Fountain Pen Shootout #65 Noodler's Ahab vs Neponset

[@gammondog]

The noodler's pistons are just awesome to watch. I was going to ink dropper my ahab but when I saw how it filled I stayed with the "pump".

[@sbrebrown]

I love them too!

[@christophermckellar1352]

Thanks! Great reviews. Looking forward.

[@PurpleMatrix500k]

I must be a little weird. I do not mind the "Noodler's smell." I actually kind of enjoy it haha! It is the smell of the resin right? I have never checked.

[@VicRattlehead6655]

You're not completely alone, at least. I kind of dig it too!

[@HarrisKassimflexnib]

nice video! love my ahab.. cant wait to get the neponset!

[@Seemann301]

There was a village of Massachuset Indians at Neponset, on the Neponset River. The Neponset River forms the southern boundary of the city of Boston, passing through the neighborhoods of Readville, Hyde Park, Mattapan and Dorchester, and forming with the northern border of the city of Quincy. The Massachuset Indians belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock. Neponset is pronounced: 'Nuh-PAHN-set' The United States state of Massachusetts is named for the Massachuset Indian Tribe.

[@jenswan1214]

Do you prefer the Noodler's music nib over the Franklin-Christoph music nib?

[@angelofthenorth3133]

Silly me, I've now watched more of your other recent videos and I can see its a lovely modern kitchen,isn't it. You used to be in a room that looked like a study. I haven't been following You Tube for quite a while.

[@SashineB]

Hello, thanks for the video. Do you recommend washing/flushing the Neponset pen before using it for the first time? I don't see anything on the sheet from Noodler's about this; however, it was recommended that I flush my Ahab pen before using it. I've heard that the other Noodler's flex pens are to be flushed first, and I realize you've said you used your Neponset straight out of the box. Thank you.

[@sbrebrown]

Yes, I'd recommend it all the same: a good way to get any machine oil residue out of the feed.

[@SashineB]

sbrebrown Thank you very much for the information. I thought as much, but wondered if it really made a difference for the new pen.

[@sbrebrown]

+jen S No, I definitely prefer the F-C nib.

[@justmeeagainn]

I never loved my Ahabs and finally decommissioned them into a desk drawer. I won a Neponset and use it as an eyedropper. It's worlds better than the Ahabs ever were. The nib is much smoother and the ink flow is better. For anyone who had a bad or mediocre experience with the Ahab, don't let that stop you from getting the Neponset when it comes out. There's really no comparison.

[@sbrebrown]

I agree: I love the Neponset a lot motre than the Ahab too.

[@ORLY21]

+justmeeagainn Still have the Ahabs, or did they get File 13'd?

[@justmeeagainn]

i recently bought a new Ahab and tried it wth a non-flex Noodler's nib. Maybe I just got lucky this time, or maybe I placed the nib just right, but the pen actually works very well. It dries out when stored nib up for a while, but a few quick shakes get things flowing again. (The old Ahabs are long gone.)

[@narendranramakrishnan9594]

Hi Stephen are the nib and feed units interchangeable between the noodlers neponset and the ahab ? Thank Yoiu

[@sbrebrown]

No.

[@johnodonohue2436]

I don't know why, but I love the smell of Noodler's pens!

[@dinasaur2]

Do you remove the tube when filling the barrel of the pen?

[@sbrebrown]

Yes.

[@angelofthenorth3133]

Thanks for a timely shootout. Does the type/brand of ink make any difference to the flex performance? And where the heck ARE you?? It looks like somewhere they keep kidnapped people!

[@sbrebrown]

No. We call it a house.

[@narendranramakrishnan9594]

Which of the two give more line variation ? neponset or ahab ?

[@sbrebrown]

You could check out the writing sample in the video...

[@kingprone7846]

is it possible to buy a spare neponset nib and fit it into an ahab?

[@sbrebrown]

KingProne no

[@GenWivern2]

I like that resin: it reminds me of Conklin and Bexley and for some reason that aesthetic appeals. Nathan will probably do quite well with the Neponset when it finally comes to market depending on the price, but the Ahabs and Nib Creapers are genuine bargains and I'm not convinced that the music nib offers that significant an upgrade on this showing. By the way, what size is that nib?

[@sbrebrown]

As I understand, retail will be $75 (sources could be wrong...). The nib is the biggest in the Noodler's ranger, a bit over #6, I think,

[@GenWivern2]

sbrebrown Thanks. If the nib size has no approximate vintage equivalent that's a departure, and an unwelcome one. A big selling point for the Creaper in my opinion is that it will take an Ideal No.2 (which are still plentiful and inexpensive) or other similarly sized nib, so you can have a vintage point in a pen which is easy to strip down ... no more worries about flushing out troublesome ink. Same goes for the Konrad and Ahab, except No.6s are getting pricey. As for $75 for a fancy oversize pen with a novel filling system and two slit nib ... well c'mon. Bet there'll be complaints though.

[@muskndusk]

Damnations! I ordered a Konrad this morning! Where were you when I needed you Mr Brown? lol. It's a very pretty Konrad.

[@sbrebrown]

Well, the Neponset isn't launched yet :-).

[@Lyander25]

Excellent! I knew this shootout was coming sooner or later, haha. Thanks again, and curse you for already having a Neponset XD EDIT: Also, and this is an offhand observation, the "half-railroading" you get with the Neponset could very well become its own thing once this pen gets wide distribution. I can just see the writing samples piling up :P

[@sbrebrown]

It probably will be!

[@GalleryOfChameleon]

Do you imagine you could also fit a brause rose nib into the neponset, or is the feed different from the Ahab?

[@sbrebrown]

The feed is different.

[@DepthWave]

Now they just need to release an ebonite version with a gold nib with a piston that can fit onto a TWSBI ink bottle and has threaded posting... That would be my perfect pen probably

[@KitHoongTan]

Ennio Morricone theme! Cool hahaha

[@ORLY21]

Has enough time elapsed to do a "How Do You Like Me Now?" with the Neponset? I'd like to see how a couple of years worth of use has changed your opinion of it.

[@sbrebrown]

well, the two Neponsets I got after this one didn't write properly or at all. so I suppose that sums up my opinion.

[@ORLY21]

Bad quality control on the manufacturer's part, or bad design on Nathan Tardif's part?

[@sbrebrown]

+James R Burwell I don't know. The pens write for a line or two, then stop. Also, they railroad on one side with even the lightest of flex. notwithstanding heat setting, different nib settings, "tinkering", etc. So I am considering this a dud model.

[@ORLY21]

That's disappointing, to say the least. It looks like my best bet is to get an Ahab and hope for the best. Thanks for the feedback, sir.

[@sbrebrown]

+James R Burwell I had significantly less issues with the Ahab

[@FunOfTheChase]

I love my shit-stinking Ahab; flexing with it on a daily basis has made my distal phlanges so strong I could pull a truck by my fingertips under the bumper. In reality though, it was a $20 entry fee to find out that I'm eventually going to buy a 14k Omas or something more satiating...

[@gugocha]

I'll buy my own Neponset, I already have an Ahab! ;)

[@GlennHigley]

Well of course YOU are going to get one that writes perfectly out of the box! Mere mortals will have to settle for whatever they get. ; )

[@sbrebrown]

Well, I was less lucky with my original Konrad :-).

[@alexhackmann]

There was no ink in there! :p I've heard those pens need ink in order not to railroad. Hhahah.

[@sbrebrown]

:-).

[@heliosium]

Lapiceras de miedo ! (Spanish).

[@kuglepen64]

Don’t waste you money on Noodlers pens. They suck pretty hard compared to a vintage pen with true flex.

[@DepthWave]

Now they just need to release an ebonite version with a gold nib with a piston that can fit onto a TWSBI ink bottle and has threaded posting... That would be my perfect pen probably