What is a flex nib?Updated 10 months ago

Flexible fountain pen nibs provide line variation in the tradition of steel-nibbed calligraphy dip pens. Add calligraphic flair to your handwriting using a variety of flex nib fountain pens.

Flex nib fountain pens are great for people who want to take the time to focus on their handwriting, improving their cursive, and learning pointed-pen calligraphy (like Copperplate or Spencerian scripts). Although they have the ability to flex, the writer does not need to flex the pen all the time and can write with it without pressure like a fountain pen with a non-flexible nib.

Flex nibs provide line variation only by applying finger pressure to the downstroke. Pressing the nib on the downstroke opens the nib's tines, yielding a broader line of ink on the page. When pressure is eased, the nib "springs back" to its original shape, closing the gap between the tines and thinning the line on the page.

Flex nibs are made from stainless steel, gold, and (sometimes) titanium.

Steel flex nibs, although being more affordable, aren't as flexible and soft as 14kt gold flex nibs. Gold flex nibs are easier to use, requiring less pressure to activate a broader stroke. Traditionally, vintage flexible nibs were made of gold and tended to be the most highly sought after by collectors and pen enthusiasts.

Leonardo Officina Italiana provides fountain pens that use both steel and 14kt gold flex nibs. You can find a comparison of their "elastic" nib offerings in the video below: