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Namiki Falcon



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 24th 07, 12:49 AM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
Moira Perkins
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Posts: 68
Default Namiki Falcon

Hi acpp,

I finally got my hands on a Namiki Falcon today. UK suppliers seemed
extortionate; I got mine from the US at a very decent price.

It's a beauty: classical black and gold, and not much bigger than a
Pelly 400. I didn't even give it the traditional de-greasing flush, just
stuck the cartridge in, and it wrote. Properly. No skippng, wet and smooth.
Wow! If only a few other brands worked straight out of the box.

It has the B nib, and (just as everyone said) it was more like a
European medium. It reminded me of my sweetly run-in Phileas M, as much as
anything.

I could feel that there was a lot of "give" in the nib, and if I
pressed, I could see it splaying. Since it wrote so easily though, I just
let it glide over the paper with zero pressure.

So much for the vaunted "flex". Am I missing the point? Are you expected
to make these nibs flex all the time?

--
Moira (probably a Phileastine about fancier pens)










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  #2  
Old March 24th 07, 08:41 AM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
Bluesea
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Posts: 111
Default Namiki Falcon


"Moira Perkins" wrote in message
...
Hi acpp,

I finally got my hands on a Namiki Falcon today. UK suppliers seemed
extortionate; I got mine from the US at a very decent price.


Good for you.

It's a beauty: classical black and gold, and not much bigger than a
Pelly 400. I didn't even give it the traditional de-greasing flush, just
stuck the cartridge in, and it wrote. Properly. No skippng, wet and
smooth. Wow! If only a few other brands worked straight out of the box.


Yup. I've never had a problem with my Falcons or Ecrinos or ATXs, or
Phileases or Cores or Pel Future or...

It has the B nib, and (just as everyone said) it was more like a
European medium. It reminded me of my sweetly run-in Phileas M, as much as
anything.

I could feel that there was a lot of "give" in the nib, and if I
pressed, I could see it splaying. Since it wrote so easily though, I just
let it glide over the paper with zero pressure.


Good.

So much for the vaunted "flex". Am I missing the point? Are you
expected to make these nibs flex all the time?


If you want. It's your pen, your choice, but generally, no. The only
pressure you're supposed to apply to a fountain pen on paper is only the
weight of the pen itself.

Since my Fines show more line variation than my Mediums, I expect your Bold
to display even less than my Mediums. Therefore, if you want the line
variation without the effort, I suggest getting a Fine. Please note,
however, that my Fines don't glide like my Mediums. The Fines emit a
"scritch-scritch" sound that's pleasant to my ears and deeply satisfying to
my soul.

HTH.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.


  #3  
Old March 24th 07, 01:45 PM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
BL
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Posts: 190
Default Namiki Falcon


Moira Perkins wrote:

So much for the vaunted "flex". Am I missing the
point? Are you expected to make these nibs flex all
the time?


Hi Moira -- First, modern pens, including the Falcon, can't come close
to the flexiness of the flexier pens of yore. There is simply no
comparison. Second, the line-width variation you see with really
beautiful Spencerian and Copperplate styles of writing require the
writer to hold the pen a certain way and vary pressure on the pen tip
at precise points during formation of letters. It takes lots of
practice. Most people who write with really flexible nibs prefer extra
fine and fine points which enables them to create lines that vary from
extra fine or fine and triple broad by varying the amount of pressure
they exert to the point. If you want line-width variation (with no
shading though) without having to vary the pressure you apply to the
point, try an italic nib. Here's another page on John's site. Scroll
down to Ed Weyman's name and click on the pic of the bird to the right
of the paragraph about him.

http://www.nibs.com/contributions%20...%20writers.htm

The other stuff on that page is way kewl too.

-- B



  #4  
Old March 24th 07, 01:51 PM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
BL
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Posts: 190
Default Namiki Falcon//More info for Moira

Hello Moira,

Here are two more pages you might find interesting.


http://www.nibs.com/writing_samples.htm

http://www.nibs.com/calligraphicwriting.htm

Have fun... B


  #5  
Old March 24th 07, 05:23 PM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
Barutan Seijin
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Posts: 51
Default Namiki Falcon

Am 24 Mar 2007, BL schrieb:

Moira Perkins wrote:

So much for the vaunted "flex". Am I missing the
point? Are you expected to make these nibs flex all
the time?


Hi Moira -- First, modern pens, including the Falcon, can't come close
to the flexiness of the flexier pens of yore. There is simply no
comparison. Second, the line-width variation you see with really
beautiful Spencerian and Copperplate styles of writing require the
writer to hold the pen a certain way and vary pressure on the pen tip
at precise points during formation of letters. It takes lots of
practice.


It's not that hard. One only applies pressure on the downstrokes.
That's the only way it would work anyway, so in effect, one does what
comes naturally. To an FP user, that is. I've had a flex nibbed pen
ruined by someone who borrowed it without asking.




--

  #6  
Old March 24th 07, 05:35 PM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
BL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 190
Default Namiki Falcon

Barutan Seijin wrote:

It's not that hard. One only applies pressure on
the downstrokes. That's the only way it would work
anyway, so in effect, one does what comes
naturally. To an FP user, that is.


Are you saying Spencerian and Copperplate aren't that hard to learn?
If so, I'll have to disagree with you. Anyone with a light touch can
write with a flexible- nibbed fountain pen. However, being able to
write with a flexible-nibbed fountain pen and actually producing
beautiful writing with one are two entirely different things. Anna
Lawson wrote a nice explanation of this on her web site, but I can't
remember the URL.

I've had a flex nibbed pen ruined by someone who
borrowed it without asking.


For sure.

-- B


  #7  
Old March 24th 07, 05:43 PM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
BL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 190
Default Namiki Falcon//More on flex

Here is a link to Anna's excellent article. Anyone interested in what
flex nibs can and can't do for your writing should read this:

http://www.paperpenalia.com/flex2.html

(Read her Joy of Flex 1 too --- you can navigate to other articles on
her page using the link above).

-- B


  #8  
Old March 24th 07, 10:51 PM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
Moira Perkins
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Posts: 68
Default Namiki Falcon

"Bluesea" wrote in message
...

"Moira Perkins" wrote in message
...
Hi acpp,

I finally got my hands on a Namiki Falcon today...

snip
Are you expected to make these nibs flex all the time?


If you want. It's your pen, your choice, but generally, no. The only
pressure you're supposed to apply to a fountain pen on paper is only the
weight of the pen itself.

Since my Fines show more line variation than my Mediums, I expect your
Bold to display even less than my Mediums. Therefore, if you want the line
variation without the effort, I suggest getting a Fine. Please note,
however, that my Fines don't glide like my Mediums. The Fines emit a
"scritch-scritch" sound that's pleasant to my ears and deeply satisfying
to my soul.

Hi Bluesea,

My F Rotring makes a faint noise that I like, though it's as hard as a
nail - the sound effects are part of the personality of the pen.

I might get a Fine Falcon just to try it (if temptation wins), but this B
seems to suit me remarkably well, after only a day. Pens usually "get
better" (which really means I get used to them) over a week or two - it'll
be fun to see how this one develops.

--
Moira


  #9  
Old March 25th 07, 07:22 AM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
Bluesea
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 111
Default Namiki Falcon


"Moira Perkins" wrote in message
...
"Bluesea" wrote in message
...

"Moira Perkins" wrote in message
...
Hi acpp,

I finally got my hands on a Namiki Falcon today...

snip
Are you expected to make these nibs flex all the time?


If you want. It's your pen, your choice, but generally, no. The only
pressure you're supposed to apply to a fountain pen on paper is only the
weight of the pen itself.

Since my Fines show more line variation than my Mediums, I expect your
Bold to display even less than my Mediums. Therefore, if you want the
line variation without the effort, I suggest getting a Fine. Please note,
however, that my Fines don't glide like my Mediums. The Fines emit a
"scritch-scritch" sound that's pleasant to my ears and deeply satisfying
to my soul.

Hi Bluesea,

My F Rotring makes a faint noise that I like, though it's as hard as a
nail - the sound effects are part of the personality of the pen.

I might get a Fine Falcon just to try it (if temptation wins), but this B
seems to suit me remarkably well, after only a day. Pens usually "get
better" (which really means I get used to them) over a week or two - it'll
be fun to see how this one develops.


Enjoy!

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.


  #10  
Old March 26th 07, 01:30 AM posted to alt.collecting.pens-pencils
Barutan Seijin
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 51
Default Namiki Falcon

Am 24 Mar 2007, BL schrieb:

Barutan Seijin wrote:

It's not that hard. One only applies pressure on
the downstrokes. That's the only way it would work
anyway, so in effect, one does what comes
naturally. To an FP user, that is.


Are you saying Spencerian and Copperplate aren't that hard to learn?


They weren't for me.

I will agree that it's harder & more time consuming to write in such a
hand.


--

 




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