Always loved the FA nib from pilot. never really used them as flex pens but always enjoyed the spring in normal writing

it seems to me the best for calligraphy is Waterman, then MontBlanc. Pilot is to me better general purpose pen capable of calligraphy as well but being more elastic it doesn't produce an unwanted line variation which to me is appreciable and it makes me want to buy it for having something different but not too much specific. I 've just started using my 90's Parker Sonnet with a very soft nib: it's pleasant but I sometimes detest it as I feel much more stressing having to resist to its flection than laying my weight on a rigid ni; with my Waterman Expert I series, that's rigid like hell but it's incredibly smooooth and wet, I feel much more relaxed and I can write for hours. Probably a part of that incomfort I feel with Sonnet is due to the small size of its section. So overall I'm seduced by soft/flexible nibs but I would consider it only if they flex just when I press itnentionally. Pilot seems like that

Thank you, this was very interesting. I have two Falcon nibs, and a Leonardo "elastic" fine, and a Pineider semi-flex, but no vintage flex nibs. I am very cautious with them, because I don't want to ruin them with too much pressure.

Are those really your hands?

The Waterman has far more "Expression" than the Montblanc...hehe. But I would prefer the stiffer nib, personally.

There is really nothing impractical about using vintage fountain pens every day. I have for years. Your criticism of vintage fountain pens is from the perspective of people who have used only disposable ballpoint pens, and who would throw their pens in a bag and never give any thought to how they're treating them, and not realizing that a big part of what makes these pens such great performers is that a generous supply of ink is in the feed, ready to issue forth whenever necessary, especially in the case of vintage flex fountain pens, which means that if you shake one of these pens around ink will get expelled from it. That's physics. You don't throw a quality pen into a bag unless it's a safety pen. There is a protocol to how you use and care for fountain pens, and none of it is difficult or impractical. It just requires mindfulness, and really, we should all be mindful. Anything of value deserves mindfulness. These pens deserve mindfulness. They are also not fussy prima donnas. Don't throw them around, but if you use them the way they were intended, they are quite robust and will last for many, many years. Almost all of my fountain pens are from the 1920s or earlier and they've lasted this long, even the most heavily worn ones, and they all have plenty of life left in them. They're made really well, out of quality materials, and are quite robust and durable. Just don't abuse them and they'll be fine. Keep them nib up, like all fountain pens except safeties. Don't flail them around while gesticulating with your hands and arms, and you'll be fine. That was always understood. If you want to throw a pen around get a safety, but don't wave it around uncapped. Again, having lots of ink ready to go in the feed is a good thing. The dry feeds and nibs of most modern fountain pens are not conducive to performance. They are like that for people who don't know the rules of fountain pens. The good news is that the rules of fountain pens are easy to follow, and they're not limiting, unless you work in a heavily industrial environment, in which case you would probably want a much more occupation conscious tactical pen, like Toughbooks, those crazy laptops that can fall from a seven story window and work just fine, but that's an exceptional environment for using a fountain pen, let's be honest.

Sorry but your handwriting is messy and trying to read sideways is impossible.