix of metallurgy and precise forging, and there’s just not a big enough market for flex for manufacturers to revive the process.
@@mkompan That's the problem because people like me who can write scripts can't afford to purchase one because collectors only sell it for profit and not what it was intended for.
@@meljenkins1016 It’s probably true that most people who collect and horde flex pens, and as a result hike up the price, don’t really know what to do with them. But much of what makes a pen sought after and expensive has nothing to do with nib but the preservation of the pen body. One of the cheapest way to acquire vintage flex is to buy the very inexpensive Noodler’s Creaper, and fit it with a #2 vintage flex nib. The ebonite feed on the Creeper keeps up, and while it’s nothing fancy, it’s a sturdy little pen with good ink capacity. You’ll have all the advantages of vintage flex without having to deal with a fragile antique pen body with a delicate filling system.
only legends know noodler FPR all made by indian company Kanwrite try their pens awesome quality 1/4th of the price
I guess I am a legend. But there seems to be a lot of variation between these nibs. Perhaps Kanwrite makes nibs for different companies with different specifications, or they are adjusted after the fact. For example, the FPR ultra flex is much more flexible than other Kanwrite nibs with similar cutout modifications.
@@mkompan same dish with flavour he he