Flex Nib Comparison - Vintage VS Modern

I have only a few modern flex pens and just two vintage pens with flex/semi flex nib. But the difference is noticeable right away with how well the vintage pens write and just keep up without issue.
My first comparison video between the Noodlers Ahab, Fountain Pen Revolution, & Pilot 912 FA can be found here:
• Fountain Pen Flex Nib ...
Pens used are the following:
Noodlers Ahab - Feed was heavily adjusted to increase flow
Feed Modification video: • Noodlers Ahab Nib Adju...
Fountain Pen Revolution - Ultra Flex
Pilot 912 with FA nib - Had to replace the feed with one from the Flex Nib Factory
Review with new feed: • Pilot Custom Heritage ...
How to Swap the Feed: • "Ask the Bud" Pilot 91...
Pelikan 140
Review: • Pelikan 140 - Semi Fle...
Aurora 88
Review: • Aurora 88 Fountain Pen...

[@ycplum7062]

Other considerations are how much pressure you need to flex and how well the tones spring back. The vintage s are incredibly hard to beat in these areas. And their feeds are almost always better.

[@Doodlebud]

Yeah they are so good at having just the right amount of pressure for flex. Never have to worry about running out of ink either. Even if the wiring sample between a new & old flex pen looks the same, how it feels & behaves is very different.

[@slo_carry]

Great comparison, and love the seal!

[@wiliambanquiter8039]

Thanks for the vid! Great timing for me, I have a 912 fa in my cart but paused before I pulled the trigger, thinking I should learn more about vintage flex.

[@Doodlebud]

Nothing wrong with the 912 FA, but a good vintage pen that suits what you're looking for is definitely something to consider

[@Kenjiro5775]

I just received the new FPR Ultra Flex nib in 14k gold. Paired it with a Jowo compatible ebonite feed and housing from Flexible Nibs and the combo is the closest to vintage flex I have tried. 😁🖖

[@Doodlebud]

Nice, I've heard their 14K is a nice nib

[@ichirofakename]

Just obtained my grail, the 743 (FA). Have to wait a couple days to give it my full pen attention.

[@Doodlebud]

You mean momentary grail pen 😂. Hope you enjoy it!

[@d.p.l.1582]

That seal is AWESOME!!! It's cool that you are able to color on it. WICKED!

[@Doodlebud]

Thanks, I was pretty happy with how it turned out. Pretty good for like $30

[@dashsunil]

Than tiny 140 is the clear winner here. It has a charm while writing on paper. 😁

[@Doodlebud]

The writing it makes looks so good. Has the right balance balance it seems. Nice thin VS thick contrast. Soft pressure to flex it, but not too soft that it's hard to control. Such a wonderful pen to use.

[@derekdavis5720]

Lovely video. Subject close to my heart. Vintage wins pretty much every time. My Pilot 743A is a very passable flex writer & is pretty much on a par with a fine flex nib Swan I own but other than that none of my other modern pens come close. The Swan has fractionally more flair and greater comfort. My other vintage pens write very well and are very comfortable.to use.

[@Doodlebud]

Yeah even if they have less flex than a modern one, like my 140 has less than my Pilot FA, I've found the vintage ones just seem to write better. Also virtually zero issues with railroading.

[@Inazarab]

Counterintuitively Pilots' #10 FA nibs tend to be softer than their #15 FA nibs like the ones on the 743. So you may want to try a 912 FA as the nibs on those tend to be more flexy than the ones on the 743. And it works even better if you add a flexible nib factory ebonite feed.

[@gristlevonraben]

I might get a pelikan, but my budget has always been pretty low as of late. I'd get a noodler's flex pen, but I heard they were the same resin used in making it that fountain pen revolution used, and i honestly kept the nibs but threw away their pens because I couldn't take the rotten butter scent. Thank you for this video, it has inspired me to try a Pelikan.

[@Doodlebud]

The Pelikans are good, but there are also many vintage pens that perform VERY well. Some reform pens do a great job & have a lower price point

[@cdgarcia]

Finally a compelling reason to get myself a Pelikan

[@Doodlebud]

These vintage flexy Pelikans are really lovely

[@derekdavis5720]

Vintage flex wins every time sorry for the typos loved the video

[@derekdavis5720]

Further to my previous post thinking about it the Pilot 743A Its a great pen & has 2 advantages firstly a decent cartridge converter and a 2 year guarantee. A really good pen and the one that got me into flex writing. However the only place I know of in the UK that sells this, knocks it out at £400. The Swan I.compared it with was a mere £80 & a very frr

[@strshooter7399]

Love that “Seal of Approval” 👍😂🤣😎

[@Doodlebud]

Lol thanks, was my father's day gift

[@ZommBleed]

We need an exclusive Pilot Falcon KZbin channel with uploads every hour of every day. I don't disagree with your choice, but I think the Pilot gave superb performance in your comparison. My Metal Falcon has the SEF nib. My next Metal Falcon will have the FA. Still debating whether to get another color for the body or keep the Black/Rhodium theme.

[@Doodlebud]

The performance is really good, especially for max flex. I just wish it had a bit thinner regular strokes. I might actually send it off to get the tip ground down further, possibly even a spencerian grind.

[@derekdavis5720]

Fractionally better writer. I’ve just received since writing initially, a Maby Todd Swan full flex at £100 fully serviced and re’sac’d is a truly truly wonderful writer & fairly easy to use 4x cheaper that the Pilot 743 FA. My almost wet noodle Waterman was £355 a tricky critter to write with but wonderful. Flex for me wins every time. I guess Italian Flex Nibs like Scribo and Santini are the real modern contenders.

[@helenmcdonnell2585]

I would love a vintage pelican, the Noodler's Konrad's that I have are modelled on that design and seem to write better on a whole than with the Ahab's I have even though they have the same nib and feed. Have found the more I use them the more pliable the nibs become. The ink also plays a role, I never have any railroading with some inks, hence I love wet inks. I have two vintage fountain pens one is a really super Waterman Ideal with a full flex gold nib it's a joy to write with and in as new condition. Bought it from a seller in the States, I'm in Northern Ireland, the seller sells beautiful vintage pens and a reasonable price in very good condition. Enjoyed your flex off and your ink joices are perfect, I'm awaiting Diamines writer's blood in the post due to how stunning it looked in your Aurora of a few days ago. I definitely think Noodler's deserves a place, I use mine, (I have several) everyday and some write really well and others average. My seal of approval goes to you, and your videos, you are definitely my fave:)

[@helenmcdonnell2585]

*Pelikan*

[@Doodlebud]

Thanks for the kind words. The Ahab is great for the price, but I feel people have very high expectations for what they pay. With time & adjustments it can be half decent. If you can find an honest & skilled pen restore its great. Vintage pens are wonderful performers. Haven't had one yet that doesn't write well.

[@christopherpavkovich4995]

Just got an ahab flex today. Haven’t inked it up yet.

[@Doodlebud]

Hope it works well & you enjoy it!

[@neilpiper9889]

What converter do you have in the Pilot pen? I have a Con 70 in my Pilot Custom heritage 912 with the Falcon fa nib. Flex perfection. I have 3 Vintage British pens with flex nibs. 1920 Swan Mabie Todd, Waterman's 1950 555 and a beautiful Conway Stewart 84 in green and black celluloid cracked ice finish. I don't dare to fully flex the vintage pens as they are old. The Pilot with the Fa nib is what I use. I had a fpr piston filler with flex but the plastic feed couldn't keep up. Maybe the ebonite feed would have improved it, however, I don't buy anything from the USA anymore because here in the UK we get hammered with import costs. Nice Video sir and lovely music👌

[@Doodlebud]

I have the con 70 as well. The FPR I got has the ebonite feed, but it seems there are flow issues in their converter. Apparently it has improved on their new version. There seemed to be surface tension between the ink & the sidewalls of the converter & ink wouldn't flow. Could just put a spring in there like some other converters do, or change the material outright. Some new flex pens do a great job, but it seems everything has to be just right. With the vintage pens, just out in some ink & magic happens. They also just seem fit much more natural with how one writes. The flex response flows more in tune vs with the modern ones you have to adapt your writing to how the pen flex responds... If that makes sense

[@derekdavis5720]

Like the seal it’s the way forward

[@abdielacosta1467]

Can you leave the link to the modification you did to the noodlers Ahab nib. Thank you and keep up the great videos.

[@Doodlebud]

It's in the description section of the video, but here it is as well. I went too aggressive when I did, was sorts messing around. So do a little adjustment then check kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYXOe41qYrGHn6M

[@paulherman5822]

As for vintage flex, they can be reasonable in price compared to some modern ones. I have an extremely flexible 1912 Mabie Todd Swan C2 eyedropper filler that I paid $61 for on eBay. Gotta hunt, but...

[@Doodlebud]

Oh wow that's a smoking deal! Patience is the key. But when you find a good one, at a good price, in good shape... Amazing pens

[@paulherman5822]

@@Doodlebud I have some pretty nice pens, and didn't break the bank for them. Not the amazing acrylics and such on modern ones, but if you are willing to replace the old ink sac in many, they're great. Just beware. I was sold a Wahl-Eversharp Skyliner that was supposed to have been restored (guy seemed to just throw on a coat of carnuba wax) and with a "flexible" nib. I could probably drive it into white oak, it's that stiff... Staged photos hid scuffs and dings, and the ink sac failed after the first fill. Good thing I only paid $20... He's regularly selling on eBay, and unless it's well worth the price, I avoid him, now. Biggest suggestion would be to look at estate ones where the seller doesn't have a clue about fountain pens. Got some really good pens that way. 😉 I'm on a fixed disability income, so I have to hunt for bargains. 😁

[@mattmeech]

Great Video! Love to know what you did to fix railroading on your Noodlers. I have an Ahab with a FPR ultraflex, but it's railroading like crazy so I've stopped using it. I have a 140, and agree with you it's super smooth as an everyday, but lovely and flexy. I have a 400NN which I was really excited about, but it's currently very scratchy, so I'll need to do some work on it. I'm a lefty so I find a lot of vintage pens are quite scratchy for my backwards writing! My most exciting flex pen is a Leonardo Momento Grande with ebonite feed and 14kt Gold Elastic nib. So nervous about getting it as it's my most expensive pen, but thankfully over the moon with it as it performs like a vintage. Perfect. As a wildcard I'd suggest a Watermans 52V, it's as small as a 140, but in my case slightly cheaper, though it ain't a looker... shades of brown....but it's my smoothest and flexyest. Love the channel!!!

[@Doodlebud]

That Leonardo sounds awesome! Check the description as I put a link for the Noodlers modification. Keep in mind I was kinda messing around & wasn't taking my time. So don't go as aggressive as I did LOL. Glad you enjoyed the video & thanks for watching 👍

[@johnlopez3996]

See if you can find a vintage Waterman or Mabie Todd, if you want some more flex. The wax seal is amazing.

[@Doodlebud]

Definitely on my list at some point. Just the price $$$ 🤑.

[@paulherman5822]

Definitely. I have a 1912 Mabie Todd Swan C2 eyedropper filler that's amazing.

[@johnlopez3996]

@@Doodlebud Sometime you can find some good deals on vintage fountain pens on the Fountain Pen Hospital's web site. Good luck.

[@burakdalklc885]

What was the nib size of Pelikan 140?

[@Doodlebud]

I think it's a fine point but is flexy of course

[@RONSPOTZ]

Watched it earlier but forgot to give a thumbs up, so I did now. Even if I don't comment, I will give it a like or a dislike.

[@ProximaCentauri88]

I also got an Ahab and threw it into the trash bin. It does not flex. Save your money for a vintage flex fountain pen.

[@MordeKaiser29]

The way I hold fountain pens, i can never use flex pens 🥲