I have GOT to get one of these to test out as well! I will also be the first in line (or perhaps second behind Marc) to purchase one once I'm convinced they will indeed work well. From a worn down old flex nib tester/artist like myself,..I'm still not convinced as I have been disappointed more times than I care to count.
Goodness, that's getting into ruling or folded pen territory. It certainly makes for an expressive drawing but for calligraphy it runs into the usual problem - almost everybody who is interested in extreme line variation prefers an oblique pen holder. Anyway, it's an impressive technical achievement, has considerable potential for artists, and is a big step up from fitting a Gillott 303 into a Nib Creaper. Thanks for the video; very eye-opening.
Thanks for the calligrapher’s perspective! I don’t think calligraphers really need this degree of flex, other than to create very strange novelty lettering, but for artists this is absolutely great.
@@mkompan It's only American Ornamental Penmanship, really. My shamefully neglected friend Schin's channel, OpenInkStand has some good demonstrations, and a few reviews of exotic hotrodded fountain pens - nothing as extreme as this one though.
@@danieleatzeni1273I agree! And Auritro has made strides in improving this nib. I plan on reviewing his latest version when I get back to making videos in the fall.
I would call it a brush pen nib instead of a flex nib. A brush pen is difficult to master, especially fine lines, so this nib has potential. Thanks for a very interesting review, I enjoyed it.
This nib literally behaves like a brush pen, very interesting. I myself bought some Jinhao nibs to experiment with, the nib gave me some ideas. I really enjoyed this, thank you very much...
That is quite the innovation. I feel quite mild in my own nib grinding experiments now. Made a reverse writing stub that makes 4 line thicknesses by preserving tipping material to make a parallel trapezoid tip. It has the downside though that reverse horizontal strokes can cut the paper if not careful it is so sharp.
Interesting! I’ve heard from quite a few people that do their own home grinds using very simple tools. It’s super inspiring and I would love to get into it, once my time opens up.
@@mkompan honestly it's best done a little at a time. I jumped straight in starting with a stub nib from a fine. Now Im at about half dozen modified and one total failure, went to fast on a second stub and ruined the nib. Architect, stub, some hybrids of standard and fine stubs. I tend to keep the reverse standard and normal a variation of fine stub. I still have a lot to learn though.
Wow! That’s some flex with precision! Great video Marc, thank you 👍😎. Nib looks pretty rough as it is, but refinements will come I would think. Very impressive results. As always, solid, informative video ~ even for us non artists who can’t draw a straight line😉…
Hi Marc. Jim from Madrid, Spain (a fellow artist and a New Yorker expat living abroad). WOW! Now that's a flex nib. It almost behaves like a fude brush pen but using a Fountain Pen, which is easier to control! Very interesting! Though I'm sure the learning curve to fully control it's capabilities is big, but I can see the potential in the Art world. Great video and thank you for introducing Auritro Katie to us all... I'll check his work for sure. Cheers from Sunny Spain! 😁👍😎✌
The great thing with this nib is that it’s actually easy to control, not like some of the very fragile calligraphy nibs out there. I love Madrid in the wintertime! Saludos desde Los Angeles.
I've been following Flexperiments for a while and it was great to see a 3rd party review. You can add glycerine to fountain pen ink to reduce railroading!
Hi Marc! Thank you for the video. I suppose we use diffetent nibs for different purposes I wonder what would be your favourite dip nib and what fountain pen nib would be closest to it. Iam trying to develop what i would call "calligraphy" drawing style, when you achieve your esthetic goal by line variation only. In that area i find Principal dip almost ideal. I like its delicacy and sensuality, although its also capricious and fragile. Your video about making nibs is superb and would be sn excellent practical guide when i find time for that. The list of literature was also very valuable. May i add to it a book by James Watrous "The craft of the Old masters"= You probsbly know this work. Thank you again
You’re very welcome! My favorite dip nib is probably the Tachikawa 699 ef, which has a very fine line and medium flexibility. Dip nibs are really their own creatures and behave differently than fountain pens, but I would say some of my vintage gold flex nibs are the closest to it. In a modern pen, the Pilot 743 FA is somewhat similar.
I have an antique wet noodle Conklin that starts at quite fine and I think reaches 5 mm, but the snap back is not like this. It has a very smooth feel that feels like a brush. How does this nib feel on paper? Scratchy at all? I hope one day I can try one, after the extreme wetness gets worked out. Correction: Nope, the Conklin does not reach 5 mm. Only 2.5, and again, the snap back is not like this, even at that.
This nib is surpisingly smooth, given the fineness and fragility of the tines. Auritro started custom grinding by making needlepoints and clearly has experience with polishing.
Really interesting video. Definitely one for the obsessive pen person. The responsiveness and feed reliability are impressive. In practical terms wouldn't roughlly the same sort of results be achieved by using a refillable pocket brush pen though ? Many thanks.
Thank you! While a brush pen can approximate some of this, this pen actually gives you more control over certain lines, and really the line quality has a character of its own. Of course a regular pen combined with a brush pen might be a more practical alternative, though I love that this pen can make so many different kinds of lines.
I don’t have a video on this, but the pens from Fountain Pen Revolution with either a #5 or #6 ultraflex nib are a great deal, many hovering around 50 bucks.
I've been craving a physical fountain pen nib this flexy for literal decades. Working with a brush is fine, but this is an entirely new level. Amazing to see something physical that could lay down real lines approaching the kind of extreme settings I've only been able to use with digital art.
The pen or the nib? The pen is made by Opus 88, and is called the Jazz. As for the nib, contact Auritro through Instagram (cactusnibexperiments) and ask if he has nibs to sell.
Auritro can turn just anout any nib into his arrowflex, so you can choose a cheaper pen. As for his prices, they're sure to go up as he get more popular, so I wouldn't wait too long. :)
OH MY GOSH THIS IS AMAZING! I really really hope we can buy these some day. I know its just the nib but a pen like this with so much flex is like a Holy Grail pen to me haha. Of course it looks all janky/cruddy like something made in prison. lol 😅
Thank you for the review, I am really glad you enjoyed it! Future nibs will definitely be a lot less wet while still not railroading!
I have GOT to get one of these to test out as well! I will also be the first in line (or perhaps second behind Marc) to purchase one once I'm convinced they will indeed work well. From a worn down old flex nib tester/artist like myself,..I'm still not convinced as I have been disappointed more times than I care to count.
@@ToddDolce I would contact Auritro through his Instagram account, @cactusnibexperiments.
Omg, the fountain pen crossover of the year! I guess this shows that if you build it, the artists will come. Awesome video!
Thank you, though in this case, this nib came to me. :)
Very interesting and useful.
Thank you.
My pleasure!
Wow! That is practically a brush pen with I suppose more feedback. Amazing.
Something between a brush and a pen, very fun to use!
Goodness, that's getting into ruling or folded pen territory. It certainly makes for an expressive drawing but for calligraphy it runs into the usual problem - almost everybody who is interested in extreme line variation prefers an oblique pen holder. Anyway, it's an impressive technical achievement, has considerable potential for artists, and is a big step up from fitting a Gillott 303 into a Nib Creaper. Thanks for the video; very eye-opening.
Thanks for the calligrapher’s perspective! I don’t think calligraphers really need this degree of flex, other than to create very strange novelty lettering, but for artists this is absolutely great.
@@mkompan It's only American Ornamental Penmanship, really. My shamefully neglected friend Schin's channel, OpenInkStand has some good demonstrations, and a few reviews of exotic hotrodded fountain pens - nothing as extreme as this one though.
this pen seems the holy grail for comics artist - like a brush, but with the tactile feedback of a nib!
@@danieleatzeni1273I agree! And Auritro has made strides in improving this nib. I plan on reviewing his latest version when I get back to making videos in the fall.
Wow! That's quite the variation.
I would call it a brush pen nib instead of a flex nib. A brush pen is difficult to master, especially fine lines, so this nib has potential. Thanks for a very interesting review, I enjoyed it.
That would be a good name for it, since it really belongs in a category of its own.
Very exciting innovation! Great potential as an artist tool.
It is! For the right artist this will be a revelation.
This nib literally behaves like a brush pen, very interesting. I myself bought some Jinhao nibs to experiment with, the nib gave me some ideas. I really enjoyed this, thank you very much...
Like a brush, but with more control over fine hatching! I'm sure this video will inspire a lot of people to do some custom flex grinds.
That is quite the innovation.
I feel quite mild in my own nib grinding experiments now.
Made a reverse writing stub that makes 4 line thicknesses by preserving tipping material to make a parallel trapezoid tip.
It has the downside though that reverse horizontal strokes can cut the paper if not careful it is so sharp.
Interesting! I’ve heard from quite a few people that do their own home grinds using very simple tools. It’s super inspiring and I would love to get into it, once my time opens up.
@@mkompan honestly it's best done a little at a time. I jumped straight in starting with a stub nib from a fine. Now Im at about half dozen modified and one total failure, went to fast on a second stub and ruined the nib.
Architect, stub, some hybrids of standard and fine stubs. I tend to keep the reverse standard and normal a variation of fine stub. I still have a lot to learn though.
Another excellent video! What a cool nib! Thank you for demonstrating it. Have to keep my eye on this one. 😊
Thanks, and yes, Auritro is one to watch!
Wow! That’s some flex with precision! Great video Marc, thank you 👍😎. Nib looks pretty rough as it is, but refinements will come I would think. Very impressive results. As always, solid, informative video ~ even for us non artists who can’t draw a straight line😉…
It was very fun to work with! Auritro is always innovating, and has made considerable improvements since this video.
Yooooooo, the legendary lord cactus!
Hi Marc. Jim from Madrid, Spain (a fellow artist and a New Yorker expat living abroad).
WOW! Now that's a flex nib. It almost behaves like a fude brush pen but using a Fountain Pen, which is easier to control!
Very interesting! Though I'm sure the learning curve to fully control it's capabilities is big, but I can see the potential in the Art world. Great video and thank you for introducing Auritro Katie to us all... I'll check his work for sure.
Cheers from Sunny Spain!
😁👍😎✌
The great thing with this nib is that it’s actually easy to control, not like some of the very fragile calligraphy nibs out there. I love Madrid in the wintertime! Saludos desde Los Angeles.
sounds so exciting!
It was super fun to play with!
I've been following Flexperiments for a while and it was great to see a 3rd party review.
You can add glycerine to fountain pen ink to reduce railroading!
Good point, though that will slow down the drying time, which given the wetness of the lines, is already considerable.
Hi Marc!
Thank you for the video. I suppose we use diffetent nibs for different purposes
I wonder what would be your favourite dip nib and what fountain pen nib would be closest to it.
Iam trying to develop what i would call "calligraphy" drawing style, when you achieve your esthetic goal by line variation only. In that area i find Principal dip almost ideal. I like its delicacy and sensuality, although its also capricious and fragile.
Your video about making nibs is superb and would be sn excellent practical guide when i find time for that. The list of literature was also very valuable. May i add to it a book by James Watrous "The craft of the Old masters"=
You probsbly know this work. Thank you again
You’re very welcome! My favorite dip nib is probably the Tachikawa 699 ef, which has a very fine line and medium flexibility. Dip nibs are really their own creatures and behave differently than fountain pens, but I would say some of my vintage gold flex nibs are the closest to it. In a modern pen, the Pilot 743 FA is somewhat similar.
Thank you . Useful and interesting:))
My pleasure!
I have an antique wet noodle Conklin that starts at quite fine and I think reaches 5 mm, but the snap back is not like this. It has a very smooth feel that feels like a brush. How does this nib feel on paper? Scratchy at all? I hope one day I can try one, after the extreme wetness gets worked out. Correction: Nope, the Conklin does not reach 5 mm. Only 2.5, and again, the snap back is not like this, even at that.
This nib is surpisingly smooth, given the fineness and fragility of the tines. Auritro started custom grinding by making needlepoints and clearly has experience with polishing.
Really interesting video. Definitely one for the obsessive pen person. The responsiveness and feed reliability are impressive. In practical terms wouldn't roughlly the same sort of results be achieved by using a refillable pocket brush pen though ? Many thanks.
At first I thought it WAS aa brush pen.
Thank you! While a brush pen can approximate some of this, this pen actually gives you more control over certain lines, and really the line quality has a character of its own. Of course a regular pen combined with a brush pen might be a more practical alternative, though I love that this pen can make so many different kinds of lines.
Hi Marc, love your videos! Can you please rate the fnaf games???
Haha, not into video games, but perhaps my kid can make a review for me.
Marc, do you have a video on pens with flex over 5 on your scale that are budget friendly? 50$ or under
I don’t have a video on this, but the pens from Fountain Pen Revolution with either a #5 or #6 ultraflex nib are a great deal, many hovering around 50 bucks.
I've been craving a physical fountain pen nib this flexy for literal decades. Working with a brush is fine, but this is an entirely new level. Amazing to see something physical that could lay down real lines approaching the kind of extreme settings I've only been able to use with digital art.
Contact Auritro and get yourself one!
where can we buy this pen ?
The pen or the nib? The pen is made by Opus 88, and is called the Jazz. As for the nib, contact Auritro through Instagram (cactusnibexperiments) and ask if he has nibs to sell.
thx
hi, where can you buy this nib?. Compliment for your video. ciao
Thank you. You can contact Auritro through instagram at
instagram.com/cactusnibexperiments
Here's my question have you been able to try out the magna Carta 600?
Sorry, no. It looks very impressive and I’ll have to try it at some point.
@mkompan That would be awesome! For me, I'm too broke to get one XD. So I love watching videos on it. 😊
This pen is very expensive and you have to order nibs handmade. 😊
The pen is indeed expensive, but Auritro can turn just about any nib into an arrow flex, even a very inexpensive Jin-hao.
Auritro can turn just anout any nib into his arrowflex, so you can choose a cheaper pen. As for his prices, they're sure to go up as he get more popular, so I wouldn't wait too long. :)
Weird flex, but okay.
It’s really its own unique thing.
OH MY GOSH THIS IS AMAZING! I really really hope we can buy these some day. I know its just the nib but a pen like this with so much flex is like a Holy Grail pen to me haha. Of course it looks all janky/cruddy like something made in prison. lol 😅
Contact Auritro and see if he’ll sell you, just don’t mention that you think it’s “janky.” 😀