Left Out - Ep.02: Flex and Stub Nib Tips for Lefties

Hi there, fountain pen friends, Lydia back again with the highly anticipated video about flex pens and stub nibs for lefties. I mentioned in the last episode of Left Out that every lefty has their own writing style and comforts. As such, these tips and tricks may not work for everyone. The information mentioned is purely my opinion and experiences, but I hope it proves useful to all of my fellow Southpaws looking to get into the world of flex writing!
This is probably the most polarizing issue for lefties using fountain pens. We all see those beautiful writing videos on social media and want to do it too. GOOD NEWS: YOU CAN USE A FLEX PEN OR A STUB NIB. It’s all about adapting and finding a method that works for you.
Products Featured:
(1:25) Conklin Duragraph with Omniflex Nib - www.gouletpens.com/collection...
(3:12) Conklin Duragraph Amber - www.gouletpens.com/collection...
(4:47) Nemosine Aqua Demonstrator - www.gouletpens.com/collection...
(5:16) Karas Kustoms Fountain K - www.gouletpens.com/collection...
(1:25) Diamine Oxford Blue - www.gouletpens.com/products/d...
(3:12) Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-Gaki - www.gouletpens.com/products/p...
(4:47) Noodler's Bernanke Blue - www.gouletpens.com/products/n...
(5:16) Pelikan 4001 Violet - www.gouletpens.com/products/p...
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[@radiopoet1330]

So, I am a lefty that ended up with the accidental purchase of a fountain pen. I fell in love with the flow of the ink. Then I found Goulet and ordered a “real” pen. I’m ready to order more and Lydia helps me feel confident to buy more. THEN there were only three episodes... PLEASE bring this back!

[@liliana1lfr]

Lydia is a terrific speaker and this series got off to a great start. I watched it and enjoyed it and although I am not a lefty, wanted to check it out.

[@myblackboxrocks]

Lefty overwriter here - thanks for posting these videos as a resource to the 10% of us.

[@FlamingChickenG]

I was just thinking it would be nice for Goulet to have a lefty series and here it is.

[@eoaresearch]

Great video! I am left handed (underwriter) and love flex and stub nibs. I agree with smaller stubs.

[@EugeneJrFolse]

I am left handed. I tend to be either a side writer or underhand writer. I am getting back into fountain pens after a 42 year hiatus. I found that by rotating the pen itself I can reduce the nib digging into the paper and make the nib act right. I have horrible handwriting so look forward to your next video.

[@LedgerAndLace]

I LOVE this series, Lydia! I'm an underwriter. I think "over-writer" is a better description than "Left-handed hooky writer" that I've used. ;-) My writing style changes depending on the nib, the paper and the ink. I prefer wet because it flows so much faster, and I'm a fast writer. I also change the angle I'm writing depending on the nib, etc. Obliquing your nib? GENIUS! :-)

[@Lauren-xx7cm]

Thanks for doing this video series. I am new to fountain pens because I always thought they only worked well for right handers, but I am LOVING my fountain pens.

[@Gouletpens]

That's awesome to hear! Whats your favorite pen that works for you? - Colin

[@Lauren-xx7cm]

The Goulet Pen Company I love my LAMY that I bought from you guys.

[@peterhofmann8292]

Lydia thanks once again for doing this little series. Really enjoyed this episode especially as at some point I want to get a flex nib to try out. The tip about the stub nib is great will have to test this. Once again appreciate all the work that went into this.

[@horseshoe_nc]

Thank you for putting this video series together. I'm a left hand under writer. I haven't any trouble with standard nibs. Now I'm wanting to venture into a flex and/or stub.

[@benwrites7649]

Good Tips. I've always been lousy with flex writing, but I love using stub nibs. I'll try some flex writing again soon. Thanks Lydia. Keep em coming.

[@Vanadse]

In the case of the stubs, I find that me using a stub would look like a right handed person using an architect nib. Fine vertical lines and thick horizontal ones and I am perfectly happy with that! I have no experience with flex. I still own no flex pens, but hopefully that'll change soon. Thank you for continuing this video series!

[@barbarawest1205]

Thanks, Lydia! As an irredeemable overwriter, I appreciate how you work through the different writing postures we lefties can adopt. I have had no luck with either Noodler's semi-flex or the Duraflex nibs, but I have several stub nibs and love them. I'll have to pay closer attention to what happens between the nib and paper when I write with a stub, but I honestly do not remember having to make any special accommodation to use them.

[@MisterNiles]

Why isn't Lydia doing all the Goulet videos? She's a natural. Great on camera, Great speaking. Good stuff.

[@donwalkenshaw7674]

Thank You. I so enjoy the videos for lefties, we are the only ones in our right minds. :)

[@Bim13North]

I overwrite and had some challenges with a 1.1mm stub. I asked Mark Bacas to stub a broad nib and also make it a right oblique. Waiting to see how that one works out.

[@enkhyy]

"Opportunity to be adaptable" aka this is going to be annoying.

[@notgray88]

Hahaha. Yeah she is definitely sugar coating these words.

[@AdolphusOfBlood]

I found it very easy to learn to use a stub nib personally as I learned to hold the pen with no rotation of the pen as a wrote due to using a triangular body set of felt tip pens before that. So it's more a matter of rotation then anything else. I never use flex nibs myself, so i have no advice for them.

[@aidanbernal]

So cool! Everyone deserves to try out a good stub nib :)

[@bradleyaharris2190]

Thank you for an excellent tutorial on flex nibs and stubs. For myself a flex nib is the most challenging, where as Ihave no problem using the Esterbrook stub. I need rethink possibly adding a flex nib to pen arsenal.

[@smokeylynx3580]

Thanks for the second video for LH writers . Very helpful I've had my best success so far as a LH overwriter with a LAMY AL Star > 1.5mm nib and LAMY Blue and Blue Black ink cartridges. YMMV . Their 1.9 and 1.1mm nibs are also good.

[@annestrasko7581]

Thanks, Lydia!

[@AnzanHoshinRoshi]

Thank you, Lydia.

[@craighawkins5545]

I found the Pilot Pluminix to be a very smooth writing stub nib (also it's small and inexpensive- both positives for me). I love the line variation of stub nib writing; as a side/over writer my horizontal strokes are broad rather than the vertical strokes. It looks a little odd, but I like it. (also: thanks, Lydia!)

[@RickWolfff]

Good to see we're represented! I am an unapologetic over-writer, such that I avoid smudging by resting my hand on the previous line. On the rare occasion I smudge, I use a bridge, just a hunk of wood on two short feet. The reason I learned to over-write was to keep the slant to the cursive (very important to the nuns in grade school). So when I hold a pen, the motion is not so much pushing as it is side-to-side. This makes stub nibs iffy; I'd be scraping from side to side. But I don't think it totally rules out a flex nib! It's just going to behave in a very un-Spencerian way. It might impart some interesting liveliness. I'd want to try it in a store or something, someday. P.S. Know who was an over-writer too? Barack Obama. Take a look at video of him signing bills.

[@notgray88]

That's actually a genius idea! I tend to overwrite and I need to start using a bridge for sure. My ink doesn't smudge, but I always end up with stains left over on my wrist whenever I have to rest it for a moment.

[@x-changex-outx-oner8224]

I'm right handed and I feel left out.😆😆😆😆😆😆 I enjoyed the content...very interesting.

[@CalvinLimuel]

you can try writing in right-to-left scripts, like Hebrew, Arabic, or Etruscan, which is basically our Latin alphabets but flipped.

[@x-changex-outx-oner8224]

Calvin Limuel I always thought it was interesting that the Chinese wrote left to right....their characters are intriguing. Actually any kind of writing is interesting. Just for fun I should test my motor skills using my left hand to write with.

[@CalvinLimuel]

actually, traditionally Chinese wrote top to bottom, and make new lines from right to left. If you see old old old ancient Chinese signs, like on oldish Chinese drama or something, they write it from right to left. For example. the signage for Shaolin Temple would look like [寺林少], read right to left.

[@x-changex-outx-oner8224]

Calvin Limuel Good catch......I only got part of what I typed previously correct. Thanks for adding on the rest of the Chinese writing methods.

[@VeenaiKaarthik]

Wow that's a lot of good suggestions...

[@jonathonedwards6741]

There needs to be more of these.

[@Gouletpens]

There is an Episode 3! (kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4OxpX2urpqMl8U ) Might do more if there's any particular topics you'd like to see covered. - Colin

[@christhesmith]

Great video...keep at it lefties!! Copperplate is your friend!

[@GeorgeENorkus]

Lydia, Thanks for some of your "tips" about left handed writing. I'm starting out and find that some plastic pens have a holding feel that doesn't fit my fingers, When I'm writing my thumb fits directly in on of the flats that have been cut, the index finger fits directly on the edge of the holding flats. When I write, the pen tends to roll over to an bad angle. Concerning the writing it self, through much trial and error, Writing with much less pressure helps allot. All that needs to be done now is to practice, practice, practice! One other thing. Being new to fountain pens, when refilling, the ink gets on my fingers. So far it takes a couple days of really cleaning my stains to remove it. What do you recommend to remove it faster?

[@qwe1231]

Nice video. Suggestion: text overlay noting pen/nib/ink while writing. In this video it's not hard for me to guess which colors are which but for others (and future videos) it would be nice not to have to look up inks that aren't immediately recognized and then and have to guess.

[@Gouletpens]

All of the products are linked in the description, I'll add timestamps now as well! But good feedback for future videos. - Colin

[@AdolphusOfBlood]

as an over writer that has used a 1.5 mm stub nib from time to time I have to say learning to write using felt tip pens with triangular pen bodies that hamper incidental rotation of the pen helped to train me to not rotate the pen by mistake. While also teaching me how to properly hold a pen with three fingers. Then when I was learning drafting I learned to have controlled consistent rotation of my pencil body to drawl consistent lines. So I would say learning to control the stub nib is just an extension of learning how to use a fountain pen to begin with. Perhaps a stub nib should be one of the first types of pens someone should learn to use. as it will teach them how to use the pen properly. Perhaps a Lamy pen with the largest stub they offer would be ideal.

[@laureverville1849]

Well I was a little afraid of stubs but since you said that if an overwriter holds the pen farther to give a better angle it might not be too difficult for me. I have a crazy angle on my pen and my hand actually touches the paper about 7 or 8 lines above the line I am writing (I am not kidding I counted them), which solves most problems of smearing. Then again I don't hold my pen in a perpandicular angle to the paper, so that might be an issue too... I will have to actually try a stub one day, I'm still not writting with anything broader than a medium.

[@Anton_the_Vampire]

Fascinating. Do you have any advice with regard to us lefthanders using oblique nibs? I've seen something called "left-footing" and "right-footing", where the nib is cut on an angle, but honestly it confuses me a bit. Any thoughts? SHOULD lefthanders use nibs cut on our bias, or is that unnecessary?

[@elizabethnceliz9342]

Cute dress! Left handed & SO appreciate. I’d like to try exact same pen u have.... mind linking? I don’t have an issue w overwriting or handwriting. Maybe the nib/pen will make the difference. Thanks for lefty series!!!!!!

[@Gouletpens]

The pens & ink are linked in the description! The 1st with the Duraflex (which is no longer available) but was just a Duragraph with an Omniflex nib. - Colin

[@elizabethnceliz9342]

The Goulet Pen Company Any left-handed pens rec’d, awesome. Will buy from u. Great series!!!

[@Gouletpens]

This blog (blog.gouletpens.com/2017/10/for-lefties-by-lefties-6-fountain-pen-and-ink-pairings-for-left-handed-writers ) has some good option and the next Left Out episode will have some of Lydia's recommendations, so stay tuned for that as well! - Colin

[@elizabethnceliz9342]

The Goulet Pen Company thanks much. Was just getting ready to watch. Apologies .... chronically ill with 1/2 brain. Blessings....

[@Harryfin100]

What type of oblique nib would you recommend for a left handed underwriter? I’ve seen left foot and right foot mentioned?

[@LexKaiNix]

Next episode??? I can’t find it :( I’m an underwriter. I found turning the page and writing from beneath offers the best angle and comfort for my hand (which has difficulty holding a regular pen anyway). Having been forced to write with a fountain pen during secondary school, I’ve had some practice... and have been terrified of fountain pens - but I love liquid ink pens as they write soooo smoothly on the page! So... I just bought my first fountain pen lol Can’t wait to get my ink and get started!

[@Gouletpens]

Should be coming in the next couple of weeks! - Colin

[@kjvonly2451]

Thank you. I love the flex pen you have. I looked them up and they were around $70-$80. Is that correct? Finally someone who writes like me! 😀

[@Gouletpens]

The Omniflex nib shown here is available on our Conklin pens, the most affordable option would be the Conklin Duragraph: www.gouletpens.com/collections/conklin-duragraph-fountain-pens for around $50. There are other options available from Noodler's in the $25 range though: www.gouletpens.com/collections/noodlers - Colin

[@finalbossd]

Fellow lefties, do you get good results with Pilot’s stub nibs from their Plumix or metropolitan? What about in Twsbi’s pens?

[@Gouletpens]

I have recently gotten into stubs. Not a huge fan of the pilot stub cause they feel a bit scratchy to me but the TWSBI Vac700 stub is perfect for me as an underwriter. -Lydia

[@mariapaulavasquezsepulveda2123]

I'm afraid of buying a 1.1 stub nib and hate the experience... I am an over writer... But still I Want to enjoy line variation.

[@bakkencutter189]

No stubs for me

[@tonycrayford3893]

I've just taken to using all uppercase if someone else has to read my script as my cursive is indecipherable to most people. I've been told it looks like the illegitimate love child of Arabic and English.

[@Funkamedic77]

im a sidewriting fountain pen using lefty ;-;