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The Fountain Pen Community -> Modern Pens @1970 to Current -> New Calligrapher seeking perhaps the holy grail of pens!
Post Info TOPIC: New Calligrapher seeking perhaps the holy grail of pens!
TheRedBlueBlur


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New Calligrapher seeking perhaps the holy grail of pens!
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Hi.

I'm new to the world of Calligraphy really, but have been much inspired by Leigh Reyes and Paul Antonio.

The problem I find is getting good advice on which pen to start with. I'd ideally like a fountain pen with a little flex in the nib that would reproduce an attractive everyday hand that resembles copperplate, but from what I've read this seems like the holy grail of pens!

I also don't want to invest hundreds of pounds in a pen... well, not yet perhaps. I've been looking with interest at the Noodler's pens and the Lamy Safari and wondered what you might think, or whether you might have any useful advice really.

Would really appreciate your help.



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Ian
Frank


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Welcome!

I am not familiar with Noodler's pens, but I do have Lamy pens. I am also aware that Lamy makes a calligraphy set with multiple nibs. You can also find inexpensive calligraphy sets from Online Pens, Sheaffer, and J. Herbin.
I believe that Staedler also makes a calligraphy set, and is available in arts/crafts stores. I only have experience with the Sheaffer sets (have bought them for friends/family/etc), so may be someone with more experience can chime in here!


Regards,
Frank

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Chthulhu


Rawr.

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Lamy's calligraphic nibs are italics of several widths, but with no flex. If you're serious about calligraphy of the copperplate sort, you'll be looking mostly at dip pens. The Noodler's flex-nib pens are an inexpensive means of trying your hand at flex-nib writing, but I've read widely-varied reviews of their quality and durability; for the price, though, one may be worth your while.

Calligraphy is less writing than it is drawing or painting letters, and a flexible nib is very much like a firm brush.



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Mike Hungerford
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jor412


Vintage

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I have 2 Noodler's flex pens (not Ahab). For what they cost, they're pretty good pens. Here are some of their key characteristics:

1) Maintenance: They can be completely disassembled for cleaning and it's easy to do. There's a goulet pens video on how to do this. I really like this about the Noodler's pens because cleaning pens of ink isn't my idea of fun.

2) Weight/balance: They're extremely lightweight so if you want something heftier, then these aren't the pens for you. I don't have big, strong hands so when I say lightweight, I mean about the weight of a slim gel pen.

3) Durability/build: They won't break if you drop them because they're so light and the plastic doesn't feel brittle. But I wouldn't put any of that to a test. The cap is a screw-on type and sometimes comes loose but it isn't too much of a bother. The clip can come loose or spin, too. 

4) Flow: These are wet pens with a generous flow, so they're ink-hogs. You can easily adjust the nib and feed to get the ink flow you want. Without adjustment, you can get railroad tracks.

5) Flexibility: They can be used as flex pens or as regular pens. You need more pressure to produce a flex, but it's not uncomfortable. I think the advantage is that it's easier to control in contrast to a vintage flex. I'd say Noodler's flex is comparable to Esterbrook flex. The flex definitely isn't as soft as what you'd get from a vintage 14k nib. I have a few vintage flex pens and they flex easily so you can't use them for fast, regular writing or you risk bending the tines. Also, I have one pen with a super flexible nib that feels almost like a paint brush. Vintage flex pens are fun to use because they're so soft, but they're also harder to manage. 

Vintage fountain pens with flexible nibs tend to be really expensive (over $50, on average $75, and some sell for 300-400). One tip I got from a friend was to take a risk on ebay and go for black hard rubber pens / nibs of any of the following brands: Waterman, Mabie Todd / Swan, and Warranted. This was great advice and that's how I got my super flexible nib for under $50. Two caveats about BHR pens - cracks can't be fixed and don't wash them with water. 

I agree with Mike's suggestion that dip pens may be the way to go to try out calligraphy. There's a seller (jbb) on FPN that has an item perpetually posted -- one dip pen with 10 different, vintage nibs for calligraphy. I think it's $10 plus shipping. That's not a bad deal. No affiliation here; it was just something I was considering buying. 



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