Thanks for the comparison, very helpful. The Namiki Falcon is a must-own pen for the FP enthusiast. The more you look at the details of the pen, like the subtly sculpted clip, and the more you learn to use the flexible nib, the more it grows on you. Completely worth the price point. A good size in a man's shirt pocket. And the flex is controllable, so you can bring it to the office to use. I prefer the black GT trim of the Namiki. I am not a fan of fine nibs, but for expressive writing, that may be the best choice, as you have shown here. Mine is a medium, which is a good compromise for my tastes. Robb
Thanks Brian for doing this comparison. It really helped me out! Great way to see the differences between the pens. I can't wait to get one in my hands!
Great demo Brian. Thanks for really showing what this pen can do. Really loving the EF nib. I also agree that the Pilot/Namiki nibs are pretty comparably sized compared to Platinum and Sailor (what limited experience I have with all three). As for the Metropolitan and 78G (which use the same nib, just colored differently, with the 78G being gold colored), my Metropolitans and 78G-Medium are definitely "Japanese" mediums, in that they are a little finer than, say, a Lamy medium. That said, depending on what ink they are running, they can write a little broader, closer to a German medium. Something like Baystate Blue, which to me is a very "wet" ink, or the Iroshizuku inks, which also tend to flow pretty enthusiastically, will definitely come across a little broader than something like Noodler's X-Feather. Keep up the great videos!
Thanks for sharing your experience here! Yeah, I enjoy doing videos like these. I always say to myself that I should do more 'comparison' videos, but for whatever reason I just don't end up doing them. That'll change, especially if everyone really responds well to them and wants more.
Just got one of these in soft extra fine. Not sure if I'm just a noob or have too hard of a hand but the nib seems super scratchy to me, even with no pressure. Using good Rhodia paper too. Disappointed because this pen seems to have such good reviews. Would it be worthwhile to send it back to Pilot for adjustment?
Thanks! Yeah, the SEF would probably be a bit toothy for daily note taking, but boy is it fun to play with. The SF is pretty awesome, and gives you the most versatility, I feel.
The Goulet Pen Company +The Goulet Pen Company Hi Brian, I was actually looking at the new Pilot Rhodium Trim SEF for a daily pen as well, how toothy are we talking? How much more reliable would the Fine be as a daily work horse? Thanks in advance, love your videos btw!
+Sam Wak It's going to be similar to the SF, just slightly thinner when unflexed. These are soft nibs, not flex nibs, so they're not going to give you everything you want in life...they have their limits. The SEF does show a little more variation, but there's a pretty real tradeoff in nib smoothness going from SF to SEF. -Brian Goulet
A couple of years ago I was able to locate the resin Falcon You described in the video. The nib is marked . I have not found any explanation to this which I am inclined to believe it stands for Soft Extra Fine. Can you please confirm/comment. Thanks Brian. Carlo
i do have a question. i see vids - lots - that agree with your vid. i was ready to pull the trigger on this one until i saw the vid with Brian (i think) who says this is not a good flex pen at all and that the ink flow is horrible and scratchy (on the soft fine). first - is that true. second - if it is true - what other flexible pens would you suggest? i do want a fine pen with a lot of flex. thanks!
I am a big fan of fine writing and currently researching on flex pen to buy. Currently choosing between fine and extra fine nib of pilot namiki falcon. Besides, I am choosing it just for everyday use. I am very concerned with scratching issue; worried that it will not allow me to write in my usual manner (fast and smooth). I can hear the scratchy sound very well in your video :( How do you think, is extra-fine namiki falcon is a good choice for those who just want it for everyday writing?
Comparing the con-50 falcon t the con-70 falcon; which would be more ideal for illustrating and urban sketching? Considering the weight, capacity and hand/arm fatigue. I wear a men's, large glove. Any comments would be helpful in making the decision. Thanks!
Would it be accurate to say that, when it comes to line width, falcon soft fine nib is comparable to pilot metropolitan medium nib? I love my metropolitan medium nib pens. I am ready to move to equivalent version of falcon pen. What nib type would you recommend? Great reviews on your channel btw :)
I would say the soft-EF nib is a bit closer to the Metro medium nib. The flex on the Falcon nib lends itself to a much broader stroke. You can compare for yourself on our Nib Nook tool: www.gouletpens.com/nib-comparison-tool - Colin
I always use ESS registrars ink, which is a waterproof iron gall ink. If you're in the US you might want to look at Noodlers ink, some of which are waterproof. I did found Noodlers x-feather tot be quite wet though. It makes the extra fine line somewhat thicker.
I have never used a flex but am always light with fountain pens. Do you think I can buy this safely and not spring the nib. Also will using some specific ink like the free flowing edelstein fix the railroading. Please reply
I wouldn't use this as your first flex experience. Check out Noodler's (www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-writing-instruments/c/130 ) for a great beginner's flex pen options under $25. Takes a lot to spring those tines. Certain inks like the lubricated Monteverde inks help with flow issues! - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company The point is I get one shot at buying a flex nib as I get rewarded my parents for getting high marks in exams. I don’t think they would agree with getting two fountain pens :(
The EF nib, not so much. I have a heavier hand than most, and I think it's too scratchy for every day use, personally. The fine is better and still have good variation. The medium is most pleasant, but has less variation. -Brian Goulet
You know back in like 2nd grade, we didn't have to write in cursive, we could write like each spelling word three times or write one sentence in cursive. I never liked it untill, i thought, "fountain pens are sopossed to be inncursive."(i had fountain pens already)
It's tough to know for sure, but usually if the tines aren't springing back to form, it's a bad sign. You can hold it up to the light & see if the ink channel is wider than before. That's usually a sign that you're over-flexing. In general, I'd go pretty light/easy with the Falcon as it's more of a soft nib than a flex nib. It's also $100+. Something like a Noodler's pen is a great option to try out as it has replacement nibs under $5 if you do over-flex. - Colin
I have bought this pen recently impressed by its advertised line variation. quality. It has disappointed me for it has no line variation at all. It just writes plain. You have to press it hard to extract very little line variation. So sad.
I got the soft extra fine point falcon on yesterday and I'm loving it and mine is in black and gold
What a beautiful pen! - Drew
Thanks for the review. it is nice to see how they compare..
Can't wait to get one!
Thanks for the comparison, very helpful. The Namiki Falcon is a must-own pen for the FP enthusiast. The more you look at the details of the pen, like the subtly sculpted clip, and the more you learn to use the flexible nib, the more it grows on you. Completely worth the price point. A good size in a man's shirt pocket. And the flex is controllable, so you can bring it to the office to use. I prefer the black GT trim of the Namiki. I am not a fan of fine nibs, but for expressive writing, that may be the best choice, as you have shown here. Mine is a medium, which is a good compromise for my tastes. Robb
Thanks, Robb. I agree, this pen really is great for what it is. Very classically styled, yet with some modern flair. It's a sweet pen. -Brian Goulet
Looking forward to a video of a fountain pen with an EEEF nib...
Haha, if I had one!
Brian thanks for you helpful videos I learned so much about the Falcon extra fine I am going to get one
I got an Elabo (metal Falcon) in with an SEF nib at a pen show. It's a really nice pen.
Wish they kept the extra 2mm in length that the metal falcon has. Thanks for the video! Nice work, as always!
Thanks Brian for doing this comparison. It really helped me out! Great way to see the differences between the pens. I can't wait to get one in my hands!
Hey, you're very welcome! It was an absolute pleasure preparing and shooting this video ;)
Pilot Falcon EF or SF,,,,,which one would you recommend?
Great demo Brian. Thanks for really showing what this pen can do. Really loving the EF nib. I also agree that the Pilot/Namiki nibs are pretty comparably sized compared to Platinum and Sailor (what limited experience I have with all three). As for the Metropolitan and 78G (which use the same nib, just colored differently, with the 78G being gold colored), my Metropolitans and 78G-Medium are definitely "Japanese" mediums, in that they are a little finer than, say, a Lamy medium. That said, depending on what ink they are running, they can write a little broader, closer to a German medium. Something like Baystate Blue, which to me is a very "wet" ink, or the Iroshizuku inks, which also tend to flow pretty enthusiastically, will definitely come across a little broader than something like Noodler's X-Feather. Keep up the great videos!
Thanks for sharing your experience here! Yeah, I enjoy doing videos like these. I always say to myself that I should do more 'comparison' videos, but for whatever reason I just don't end up doing them. That'll change, especially if everyone really responds well to them and wants more.
Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for!
***** Great! So glad you like it :) -Brian Goulet
wow u got pretty big hands there, great review btw
Recently bought one, metal version....
SUPERB WRITING INSTRUMENT, NOT SIMPLY A FOUNTAIN PEN!!
The soft nib is a joy to write with, totally agree! - Colin
Just got one of these in soft extra fine. Not sure if I'm just a noob or have too hard of a hand but the nib seems super scratchy to me, even with no pressure. Using good Rhodia paper too. Disappointed because this pen seems to have such good reviews. Would it be worthwhile to send it back to Pilot for adjustment?
its scratchy for me too I wonder why, because it seems smooth in the video...?
Wow, thanks a bunch for the comparion. I think I'll go for the soft-fine for daily note-taking. You rock GouletPens! Have a great new year! XD
Thanks! Yeah, the SEF would probably be a bit toothy for daily note taking, but boy is it fun to play with. The SF is pretty awesome, and gives you the most versatility, I feel.
The Goulet Pen Company +The Goulet Pen Company Hi Brian, I was actually looking at the new Pilot Rhodium Trim SEF for a daily pen as well, how toothy are we talking? How much more reliable would the Fine be as a daily work horse? Thanks in advance, love your videos btw!
Hi Brian, I have the SF nib but found the tip to have minimal line variation unless you flex it considerably. Does the SEF take less pressure to flex?
+Sam Wak It's going to be similar to the SF, just slightly thinner when unflexed. These are soft nibs, not flex nibs, so they're not going to give you everything you want in life...they have their limits. The SEF does show a little more variation, but there's a pretty real tradeoff in nib smoothness going from SF to SEF. -Brian Goulet
A couple of years ago I was able to locate the resin Falcon You described in the video. The nib is marked .
I have not found any explanation to this which I am inclined to believe it stands for Soft Extra Fine. Can you please confirm/comment.
Thanks Brian.
Carlo
i do have a question. i see vids - lots - that agree with your vid. i was ready to pull the trigger on this one until i saw the vid with Brian (i think) who says this is not a good flex pen at all and that the ink flow is horrible and scratchy (on the soft fine). first - is that true. second - if it is true - what other flexible pens would you suggest? i do want a fine pen with a lot of flex. thanks!
I am a big fan of fine writing and currently researching on flex pen to buy.
Currently choosing between fine and extra fine nib of pilot namiki falcon.
Besides, I am choosing it just for everyday use.
I am very concerned with scratching issue; worried that it will not allow me to write in my usual manner (fast and smooth). I can hear the scratchy sound very well in your video :(
How do you think, is extra-fine namiki falcon is a good choice for those who just want it for everyday writing?
Comparing the con-50 falcon t the con-70 falcon; which would be more ideal for illustrating and urban sketching? Considering the weight, capacity and hand/arm fatigue. I wear a men's, large glove. Any comments would be helpful in making the decision. Thanks!
Are the nib units for the resin and metal versions the same? If I got the extra fine resin, could I put it's nib unit in my metal falcon?
Would it be accurate to say that, when it comes to line width, falcon soft fine nib is comparable to pilot metropolitan medium nib?
I love my metropolitan medium nib pens. I am ready to move to equivalent version of falcon pen. What nib type would you recommend?
Great reviews on your channel btw :)
I would say the soft-EF nib is a bit closer to the Metro medium nib. The flex on the Falcon nib lends itself to a much broader stroke. You can compare for yourself on our Nib Nook tool: www.gouletpens.com/nib-comparison-tool - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company thanks for the response :)
Hello Brian. By the way, could you please tell me which size of nibe Falcon use?
In this video? it's the soft extra-fine nib. - Colin
no..I mean... like this. Bock #5 or Jowo #6.
I think it's a Mambo #5 nib, but in all seriousness, I think it's a proprietary size. the nib isn't swappable as far as I know
Thanks, kind dude. =)
Which ink do you recommend for the Falcon soft Extra Fine, which is waterproof and maybe dries quite fast? I use it more for drawing than writing.
I always use ESS registrars ink, which is a waterproof iron gall ink. If you're in the US you might want to look at Noodlers ink, some of which are waterproof. I did found Noodlers x-feather tot be quite wet though. It makes the extra fine line somewhat thicker.
I have never used a flex but am always light with fountain pens. Do you think I can buy this safely and not spring the nib. Also will using some specific ink like the free flowing edelstein fix the railroading. Please reply
I wouldn't use this as your first flex experience. Check out Noodler's (www.gouletpens.com/noodlers-writing-instruments/c/130 ) for a great beginner's flex pen options under $25. Takes a lot to spring those tines. Certain inks like the lubricated Monteverde inks help with flow issues! - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company The point is I get one shot at buying a flex nib as I get rewarded my parents for getting high marks in exams. I don’t think they would agree with getting two fountain pens :(
So it's ok to flex the tip that way? I assume that would eventually stop returning to its closed state after a while. Guess not?
That would be my question also as I'm a calligrapher and would be interested in this pen but wondering how the nib would stand up to the flexing
Do you think that this pen is suitable for everyday use? Notes and whatnot. What nib width would be the most suited for EDU?
The EF nib, not so much. I have a heavier hand than most, and I think it's too scratchy for every day use, personally. The fine is better and still have good variation. The medium is most pleasant, but has less variation. -Brian Goulet
The Goulet Pen Company Would you say that the medium is smooth in comparison to the likes of "conventional" pens?
The Goulet Pen Company Last question Brian...
Does the medium nib still give one a considerable amount of line variation?
Metal version definitely flows heavier than the plastic. I wonder if that's a QC issue. Like 'em both though!
You know back in like 2nd grade, we didn't have to write in cursive, we could write like each spelling word three times or write one sentence in cursive. I never liked it untill, i thought, "fountain pens are sopossed to be inncursive."(i had fountain pens already)
no tiny-loop in your lower case R?
Nope! That's not how I was taught way back in the day, but I could always give it a second look.
you end up writing Nawiki instead of Namiki.
Definitely looks like that, doesn't it? Hopefully Brian's cursive has improved in the 2+ years since then. :) - Colin
Can you give advice on how to tell when you are over flexing a pen?
It's tough to know for sure, but usually if the tines aren't springing back to form, it's a bad sign. You can hold it up to the light & see if the ink channel is wider than before. That's usually a sign that you're over-flexing. In general, I'd go pretty light/easy with the Falcon as it's more of a soft nib than a flex nib. It's also $100+. Something like a Noodler's pen is a great option to try out as it has replacement nibs under $5 if you do over-flex. - Colin
I have bought this pen recently impressed by its advertised line variation. quality. It has disappointed me for it has no line variation at all. It just writes plain. You have to press it hard to extract very little line variation. So sad.