Soft Nibs and Flex Nibs: What’s the Difference?
Nib Compatibility:
Compatible with fountain pens that accept Jowo #6 nib units, including Keiryu, Keiryu-Kodachi, and Matama Stream Semi-flex nibs.
Within a year of starting this wonderful hobby, you will most likely encounter a work of gorgeous calligraphy that doesn’t seem to be possible with your standard nib. Surely, you would need to be an expert to accomplish such beauty. Perhaps. In reality, the main reason why you wouldn’t be able to accomplish it is because you may not have the correct nib for it. You may need a soft nib, or even a flex nib, and yes, there is a difference.
Before we answer the main question about the difference between soft nibs and flex nibs, we must first examine the classical definitions of both, or at least the definitions that the majority of our opinionated community is most likely to accept.
As the name suggests, a flex nib is a flexible nib that is capable of bending to allow the tines of the nib to separate, thereby creating greater ink flow. Ideally, this will enable the user to achieve incredible line variations from hairlines all the way to the broadest of strokes. A soft nib is softer than a regular ‘hard’ nib, creating a cushioned writing experience, allowing the user to flex the nib to achieve line variations. With these two definitions, is there a difference? Well, the answer, as with most things nib related, is a long and complicated one.
One of the reasons this is a difficult question to answer is because of the lack of standardization for nibs as a whole. This is why the solid gold F Nib of our Oasis Fountain Pen (made completely in Japan) seems quite a bit finer than the German-made Jowo nib of the same nib size. This is why most fountain pen fans first check the writing samples before choosing their nib size, because there is simply no guarantee that one company’s nib size will be the same as another. This subjectivity is heightened with regards to soft nibs and flex nibs. After all, what is flexible for one person may merely be soft for another person.
A good metric for judging the difference between a soft nib and a flex nib would be to assess the flexibility of the nib tines, and how much pressure was applied to make the tines flex. However, it is important not to end the assessment there. To complete a holistic analysis, our team of experts would recommend you also take into account the amount of line variation you can achieve when drawing vertical lines. Once you take into account the results of these three separate assessments, you should be able to make your own determination if your nib is simply soft, or if it’s actually flex.
If you find that your nib has a nice bounce or spring to it when you apply pressure, and the tines separate after the slightest pressure, resulting in vertical lines ranging from thin to very thick, then you may have a particularly good flex nib. On the other hand, if you find that your nib is suitably springy, but requires a great deal of pressure from you in order for the tines to separate, then you most likely have a soft nib.
It is important that the writer determines early on if their nib is Soft or Flex, because attempting to flex (separating the two tines of the nib) a soft nib beyond its capability may result in irreparable damage. Conversely, using a flex nib for daily writing or note taking may be a surprisingly scratchy and difficult experience.
This is yet another reason why it’s good to know if you’re dealing with a soft nib or a genuine flex nib. The former is generally a lot smoother for daily writing purposes, even if you’re not trying to flex (pun intended) on anyone with some calligraphy. A real flex nib, however, is actually going to be rather scratchy when you’re not flexing it.
Conclusion
As promised, the answer is long and complicated, but we hope that this has shed some light on an interesting topic. A soft nib can be a flex nib depending on the person due to the subjective nature, but something like the #6 Jowo Soft Nib at our store should definitely be treated as a soft nib with some flex capabilities.
If you are searching for a grail flex “wet noodle” nib, then I’m afraid that there may be no modern equivalent. Thankfully, if you’re looking to just try a softer nib than your current array of Hard Nibs, there are a myriad of great options available everywhere.