This is a great video. Like 99% of the population, I appreciate you using flex nibs, not as an expert, but as an everyday guy. It is more of a true comparison for me, at least.
If you have a look at some of my more recent flex pen reviews I've improved a bit over time. So its good to know you don't have to become an expert of full on calligrapher to obtain decent results. A little practice goes a long way. Hope you're enjoying your flex nibs, they're a bunch of fun! ua-cam.com/video/4NwGiFQHVMA/v-deo.html
@@Doodlebud Maybe it is my impatience but I have gotten rid of all three pens you have used. Perhaps if I can hack a Noodler's pen with a FPR nib, it may work. I have a Lot 743 with a Soft Fine nib that is very smooth and provides some line variation. Still I want a flex pen. Yes, I saw your later video and your calligraphy has significantly improved. Practice does indeed make it better.
My favorite flex pens are still vintage. My Pelikan 140, while it has less flex than others I have, is such a perfect writer. So easy and natural to use. Don't have to drop huge bucks to get a good one. Sure, we all want to get a watermans 52 super flex nib, but those can be super expensive. I have another vintage flex pen on the way so stay tuned!
I feel bad for anyone that has a toxic relationship with Noodler's pens...MORE FOR ME! I love my Ahab and it has been awesome for my calligraphy practice when used with their untipped, flex nib. I def want to try out Fountain Pen Revolution's Ultra Flex on it. Thanks for the review, Doodlebud! You kinda covered all the bases for people of all wants to choose which adventure suits them, price-wise, in their flex nib adventure. I'm here for it!
I have Frankenstein’d together my own custom super-flex “wet noodle” pen that uses a Brause Rose dip-nip. Its fed the traditional fountain pen way with tube & ebonite feed. I have made similar ones using Speed Ball brand dip-nibs. Great for reproducing archaic cursive samples of 18th & 19th C. Very fun to play with and easy to replace/service .
Wonderful video! FPR owes you a commission. I bought two of their Himalaya v2 pens with Ultra-flex nibs immediately after seeing this video. And I subscribed to your channel, too, so I can catch up with all your videos and won't miss any in the future. I think my long quest for a decent flex nib may be winding up at last. Much appreciated!
Yes the Ahab is perfect for those of a mechanical bent (sadly not me) where you can juggle & fine tune every aspect of the pen to suit your own requirements. The nib I believe from memory should be out enough to show 9 bars on the feed. It's a friction nib.It's worth adjusting the pen as when working properly makes an easy everyday writer with decent flex thrown in.
I fucking LOVE my 912 FA. The nib is like writing on clouds. It's even way softer than the FPR ultraflex #6 nib. I was blown away the first time I wrote with it. Especially using a more fluid ink like J. Herbin Emeraude de Chivor. Absolutely beautiful. 912 FA is my favorite pen in my collection by a significant margin, even compared to my SEF resin falcon and SF metal falcon. Oh and I have 0 problems with the stock feed.
I just ordered a Pilot 912 FA, expecting to have to get the ebonite feed and so forth for that lovely noodley flex writing you show. I do love Spencerian with oblique pens, but would like to get as close as possible in a fountain pen without getting a Scribo. Right now my favorite FP is the Pilot Falcon with the 14k gold SEF nib. I’d just like a little more flex from a daily writer. My understanding is that the FA nib was designed for use in Asian markets for kanji script, for line variations during short strokes. So we are using it outside of its design parameters. Would be nice if Pilot would give us the FA nib on a longer ebonite feed for western script.
I've heard that whole argument about how the nib was setup to write certain characters, but I even had issues with regular small printing (no flex). Ink flow no matter what I did was an issue. Never had a problem with any other Pilot pen with flow, except for this one.
@@Doodlebud people do seem to have a wide range of experiences with this pen. I'm a little trepiditious about mine, which is on its way. At least now I know that there are ways to address poor flow, thank you for making this information available. ~ a new subscriber
Great video. Had many problems with my 2 Noodler’s Ahab pens to the point where I had to ditch them. They leaked like rivers. I only used washable ink in them and the ink needed to be washable ! But yes great everyday writers when working properly & ideal for someone with better Manuel dexterity. The FPR looks like a great pen and good value. My recently acquired Pilot Falcon FA SM is not quite as smooth as it should be maybe it just needs time. Thank you again for a great video.
Hey, Doodlebud, as far as the Noodler's goes, I tried them, years ago - frankly, they're just not worth it - having to heat set the nib & feed is, in & of itself a pain - & after countless runs of having to do that, I consigned it to the 'also rans' basket. In truth, haven't tried the FPR model - so I'm going to give that a go. The Pilot is clearly the most expensive, & I too, have had the same issue with the feed - so your link is invaluable. Excellent, no-nonsense overview - stay safe !! :)
I have the 912, and both the two and 3 slit feed. Some inks make me go stock feed as they are so wet. Emerald of Chivor, Carbon black and Sheen machine never railroad in the stock feed
The clip is what i like on the ahab as it resembles a Whale unlike the clips on the other Noodlers models, quality of it is another question however. Thx for the flexoff.
I'm surprised your 912 gave you writing problems. I have one and it was great right out of the box and the feed kept up fine. I have noticed that it likes the iroshizuku inks though. Those have more surfactants in them, and tend to flow really nicely. Might be helpful to try them out with any pen you have ink flow problems with before you order a custom feed. They do make a difference.
First inks I tried were the Iroshizuku. I actually found Diamine Sargasso Sea was the best performing ink I had in my selection. As soon as I upgraded the feed, I could use any ink I wanted which is really nice.
@@DoodlebudAww, I'm sorry your feed was a dud. The other possibility (which you probably already considered because you seem pretty thorough) is that the factory gunk was still on the feed when you got the pen. In which case pen flush helps. I had this problem with my Noodler's Konrad. I widened the feed channels with an exacto knife and used Pen flush. It works great with pretty much any ink now, but it was a definite pain in the butt. BTW I've seen you use that Sargasso Sea ink in a lot of videos. It's a gorgeous color.
@@Doodlebud Oh yeah, and I had to heat set the stupid Konrad too. 😠 I mean it was a learning experience, but if you factor in how much an hour my time is worth when I get paid, it probably ended up being as almost expensive as the 912 🤣
Nice compare. I have the ahab and ive been thinking of getting the guru with the ultra flex nib... that makes the nib more expensive than the pen but is probably the best way to test the nib.
FPR makes having a pretty good performing flex pen very affordable, whether its buying a full pen from them or simply a nib & feed and fitting to an existing pen.
I own several Noodler's Ahabs. While I agree with you that it's a rather stiff nib, I'm curious as to why yours gets much worse performance than I've experienced (i.e. the railroading you demonstrated). I have however always heat set my ebonite feeds on my Noodler's pens, which might be the difference if you didn't go through this process. They are meant to be tuned. If you are after line variation, the Noodler's Neponset music nib is excellent and takes much less pressure than both the Ahab and competitor's pens. I'm not a fan of the Triple Tail music nib however, they are different. Only Caveat -- I bought my Neponset when they were brand new, and I had to receive a 2nd nib from the manufacturer since the first one was a dud. Hopefully that process has been ironed out since that was several years ago. With no pressure it's about a western "Fine" nib. With pressure it's BBB+. Glad to see you reviewed the 912 with the ebonite replacement feed. I use the 3 slit feed on my 912 FA nib and the 2 slit feed on my custom 743 FA nib. The Pilot stock factory feeds are useless unless you are just writing Asian characters. I don't know why they even sell the 912 FA nib in the US with the craptastic feed it comes with. Don't get me wrong, the 912 and 743 are my favorite (modern) pens; I write with them all the time even over the vintage flex pens I own. Another option is to use the Zebra G-nib (dip pen) with custom feeds, also from the Flexible Nib Factory. I use a TWSBI 580 with a custom ebonite feed to handle the G-nib both for calligraphy and drawing. They have custom feeds for a number of different pens and are superb.
The craptastic feed is tuned for use with Pilot inks, which in my opinion are quite wet. I tend to judge a pen's function by the inks it was tested and manufactured to work with.
@@recht181 I exclusively use Pilot Iroshizuku inks in my 743 and 912. Wet as they are it's still insufficient to make them viable without replacing the feeds.
@@Killer_Oldman Duly noted, that will inform my next purchases. I have seen a nibmeister tune the feed so that it can keep up with flex writing, but I'm not sure whether having a nibmeister do it or replacing the feed would be more cost-effective.
Those FPR pens...I wanted to love my Jaipur V2 pen so badly, but I've given up on it. It wrote so nicely on first try, but very soon I was just getting railroads or ink blobs. I bothered the manufacturer a few times then felt bad about clogging his inbox so often, so I stopped. Heat-setting makes it work temporarily then it just goes back to being a pain. Now I have a somewhat expensive pen that works so rarely I haven't bothered inking it up for months.
I bought the Himalaya, and it performed pretty bad. Your review is spot on - the nib is excellent but the actual pen is really terrible. Was going to swap out the nib to my Ahab, but they have the nib wedged in there so far it wont even come out. Lots of railroading.
@@andrewpatterson5203 hi, on an Italian YT channel Er Trip, this old had same issues. He wrote Fpr and they suggested to washed nib with soap ,bicarbonate and lemon or vinegar and it worked
My 912 FA out of the box was amazing! My Noodler Abah makes me want to stop using fountain pens altogether. if it had been my first fountain I would have stopped! When I when to fill the pen the nib fell into to bottle of ink!!! I can not get the nib to stay in the pen with out moving around. so frustrating when writing. I will Try FRP ultra flex. Noodlers is not a great idea not a beginner- In my experience. thanks for a great video.
The Ahab can for sure be a tricky pen. Its more for someone who is into tinkering. I've messed around with it for a bit and this is where its at now: ua-cam.com/video/Ka3CnD47Axs/v-deo.html
The greatest thing about the Noodlers Ahb, and most noodlers pen is the ability to fiddle and adjust with the nib and feeds placement to prefect your flow and prevent railroading. Yo can even gently deepen the feed channels if need be for a juicer flow. Also, your right about the nib being fairly firm for a flex nib, however with lots of regular use and flexing the nib will “break in” and become easier to flex wider. I have had mine for about 2 years now or so and LOVE it and while Id still consider its Semi Flex its DEFINITLY softer than it was when I recieved it bran new from the box. My Himalaya however I NEVER got working, no matter what i have tried. I have the exact same model, and even the same color as you do....Kevin offered to inspect and check it out and get it working I just havent bothered to send it yet which I really should just do because its been collecting dust for a year now, sadly. But the Nib lives on in many other pens!!! FPR Ultra Flex nibs are hands down MY Go To Nib for everything. I love them!!! I havent used an FA nib but would love to one day own one!! Great vid!! Im Subscribing!
Thanks for your comment, other people can benefit from it too. I was just talking to a friend about how nibs "open up" over time. I've never used my Ahab much so maybe that has something to do with it. Too bad about your FPR pen not working. Guess it can be like a Noodlers too, some are great and some not so much. Good to hear you use the nibs on other pens, they are a steal of a deal. Just like with the vid I did on the $16 architect nib, amazing deal!
I have a triple tail but really don't like the nib at all. Having three tines the tip ends up being fairly broad. With flex you really want a quite fine nib so that it actually exhibits the variation in width when flexed. Also I found three tines hard to control they didn't flex the same amount and it was inconsistent, just didn't write well. I've used zebra g nibs in various Franken pens. Right now my Noodler's Conrad has the stock flex noodler's nib in it. It's okay I think it needs a bit of breaking in to be a little more flexible, but you still need to press too hard. I have an fpr on the way and have high hopes for it. The nice thing about noodlers and fpr, is you can get them with ebonite feeds, which is key. An ebonite feed can be heat set very easily and you can also widen out the top channel of the feed if you want a bit more ink flow. Would love to have a Pilot falcon or custom, but they don't even come with ebonite feeds...
Well there are several things to check. 1) How fast your are writing & how much you are flexing, you may need to dial it back a bit. 2) You need an ink that flows well, the wrong ink can make a flexy pen under perform. 3)What pen is the nib in? An FPR pen or a different one. Also. Do you have the correct feed to go with it. 4) Flex pens are sensitive to correct positioning of the nib & feed as a unit together. There are a few more things to check & do but I would start with those things first
I think Nathan who runs Noodler's did a video on how to open up an ebonite feed. You just have to take the feed out and widen the top channel from like 1 mm to maybe two and maybe deepen it. I have done it and all you need is a small file or even an exacto knife it helps to have a little bench vise but it's really not too difficult. If you really want to write flex and fast, there's no way a stock feed is going to keep up unless it's been designed expressly for that. The channel is just too narrow and you can tell just by looking at it with the nib removed. The only caveat is that if you go too far the nib will simply drip ink so you have to be judicious. Of course it also helps to heat set it with the nib which will make sure there aren't any big gaps. Once you do it two or three times it's really not that mysterious or difficult.
I wanna buy a flex pen with a good line variation that's is not very expensive and can hold a lot of ink (if it can be an eyedropper pen It would be perfect!). Is there any other pen (cheaper and eyedropper at the same time) that didn't make in this video that you recommend or should I go to the Himalaya? Or should I buy only the nib and use in one of my pens that i already have? Can I use a G nib (a dip pen G nib) in a fountain pen? I might have seen videos of people doing that. Have you done it? Thanks for your videos!
I can see that you really like line variation! But i think that you push way too far (especially the fa nib) and the tines wont last for too long with such strong pressure!
I do tend to have a heavy hand, but regular use I use way lest pressure. For this vid I wanted to show the max limits of the pens. But you are correct, sustained use at the limits will eventually break the limits of the pen.
@@stargazer1359 they have plastic & ebonite feeds. If you're getting the flex nibs opt for the ebonite. The pen I used has the ebonite feed. Same for the Pilot as well
I have a Pilot Custom heritage 912 with the falcon fa number 10 nib with the original feed and the Con 70 converter. I use Pilot Blue Black ink and love it.
A request, as you go through the video you keep saying "this one, better than that one and the other" it would help if you said the names of the pens not just once in beginning as you introduce them but also say the name as your are describing them. At the end "this one is the best for the money" don't know what pen you're talking about, you just held it up and did not say the name. In the future it would help. Thanks
So, it’s a $300 pilot plastic resin nib holder, but not a pilot nib. Okay. So, don’t get a 912 if you don’t know how to change the nib to one that actually works? Good to know. I’ll get something else then…
This is a great video. Like 99% of the population, I appreciate you using flex nibs, not as an expert, but as an everyday guy. It is more of a true comparison for me, at least.
If you have a look at some of my more recent flex pen reviews I've improved a bit over time. So its good to know you don't have to become an expert of full on calligrapher to obtain decent results. A little practice goes a long way. Hope you're enjoying your flex nibs, they're a bunch of fun!
ua-cam.com/video/4NwGiFQHVMA/v-deo.html
@@Doodlebud Maybe it is my impatience but I have gotten rid of all three pens you have used. Perhaps if I can hack a Noodler's pen with a FPR nib, it may work.
I have a Lot 743 with a Soft Fine nib that is very smooth and provides some line variation. Still I want a flex pen.
Yes, I saw your later video and your calligraphy has significantly improved. Practice does indeed make it better.
My favorite flex pens are still vintage. My Pelikan 140, while it has less flex than others I have, is such a perfect writer. So easy and natural to use. Don't have to drop huge bucks to get a good one. Sure, we all want to get a watermans 52 super flex nib, but those can be super expensive. I have another vintage flex pen on the way so stay tuned!
@@Doodlebud I will have to look for the 140. I have a 205 and an 800. Both can provide variation but certainly not flex.
I feel bad for anyone that has a toxic relationship with Noodler's pens...MORE FOR ME! I love my Ahab and it has been awesome for my calligraphy practice when used with their untipped, flex nib. I def want to try out Fountain Pen Revolution's Ultra Flex on it. Thanks for the review, Doodlebud! You kinda covered all the bases for people of all wants to choose which adventure suits them, price-wise, in their flex nib adventure. I'm here for it!
I have Frankenstein’d together my own custom super-flex “wet noodle” pen that uses a Brause Rose dip-nip. Its fed the traditional fountain pen way with tube & ebonite feed. I have made similar ones using Speed Ball brand dip-nibs. Great for reproducing archaic cursive samples of 18th & 19th C. Very fun to play with and easy to replace/service .
Wonderful video! FPR owes you a commission. I bought two of their Himalaya v2 pens with Ultra-flex nibs immediately after seeing this video. And I subscribed to your channel, too, so I can catch up with all your videos and won't miss any in the future. I think my long quest for a decent flex nib may be winding up at last. Much appreciated!
Glad you're enjoying your pens 👍 & thanks for checking out my channel
Yes the Ahab is perfect for those of a mechanical bent (sadly not me) where you can juggle & fine tune every aspect of the pen to suit your own requirements. The nib I believe from memory should be out enough to show 9 bars on the feed. It's a friction nib.It's worth adjusting the pen as when working properly makes an easy everyday writer with decent flex thrown in.
I fucking LOVE my 912 FA. The nib is like writing on clouds. It's even way softer than the FPR ultraflex #6 nib. I was blown away the first time I wrote with it. Especially using a more fluid ink like J. Herbin Emeraude de Chivor. Absolutely beautiful. 912 FA is my favorite pen in my collection by a significant margin, even compared to my SEF resin falcon and SF metal falcon. Oh and I have 0 problems with the stock feed.
FPR are affordable pens that work fine, they have great customer service. The Ahab is a close second for me, I never tried the 912. Great video DB.
I just ordered a Pilot 912 FA, expecting to have to get the ebonite feed and so forth for that lovely noodley flex writing you show. I do love Spencerian with oblique pens, but would like to get as close as possible in a fountain pen without getting a Scribo. Right now my favorite FP is the Pilot Falcon with the 14k gold SEF nib. I’d just like a little more flex from a daily writer. My understanding is that the FA nib was designed for use in Asian markets for kanji script, for line variations during short strokes. So we are using it outside of its design parameters. Would be nice if Pilot would give us the FA nib on a longer ebonite feed for western script.
I've heard that whole argument about how the nib was setup to write certain characters, but I even had issues with regular small printing (no flex). Ink flow no matter what I did was an issue. Never had a problem with any other Pilot pen with flow, except for this one.
@@Doodlebud people do seem to have a wide range of experiences with this pen. I'm a little trepiditious about mine, which is on its way. At least now I know that there are ways to address poor flow, thank you for making this information available. ~ a new subscriber
Great video. Had many problems with my 2 Noodler’s Ahab pens to the point where I had to ditch them. They leaked like rivers. I only used washable ink in them and the ink needed to be washable ! But yes great everyday writers when working properly & ideal for someone with better Manuel dexterity. The FPR looks like a great pen and good value. My recently acquired Pilot Falcon FA SM is not quite as smooth as it should be maybe it just needs time. Thank you again for a great video.
Can't you adjust the ink flow in the Ahab's?
Hey, Doodlebud, as far as the Noodler's goes, I tried them, years ago - frankly, they're just not worth it - having to heat set the nib & feed is, in & of itself a pain - & after countless runs of having to do that, I consigned it to the 'also rans' basket. In truth, haven't tried the FPR model - so I'm going to give that a go. The Pilot is clearly the most expensive, & I too, have had the same issue with the feed - so your link is invaluable. Excellent, no-nonsense overview - stay safe !! :)
I have the 912, and both the two and 3 slit feed. Some inks make me go stock feed as they are so wet.
Emerald of Chivor, Carbon black and Sheen machine never railroad in the stock feed
The clip is what i like on the ahab as it resembles a Whale unlike the clips on the other Noodlers models, quality of it is another question however. Thx for the flexoff.
Think I might do another one with the couple vintage pens I have
You can swap the nibs but not the feeds ....in case you didn’t test it out, I have. It worked well for me.
I'm surprised your 912 gave you writing problems. I have one and it was great right out of the box and the feed kept up fine. I have noticed that it likes the iroshizuku inks though. Those have more surfactants in them, and tend to flow really nicely. Might be helpful to try them out with any pen you have ink flow problems with before you order a custom feed. They do make a difference.
First inks I tried were the Iroshizuku. I actually found Diamine Sargasso Sea was the best performing ink I had in my selection. As soon as I upgraded the feed, I could use any ink I wanted which is really nice.
@@DoodlebudAww, I'm sorry your feed was a dud. The other possibility (which you probably already considered because you seem pretty thorough) is that the factory gunk was still on the feed when you got the pen. In which case pen flush helps. I had this problem with my Noodler's Konrad. I widened the feed channels with an exacto knife and used Pen flush. It works great with pretty much any ink now, but it was a definite pain in the butt. BTW I've seen you use that Sargasso Sea ink in a lot of videos. It's a gorgeous color.
@@Doodlebud Oh yeah, and I had to heat set the stupid Konrad too. 😠 I mean it was a learning experience, but if you factor in how much an hour my time is worth when I get paid, it probably ended up being as almost expensive as the 912 🤣
THE ULTRA FLEX NIB is a great addition to my konrad i think it will be even better in the ahab
It's a great nib for any pen that can handle it ✒️. It's a BEAST!
Nice compare. I have the ahab and ive been thinking of getting the guru with the ultra flex nib... that makes the nib more expensive than the pen but is probably the best way to test the nib.
FPR makes having a pretty good performing flex pen very affordable, whether its buying a full pen from them or simply a nib & feed and fitting to an existing pen.
I own several Noodler's Ahabs. While I agree with you that it's a rather stiff nib, I'm curious as to why yours gets much worse performance than I've experienced (i.e. the railroading you demonstrated). I have however always heat set my ebonite feeds on my Noodler's pens, which might be the difference if you didn't go through this process. They are meant to be tuned.
If you are after line variation, the Noodler's Neponset music nib is excellent and takes much less pressure than both the Ahab and competitor's pens. I'm not a fan of the Triple Tail music nib however, they are different. Only Caveat -- I bought my Neponset when they were brand new, and I had to receive a 2nd nib from the manufacturer since the first one was a dud. Hopefully that process has been ironed out since that was several years ago. With no pressure it's about a western "Fine" nib. With pressure it's BBB+.
Glad to see you reviewed the 912 with the ebonite replacement feed. I use the 3 slit feed on my 912 FA nib and the 2 slit feed on my custom 743 FA nib. The Pilot stock factory feeds are useless unless you are just writing Asian characters. I don't know why they even sell the 912 FA nib in the US with the craptastic feed it comes with. Don't get me wrong, the 912 and 743 are my favorite (modern) pens; I write with them all the time even over the vintage flex pens I own.
Another option is to use the Zebra G-nib (dip pen) with custom feeds, also from the Flexible Nib Factory. I use a TWSBI 580 with a custom ebonite feed to handle the G-nib both for calligraphy and drawing. They have custom feeds for a number of different pens and are superb.
The craptastic feed is tuned for use with Pilot inks, which in my opinion are quite wet. I tend to judge a pen's function by the inks it was tested and manufactured to work with.
@@recht181 I exclusively use Pilot Iroshizuku inks in my 743 and 912. Wet as they are it's still insufficient to make them viable without replacing the feeds.
@@Killer_Oldman Duly noted, that will inform my next purchases. I have seen a nibmeister tune the feed so that it can keep up with flex writing, but I'm not sure whether having a nibmeister do it or replacing the feed would be more cost-effective.
The Ahab looks like Kanwrite Desire. But that is not surprising since Noodlers gets Kanwrite to manufacture them.
I am for the Fountain Pen Counter-Revolution!
For the Pilot, are you using the soft fine or extra fine?
The Pilot has the FA nib
I have the same FPR ebonite, same color even. Do you notice that the plunger sticks in the barrel of the converter between fillings? Great review! 😁🖖
Thanks for the comment. Yeah it sticks. I put a dab of grease from my twsbi kit & that helped
Those FPR pens...I wanted to love my Jaipur V2 pen so badly, but I've given up on it. It wrote so nicely on first try, but very soon I was just getting railroads or ink blobs. I bothered the manufacturer a few times then felt bad about clogging his inbox so often, so I stopped. Heat-setting makes it work temporarily then it just goes back to being a pain. Now I have a somewhat expensive pen that works so rarely I haven't bothered inking it up for months.
Wow, so when you get an FPR pen that works, it really works! Must feel amazing getting that performance for 50 bucks.
Apparently V2 is even better. So yeah, amazing value for a $50 pen!
I bought the Himalaya, and it performed pretty bad. Your review is spot on - the nib is excellent but the actual pen is really terrible. Was going to swap out the nib to my Ahab, but they have the nib wedged in there so far it wont even come out. Lots of railroading.
@@andrewpatterson5203 hi, on an Italian YT channel Er Trip, this old had same issues. He wrote Fpr and they suggested to washed nib with soap ,bicarbonate and lemon or vinegar and it worked
@@Doodlebud I bought my 12yo son one .. I think I will get one too even though I have a 912 myself
It is amazing for the money
My 912 FA out of the box was amazing! My Noodler Abah makes me want to stop using fountain pens altogether. if it had been my first fountain I would have stopped! When I when to fill the pen the nib fell into to bottle of ink!!! I can not get the nib to stay in the pen with out moving around. so frustrating when writing. I will Try FRP ultra flex. Noodlers is not a great idea not a beginner- In my experience. thanks for a great video.
The Ahab can for sure be a tricky pen. Its more for someone who is into tinkering. I've messed around with it for a bit and this is where its at now:
ua-cam.com/video/Ka3CnD47Axs/v-deo.html
The greatest thing about the Noodlers Ahb, and most noodlers pen is the ability to fiddle and adjust with the nib and feeds placement to prefect your flow and prevent railroading. Yo can even gently deepen the feed channels if need be for a juicer flow. Also, your right about the nib being fairly firm for a flex nib, however with lots of regular use and flexing the nib will “break in” and become easier to flex wider. I have had mine for about 2 years now or so and LOVE it and while Id still consider its Semi Flex its DEFINITLY softer than it was when I recieved it bran new from the box. My Himalaya however I NEVER got working, no matter what i have tried. I have the exact same model, and even the same color as you do....Kevin offered to inspect and check it out and get it working I just havent bothered to send it yet which I really should just do because its been collecting dust for a year now, sadly. But the Nib lives on in many other pens!!! FPR Ultra Flex nibs are hands down MY Go To Nib for everything. I love them!!! I havent used an FA nib but would love to one day own one!! Great vid!! Im Subscribing!
Thanks for your comment, other people can benefit from it too. I was just talking to a friend about how nibs "open up" over time. I've never used my Ahab much so maybe that has something to do with it. Too bad about your FPR pen not working. Guess it can be like a Noodlers too, some are great and some not so much. Good to hear you use the nibs on other pens, they are a steal of a deal. Just like with the vid I did on the $16 architect nib, amazing deal!
@@Doodlebud I’m glad you mentioned that $16 nib video I did see that and meant to watch it and it slipped my mind, heading there now!!
I have three noodlers pens and I also think that the flex nibs break in after a while. They do get slightly softer.
Very helpful video, thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Do LAMY fountain pens have a flexible nib ?
None that I know of
@@Doodlebud thank you so much
Does the Ahab take a cartridge?
No
@@Doodlebud Thank you. I have four Ahabs--one works.
Try a Noodlers Triple Tail for some line variation 3 tine nib.
I'll see if I can get my hands on one. I've seen those ones but just hasn't been on my radar to get one.
I have a triple tail but really don't like the nib at all. Having three tines the tip ends up being fairly broad. With flex you really want a quite fine nib so that it actually exhibits the variation in width when flexed. Also I found three tines hard to control they didn't flex the same amount and it was inconsistent, just didn't write well. I've used zebra g nibs in various Franken pens. Right now my Noodler's Conrad has the stock flex noodler's nib in it. It's okay I think it needs a bit of breaking in to be a little more flexible, but you still need to press too hard. I have an fpr on the way and have high hopes for it. The nice thing about noodlers and fpr, is you can get them with ebonite feeds, which is key. An ebonite feed can be heat set very easily and you can also widen out the top channel of the feed if you want a bit more ink flow. Would love to have a Pilot falcon or custom, but they don't even come with ebonite feeds...
How would you rank the 14kt gold version of the Himalaya
I haven't had the pleasure of using the 14K version yet. But here's a vid about them: ua-cam.com/video/6NAR4wtl57E/v-deo.html
The body of the pen is not worth the investment tbh
The material is nice but the finish and trims are not. Cheap feeling clip and sloppy threads
Hi! Could you link me to the site for the feed you bought for pilot fa? Also FPR pen is definitely on my list right now.
flexiblenib.com/store/shop/
I think that's worth a subscribe 😉
@@Doodlebud ahaha you are right. Thank you!
Lol thanks @lunia!
i'm facing issue of Railroading while writing with Ultra Flex Nib... how to rectify it?
Well there are several things to check. 1) How fast your are writing & how much you are flexing, you may need to dial it back a bit. 2) You need an ink that flows well, the wrong ink can make a flexy pen under perform. 3)What pen is the nib in? An FPR pen or a different one. Also. Do you have the correct feed to go with it. 4) Flex pens are sensitive to correct positioning of the nib & feed as a unit together. There are a few more things to check & do but I would start with those things first
I think Nathan who runs Noodler's did a video on how to open up an ebonite feed. You just have to take the feed out and widen the top channel from like 1 mm to maybe two and maybe deepen it. I have done it and all you need is a small file or even an exacto knife it helps to have a little bench vise but it's really not too difficult. If you really want to write flex and fast, there's no way a stock feed is going to keep up unless it's been designed expressly for that. The channel is just too narrow and you can tell just by looking at it with the nib removed. The only caveat is that if you go too far the nib will simply drip ink so you have to be judicious. Of course it also helps to heat set it with the nib which will make sure there aren't any big gaps. Once you do it two or three times it's really not that mysterious or difficult.
Thanks
I wanna buy a flex pen with a good line variation that's is not very expensive and can hold a lot of ink (if it can be an eyedropper pen It would be perfect!). Is there any other pen (cheaper and eyedropper at the same time) that didn't make in this video that you recommend or should I go to the Himalaya? Or should I buy only the nib and use in one of my pens that i already have? Can I use a G nib (a dip pen G nib) in a fountain pen? I might have seen videos of people doing that. Have you done it? Thanks for your videos!
Fountain pen revolution is pretty damn good for the price they're asking
🖋️
Need a Noodlers Triple Tail with 3 tines for flexing.
If I get one I'll for sure do a vid
I can see that you really like line variation! But i think that you push way too far (especially the fa nib) and the tines wont last for too long with such strong pressure!
I do tend to have a heavy hand, but regular use I use way lest pressure. For this vid I wanted to show the max limits of the pens. But you are correct, sustained use at the limits will eventually break the limits of the pen.
calligraphy nibs?
Looks like Pilot wins?
Overall I guess so. But it needed an aftermarket feed & is several times the $ of the FPR to beat it. I think an FPR Ultra Flex is a must buy
@@Doodlebud Do the FPR pens have ebonite feeds? Guessing I just like the look of the Pilot script, perhaps the heavier ink flow...cool comparison
@@stargazer1359 they have plastic & ebonite feeds. If you're getting the flex nibs opt for the ebonite. The pen I used has the ebonite feed. Same for the Pilot as well
I have a Pilot Custom heritage 912 with the falcon fa number 10 nib with the original feed and the Con 70 converter. I use Pilot Blue Black ink and love it.
Love your videos but it’s not helping my addiction at all now I want more pens 😭
A request, as you go through the video you keep saying "this one, better than that one and the other" it would help if you said the names of the pens not just once in beginning as you introduce them but also say the name as your are describing them. At the end "this one is the best for the money" don't know what pen you're talking about, you just held it up and did not say the name. In the future it would help. Thanks
I feel like having to modify the nib of the pilot disqualifies the review.
Hope you find a review that's more to you liking 👍
If you use wet ink you don’t have to though
So, it’s a $300 pilot plastic resin nib holder, but not a pilot nib. Okay. So, don’t get a 912 if you don’t know how to change the nib to one that actually works? Good to know. I’ll get something else then…
He had a pilot fa nib in the 912? Also extremely rare that their nibs come with any problems....
Actually l like your "fancy" writing....just saying
Have you reviewed the Noodler's Triple Tail? 😇🩵🙏🙌