I was browsing Matt Armstrong's fountain pen website, penhabit.com, and found an interesting article on flex nibs. The article titled Why Can't Modern Manufacturers Recreate Vintage Flex? can be found here. You can also visit Matt Armstrong's fountain pen related YouTube channel (also called pen habit) here. If you are interested in some of his music, you can find it here on his second YouTube channel.
Mr. Armstrong brings up a lot of good points as to why fountain pen nibs are not as flexible as they once were. Each point probably contributes to the entire factor as a whole that nibs just don't flex like they used to.
This post is meant to take a step back and look at something a little more fundamental: why do we want flexible nibs?
This may seem a bit rudimentary, but let's break it down for those who have never considered trying flexible nibs.
The main advantage to flex nibs is that you can get more line variation in your writing. This is perfect for those into calligraphy or who just want to spice up your hand writing. A flex nib will allow you to spread the tines of the nib further than a more common non flex nib without causing damage to the nib. Since the nibs are built for this, they can also sustain longer writing sessions of more calligraphy without drying out, running out, or railroading as often as their stiffer counter parts.
Modern flex nibs no longer flex like they used to. They aren't made with the same materials or processes. This produces pens with stiffer nibs that do not allow for as much line variation as before. Some are okay with this change, yet others long for the past of flexible flex nibs. Comment below where you stand and why you prefer what you prefer.
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