Follow up- Just got the FPR nib. Put it on Jinhao x750 ( BTW- they will not fit on x450 per Kevin at FPR.) Conversion took < 30 seconds. I cleaned nib and pen with some soapy water. Put in Monteverde Midnight black. It is lubricated so I thought that would help prevent any railroading issues. Results- FANTASTIC. The nib is smooth, writes great. Will not railroad unless I forget to stop pressing on the upstroke!! It is so addictive you want to flex it on both strokes! I am very very happy. For less than 30 bucks I have an excellent flex pen. Excellent customer service with Kevin at FPR. Disclosure- I have no connection to FPR or the man that put this video up. I am just a pen nerd/geek. This will instantly make your handwriting look better.
@@thewetpen According to this thread, the are actually marked with different sizes. www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/6nvzzi/nibs_for_jinhao/ I don't have different to confirm. Either way, trust Kevin at FPR. He's such a good guy.
FPR told me that their nib wouldn't fit on my TWSBI Eco, but it does. I suspect that they got feedback for some customers that it didn't work, and they don't want future customers to be disappointed. Super honest folks. I might have just gotten lucky with my particular pen/nib. I don't dare disassemble it now :)
Could you make a video like this on stub nibs? Out of all the channels I've come across, yours is the most straightforward and "no nonsense". You're not showing 15 different pens and trying to sell anything. Bravo. Subscribed.
Thanks! I'd be happy to... if I knew anything about stub nibs. Unfortunately, I just got my first about a week ago... a Lamy 1.5mm. It's fun to play around with, but I'm not really sure how much I like them yet. If they're like anything else having to do with pens, I'll quietly accumulate a dozen or two over the next few months for no apparent reason, though... so we'll see :-)
@@thewetpen I was about to ask the same question when I saw this Q&A. Stub nibs or calligraphy nibs will give you the thickness variation without all the bending and railroading (and wear?). Do you like the feel of the flexing, or the result?
@@georgegonzalez-rivas3787 The thing that I like about a flex nib is that I can write normally with it when I want to, and just add a little bit of flair with it when I want it. I do also like stub nibs (I have several of them now), and they certainly have their place. Maybe I will make a video about them, now that I have more experience... but I still prefer the feel and the distinctive look of a flex nib :-)
@@thewetpen Fine. It's just that after watching your video I walked away thinking you really valued the line variation. Practically every sentence was about that. Check out the Osmiroid stub nibs. They're my personal favorite although the pens are not highly thought of.
@@georgegonzalez-rivas3787 Awesome, thanks! I'm checking out Osmiroid nibs now. I have a set of Speedball dip calligraphy nibs and a JoWo stub nib for an Opus88 which has featured prominently in some of my recent videos, and I absolutely do appreciate the line variation.
I bought an FPR Himalaya V2 w/Ultra Flex Nib quite a while ago now. I also bought a couple of extra nibs for some existing pens. The ebonite feed in the Himalaya definitely handled the ink load better than my pens without an ebonite feed. I love the nib but it does take a bit of trial and error to get it working reliably. Ink choice also makes a big difference. Personally, I've found Diamine to be a great ink for flex writing.
I ended up with a Himalaya (and a couple of Jaipurs) myself, and I'll say that the Jaipurs are very reliable, but I've had mixed results with the Himalayas... one is perfect, one never did write at all, and I had to send it back. And I agree... finding the best inks for flex writing takes a lot of fun experimentation! Diamine inks are often good, and so are Monteverde, Krishna, swift series Birmingham, PenBBS, and some Pilot. I should compile a list someday.
@@thewetpen - Thanks for that. There are a few inks there I hadn't even heard of, I will definitely check them out. I've also been wanting to try a Jaipur pen out for a while now and you're the second person in the last week that has testified to them being a good reliable writer. Looks like I might have to bite the bullet and order one. Is there any particular model you find preferable?
@@SnaykEyes77 I have two Jaipur v2s, one in the crackled blue finish and one in black ebonite. They're functionally equivalent, but I prefer the black one... the blue color is not as vibrant as I had hoped. I've also heard good things about the v1 Jaipurs, but I haven't tried one yet, so I can't tell you which is better. Good luck!
Oh my god... I use G-nibs extensively and have been searching for a fountain pen that has the same quality nib. I never considered actually putting that nib into a fountain pen. Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this out myself!
@@zireotuivek6666 Me too... on the first one that I tried. And then later, I lost another one to negligence and corrosion, when I forgot about one of these pens for a few months with ink left in it. I couldn't get the corroded nib out, even with pliers. That's what it's such a good idea to use Jinhao pens... it's not the end of the world if you lose one and are out $5 or whatever they are these days.
There are two better options: one is pricey and the other is “more” cost effective. You can purchase a Falcon 912 from Nibs.com with the Spencerian grind. I have two but that is about almost $500.00 EACH. John Mottishaw does excellent work but it is expensive. Or you can get a Falcon 912 from Goulet and order the enhanced feed from Flexiblenib.com for the Falcon 912. The feed is about $50 depending on the desired feed type. I got the 2 channel. The difference other than price is the Spencerian grind is going to give you super thin lines with very nice line broad’ish type lines. The Falcon with the original nib and modified feed will give you what the pen was supposed to offer out of the box, however the original feed just absolutely cannot keep up with the nib. I have been EXTREMELY happy with all three 912’s that I have : 2 Spencerian grinds and 1 modified feed only. Best of luck!
Lol, it took me 2 reads, but I finally realized that when you wrote _"more" cost effective_, you meant slightly more cost effective than the already pricey option. (Rather than a cheaper alternative to those was displayed in the video.)
I don't think either of those is a better option. Frankly, the Ahab ebonite feed is cut precisely for a flex nib, and I think it does the job every bit as well. as the setup you have, if you put a better nib on it. Now, I don't think five hundred dollars is very expensive for a good fountain pen. I have only one gold nib pen that cost less than that, and most cost a lot more, but where flex is concerned, you just don't need to get that extravagant. A Spencerian grind is a good thing, but not something I prefer on a flex pen. It's a matter of personal taste, but I see no advantage between a fine, or sometimes an extra fine, grind and a Spencerian grind, and you can get the former for a heck of a lot less money. And, frankly, for that kind of money you may as well get a vintage pen with a true wet noodle flex nib, and a feed to match. I certainly like the vintage pens and flex nibs better than anything else on the market today. I haven't seen a modern flex nib to match them.
I fought for a long while with the G and the Brause Rose nibs in my Jinhao pens and use them regularly.Hint: the Rose nibs will last much longer if you clean them well after each use. I love my FPR pen and maybe two months ago I finally realized that I could use my spare FPR nib in my Jinhaos. The FPR nibs are so awesome and have been a game changer in my quest for the Poor Person’s Wet Noodle. So glad you’re letting people know about this great hack.
I'm just starting my journey with fountain pens but my first was a Fountain Pen Revolution Himalaya V2 with the Ultra Flex nib. I'm loving both the pen and the nib so far. I appreciate your straight forward, no nonsense review in this video.
Glad you found the video useful :-) I've also purchased a couple of Himalayas... though I only kept one... and a pair of Jaipurs with ultra-flex nibs, and they're wonderful. Enjoy your pens!
Oh my god this is the video I've been looking for! Thanks so much for the clear breakdown of your steps. I do have G nibs but I figured there must ne alternatives like your last option, especially since G nibs wear off or rust
Good video. Terrific How To. Thanks. re: steel nibs and scratchiness. I've abused several German nibs (Nemosines, TWSBI) often ending up with just the steel, no hard end material. If you work through the sand paper grits to 12000 or my go to a Monogram 25000 pad ( I have two, they're 'unavailable' on Amazon for about four years now) then you get a smooth, scratchiness free nib. Two situations. First the Nemosines, (I think they're out of business) these nibs always arrived scratchy. A quick tune up with 6000 - the 25000 took care of that. (Also most pen RU-vid channels that mention sanding and polishing only go up to 12000). Second situation: my DIY (beginner) nibs where I've rubbed away the hard ball on the end. These will start to get noticeably scratchy after about 30-50 full pages of writing. A quick minute or two of figure-8s on the 25000 pad took care of that. And I've yet to see this video: "You think you want a flex nib, but you really want an italic/stub nib" Thesis: At some point someone who's fallen in love with fountain pens wants to write *differently.* Very soon they discover Spencer or Copperplate script and want to do that. So they buy a flex nib pen and.... discover they can only get line variation if they slow down their writing speed. It is possible, but it is very slow. Result- disappointment. If like me they have not very good handwriting so they stick to F and EF nibs thinking this is the only way they can write legibly. They will never even consider trying M or B. However, they will keep puzzling about 1.1 and 1.3 Stub nibs. If out of curiosity they buy one they'll discover- Some line variation at my usual writing speed! The down stroke seems BB wide but somehow my handwriting is more fun and a little bit better. I found stubs to be just wonderful. Next you'll want to try italic, but in the U.S. you can buy a machine gun but somehow italic nibs seem to only exist in the UK. I ground my own and first discovered efficient paper shredding blades can be rectangular. Then I rounded the corners and had a Eureka! moment, until I compared it to an unmolested stub.... and it was indistinguishable. (Next tip, try try try again) Also, perhaps a video on All the different types of italic nibs and where to get them in North America. (Smugglers?) I'm going to order some of those Mod-Jinhaos. (I never even considered a Jinhao - even while traveling all over China. Too scratchy. (I didn't know anything at the time.) One of my high school students bought one for a couple bucks on Amazon and showed it to me. Scratchy. But I brought in some of my sandpaper and we tuned it right up. re: 'wet inks' I learned about using wetting-agents like Kodak's Photo Flo. I'm an old photographer, but completely by chance I'd just come across my 20 year old bottle of the stuff in my garage and brought it into the house. Within a week I learned from a fountain pen video how to use it with ink. I like Noodler's Bay State Blue - but it can be a bit fussy. So I'll put a drop on the nib (TWSBI) before filling up the pen, or I'll put a few tiny drops right in the bottle of ink. Seems to work magic. (On the flip side, the least fussy, most reliable permanent ink I've ever found is Noodler's Polar Bear (Blue) - I travel with this and with a few Placker's dental floss on sticks I usually don't have to do any flushing for a couple of months.) I'm going to order some of those modified Jinhaos. Thanks again.
Great comment! Thank you. What did you grind your nibs with and how? I have no grinder. I thought about snipping the tips off some Jinhao fines, (I have stacks), and getting busy figure-eighting on micromesh, but I have a feeling that you're already laughing.
@@doctorfairlight2792 don't snip. They hand grind really fast. (I don't really understand why anyone would use a power wheel or Dremel). I do most of the rough work with a Trend 300/1000 diamond stone (synthetic), then I have small EZE LAP diamond sharpeners, and finally I have a set of Micro Mesh pads (each about 2" x 2") finishing with the 12000 grit. Since I made this comment I've misplaced my TWSBI Mini that I craved into an italic, so I ground a new slanted italic nib on the stub nib of my TWSBI 580. I find that I don't hold a fountain pen perpendicular to anything. So I found I use a 45° angle and also angled vertically on the paper. I'd suggest first grinding (sanding) something like a fountain pen nib if you want to try this. One problem is to make the nib thin - so it makes a thin horizontal line. I do this by grinding down vertically the front of the nib. When I have it about right, then I start in with the finer grits knocking down the edges so it doesn't slice into the paper. And of course any time your nib seems a bit scratchy, just run some Infinities on the 12000 pad. Hope this helps. However, the italic effect is minimal - maybe a professional grinder could do a better job. My understanding is a really crisp italic nib has fairly sharp corners so it'll cut into the paper. And if I could buy an italic nibbed pen with a large ink reservoir I'd buy it. They seem to sell these in the UK, so maybe the next time I'm in London I'll look for one. I bought all those sharpening tools, like the Trend, for wood shop tools so their cost might not be justified for DIY on some cheap nibs. The Micro Mesh pads I did buy for my nibs. One brand used to always arrive new very scratchy. Instead of sending them back, I just quickly smoothed them right out with the Micro Mesh. Hope this helps.
@@WillN2Go1Will, so sorry for responding this late. On 2 seperate attempts my ancient pc froze up mid reply, (I think it ran out of coal), and I lost the will. I much appreciate the effort you made with advice. I agree about not involving electricity to grind. Straight after I posted my question to you I remembered years ago slaughtering a Plumix BB nib on a bench grinder. What an ass. It would be safer to start off using a doorstep or a brick. I have loads of Jinhao nibs tp play with from replacing them with Jowos, and man that ain't cheap. I fail to see why mass made pressed steel nibs should cost so much. I'm getting tired of all the horse shite about fountain pens. After all, one can write with anything if it's dipped in ink, so I really like what you're doing. While whittling down, (there's no getting away from shaving stuff off is there?), Trend, Ezelap & similar bewildering choice of options I stumbled across Loft Pens on eBay. He's doing what you're doing professionally. I haven't used him yet, but he seems like he's tackling the nib grind rip off very affordably. Have a look at these and read the descriptions of what is ordered: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192957187130?hash=item2ced25043a:g:Bg4AAOSwz~RdC59E www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192663402299?hash=item2cdba2373b:g:b3QAAOSwC0dbooXP He points out how to avoid excessive postage on his items, so he's on our side. I've included the following so you don't miss it. Customers NOT from the UK regarding combined postage for multiple items: Before your purchase, please request a total so you do not have to pay £3.00/£4.00 per item (base price depends on location). Each additional item will cost £0.50. Any other questions regarding International Postage, please send me a message I am happy to help! I'll give your recommendations a try Will, cheers! @WillN2Go1 So sorr
@@doctorfairlight2792 Thank you for the reply and thank you for the ebay link. £2 italic nibs? That's amazing. The pen in the photo even looks like one of my TWSBIs. I bought £21 worth shipping £14 message says UK to California end of the month(25 days) No problem. If they work out, I'll be over the moon,. I know true italics like flex nibs may require me to slow down more than I'm willing to. Let's find out! And they are nibs, so I can sand off the corner ( I ordered multiples so I can go too far without any tears.) It''ll also be like I'll be starting from the other direction. Instead of Stub to italic, it'll be italic to whatever I can still write with. Made my day.
With steel nibs, I think the FPR nib is as good as it gets. This said, while I hate the Ahab, it is, as far as I know, the only fountain pen that has a feed specifically designed for flex nibs. This is largely why it is accused of being a terrible leaker. Getting maximum flex without railroading requires a lot of ink, and a standard feed usually can't deliver enough ink to allow as much flex as a good flex nib can give. I haven't tried it, and don't even know if it will fit, but I suspect an Ahab feed combined with an FPR nib might be excellent. As it is, I use a number of pens made in India, and they seem to perform well with the FPR nib. I do prefer dip pens, though, and I never had trouble traveling with them. I took fountain pens, too, but I also took along something this latest generation of fountain pens users seems to have forgotten, which is a good writing box. There weren't used for several hundred years because they don't work well, and they're still made, and still work just as well, today. Of course, it also seems that blotting paper has been forgotten, too, which is largely why every review out there complains about how long it takes some ink to dry on good paper. You know, it's king of funny when I think about it, but I'm accustomed to spending a lot of money for fountain pens with ordinary round tipping. This is what I use the most, and I love them. My favorites are the Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze age, the Scribo feel, a pair of Conway Stewart pens, a Namiki Maki-e, and a Namiki Chinkin. All fairly expensive pens. But while I do greatly prefer vintage pens and flex nibs, where modern pens and flex nibs are concerned, I've found that cheaper is actually better. I have friends who have spent a small fortune on building flex pens, and ended up using the FPR nib, a fairly cheap feed, either two or three channel, and a cheap pen because it worked better that their thousand dollar setup. And if you really want to get fancy, and don't mind a fair amount of pratice, try an oblique nib. As far as I'm concerned, there is no more beautiful calligraphy than that written with an oblique nib, but it does take some time to learn how to use opne well. And that said, I really do prefer dip nibs when doing any kind of calligraphy. I can use remarkable inks that fountain pens hate, and this alone is a big advantage. And, for me, dip pens are also more fun.
Hi James! As it turns out, most of FPRs pens also come with ebonite feeds, if you're buying them with flex nibs. I have a couple of their Jaipur models and a Himalaya. That said, I don't have much trouble with most of my plastic feeds... though some are better than others. I do have a small writing box (actually, it's for watercolors, which I also do now and then) and I carry that sometimes, and it's fine if I'm sitting down to write a letter or two... but if I'm wandering around the city and need to stop and take a few notes in my notebook, working with a dip pen just isn't practical. Most of the time that I get to write while I'm traveling is a few minutes stolen here and there... but I still like to make things look nice if I can. I also usually carry a piece of A5 blotting paper in my notebook (a couple of my notebooks have come with a piece, and I liked the idea so I stuck with it) which is very helpful when using a flex nib... you're right.
Wow! I use a fountain pen daily for my work. Superexcellent video. Love the splashes of music as you display the nibs. Your voice fits the entire vibe of the fountain pen experience. Well done!!!
@@thewetpen you are too good to be true , you instantly replied even after 1 year. Cool. Very cool. I'm definitely going to share your videos and promote it with my penpals Very very huge respect. Thankyou so much
@@p.v.rangacharyulu241 One nice thing about having a small channel like this is that I don't get overwhelmed with new comments all the time :-) I'm not able to publish new videos here very often, so I expect that I'll always have a small channel here, but I do always hope that the people who manage to find my stuff find it useful.
My understanding is that FPR nibs are made by Kanwrite in India, but that probably won't stop me from placing an order for a couple of pens directly from Kanwrite. These things must be investigated.
Thank you very much for sharing, I have very bad experience with G nib with Jinhao, so difficult to install and sometimes hurt my finger, the nib won't last long and get rusty easily, will try FPR nibs, thank you.
Very well done, and enjoyable to watch. I've had the same experience with my Omniflex Nib, and replaced it with a vintage Conklin that writes beautifully in spite of a bad feed. It's a never-ending quest.
@@thewetpen Thanks for the note. I own a Pilot Custom 912 W/ FA nib, and at.least for me, it's a really picky writer, railroading at the slightest pressure. Ink is the issue, find the right ink and stick with it in an FA nib. The deals are out there though, and you can save a lot waiting and looking in different markets (Japan). That's all part of the hobby, always looking for that perfect combination of pen and nib, that fits your writing style.
@@c.s.johnson7691 Ahh, I'm glad to hear it... this may save me a little money! Actually, I find that my interest in flex nibs is starting to wane just a hair, now that I have a few FPR nibs that are working nicely for me. For some reason, my Conklin is terrible with the FPR... the feed just doesn't seem to give it any ink. Regardless, I'm about to place an ink order from Cult Pens in the UK which should keep me satisfied for a few weeks at least. :-)
Thank you, this was just the info I needed. I have suspected for the past few days that going the FPR route was the ultimate solution, now it is confirmed. When my pens arrive, I will find the FPR Flex nib size that fits my beloved...and outfit her with one. Thank you.
Well, it is, in my opinion, better than any other flex nib on the market right now, and immensely cheaper than other options that aren't as good. But if you can afford it, look at vintage pens and vintage gold flex nibs. They define the term "wet noodle", and they have feeds to match.
Yes, I'm absolutely a Seattle guy. Actually, I've lived north of Seattle and south of Seattle, but never IN the city itself. But close enough. Not that I have anything against Portland (with the exception of the occasional zombie apocalypse feel that it takes on in the evenings), there's some good food and fun to be had there. Just glad I don't live there.
No, I believe that the Metropolitan uses a smaller #5 nib. The FPR nibs do come in a 5.5 size, but that's very uncommon... pretty much only seen in FPR (and some Indian) pens.
I like my FPR products and Kevin provides personal sales support. I think everyone into fountain pens should try out the various FPR pens and nibs. They are an excellent value.
FPR nibs are primarily sourced from India (Kanpur Writers to be precise). That's why they cost so much. In India we get a very similar ultra flex nib from Kanwrite at around ₹170 ($2).
Their #6 flex is a JoWo like this Conklin, although theirs is the new model so they look a little different. Performance is about the same though... not really very flexy 🙂
@@thewetpen Makes sense. Monteverde/Conklin use Jowo, and Goulet spare nibs are... Jowo! Then we already know from your experience it's an underwhelming flex.
First of all comparing a dip pen with a fountain pen is difficult as they are different writing tools. Spencerian pens have very flexible nib and the Ink is very different than the fountain pen ink! The closest fountain pen which provide good shading is the special edition Montblanc fountain pen with its special nib!. Thank you for this very nice review! David
I usually buy 52gsm because I didn't realize at first that 68 was available in loose leaf, but I prefer 68. The green ink is called "Lemur Lime" and is made by Blackstone Inks exclusively for Lemur Ink. I think that Blackstone may have gone under, do I'm not sure if it's still available. I love the color, but it does crystalize all over the nib if you let the pen sit unused for a couple of weeks.
I installed a FPR flex nib in my TWSBI Eco and it's pretty much my favorite pen. The FPR nibs had two levels of flex when I bought mine and I found the extra flexy one was actually a bit too much flex for me. The less-flexy one was the sweet spot.
Ahh... that's interesting! I thought that the Eco used a #5 nib, and the FPR smaller ones were 5.5 or something like that. I haven't checked them out in a while, but I'm glad it worked for you at any rate. I have some of the "flex" nibs to go along with my "ultra-flex" nibs, and I like both for different things, so I guess it's just a matter of taste and usage. Enjoy!
@@thewetpen yes, at FPR they let me know it was unlikely to work, so I figured it would be up to chance. Plenty of other things didn't work for me, so I'm glad I lucked out in this instance.
@@clintondavis3363 Marc Kompaneyets did a nice video showing the modification needed to make the #5.5 fit the ECO. He also highly recommends putting the #5.5 on a 580, which requires no modification (I can confirm that this works well). Good luck! :)
@@thewetpen to follow up after some time -- the barrel on the Eco eventually cracked -- not enough for me to see, but enough for ink to repeatedly leak through. It was fun while it lasted!
Awesome video! Thank you! I use Zebra as a dip nib for watercolor calligraphy and as I am much used to it (it is really a charm to work with) I am looking forward now to trying your suggestions. Happy New Year!
I have the Jinhao 159 pen with the Zebra nib just like on this video. However after watching this video I have decided to order the flex nib #6 from fountain pen revolution. This is the exactly the flex nib that I have been looking for that would not tear up the paper like what the Zebra nib would do.
Another important element of the flex pen is the Ink, the ink of a dip Spencerian pen is thicker and would block a fountain pen. In addition the Spencerian pen or calligraphy pen is angled as well so it it not possible to replicate this type of writing with a fountain pen by just changing the nib. Nice video though! .
Yes... there are actually a couple of different ones. The one that I have and like best is in a Pilot Custom Heritage 912 FA, and it's a gold flex nib with a shape that's similar to the FPR nibs in the video. The more common Falcon nib with the unusual shape doesn't flex quite as much, but it's nice too. The 912 that I got was something like $160, so not too bad for a gold nib Pilot.
The FPR #5.5 nib has a smaller tip and can deliver a finer line while the #6 you have here has a fatter wetter line. I would recommend just getting the FPR Himalaya that they make for this nib. It has an ebonite feed that helps the ink flow better. It's my favorite pen.
Hey Hannah, That's exactly what I did! Well, not exactly.... I got a Jaipur v2, then a Himalaya, then another Jaipur, but all of them were the V2, so #6. Then I got a Darjeeling (I think), which a 5.5 standard flex, and for the life of me I couldn't get it to write at all. I've been meaning to do some work on the nib, but haven't gotten around to it yet. But I LOVE my Jaipurs, and they're completely reliable.
I don't know how I just found this video. I'd be interested to hear if you have any updates to this list. I am a flex nut so I've tried tons of different options. My favorite in my lineup is my Stylosuite Xwing Harpoon customized by Les. It's the perfect combination of flex, extra fine lines, and springiness. I think second on my list because it's so accessible price-wise is the FPR ultra flex nib. I have one on a twsbi vac mini and it's rad. I also have some some expensive Franken-pens like a pilot FA nib in an Opus 88 demonstrator with a 3 slit ebonite feed. While I like it a lot, the cost is prohibitive and the results aren't really better than the FPR. Thanks for sharing! I always love your videos!
I've also added a bunch of flex pens to my collection over the past 4 years since I made this video, although I'm not sure that any of them are really any better than an FPR... I still haven't tried the FPR gold ultra-flex. I do have a Magna Carta Mag 600, and it has a nice flex nib, but it's expensive and doesn't seem any better than my best FPRs. I have a Pilot Custom Heritage with the FA nib to which I've added an ebonite feed, and it's also very nice, but the level of line variation is somewhat modest. I do also have a Blue Dew, but the nibs on them are untipped, so they're like writing with a G-nib to a large extent. I have an Osprey Madison, also, and it's great for use with G-nibs, but I rarely use it now. Chrisrap52 gave me a vintage Waterman with a flexy nib... there's a video about it on my channel somewhere 🙂I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting. I really need to make a follow-up video to this one.
I bought one of their nibs along with an ebonite feed, but was too much of a novice to be able to do anything with it, so it's just sitting in a box in the back of a desk drawer :-) It didn't fit the JinHao feeds without modification... but I wonder if it would fit into my Duragraph? But yes... I'd probably be better off getting one of their pens or screw-in nib units.
Hi, thank you for this amazing video, beautifully explained. I’m doing oblique dip pen with nikkoG, and I would love to try on one of those jinhao fountain pen. If you have done a good video on this matter I would be strongly interested ;-) When I was a teenager, I used to transform my old Waterman fountain pen in stub nib! (no internet :-D) It was savage, but worked for me at that time. Tx
Hey Steph, I can't promise a good video... but I did make a video about the Jinhao/G-nib conversion... you can find it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4Al9lAZFxQw.html When I was a teenager, I inked my mom's Waterman fountain pen up with some black carbon Sumi-E ink. Also brutal. It still smells like charcoal, though it finally writes again.
There are a few other options around the same price points to the super expensive. You can try the Noodler’s flex nib as well. There is also the Pilot Falcon or a Pilot Justus. Or you can use one with an FA nib. These are several hundred dollars. Then you can go super expensive and get a Montblanc 149 or a Pelikan M1000.
When it comes to flex, I look for the ratio of unflexed to maximum flex. I think it should at least be a 10:1. Zebra G likely uses hardened steel (which acts like a spring) to get needlepoint to italic but it is not water proof. Other nibs are water proof and use basic stainless steel which isn't very flexible and attains a mere 4:1 flex.
@@sandybbeach The cost of international post is to high. I think you need to review your post and provide more cost effective post for extremely light items like a steel nib. Even if it is a slower service.
Thanks for the help. I've tried a couple of things you tried, like purchasing the flex nib, the installation of Zebra G. Still, neither of those worked out for me. I just ordered a couple of pens and a FPR #5.5 two-toned flex from FPR. Thanks for the tips!
I saw this video and ordered the Zebra Gnib from amazon. And the Jinhao X750 is the fountain pen I already own Gnib arrived and I tried to plug it into JinhaoX750, but it didn't work The thickness of the G nib was thicker than the thickness of the Jinhao nib I don't understand how it was done in this video
First, have extra Jinhao feeds on hand before trying a Zebra G install. They are dirt cheap on Ali Express. Second, whatever you do, don't buy a Jinhao with a Zebra G installed from Ali Express. Zebra G nibs are insanely expensive on Amazon Canada for some reason so I did it that way Anyhow, it wasn't installed properly and I couldn't remove it. I tried pliers. That just destroyed thw feed. I couldn't even pull it out with needle nose vice grips. I don't know how they jammed it in there but I'm probably going to have to break pieces off of the feed to get it out. Don't be lazy. Watch a video and do it yourself.
Every now and then I buy a pen on AliExpress and find that the nib has inexplicably been glued in place. It's bizarre. I haven't seen it with G-nibs, but I guess it doesn't surprise me too much, either.
Osprey Pens makes some nice flex nibs. On their site, you have to purchase as part of a set up..(section & converter) for their brand of pens. I threw their pen away but put the medium flex nib in my Giant Sequoia. Great daily writer. They are made in India, same as FPR nibs. I tossed out the Madison pen because of converter leaking and super strong resin odor. They make EEF through Broad nib flex in #6 and also #5.5
Hi Matthew. You earned my trust regarding fountain pens. I got a kaweco sport and a ordered a kaigelu based on your video, yet to arrive. I am looking for a full sized pen for my desk, possibly to be used with bottled ink and with piston or vac or eyedropper. I would like to stay below 50€ in eu and the only option I found is the eco, which I don't quit like. Would you suggest me something please? Especially not the usual big names
There are lots of good pens out there for under 50 Euros, but it's hard to recommend one in particular. My recommendation is to find something that will be personally meaningful to you somehow. For example, I really love my ASA Nauka, which reminds me of my Indian girlfriend and our time spent in India, but the same pen might be very boring to someone who has no personal connection. If you don't find something like that, then take a look at: the full range of Nahvalur pens (Narwhal); I have an ebonite piston filler one and it's probably the pen that I use the most in my day to day life, though it's a bit more expensive. All of their nibs are great, though, and they're all piston fillers, I think. Also, take a look at PenBBS pens. If you want a hand-made pen, then Ranga's Abhimanyu currently still has a group buy and they're $59 USD, so right in your range. Good luck!
Thank you! =) I will think more if I really want to have a flex nib and if I do I will get that Aliexpress Jinhao. I didn't even know that was an option and it seems much better than the Noodler's Ahab which until now was the cheapest flex nib I knew about. But that Jinhao is a proper flex nib while the Ahab seems to not flex that much
Very true... the Jinhao pens are a good, cheap option to play with, although the nibs don't last forever, and they're often glued in and can't really be changed, so keep that in mind. Another good option is the Osprey Madison with a Zebra G nib... it's about $30, I think, but you can switch out the nibs whenever you want.
2:38 Since when do Zebra G Nibs come in Titanium? I did the conversion with steel nibs years ago and they write perfectly, so the only problem is rusting. If they actually make these in Titanium that would be perfect.
I also used the steel ones and also had rust problems, but the titanium ones are for sale. At least, they're called Titanium... amzn.to/3Whfnbl Can't vouch for what they're really made out of.
"Moncove" sells Jinhao x750 pens with pre-installed G-nibs (with a big markup, compared AliExpress, where they cost less than $5). So, any cartridge that fits a Jinhao x750 will fit your Moncove pen... they're cheap on Amazon: amzn.to/3tEtFBe Better yet, you can get a Jinhao converter to use bottled ink, and then you can use any fountain pen ink you feel like: amzn.to/3vIPfpW
I would have liked to see how they write in real life, nobody is going to make repeating S shapes. You need to actually write something, like, for example : "You should write something, etc . . . "
I started doing calligraphy with an old pilot metropolitan during summer vacation (I was looking for a new thing to do during quarantine XD). The pen worked great, but then I found out about different nibs, pens, and all the other cool things that I can modify and change. In a sense, it's kinda overwhelming, but I'm glad I stumbled upon this video. It's surprising how you don't have more subs! Great work, and thanks for the guide!
Why don't you build your own super flex nib ? With a dremel grinding tool , and a round grinder , you can take whatever nib you want . Adjust and grind the sides away to make the breth of the nib thinner , like your last choice here , so that the metal flexes better because of less support and thus resistance on the sides . Also use ebonite rubber feeds that you can heat set , to accomodate every "section-adjusted flex nib" combination that you have chosen or created . If it works you'll have much more control over your pens . To the more extreme you can try to make two or three slits in a nib to adjust the flex , and create a music nib yourself for no money at all . Just try to obtain a thin saw . Isn't that fun ?
That does sound like fun, but it also sounds like more work than a beginner is likely to have success with. Maybe I'll start playing around with that sort of thing. In the meantime, I have several new flex nib pens that are working out perfectly for me.
I’m so glad I saw someone doing flex writing years ago. I spent years practicing. I’m pretty good at it now. I wish I had the money to buy a vintage waterman or Mont Blanc flex. I modify most of my nibs. I have a neoponset that i modified and it writes very well. The noodlers pens are so cheap It doesn’t really matter if you mess up. Lol
I've thought about learning how to do a nice flex script, but I think my list of things to learn is long enough already that I'll be satisfied with just watching other people do it now and then and being amazed :-) Still, I love my flex nibs...
I did in fact buy a Montblanc Calligraphy Flex 149, and also have the FPR ultraflex on a TWSBI Vac 700R. The Montblanc is a lovely pen and the nib very smooth, but it's not as fine as the FPR and the flex not as good.
I hate the Noodler's flex nib, but the feed on the Ahab is a guzzler, and works extremely well with a flex nib. I think the Ahab just needs a better nib to be one of the best on the market.
I’m just starting to find time to get into a little modern calligraphy. I’ve found a few online , but they’re way outside my pretty tight budget. Would you mind sharing how you learned flex writing-books, practice sheets printed off the internet, RU-vid...? Thanks in advance!
I have recently purchased a couple of their pens with flex nibs, too. They have models with #5 nibs and #6, and the #5 tend to be less expensive, but are just as flexy and enjoyable to use. Going to have to make another video about them, I guess :-)
Yes, I think it's a matter of cost and availability here... a box of 10 Zebra G nibs costs about the same as 3 Tachikawa nibs on Amazon, here. Still, now I'm interested to try the Tachikawa nibs
Hey, don't know if you will ever see this, but I need your help, after watching this video a few months ago I bought the FPR ultraflex #6 nib, and some Jinhao x750, and thy just arrived, but i cant seem to make them fit together, they just get stuck halfway, did you have the same problem, or know anything I could do?
Hmm, that's odd... I didn't ever have that problem with an FPR nib and an x750. The clip in this video that shows me installing the nib is pretty much how it's been every time... though getting out the jinhao nib is sometimes harder and takes a pair of leather gloves. With the Jinhao feed's being flat on one side, it really only fits in one way, so that can't be a problem. The only thing that I can recommend is moving the nib forward on the feed a little bit and then trying again. It's a pressure-fit nib, and you may just have a tight pen... if it's a little further forward, it nib/feed combo should get into the section further before tightening up as much. And/or you might want to try lubricating the outside of the nib and feed with a little soap (which should rinse off nicely in water if the it works, before you ink the pen). Good luck!
@@thewetpen Thanks, I'll give it a shot and let you know. Removing the nib was easy, and I fit it back in again easily, but fitting the fpr nib just wouldn't budge, my fingers are sore now hahah
I needed a comperative video on flex nibs. Your explanation is very informative and sufficient, also the quality of the camera is very good, thank you.
Glad this was still useful! I'm getting ready to make a Part 2 of this, since I've learned quite a bit about flex nibs over the past couple of years :-)
Didn't watch and don't have time to read everything. Question is: Some kind of nib like the cheap Parker Medium is available in a flex (out of the box), NO modifications, UNDER 200.00 U.S., AND writes like a Normal person keeping notes in a Journal, right? I mean, DOES THIS ANIMAL VEGETABLE MINERAL EXIST? Yes or No? Please and thanks. (I'll take my answer off the air.)
Yes, but with some caveats. The closest thing to what you mention is the Pilot Custom Heritage 912, which is reliable and flexy, but a bit expensive ( $160+: amzn.to/3xmlZaj ). I bought the one from Amazon and love it, but it doesn't get needle fine like a G nib. The other option, which makes use of the nib I talk about in this video, is the FPR Jaipur with EF UltraFlex nib (or any of their other pens with the same type of nib). The only issue with them is that they sometimes require a little tinkering to get writing reliably. Prices are $30-60. Also not quite needle sharp, but like the Pilot, better for everyday writing.
I should say: I have 5 FPR pens, and 3 of them arrived and worked perfectly out of the box with their flex nibs. One, a Himalaya, never worked and I returned it. Another Himalaya worked perfectly. One Jaipur worked perfectly until I switched nibs for a while, and now it's temperamental, so, not their fault. I also have a Click pen with an FPR nib, which is generally reliable.
Fpr feeds can't keep up. I saved up and bought a Pilot Custom heritage 912 with the gold flex Falcon nib. The big Con 70 converter keeps up perfectly. I also have a Conway Stewart with a gold fine stub flex nib. This is beautiful to see in green black cracked ice celluloid and performs perfectly. £45 off ebay UK. Fpr and any pens from the USA get hammered with heavy import charges. The Pilot came from Hong Kong and had no added import duty
Hi Neil. I've had mixed results with plastic feeds from FPR or Jinhao or anyone else. I have one Jinhao feed that keeps up endlessly, but most of them require me to slow down every now and then. But I bought an FPR Jaipur a few months ago with an ultra-flex and ebonite feed, and it's great; it never railroads, even when I'm writing fast for long periods. In the same order I bought an FPR Himalaya, also with an ebonite feed, with a standard flex nib instead of an ultra flex, and I never did manage to get it to work... it was either too dry or would dump ink all over the page (they accepted it as a return). So, it seems as though there's some luck involved... but 3 of 4 of my pens from them have been good and reliable. I really want a Pilot with a Falcon nib, too. It's on my list :-)
Neil Piper, is that correct about pens from China coming to UK customers without crappy customs import and handling charges? What about from India? Would a package from there swerve our over-zealous customs people? The nee restrictions on us buying from USA are frustrating.
@@agnessmythe3521 I have only had customs duty charges from the USA to me here in the UK. I buy from China and Hong Kong, mostly with free postage. It's faster now than it was 6 years ago. 2 weeks on average.
I know this is old but bluedew is a good option. It’s pretty much a stainless steel leonhardt principal dip nib. there’s also the pilot fa nib and falcon that’s but those are more expensive options
Thanks! I got a Bluedew about 6 months after I made this video, and it's got great flex, although it's not tipped... so I get the nice fine lines with it, but it's scratchy compared to the FPR. The Pilot is now one of my few pens with a gold nib... I'm still not sure why I decided to spend that much money on it, but I love it!
Is there any way I can get a flex nib on my safari? I just went head first into this hobby btw haha waiting on pens and eyeing a Pelikan 140 right now!
That's an interesting idea, especially with a Safari Vista :) I think it would be very difficult to find a Z50-like nib that flexes, though. The Z50 nib has a channel on either side into which the feed slides in. This would prevent the nib from flexing. It also seems to me that the nib is too small to cut away the channel in the front - but I am no nibsmith :)
Just discovered your channel and love your approach and quiet voice and excellent choice of music. Very well done. I have had the same experience with FPR ultra flex on non FPR pens. It’s strange how on his pens they don’t have the same result that I get on other pens. Maybe it’s his ebonite feeds. Don’t bother buying the new improved JoWo omniflex nib as it doesn’t flex, but does write much better than the older versions. I’m subscribing and look forward to more reviews.
Thanks! I've had mixed results with FPR pens. I now have a pair of Jaipur v2 pens, and they work flawlessly. I have 2 Himalayas, also, and one was so terrible that I sent it back. The other works nicely with standard nibs but not with a ultra-flex... it's temperamental with flex.
There are a couple of sellers on AliExpress who are selling the Zebra G nibs installed on Jinhao x450 & x750 pens. I ordered one, so I'll come back once I get it. It's literally on a slow boat from China so it will be awhile. It was actually cheaper to buy it that way than buying the pen and nib seperately.
I think I will try to install a g pen nib into my twsbi eco I don't really intend to use it for writing it is more for the sake of drawing so it's being a bit scratchy is actually an advantage the twsbi's extra fine is still not fine enough for my style of inking I hope this will be the solution I've been looking for I'll let you know how it went
Thanks! That was Krishna Moonview 2 . Krishna inks are made in small enough quantities that they're not always easy to find, but they're out there still.
Don't buy Conklin products. The omniflex is now about 2x as flexible but I've had consistent issues with poor ink flow and ink leakage, so don't buy those.
When using #6 flex nibs, the feed is very important. The rate of flow in an ebonite feed is much faster than in a regular plastic feed. This difference isn't noted much in stiff writing nibs, but be clearly seen in flex nibs. The FPR nib, made by Kanwrite, performs best in ebonite feeds. The sheer level of flex without railroading is truly astounding. You might need to tweak and tinker like heat setting and increasing flow of ink, but its a sheer delight once you get there.
Nothing is going to be as fine as the g-nib because the g-nib isn't made for writing, it's for drawing and calligraphy. If you actually attempted to write a page with it naturally it would be a very uncomfortable experience.
For me, the flex is still a little stiff, and the dual slits mean it's more likely to be scratchy. I don't own one, though, so I don't have a very informed opinion... I used one in a shop.
I've used fountain pens for decades on and off and a couple years ago got more involved and recently have started doing some work on ones I own. I've had some Zebra G's in straight and oblique holders for a couple years now, too, and they are a lot of fun, but only at home. I want a flex pen to carry around that won't break the bank. So the side by side comparison of the FPR with Zebra G is helpful to me, thank you! I've also thought that the FPE Ultra Flex nib could be ground finer if one was willing to. I may get a few and try this. I've also wondered if their ebonite feed would help with the ink starvation issues/railroading, I suspect it would. The Sheaffer Snorkel uses a tiny piece of ebonite with a slit in it in the snorkel to deliver ink to the feed from the sac and I was astonished at how effective it is at that task, and how quickly it flowed water or ink along its length. This is partly the very fine capillary spaces, but also the easy wetting nature of the material. Again, thanks for this video!
I bought the FPR ebonite feed with one of my nibs, thinking the same thing. Unfortunately, it isn't the same size as the Jinhao feed (which has a flat side, as you know), and it would take some modification to make it fit in any of my pens, so for now it's just sitting around in an envelope. The Shaeffer Snorkel sounds interesting... I'll have to check it out!
I'm not familiar with HongDian's full line of pens, but the popular ones that I've seen and the ones that I own use smaller nibs than these FPR nibs (#6). The Hongdians use something that is more similar to a #5, I think, but I don't know if it's a European JoWo size at all. I just tried to remove the nib on one of my hongdian pens to see if a Zebra G would fit, and my feed seems to be glued in place. Sorry, but good luck!
They do come in different sizes and breadths, in some cases. The FPR ultra-flex nibs that I mention here are called EF Ultra-Flex (Extra-Fine), though they're not needle fine like a G-nib. Other brands make flex nibs in other breadths: if you buy an Osprey Madison, for example, you can get a EEF, EF, F, M or B flex nib... though I don't find them to be as soft as the FPR nibs. You can also get #5.5 sized nibs or #6 from FPR, Kanwrite, Osprey, etc.
Estoy de acuerdo a que la opción de usar zebra G nibs NO debería ser considerada por aquellos que gustamos de los flex nibs para uso diario. Termina siendo la mas costosa pluma estilográfica que pudieras tener. Los nibs dañados en el intento de hacerlos coincidir con el feed, sumado al hecho de que no duran en buen estado más de dos semanas, auguran muchos dolores de cabeza y decepciones. FPR se muestra ahora como la mejor opción de nibs flexibles de bajo costo.
