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r/fountainpens•
exzeroex

Modern Flex Discussion. I am really liking FPnibs Semi Flex

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share about the new FPnibs Jowo #6 nib I got today. Put it into a pen and I think I have already decided it's replacing the Pilot CH912 FA in my EDC pouch.

I ordered an EF ground to XXF, add semi flex and some other cosmetics. It's finer than the Pilot FA, it feels about as soft. Also, I don't know what's up with the Pilot FA, the reviews I've seen online about it being finicky are kind of true. Sometimes I have trouble getting it to start, if I flip it over, the nib writes much easier upside down, right side up maybe the fact the tines spread almost upon applying to the paper is causing flow issues for me. It could that I haven't found the right ink yet (same as my Aurora Flex nib, maybe I need a nibmeister to look at those 2). With Pilot Blue Black and Sailor Souten I've experienced this, with KWZ IG Gold and IG Green #2 I did not experience hard starts, but the pen wrote so wet it was like a medium instead of a fine.

Posted Jun 13, 2018, 5:41 PM UTC

1326
raccoonstar•

I widened the feed channel on my Pilot 742, and the FA nib has been wonderful. I had mine ground to a needlepoint by Masuyama, and it's lovely.

I'd love to see a writing sample with your nib!

4
exzeroexOP•

Don't know what I should be showcasing besides my awful handwriting.

:)

2
globalvarsonly•

https://www.reddit.com/r/3amjokes/comments/8qx1k7/im_known_for_two_things_never_having_a_girlfriend/

1
JunkyardSam•

Ah. Another case of a 912 FA with issues. :-/

I personally experienced bizarre startups/skips with a 912 FA and 742 FA. My 743 FA (currently on an 823) is absolutely flawless and has never once skipped or had any kind of issue whatsoever. It's a legendary flawless nib, one of my favorites easily.

I got the #15 FA based on the advice of a friend with both who also had the same experience. His #15 FA is perfect, his #10 FA is finicky. I was skeptical but it proved right.

As far as ink goes, I would recommend a wet ink in your FA. Pilot Black or Iroshizuku Yama Budo are great options.

But maybe go for a #15 FA if you want one without those weird issues.

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exzeroexOP•

A #15 FA nib is on the list of things to pick up if I'm fortunate enough to see one come up.

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JunkyardSam•

I'd avoid buying a pre-owned FA of any size. I just wouldn't trust that situation given the problems associated with that nib. No matter how honest someone seems I would be wondering, "Is something wrong with it?"

I got my 743 FA from Cerisiersjaponais on Ebay. I'm lucky it was good - a return to Japan would not be fun.

For a good several months the 743 FA was in stock on Amazon Prime. That's an excellent way to get one because the return is free and easy if there's an issue! But it doesn't appear in stock now. =(

And finally -- I had a great experience with Tokyo Quill Shop. You'd pay a premium ordering through them but they test the pen before it leaves the shop and are known to have legendary customer service so that seems like a safe option.

The 823 FA is an amazing combo. I'm surprised Pilot doesn't offer it as a normal option.

4
W0MB0C0MB0•

The superflex/magic flex that ASC does (as well as Wahl-Eversharp, they're the same nib) is fairly good for modern flex, although they're closer to Mediums - but it's still not quite the same as vintage flex. I actually found the fpnibs semiflex to be about as good as most of the vintage flex pens I've tried, with the exception of being softer and therefore less snapback (though I haven't exactly seen the high-end range of vintage flex like waterman pinks).

I would definitely do ebonite feed in the future, the plastic feed is rather difficult to work with using a converter - tends to railroad unless you force some ink through the feed.

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exzeroexOP•

What does ASC stand for?

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W0MB0C0MB0•

ASC is Armando Simoni Club, the spiritual successor to OMAS (seems like not many people know this, but they're also stylomaniak on ebay, which is why so many unnumbered OMAS LE pens are popping up). It's my understanding that the man behind ASC, Manu, also works with Wahl-Eversharp, which is why they share the same nib.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1868/4507/files/bologna-3_large.png?v=1503403659

http://blog.andersonpens.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Wahl-Eversharp-Decoband4.jpg

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exzeroexOP•

Interesting. Thanks for the heads up. I had also heard something about Delta people working with some MarteModena shop or something, but all I know about that is it's a source for fat pens.

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W0MB0C0MB0•

Yeah, I heard the same thing, but unfortunately my expertise lies in OMAS and ASC, haha. They're all quite pretty though!

1
G-L-H-R•

Delta is dead last I heard

1
NNVSC•

I would like to see a video of that nib in action, I have a Richard Binder Full Flex and it is very smooth. Did you notice if the bottom of the nib is scraped to be thinner than a normal Jowo?

2
W0MB0C0MB0•

I think it is marginally thinner than the standard JoWo, but I don't have the means to scientifically test. I do recall that being one of the methods Pablo uses to get them to flex like that though.

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NNVSC•

ok, thanks.

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exzeroexOP•

Sorry, don't have an easy way to make a writing video or else I probably would have made some to showcase KWZ IG Gold's color transition which feels very drastic to me. FPnibs is popular enough that there's some youtube videos out there of their nib already.

I don't have any other gold Jowo nibs, I just have some steel which I believe are Jowo, Franklin Christoph nibs. I can't really tell if they are thinner anyway since I don't have any calipers or similar to measure.

2
NNVSC•

Thank you, I know that Binder leaves the nib thinner to make it easier to fold, I wanted to know if Pablo did that too.

1
asciiaardvark•

Your experience mirrors mine pretty closely. My 823-FA is the most difficult-to-use pen I own but when it works it's quite nice.

 

I love my fpnibs semi-flex XXF -- which breather hole option did you get?

They're just about perfect for me, though they don't have the snap-back of some of my vintage nibs.

 

I want to spend an hour or so playing with the round breather hole semi-flex, as it may have that better snap-back. If I don't find one sooner, I can always hit up Matt Armstrong at the Seattle-ish Pen Posse...

Then I'll feel comfortable buying their full-flex -- it's so much more money I don't think I need more than one, but I just love the semi-flex so much I really want to try the full flex.

Have you seen any reviews or known anyone with the full flex? This is the only one I found, and the writing sample looks pretty darn similar to what I get with the semi-flex, so I've been dithering about the purchase for months.

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exzeroexOP•

I haven't seen much about the full flex, I know it comes with the less standard threaded ebonite feed so that may discourage some people from getting it. I got a heart hole because the keyhole feels like the sharp edges might not be as good in the long run.

Would love to hear if you find any difference in snapback in your comparison with a default round hole. And if you ever get your hands on a full flex to try. I've found I kind of prefer semi to full after buying some vintage pens to try. Have to pay too much attention to the wet noodles sometimes.

1
Chaosyoshi55•

Would you still recommend the 823 FA? I ordered mine last week (comes in 2-3 months) so I’m wondering on whats your input on it.

1
asciiaardvark•

I don't know. I may be over-flexing mine... I have a problem with pushing nibs that are quite soft but not really intended for flexing.

The 823 is a very nice pen overall. If I could learn to control the nib I'd love it.

2
InkyFingerz5•

How did you add flex to the nib? I don't see the option on the fpnibs site. Using mobile fwiw

1
skypm•

On the side slide out menu, choose Nibs > Jowo Gold > Size 5 or Size 6 > 14K or 14K ebonite, then scroll down and there should be a semi-flex option for € 45 extra

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exzeroexOP•

And if you want the full flex, you need to go with the 14k ebonite.

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Lilacbaby12345•

I have jowo#6 semiflex from fpnibs and I just got the pilot 823 with FA from tokyo pen. I think after a week of tinkering with both of them, the Jowo is much softer, flexier, has crisper edges and the hairlines are much finer than the FA. I practice lettering so this works really nicely for me. I also get way more feedback with the jowo, it is almost like a dip pen except softer but less bouncier. My only issue with it is it is so finicky with ink. It only works with pilot and sailor inks for me. I love the shading on a lot of diamine inks, but no go, it just wouldnt write at all.

The FA is super smooth compared to jowo, but I cant get hairlines with it. Its pretty good For regular handwriting with line variation twist, but not as nice for lettering. Its also not as soft and flexy as jowo I Think. It works pretty well so far but I havent tried any diamine inks yet on it.

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exzeroexOP•

Interesting. It's the FPnibs nib that is finicky with ink? I thought that was the reason my FA hasn't been doing well. I literally received the nib today, pulled the Cursive Italic out of my Bexley and put in the flexey. The pen had KWZ IG Gummiberry in it and that's what is still in it and it's nowhere near the finickiness of the Pilot FA. But KWZ inks have been super wet and somewhat obscures some hard start issues for me in the past.

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Lilacbaby12345•

Kwz aztec gold worked ok with the jowo. Its all the diamines except syrah that wont work. It wasnt even a hard start, it will work for about half a page then just stop writing, even if you flush the nib with ink. I think it plays well with well lubricated smooth inks, I added the dishwashing liquid tiny drop and it worked but it lost the shading and feedback that I wanted.

2
exzeroexOP•

Good info, any experience with the#10 FA?

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Lilacbaby12345•

No, havent used it

1
exzeroexOP•

I've noticed it feels like the FPnibs Jowo has more of a buffer (for lack of a better word) in the flex before it starts to spread. The FA nib spreads so quickly that the line variation just comes out so easily.

Random numbers coming up, but it's like bend the FPnibs .5mm and line variation starts and bend the FA nib .1mm and line variation just pops out.

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